Where to Stay in the Lake District: An Area Guide (2023)

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Heading to the Lake District National Park for the first time and not sure where the best places to stay are? I’ve been there! The first time we visited the Lake District, I accidentally booked a cottage outside of the National Park.

It didn’t matter too much, as you can drive around pretty easily. But I made a mental note to be closer to all of the ‘action’ on our next visit!

There are a few main, quintessential towns to stay in the Lake District, including Ambleside, Keswick, Coniston, Bowness-on-Windemere and Grasmere. All towns in the national park are accessible and easy to travel around from, but each also has pros and cons.

For example, if you’re on a time budget, you might want to look at the main towns like Ambleside or Keswick as they are near some of the biggest hikes and waterfalls.

Or if you’d prefer a stay in a quieter village with cosy pubs and nature walks, I’d recommend Grasmere or Coniston.

There are lots of towns and villages to choose from in the Lake District (and even remote farms or unique stays!) so, let’s get started!

Check out my other Lake District posts:

• 23 Things to do in the Lake District in Winter
• Best Breakfast in the Lake District: 10 Best Cafes
• Best Indian Restaurants in the Lake District
• Swimming in Lake Windermere: BEST Spots

Main towns and villages in the Lake District

There are four major tourist towns to stay in in the Lake District, which are good ‘bases’ to have whilst you explore.

These towns are the most popular areas to stay in the Lake District National Park, although there are many other options, which we will look at in this post!

All of the four Lake District towns listed below are well located with major lakes, hikes and trails nearby.

The main towns in the Lake District are:

• Ambleside (South)
• Keswick (North)
• Windemere (South)
• Bowness-on-Windemere (South)

In summary, the following Lake District areas are the best for:

• First timers: Ambleside
• On a budget: Grasmere or Keswick
• Nightlife: Keswick or Bowness-on-Windemere
• For adventure, hiking and watersports: Keswick
• For couples: Ambleside, Windemere
• For families: Coniston, Ambleside or Keswick
• For the start of the Scafell Pike hike: Grasmere

From the very north of the Lake District to the very south, it is around a 1.5-hour drive.

This means that everywhere within the Lake District National Park is within reach, so if you go for the cheapest or most budget-friendly option, you don’t need to worry too much about missing out!

If you don’t have a car to travel around, check out my guide about using public transport in the Lake District.

Other towns and villages in the Lake District

If you choose to stay out of one of the main towns, you may be able to find more budget-friendly options.

🗺️ GOOD TO KNOW:

• The north of the Lake District is home to towns such as Keswick and Cockermouth, and home to Ullswater, Derwent Water and Buttermere lakes. 

• The south of the Lake District is home to Lake Windermere, Coniston Water and Rydal Water, and has towns such as Ambleside, Grasmere, Coniston, Bowness-on-Windermere, and the famous Scafell Pike. 

Some of the most popular smaller villages in the Lake District include:

• Grasmere
• Coniston
• Cockermouth
• Ulverston
• Hawkshead
• Langdale
• Ullswater
• Kendal (although this is a larger market town)

Ultimately, if you have a car and you aren’t against spending a lot of time behind the wheel, you can stay in any of these areas and have good access to the lakes and hikes!

Best places to stay in the Lake District

1) Ambleside

• 🏡 Perfect for: First-timers in the Lake District. Couples, families, groups, and solo travellers.

• 🗺️ Close to: Lake Windermere, Coniston Water, Scafell Pike, Helm Crag, and Rydal Water.

• 🥾Things to do: Nature walks, hiking Stock Ghyll Force waterfall, hiring a boat on Lake Windemere, climbing to the top of Black Fell, grabbing a pint at the Royal Oak and soaking in the views at Loughrigg Fell.

Ambleside is one of the most popular villages to stay in in the Lake District and is my personal favourite place to stay.

Known as the ‘heart of the Lake District’, Ambleside is beautiful. It’s like stepping into a movie with a quintessentially British setting, with grey slate buildings, cosy tea rooms, traditional pubs and accessible nature walks.

It’s also within walking distance of Lake Windermere, which is the largest lake in the Lake District! Lake Windermere is a must-visit when you’re in the area, and is a great place for wild swimming, picnic days and boat trips.

Fortunately, Ambleside has lots of accommodations to choose from; from old-fashioned B&Bs run by locals to modern apartments and countryside cottages.

However, Ambleside isn’t known as the cheapest area in the Lake District, but if you’re booking outside of the English school holidays, you can get a lower price on some of the nicer cottages in the area (just avoid August at all costs!)

In terms of hiking and walking in the Lake District, Ambleside is an ideal area to base yourself in.

From Ambleside, you can hike the famous Loughrigg Fell, as well as Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall and the Rydal Caves.

In just a short drive away, you can reach England’s highest peak; Scafell Pike, and the adrenaline-pumping Helvellyn for adventure seekers!

We’ve stayed in a few locations in the Lake District, but Ambleside will always be our favourite. It’s a firm favourite for those visiting for the first time and want to be truly immersed in the Lake District magic!

Where to stay in Ambleside

• If you’re a solo traveller in Ambleside, I recommend staying in the YHA Hostel. It’s a short distance from the centre of Ambleside, and you’ll be able to meet other solo backpackers. ➡ BOOK THIS HOSTEL NOW!

• Want a cute and cosy cottage in Ambleside? Our favourite is Grayling Cottage. It’s just a one-minute walk from Ambleside town centre and is beautifully decorated. ➡ BOOK THIS COTTAGE NOW!

2) Keswick

🏡 Perfect for: Nature and adventure-seekers. couples, families, groups, solo travellers, young travellers

🗺️ Close to: Helvellyn, Skiddaw, Buttermere, Ullswater, Derwent Water, Glenridding, Catbells, Calf Close Bay, Walla Crag, Bleaberry & High Seat.

🥾Things to do: Hike the adrenaline-pumping Helvellyn, party at the Loft nightclub, soak in the scenery on the Catbells walk, have a wild swim in Derwent Water, watch a show at Keswick’s local theatre, drink a pint in the local pubs and eat delicious food at one of the best Indian restaurants in the national park!

Keswick is another great town to stay in in the Lake District and one we always visit for at least a day trip.

It’s one of the biggest market towns in the national park and has good access to Scafell Pike and other big hikes such as Helvellyn.

It’s also surrounded by the beautiful Skiddaw mountains and Derwentwater Lake, which is the perfect spot for watersports and wild swimming.

Keswick also has a more notable nightlife scene than Ambleside, with pubs hosting events such as live music, karaoke and open mic nights.

It’s a good area to stay in if you are travelling with a group of friends or family, and want something to do in the evenings as well as the daytime.

Where to stay in Keswick

• Want a quintessential British stay in Keswick? Check out the Maple Bank Country Guest House. It’s a detached Edwardian house set in an acre of gardens, with breakfast, coffee and cake served daily. It’s like stepping onto the set of Downton Abbey! ➡ BOOK THIS STAY HERE!

• If you’d prefer your own space, the Nook house has a patio with garden views just a stone’s throw from Keswick town centre. ➡ BOOK TO STAY IN YOUR OWN KESWICK HOUSE HERE!

3) Grasmere

🏡 Perfect for: a quintessential village stay. Couples and families.

🗺️ Close to: Helm Crag, Loughrigg, Brackenfell & Alcock Tarn, Easedale Tarn, Dora’s Field, Tarn Crag, Silver How, Rydal Caves.

🥾Things to do: William Wordsworth’s former home, Dove Cottage, a hike up Helm Crag, the village of Town End, the Wordsworth museum, and the Daffodil Gardens.

William Wordsworth, the famous English poet, labelled Grasmere as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”, and it’s easy to see why!

If you want a quieter and budget-friendly stay in the Lake District, try the historical village of Grasmere.

Grasmere is a picturesque Lake District village around 20 minutes south of Keswick.

It is the starting point for the Helm Crag hike, and is the famous countryside hometown of William Wordsworth. You can even stroll around his garden and visit his home where most of his poems were written.

Grasmere is only small and can be walked around in one afternoon. It’s full of independently run cake and coffee shops, ice cream stands and even a world-famous gingerbread house! Its streets are covered in traditional grey-slate buildings, blossoming flowers and large, towering trees which adds to the quaint, fairytale atmosphere.

Accommodation in Grasmere can also be cheaper than in some of the larger villages like Keswick and Ambleside.

Where to stay in Grasmere

• For a quintessential British stay, take a look at Victorian House. It’s a large brick building in the middle of Grasmere, perfect for couples or families. ➡ BOOK THIS HOTEL NOW!

• If you’d prefer your own space and apartment and are travelling in a group, the Drystones Apartments are perfect for a Grasmere stay. ➡ BOOK THIS STAY NOW!

4) Bowness-On-Windemere

🏡 Perfect for: large groups, couples, solo travel, families.

🗺️ Close to: Lake Windermere, Claife Heights, Brantfell, School Knott, Orrest Head, Townend, Miller Ground, Grasmere.

🥾Things to do: Hire a boat on Lake Windemere, explore the World of Beatrix Potter, drink a pint at the Lake View beer garden, try a new cocktail at the Magic Roundabout and hike the Orrest Head circular loop.

Bowness-On-Windemere is one of the most popular areas to stay in the Lake District for families and groups.

It is located on the shores of Lake Windemere and has a bustling atmosphere. You can also find plenty of high-street shops, restaurants and bars to keep you busy!

It has more of an English seaside town atmosphere than some of the other Lake District areas. From typical ice cream stands, a large boating dock and a lot of pesky seagulls trying to steal your snacks!

But if you want a good evening view, the Bowness sunsets over Lake Windemere are some of the best I’ve ever seen. They are incredible.

If you’d like to spend on the lake, you can base yourself in Bowness-on-Windemere for watersports. Whether you’d like to stay dry on the large, open-top ferry that sails around the lake to the different villages, or hire a paddleboard, kayak or rowing boat, you can be sure to find somewhere in Bowness!

If you’re travelling to the Lake District on a budget, Bowness-on-Windemere also has a heap of cheap food options. You can get fast food, pizza, kebabs and fish and chip shops on most of the main streets.

Where to stay in Bowness-on-Windemere

• Travelling as a couple on a budget? Check out the Melbourne Guest House, located in the centre of Bowness and just a 10-minute walk from Lake Windemere. ➡ BOOK THIS GUESTHOUSE NOW!

• If you have a higher budget to spend, the Lakes Hotel and Spa is one of the most beautiful hotels in the Lake District. With private hot tubs, balconies, a pool bar, an onsite restaurant and a cocktail bar, it’s the place to stay in Bowness if you want luxury! ➡ BOOK THIS HOTEL NOW!

5) Coniston and Hawkshead

• 🏡 Perfect for: couples, families, solo travel

• 🗺️ Close to: Coniston Water, Coniston Boating Centre, The Old Man of Coniston walk, Little Langdale, Esthwaite Water, Hawkshead to Lake Windemere circular loop, Latterbarrow, Grizedale forest

• 🥾 Things to do: drink coffee at Herdwick’s family-run cafe, wild swim in Coniston waters, walk around Tarn Hows, try the Old Man of Coniston hike, and visit the Ruskin Museum.

For those who still want to be in the centre of the Lakes, but want cheaper accommodation outside of the popular towns like Ambleside and Keswick, Coniston and Hawkshead are two other beautiful locations to stay in the Lake District.

Coniston is surrounded by beautiful mountains and has easy access to Lake Coniston, one of the best lakes in the national park for watersports and swimming.

It’s a lot calmer than Lake Windermere, so we preferred to swim and rent a paddleboard here. It also is home to one of our favourite cafes in the Lake District – Herdwick’s, a family-run, dog-loving cafe that serves food from a local farm to your table. It’s a must-visit when in Consiton!

A short 10-minute drive away is the town of Hawkshead. Hawkshead is known as one of the prettier Lake District villages and is home to traditional guest houses, pubs and craft shops.

It’s also close to one of the prettiest and easiest walks in the Lake District; Tarn Hows.

Where to stay in Coniston and Hawkshead

• For a cosy Coniston stay, check out the rooms at one of Consiton’s best pubs; The Crown Inn. ➡ BOOK YOUR PUB STAY NOW!

• For a different type of Lake District experience, check out the glamping experience at Coniston Park! ➡ BOOK A GLAMPING EXPERIENCE NOW!

• If you’d prefer to stay in Hawkshead, The Hive at Poppi-Red is in an excellent location with boutique-style rooms. Some even have a standalone bathtub next to your bed! ➡ BOOK THIS HOTEL NOW!

Where to stay in the Lake District: FAQs

1) Where is the best area to stay in the Lake District?

This depends on what kind of Lake District trip you would like; however, the most popular places to stay include Keswick and Ambleside. Both are great starting points for hikes, walks, viewpoints, pubs and some of the best things to do in the Lake District.

2) Where to stay in Lake District first time?

One of the best places to stay in the Lake District as a first timer is Ambleside. Known as the ‘heart’ of the Lake District, it’s a quintessential, pretty village full of pubs, cafes and shops. It’s also close to Lake Windermere and some of the best nature walks in the National Park.

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Where to stay in the Lake District: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Some of the best places and areas to stay in the Lake District. Wherever you stay, you’re bound to have a good time – it is one of the prettiest places in the UK after all!

If you’ve read this post and have planned your Lake District trip from it, don’t forget to let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below! Hearing your travel success stories is the best part of my job.

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write firs-hand travel guides aimed at real-life travellers wanting authentic and down-to-earth information. 

I’m currently balancing travelling around the world and living in London with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Lake District content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x