| Date: | 22nd September 2015 | |
| County: | CUMBRIA | |
| Location: | Lake District National Park | |
| Viewed by: | DRIVE (with Walks) | |
| Season: | Autumn | |
| Camera: | Panasonic DMC-FZ150 Bridge Camera (RAW) |
| Type: | Scenic Area | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lakes, Mountains, Woodland | ||
| Roads: | Good A/B on main loop. Some single track on alternative routes. | ||
| Distance: | 55 Km (1h 30m) | ||
| Car Parks: | See linked articles | ||
| Weather: | Cloudy with varying clear sunny patches. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Please note: all data and opinions presented on this site are offered in good faith, but they are advisory only and are utilised at the risk of the user. The authors can accept no blame or liability for any loss or accident or other negative effect resulting from errors, omissions or data that has changed over time.
Original photographs found on this website are Copyright © Richard Baskerville 2015, All Rights Reserved. If small versions of other photographs are found here, they act only as links to larger versions on their originating websites. Such images may be copyrighted by their original owners. Please see the linked websites for copyright details.
Original photographs found on this website are Copyright © Richard Baskerville 2015, All Rights Reserved. If small versions of other photographs are found here, they act only as links to larger versions on their originating websites. Such images may be copyrighted by their original owners. Please see the linked websites for copyright details.
Windermere-Coniston Drive 1: Introduction
Our October 2015 trip to the Lake District and Scotland was a very spontaneous decision. We both, suddenly and expectedly, found we had two weeks free. Making the decision to take the trip late the same evening, we were already in Windermere the next afternoon! It turned out to be the right decision, weather-wise. And the fact that we hadn't pre-booked hotels meant that we could change our plans day-by-day as the weather forecast dictated. But it also carried a number of penalties.
Normally, before starting on a trip we'd already research an area in detail - so we knew all the "must-sees," the best route between them and the sort of time we should be leaving for the various visits and walks. Without that planning it was easy to miss some of the best locations or find ourselves dropping/rushing the latter part of the day, after we'd spent much longer than expected on a nice walk - or just got lost!
It also meant late nights, as we burned the midnight wi-fi, researching the route and making decisions for the next day...
We needed some basic, off-the-peg scenic routes (that we could use with the labels still on, or add tucks and adjustments as we found more time.) And, luckily, we did find some: in Martin Wilson's excellent lakedistrictdrives.com.
So far Martin's site has documented 12 different loop drives (with a 13th. on it's way, at the time of writing.) Each drive has a map with a photo and full description for each attraction marked on it. The descriptions all include a detailed location in latitude-longitude, basic info about whether there are fees for parking/entry, notes on things like toilets - and links to any websites with information about the attractions or nearby shops and cafés.
There's even a breakdown of the distances between each stop (although not rough timings/road conditions) and downloadable POI files, to feed the co-ordinates into Garmin and TomTom satnavs!
[As of Oct 2015, there's also a new website detailing how to tour the Lake District by public transport rather than car, which includes useful maps showing the attractions area-by-area instead of by route (the kind of thing we've been trying to achieve here with our master-maps.)]
Of course, any scenic guide assumes a kind of audience, and the audience Martin seems to be assuming seems to be a kind of casual day-tripping family (who like to spend time shopping, eating/drinking and looking at commercial attractions that will entertain the kids, as well as taking short walks.) This is somewhat different to our assumed audience, who are people dissatisfied with the obvious who'll dig below the superficial to find the chi of Nature and culture, that runs in temporal ley lines from the landscape to our hearts.
Martin's photographs also tend to make some of the views and sights rather less exciting than they actually are ... although this is really nit-picking what is generally a really well organised and informative resource.
We were repaid by a glorious sunset over Coniston Water, which - even by itself - made our rushed loop worth while.
But as we came to write this article and to research the area further, it became readily apparent that there were some more interesting routes we could have taken and which we would like to share.
Initially, we thought we could add some alternative routes to our actual routes, but this became too complicated logistically. So we have decided to break our usual pattern of basing articles on personal experience and putting later discoveries as scrapbook items and to create two separate articles: the first being based on what we saw ourselves and the second being the drive we would have taken had we done our normal research. Both articles link to descriptions of additional, optional attractions and walks.
Hopefully we'll be able to take our own second drive at some time, and document it with our own first hand critique.
Google maps clocks this as a 55 km (34 mile) drive, which you'd spend about 1.5 hours driving if you didn't stop - leaving 7.5 hours to walk and visit attractions in a standard 9 hour day.
As Martin Wilson wrote it, the loop is still a good general introduction to the area and many people will be happy with it. It should also be possible to see everything he suggests (without too much of a rush) in a long day's drive. It will, however, be an expensive day, even if everyone is covered by National Trust membership. You will probably need to be selective, depending on personal taste.
The map below shows the route we took with some possible alternatives and additions to Martin's locations but which are still close to his route. The dotted orange lines also show some additional or alternative routes, which will take you into rougher and more open scenery than the closed, wooded borders that form the majority of the original route. These also have their additional attractions.
The second route is the route we would have preferred to have taken, and which we hope to take next time. This is covered in a separate Windemere-Coniston (Alt) Drive article and is constructed by dropping the long southern trip around the south of Lake Windermere in favour of adding all the all the dotted yellow routes above. There's a full description in the other article, but you can also see the route immediately below (for comparison.)
Remember that the route used here is the first (upper) map not the second (lower) one. the lower one is just for reference.
Google Maps clocks this alternative route as a 71 km (45 mile) drive, but estimates the time to drive it at about 2.5 hours - presumably because of the time taken on the ferry and single track roads. This leaves 6.5 hours to walk and visit attractions in a standard 9 hour day.
The revised route contains more walks and you will definitely not be able to do everything listed on that route in a single day, even without attempting any of the optional, longer walks. You will need to prioritise. If you wanted to do everything we list in both route Windemere-Coniston descriptions, including at least some of the longer walks, you'd be looking at 3, or - more likely - 4 days in the area (unless you are fit enough to run across the fells..!)
Depending on where you are based, it should be possible to mix and match parts of both drives, to create your own personalised route(s) which is tailored to your own tastes and pocket. To help you in this, we have followed our normal practice and split both routes into sections, each with its own data and rating.
Both of our drives start at Bowness, since it's quick to access from the motorway and you're more likely to find reasonably priced B&Bs there than in the smaller places [unless you don't mind shared facilities - in which case the hostels in Coniston and Hawkshead may be a cheaper option.]
In theory, starting at Bowness should also give a reasonable angle of light on a lot of the locations, as the sun moves in relation to the loop - but for sure there will still be a few that are wrongly lit when you arrive there. It's hard to be lucky all the time...
If you're slower round the loop than expected then it may also mean that places like the Armitt Museum and Brockhole may be closed by the time you get there. However, Ambleside also features in several other Lake District drives, so you can probably pick those up on another loop.
Of course, you can always start at a different point in the loop, or just drive the part you want!
This drive is about as complicated as you'll find on this site, since there are a lot of different walks and attractions in this area which may take as alternative routes or choices.
You will not be able (by any means) to see/do them all in even a long day. We list them in full only so that you can tailor the day according to your own tastes. (If you do want to see/do all or most of them you'll need to adapt the route into multiple days.)
Our suggested approach is to select and copy this list to a text file, then delete the options that don't interest you - and add your own notes to those that do, as you read the articles.
• Bowness Glebe Road [LA23 3HB]
--> ALT ROUTE TO BEECH HILL via:
• Beech Hill Picnic Site [LA23 3LR]
• Fell Foot Park (NT) [LA12 8NN]
--> ALT SPUR TO:
• Lakeside Piers [LA12 8AS]
• Stott Bobbin Mill (EH) [LA12 8AX]
• Esthwaite Trout Fishery and Car Park [LA22 0QF]**
--> ALT LOOP TO HAWKSHEAD via:
• Hawkshead [LA22 ONT]
--> ALT LOOP TO CONISTON via:
• Coniston [LA21 8EH]
Normally, before starting on a trip we'd already research an area in detail - so we knew all the "must-sees," the best route between them and the sort of time we should be leaving for the various visits and walks. Without that planning it was easy to miss some of the best locations or find ourselves dropping/rushing the latter part of the day, after we'd spent much longer than expected on a nice walk - or just got lost!
It also meant late nights, as we burned the midnight wi-fi, researching the route and making decisions for the next day...
We needed some basic, off-the-peg scenic routes (that we could use with the labels still on, or add tucks and adjustments as we found more time.) And, luckily, we did find some: in Martin Wilson's excellent lakedistrictdrives.com.
So far Martin's site has documented 12 different loop drives (with a 13th. on it's way, at the time of writing.) Each drive has a map with a photo and full description for each attraction marked on it. The descriptions all include a detailed location in latitude-longitude, basic info about whether there are fees for parking/entry, notes on things like toilets - and links to any websites with information about the attractions or nearby shops and cafés.
There's even a breakdown of the distances between each stop (although not rough timings/road conditions) and downloadable POI files, to feed the co-ordinates into Garmin and TomTom satnavs!
[As of Oct 2015, there's also a new website detailing how to tour the Lake District by public transport rather than car, which includes useful maps showing the attractions area-by-area instead of by route (the kind of thing we've been trying to achieve here with our master-maps.)]
Of course, any scenic guide assumes a kind of audience, and the audience Martin seems to be assuming seems to be a kind of casual day-tripping family (who like to spend time shopping, eating/drinking and looking at commercial attractions that will entertain the kids, as well as taking short walks.) This is somewhat different to our assumed audience, who are people dissatisfied with the obvious who'll dig below the superficial to find the chi of Nature and culture, that runs in temporal ley lines from the landscape to our hearts.
Martin's photographs also tend to make some of the views and sights rather less exciting than they actually are ... although this is really nit-picking what is generally a really well organised and informative resource.
Windermere-Coniston Drive 1: The Drive
General
Because of the time-factors involved, the drive we took on our first day was almost entirely off the peg. In fact, we were so short of time that we had to skip the historical places (which were already near closing at the time we started) and just get our first impression of late afternoon and evening landscape.We were repaid by a glorious sunset over Coniston Water, which - even by itself - made our rushed loop worth while.
But as we came to write this article and to research the area further, it became readily apparent that there were some more interesting routes we could have taken and which we would like to share.
Initially, we thought we could add some alternative routes to our actual routes, but this became too complicated logistically. So we have decided to break our usual pattern of basing articles on personal experience and putting later discoveries as scrapbook items and to create two separate articles: the first being based on what we saw ourselves and the second being the drive we would have taken had we done our normal research. Both articles link to descriptions of additional, optional attractions and walks.
Hopefully we'll be able to take our own second drive at some time, and document it with our own first hand critique.
Drive Route(s) and Timing(s)
This article deals with the loop we drove ourselves. This was identical to Martin Wilson's Ambleside - Windermere - Coniston drive, but dropping several of the stops (including Tarn Hows, which should definitely not be dropped) and travelling west of Esthwaite Water rather than visiting Beatrix Potter's Hill Top farm to the east.Google maps clocks this as a 55 km (34 mile) drive, which you'd spend about 1.5 hours driving if you didn't stop - leaving 7.5 hours to walk and visit attractions in a standard 9 hour day.
As Martin Wilson wrote it, the loop is still a good general introduction to the area and many people will be happy with it. It should also be possible to see everything he suggests (without too much of a rush) in a long day's drive. It will, however, be an expensive day, even if everyone is covered by National Trust membership. You will probably need to be selective, depending on personal taste.
The map below shows the route we took with some possible alternatives and additions to Martin's locations but which are still close to his route. The dotted orange lines also show some additional or alternative routes, which will take you into rougher and more open scenery than the closed, wooded borders that form the majority of the original route. These also have their additional attractions.
The second route is the route we would have preferred to have taken, and which we hope to take next time. This is covered in a separate Windemere-Coniston (Alt) Drive article and is constructed by dropping the long southern trip around the south of Lake Windermere in favour of adding all the all the dotted yellow routes above. There's a full description in the other article, but you can also see the route immediately below (for comparison.)
Remember that the route used here is the first (upper) map not the second (lower) one. the lower one is just for reference.
Google Maps clocks this alternative route as a 71 km (45 mile) drive, but estimates the time to drive it at about 2.5 hours - presumably because of the time taken on the ferry and single track roads. This leaves 6.5 hours to walk and visit attractions in a standard 9 hour day.
The revised route contains more walks and you will definitely not be able to do everything listed on that route in a single day, even without attempting any of the optional, longer walks. You will need to prioritise. If you wanted to do everything we list in both route Windemere-Coniston descriptions, including at least some of the longer walks, you'd be looking at 3, or - more likely - 4 days in the area (unless you are fit enough to run across the fells..!)
Depending on where you are based, it should be possible to mix and match parts of both drives, to create your own personalised route(s) which is tailored to your own tastes and pocket. To help you in this, we have followed our normal practice and split both routes into sections, each with its own data and rating.
Both of our drives start at Bowness, since it's quick to access from the motorway and you're more likely to find reasonably priced B&Bs there than in the smaller places [unless you don't mind shared facilities - in which case the hostels in Coniston and Hawkshead may be a cheaper option.]
In theory, starting at Bowness should also give a reasonable angle of light on a lot of the locations, as the sun moves in relation to the loop - but for sure there will still be a few that are wrongly lit when you arrive there. It's hard to be lucky all the time...
If you're slower round the loop than expected then it may also mean that places like the Armitt Museum and Brockhole may be closed by the time you get there. However, Ambleside also features in several other Lake District drives, so you can probably pick those up on another loop.
Of course, you can always start at a different point in the loop, or just drive the part you want!
Drive Route(s) in Short
[Personal Britain uses postcodes are the basis of routes, since these are easiest to enter into satnavs. In towns and most villages these will be largely accurate, but in hamlets and rural areas the postcode may cover areas much larger than a single street and satnavs will try to take you to the centre point, which is usually inaccurate! Where this is the case we have tried to give additional information in the text, but ultimately such postcodes can only be taken as a rough guide.]This drive is about as complicated as you'll find on this site, since there are a lot of different walks and attractions in this area which may take as alternative routes or choices.
You will not be able (by any means) to see/do them all in even a long day. We list them in full only so that you can tailor the day according to your own tastes. (If you do want to see/do all or most of them you'll need to adapt the route into multiple days.)
Our suggested approach is to select and copy this list to a text file, then delete the options that don't interest you - and add your own notes to those that do, as you read the articles.
• Bowness Glebe Road [LA23 3HB]
- (Windermere Lake Cruises)
- (The World Of Beatrix Potter)
- (Rayrigg Meadow Picnic Area/Queen Adelaide Hill)
- (The World Of Beatrix Potter)
- (Rayrigg Meadow Picnic Area/Queen Adelaide Hill)
--> ALT ROUTE TO BEECH HILL via:
+ Blackwell House [LA23 3JT]
• Beech Hill Picnic Site [LA23 3LR]
• Fell Foot Park (NT) [LA12 8NN]
--> ALT SPUR TO:
+ Lakeland Motor Museum [LA12 8TA]
• Lakeside Piers [LA12 8AS]
- (Windemere Lake Cruises)
- (Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway)
- (The Lakes Aquarium)
- (Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway)
- (The Lakes Aquarium)
• Stott Bobbin Mill (EH) [LA12 8AX]
• Esthwaite Trout Fishery and Car Park [LA22 0QF]**
--> ALT LOOP TO HAWKSHEAD via:
+ Hill Top (NT) [LA22 0LF]
+ Claife Viewing Platform (NT) [on road to LA22 0LP]**
+ Wray Castle (NT) [LA22 0JA]
+ Blelham Tarn []**
--> OR ALT SPUR TO:+ Claife Viewing Platform (NT) [on road to LA22 0LP]**
+ Wray Castle (NT) [LA22 0JA]
+ Blelham Tarn []**
+ Grizedale Forest [LA22 0QJ]
• Hawkshead [LA22 ONT]
- (Hawkshead Village)
- (North Fen Naure Reserve [postcode unknown])
- (Beatrix Potter Gallery - NT)
- (North Fen Naure Reserve [postcode unknown])
- (Beatrix Potter Gallery - NT)
--> ALT LOOP TO CONISTON via:
+ Tarn Hows [LA22 0PP]**
--> AND/OR ALT SPUR TO:
+ Brantwood (Ruskin's House) [LA21 8AD]
• Coniston [LA21 8EH]
- (Coniston Water)
- (Coniston Town)
- (Steam Yacht Goldola (NT) [LA21 8AN])
- (Ruskin Museum)
- (Ruskin's Grave]
- (Donald Campbell's Grave)
--> ALT SPURS FROM CONISTON to:- (Coniston Town)
- (Steam Yacht Goldola (NT) [LA21 8AN])
- (Ruskin Museum)
- (Ruskin's Grave]
- (Donald Campbell's Grave)
+ Old Man Of Coniston Walk [go to LA21 8HH then follow Station Rd to its end]
+ Swirl How Walk [same as Old Man Of Coniston walk]
+ Swirl How Walk [same as Old Man Of Coniston walk]
--> ALT LOOP TO SKELWITH BRIDGE via:
+ Stickle Tarn Walk [LA22 9NZ - LA22 9JU**]
+ Langdale Boulders [road to LA229JJ]**
+ Loughrigg Tarn and Pike walk [road to LA22 9HE]**
+ Langdale Boulders [road to LA229JJ]**
+ Loughrigg Tarn and Pike walk [road to LA22 9HE]**
• Skelwith Bridge [LA22 9NJ]**
- (Skelwith Force)
• Ambleside [LA22 9AY]
- (Bridge House - NT)
- (Armitt Museum)
- (Wansfell Pike walk)
• Waterhead [LA22 0EX] - (Armitt Museum)
- (Wansfell Pike walk)
- (Windermere Lake Cruises)
- (Galava Roman Fort)
- (Stagshaw Gardens - NT)
- (Jenkin Crag walk)
- (Galava Roman Fort)
- (Stagshaw Gardens - NT)
- (Jenkin Crag walk)
--> ALT SPUR TO BROCKHOLE:
+ Brockhole House and Gardens [LA23 1LJ]
--> ALT LOOP VIA WINDERMERE:
+ Orrest Head walk [LA23 1AD]**
• Bowness Glebe Road [LA23 3HB]
** Approximate: please check text for additional guidance
Drive Route(s) by Section
Route Section 1:
Bowness to 
Lakeside:| Type: | Scenic Area | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lakes, woodland | ||
| Roads: | Good gently curving A road | ||
| Distance: | 14 km (20 minutes, without stops) | ||
| Car Parks: | Mostly Pay 'n' Display (see below for details] | ||
| Weather: | Cloudy, with sunny periods (low light.) | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• or ••••• with stops |
If you take the slightly higher A5074 and B5363 via Blackwell House, the road is more agricultural and open, although you still won't see much of the Lake itself (although Blackwell House itself does have a reasonable scenic view, although the agricultural land still fills the foreground.)
Quiet marina jetties off Glebe Road - a short walk from the main Bowness cruise piersFrom Bowness set your satnav to LA23 3JT to go south via Blackwell House. Beyond that point the route is the same: LA23 3LR - LA12 8NN - LA12 8AS.
On the main lakeside route, two possible stopping places are: the Beech Hill Picnic Site and the National Trust's Fell Foot Park.
The
Beech Hill Picnic Site is just south of the Beech Hill Hotel and is run by the National Park Authority. It can be found at LA23 3LR and is 5 km (6 mins) from the Bowness Piers. It has Pay 'n' Display (£1.50 one hour, £2.50 two hours) and Pay By Mobile parking, and ladies/gents/disabled toilets.You can get down to the lakeshore below the car park, but the path has some steep steps, which may rule it out for some people. The picnic area is open and more accessible, and does have a (slightly restricted) view across the Lake, although the opposite shore is not very high and is wooded. It's a pleasant place for a break or to eat your sandwiches, but there are better places.
Fell Foot Park is, as the name suggests, near the foot of the Lake, at the neck where Windermere starts to be drained by the River Leven. It's on the opposite shore to Lakeside village, which can be seen across the water to the North-West. The Trust's claims that its a "lakeshore park with stunning mountain views" is somewhat exaggerated - mountains of any size are very distant - although the picnic area is on the lake edge and the views are pleasant and relaxing. More accurately the Trust describes the area as "a family friendly location to play, explore and relax. Sweeping lawns offer plenty of space for games, picnics and gentlewalks, while easy lake access makes the park perfect for paddling, swimming and boating." There's also a (boathouse) café.
All this does mean that the park can get very busy with families playing frisby during the holiday season and the two car parks get quite full. The car park is Pay 'n' Display for non-NT-members, althoughthe rates are not published - otherwise entry is free.
It's probably a better place to stop than Beech Hill, if you need to chose. Rowing boats are available to hire from April to October (not free to NT members) and there's an adventure playground.
Blackwell House is a grand mansion designed and built in 1900 by disciples of the Arts and Crafts movement, which was the pre-eminent aesthetics philosophy from around 1890 to 1920 (when it was largely superceded by the more striking designs of Modernism - which rejected the Arts and Crafts principles - and Art Deco - which can be said to have adapted Arts and Crafts styles for the "Machine Age.")It was too late to go in when we took our drive (it's open 10.30-5.00 in summer and 10.30-4.00 November-March,) but the photographs of the interior woodwork and art that we've seen do look quite quite impressive.
The house is run by a private trust and the fairly hefty entry fees of £8.50 per adult (or £7.70 without giftaid) may cause many people to decide that they should be devoting a minimum half-day here, rather than just sparing an hour or two on a scenic tour. At the end of the day it really comes down to how interested you are in William Morris and his anti-industrial design movement. There's more detail and background in our Blackwell House article or on the blackwell.org.uk website.
Families can benefit from some good discounts: admission for young people aged up to 16 (and full-time students over 16) is free. There's also a discount of 50% for National Art Pass holders.
Not shown on our map, but less than 2 km from the town of Newby Bridge (where the route crosses the River Leven before heading northwards to the West of Lake Windermere) there's also the Lakeland Motor Museum [LA12 8TA] which promises "A diverse and unique road transport collection of some 30,000 exhibits assembled over a period of almost 50 years ... thoughtfully displayed alongside many non-motoring additions ... with a beautiful riverside setting."
This is outside our brief, but Top Gear fans will be, no doubt, be interested to know that parking is free, it's open 7 days per week (9.90-5.30,) there are shuttle buses to Lakeside for the busier months and adult entry is £8.00 (although there are also half-price pensioner days, bundles with cruises and other attractions, etc, etc. See the lakelandmotormuseum website for details.
Lakeside is the last point in this section. As the name suggests, it's found at the water's edge (on the western side of Windermere about a kilometer north of Newby Bridge.) The postcode is LA12 8AS, but this covers a large part of the village, so watch out for signs to the pier or the Aquarium to find the car parks, once you've entered the settlement. There's a Pay 'n' Display and also a large £3.50 per car park run by Windermere Lake Cruises. They're quite close to each other, bracketing the Aquarium.
The attractions at Lakeside [LA12 8AS] are covered in the next section.
Route Section 2:
Lakeside to 
Esthwaite Water):| Type: | Scenic Area, Historical | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lake, woodland, industrial centre | ||
| Roads: | Good B-Road | ||
| Distance: | 9 km (about 15 minutes, without stops) | ||
| Car Parks: | Pay 'n' display at Esthwaite Water | ||
| Weather: | Clearing cloud, with sunny patches. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
There are, however, a number of attractions at the start and end of the section that will appeal to many people. We cover those around Lakeside here. [Esthwaite Water is covered in the next section.]
Lakeside lives entirely on tourism and there's quite a few commercial attractions: Windermere Lake Cruises have loops to Bowness (90 minutes) and all the way to Waterhead (although - as we've mentioned in our article on the Windermere "Red" Cruise - our feeling is that the northern cruises from Bowness or Ambleside are preferable.) Check out their website for details.On the water, there are also self-drive boat rentals and a (summer only) ferry to Fell Foot Park (above.)
The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway company runs steam trains from March to November. The go down the Leven River Valley for a distance of about 5 km, with only one intermediate stop (at Newby Bridge.) There are 7 trains per day in summer and 5 or 6 in Spring/Autumn. See their website for the full timetable, more about their locomotives and the history of the line (which was once part of the much larger Furness Railway company that had many stations in the lake District.) Adult return fare is £6.60, although there are also bundle offers with the Motor Museum and cruises. The Lakes Aquarium is open 7 days per week (10am - 6pm, last entry 5pm.) Adult entry is £6.95 (£5.95 if bought online) although there are also bundles, family tickets, etc.The attraction features Lake District fish, water bird (diving ducks) and mammal species (like otters) in either real or audiovisual exhibits, although the bulk of the exhibits are of overseas (salt-water and fresh-water) species - like sharks, rays, piraña and marmosets.
English Heritage's Stott Park Bobbin Mill is also within walking distance of Lakeside (less than a kilometer,) but if you are an English Heritage member or take the guided tour, parking at Stott Park is effectively free anyway, so there's no real advantage to this and you'll probably chose to drive.
The Stott Park Bobbin Mill [LA12 8AX] has a diabled car park close to the entry and a larger Pay 'n' Display 50m away. The parking system is slightly odd. You pay for the ticket, but if you're a member or take a guided tour it's refunded later. Adult entry is £6.80
(or £7.50 with gift aid) or free to English Heritage members.It's also an odd facility for English Heritage to own. Located at the edge of the forest so the raw logs were on hand, the mill produced a quarter of a million wooden bobbins a week for the intensive Lancashire spinning and weaving industries. Although small, the mill was staffed by around 250 men and boys - often brought in from workhouses to work in poor conditions.
The mill is still operational and runs the original belt-driven lathes and machinery, so you can see the production flow from logs to bobbins for yourself. Entry is by guided tour only (hourly from 10.30 - last entry at 4pm - Wed through Sun weekly) and this takes about 45 minutes. It's probably best to book ahead.
Operators use the the original belt driven machinery. This is now driven by electricity, although the original steam engine is fired up on the first weekend of the month and on bank holidays. There's also a new audio-visual exhibition and four acres of woodland for local walks and picnics.
The factory may be of more relevance to people of Lancashire interested in their textile mill history than people visiting the Lakes for scenes of natural beauty.
ONWARD: set your satnav to LA22 0QF. There are two turnings right to Near Sawrey shortly before you reach Esthwaite Water. Keep straight on to reach the Car Park at the south-west corner of the tarn/lake.
Although the postcode of the Car Park is LA22 0QF, this also covers other places on the western lakeside (including the nearby Trout Fishery) so keep a keen eye for the sign to the Car Park as soon as you pass the second Near Sawrey turn-off. The Car Park is on the lake edge, in the trees down to the right.
Or if you wish to take the orange dotted alternate route to Hawkhead via Near and Far Sawrey, Claife and Wray (see the top map, above) then take one of the right-hand turn-offs mentioned above. [The full loop via all the the attractions, walks and viewpoints will add 19 km (45 minutes) to your trip - mostly on narrow or single-track roads]
All these optional locations are described in detail in our Alternative Windermere-Coniston drive (or in separate articles,) but - for your reference - include:
Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm 
The Claife Viewing Platform
Wray Castle and
Blelham TarnThe first three are all National Trust. The last is a free walk.
Route Section 3: Esthwaite Water to 
Hawkshead:
It's only a short drive along the west of Esthwaite Water from the lake's South-West Car Park to get to Hawkshead [Car Park at LA22 ONT.] You can see the lake through a single line of trees to start with, but then then the water gets further away over some meadows. Although it's small, the lake is quite a pretty one and has wetlands around the top end, close to Hawkshead. Esthwaite Water to Hawkshead:| Type: | Scenic Area (optionally historical buildings) | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lake, woodland (optionally fen) | ||
| Roads: | Good B-road | ||
| Distance: | 3 km (about 5 minutes) | ||
| Car Parks: | Pay 'n' Display at Esthwaite Water. Pay on Exit at Hawkshead. | ||
| Weather: | Light cloud. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Esthwaite Water. We reached the Car Park at the southern end of the lake [LA22 0QF] not long before sunset and found it empty. We were able to walk the few paces to the lakeshore and absorb the peace of the water lapping on the small beach in the darkling light - all by ourselves.In windier or cloudier weather, the view northwards - up the little lake - could have been chilling and lonely, but the warmth of the low sun was gentle and brought a calm contentment.
Looking North up the small lake of Esthwaite Water from the South-Western Car ParkThe dark clouds and darkening sky served only to emphasise the autumnal warmth of the sun's lowering rays.
View across Esthwaite Water towards Near Sawrey (where Beatrix Potter once farmed)Branches from the trees hung a long way over the edge of the lake, so we had to balance on stepping stones in the shallow water in order to gain uniterrupted shots.
Somewhere within the patches of trees is the village of Near Sawrey, although only a few buildings are evident from this side of the water. The low ridge of hills continues up to Claife Heights and separates Esthwaite Water from Windermere.
It's easy to see why Beatrix Potter fell in love with this area and bought Hill Top farmThe multi-talented naturalist and childrens' writer Beatrix Potter first visited the area at the age of 16 and the first property she bought with her royalties was a farm in Near Sawrey - just the other side of the Lake.
Reeds were replanted to improve habitat for waterfowl and fish like roach and troutXue's first question on reaching any kind of water - from a moorland puddle to Loch Ness - was "are there any fish" so the knowledge that the Fishery people stock the lake with an ample supply of both trout and "coarse" fish would have been enough for her to don polaroids and start pouring her attention on likely hiding places below the mild ripples of the surface!
The lake edge had patches of reeds and rushes that can provide good hiding places for reticent fish. Many of these were replanted by the Parks Authority, prior to repeating the exercie on stretches of the Western shore of Windermere.
Hills around Coniston block light from the low sun, but the sky is bright from its glowUnlike the sunlit shore on the far side, photographs towards the North-West of Esthwaite Water had too much contrast to provide anything other than a silhouette of the land and trees along the road. But this was OK too.
Esthwaite Water is probably less atmospheric in the busier day-time - although unlike other lakes in the area, there was enough open ground between the water and the roads on both sides to reveal wide views of the little lake from a variety of angles and fewer tourists make it here than hot-spots like Windermere.
The Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery is not shown on our map, but is only 100 meters up the lakeshore, on the way from the Car Park towards Hawkshead. A small road (with a green sign) descends to the right to a few small shacks with a ticket office/tackle shop, café and toilets. There is room for a few cars, but you're expected to park in the Pay 'n' Display Car Park (the one we'd just left) if you're going to fish. In fact the Car Park is often referenced as the Trout Fishery Car Park.You can get licences and tuition or hire boats and fishing tackle at the Fishery's ticket office. Day permits are £25 - for which you have a bag limit of 4 fish (additional fish must be put back.) Experts, beginners and disabled people are all welcome, but there are such a wide range of different fees and rules that its well worth studying their website, before you finally decide waht you want. The largest rainbow/brown trouts caught in the lake are 16lb3oz/13lb8oz and the largest pike is over 39lb so you have some good targets to beat! Barbless hooks are mandated.
About another one and a half kilometers up the road, just before you enter the first buildings of Hawkshead, there's a turning left to:
Grizedale Forest - where the Forestry Commission have a car park and a recreational centre.We have not shown this on our map (although the name is there) but the post code is LA22 OQJ and its 4 - 5 km from the Hawkshead road. Like
Brockhole, on the far side of Windermere, entry is free although parking is Pay On Exit and ranges from £1.80 for an hour to a maximum of £5.70 for the day, so you are actually paying for your time there. There's a forest shop, cafe, picnic area and toilets (10 - 5 in the summer and 10 - 4 in winter.)and bicycle hire from Velobikes.
South-East of Hawkshead, and at the northern tip of Esthwaite Water - either side of a small stream that feeds the lake and a small tarn called Priest Pot - is the
North Fen National Nature Reserve (run by the Cumbrian local authority.) This would seem to be a nice place to walk and the local B&Bs say that there are ospreys fishing the lake in the area, but - despite a lot of Googling - we've been unable to find where the footpaths run and where you can park/get into it! There's supposed to be a Tourist Office at the Hawkshead National Parks Authority Car Park, so it might be worth asking there. Hawkshead Village seems to be a nice place to spend a little time and the photographs we've seen seem to indicate photo opportunities in narrow streets of whitewashed houses. The only parking we've seen [LA22 ONT] is the National Park's Pay on Exit which at £2.00 for the first hour rising to £8.00 for the day can be considered to be on the expensive side. It does have toilets though.
The Beatrix Potter Gallery is in the centre of Hawkshead [LA22 0NS] and is run by the National Trust. It doesn't have it's own parking, so members still have to pay for this. The Trust's web entry talks of a Pay 'n' Display park 300m away, so there may be another besides the Park Authority's that we haven't been able to trace. Otherwise you need to add at least £2 to your budget!The gallery contains an exhibition of Beatrix Potter's original drawings and watercolours, in a whitewashed 17th Century building that once belonged to her husband William Heelis - he was a Solicitor and this was his office.
Besides the artwork the exhibition also includes diary entries, sketches, photographs and memorabilia collected by Beatrix on her travels in the UK and reveal something of her life as a farmer and conservationist (although her farm, Hill Top, at nearby Near Sawrey and also run by the National Trust probably gives a better connection to that side of her personality.)
The Gallery is open 10.30-5pm most days of the year, although may be closed on Fridays and/or Thursdays, so check The Beatrix Potter Gallery website entry first.
Besides
Hill Top the following attractions also feature at least one aspect of Beatrix Potter:
The Armitt Museum (a local trust in Ambleside)
The World of Beatrix Potter (a commercial operation in Bowness)Follow the links to see our guides on these.
ONWARD: set your satnav to LA21 8EH for Coniston or if you want to take the (recommended) dotted-orange alternative route to Tarn Hows proceed as follows:
The Tarn Hows Car Park is shown as LA22 0PP, but this covers a large area and the satnav will probably aim you at the postcode centre. We suggest using that postcode, since it should put you on the right road (coming from Hawkshead), but ignore the satnav if it says you have arrived before you arrive at the tarn. The satnav may take you to a group of B&Bs on a staggered crossroads in Hawkshead Hill - just north of the B5285. There is a signpost to Tarn Hows on the junction by the whitewashed Summer Hill Country House (B&B.)Martin Wilson's Ambleside - Windermere - Coniston scenic drive has Tarn Hows' location expressed as Latitude/Longitude if you prefer.
There's more detail about Tarn Hows in our Alternative Windermere-Coniston Drive aricle.
Route Section 4:
Hawkshead to Coniston):| Type: | Scenic Area | ||
| Sub-Type: | --Cliffs, Tors, Panorama | ||
| Roads: | --C-Road | ||
| Distance: | xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | -- | ||
| Weather: | --Mostly sunny. Good light. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Steam yacht gondola
Old Man Of Coniston and Swirl How Walks
Ruskin Grave (LA21 8DX) and Campbell Grave.
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Alt Route 2a (Esthwaite Water to Claife Viewing Station):
| Type: | Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lake, woodland | ||
| Roads: | Narrow single-track with passing places. Rough from patches sometimes | ||
| Distance: | xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | Mostly National Trust (charges unknown) | ||
| Weather: | Clearing cloud, with sunny patches. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Evening | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Claife viewing platform http://www.walk4life.info/walk/windermere-ash-landing-and-claife-heights.
Road up along lake to see Belle Isle (not all the way to Wray.)
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Alt Route 2b (Claife Viewing Station-Wray Castle):
| Type: | Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lake, woodland | ||
| Roads: | B-road or narrow single-track with passing places. | ||
| Distance: | xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | National Trust Pay 'n' Display at Wray Castle | ||
| Weather: | N/A | ||
| Time Of Day: | N/A | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Wray CastleRuskin was appointed Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University in 1869, and it was here that he met Hardwicke Rawnsley who was studying at Balliol College. This was to be the start of a lifelong friendship. In 1875, whilst working in London, Ruskin introduced Rawnsley to his friend Octavia Hill, a social reformer. Rawnsley and Hill were two of the founders in 1896 of the National Trust, whose origins can be traced back to Ruskin’s influence. Ruskin took up the cause of conservation with much passion and vigor, and many of the issues on which he campaigned are still valid today – town and country planning, green belts and smokeless zones. He also campaigned for free schools and libraries.
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Alt Route 2c (Wray Castle-Hawkeshead):
Blelham Tarn and Blelham Bog Nature reserve| Type: | Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | Lake, woodland | ||
| Roads: | Good B-road or narrow single-track with passing places. | ||
| Distance: | xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | Various (see text) | ||
| Weather: | N/A | ||
| Time Of Day: | N/A | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
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Alt Route 4a (Hawkeshead-Coniston via Tarn Hows):
Tarn Hows| Type: | --Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | --Lake, woodland | ||
| Roads: | --Good B-road or narrow single-track with passing places. | ||
| Distance: | --xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | --Various (see text) | ||
| Weather: | --N/A | ||
| Time Of Day: | --N/A | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Steam yacht gondola
Old Man Of Coniston and Swirl How Walks
Brantwood (Ruskin).
Ruskin Grave (LA21 8DX) and Campbell Grave.
Route Section 5 (Coniston-Ambleside):
Text.| Type: | Scenic Area | ||
| Sub-Type: | --Cliffs, Tors, Panorama | ||
| Roads: | --Mix of A, B and C-Roads | ||
| Distance: | --34Km | ||
| Car Parks: | --Street Parking in Ashford-In-The-Water | ||
| Weather: | --Mostly sunny. Good light. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Nightfall | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
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Alt Route 5a (Coniston-Ambleside via Elterwater/Loughrigg Tarn):
As per title-at least 2 alt routes| Type: | --Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | --Lake, woodland | ||
| Roads: | --Good B-road or narrow single-track with passing places. | ||
| Distance: | --xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | --Various (see text) | ||
| Weather: | --N/A | ||
| Time Of Day: | --N/A | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Loughrigg Fell WalkSkelwith Force. http://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes13.htm
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Route Section 6 (Ambleside-Bowness):
| Type: | Scenic Area, Historical Buildings | ||
| Sub-Type: | --Cliffs, Valley, Viaduct | ||
| Roads: | --B-road | ||
| Distance: | xKm | ||
| Car Parks: | --Street Parking in Ashford-In-The-Water | ||
| Weather: | --Mostly sunny. Good light. | ||
| Time Of Day: | Night | ||
| Drive Rating: | ••••• |
Bridge House (Ambleside) Armitt Museum (Ambleside)
Galava Roman Fort Brockhole Stagshaw Gardens Jenkin Crag Walk
Wansfell Pike Walk
Rayrigg Meadow and the Adelaide Hill Walk Text.
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