OUR FAVOURITE FESTIVE VILLAGES
Sunrise over Windermere
The Lake District is lucky to have many stunning villages and towns to visit, and they love to decorate for the festive season. Here’s a few you may like to visit on your festive stay. Think twinkling lights, the smell of hot chocolate and perhaps some festive music playing, all in the backdrop of the beautiful Lake District.
Hawkshead: This quant ancient village was almost made for Christmas! With a large car park on the outskirts, you walk through the pedestrianised centre, with its little streets and alleyways, homely warm pubs, and welcoming shops. You’ll find the small church atop the hill, and Esthwaite Water nearby. Plenty of walks all around, include Latterbarrow, and you can drive to the lovely Far Sawrey in 10 minutes with the atmospheric Tower Bank Arms another cosy pub, next to Hill Top, home of Beatrix Potter. Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere: Two of the busiest towns in the Lakes, these 2 are a mile apart, with Bowness sat on the lakeshore, and Windermere a mile up the road. Both are bustling with Christmas lights, festive eateries, great pubs, restaurants, and shops. They also have walks galore
all around, and of course the famous Windermere Lake Cruises, offering beautiful views of the higher fells as you sail around England’s longest lake, perhaps enjoying a mince pie and a brew. Glenridding: on the shores of Ullswater at the south end, this lovely village has pubs and bars for food and drink, local shops, and stunning walks, from Aira Force, to Helvellyn, and the lakeshore favourite that is Howtown to Glenridding. There is the Ullswater Way which you can do all or part of. Why not enjoy a trip on one of the Ullswater Steamers from its base here, to get the full atmosphere of this beautiful lake. Ambleside: Another bustling busy town, with plenty of shops, pubs, cafes, and restaurants. A good vibe during the festive season, whether you are walking
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