Travelling Around the Lake District
Whilst many visitors to the Lake District opt for their cars there
are many other modes of transport available some of which allow access
to parts of the Lakes that cars will not or will find it difficult to
get to. As well as permitting access to certain inaccessible areas of
the Lakes, some modes of transport may be more fun!
One excellent resource provided by Cumbria County Council is the journey
planner which help you plan a journey between any Cumbrian location
using a variety of modes of transport. Click
here to access Journey Planner.
Railways
The Lake District has limited access to the National Rail network.
There are mainline stations at Carlisle, Penrith, and Oxenholme (which
is close to Kendal). There is also a branch line which connects Windermere
station to Oxenholme and the main West Coast line, with trains to Manchester
Airport and other popular destinations. Visit the Trainline
for timetables and fares.
The Lake District also is fortunate to be home to a couple of other
railway attractions. The Lakeside
& Haverthwaite Railway operates to the south of Windermere and
utilises some beautiful steam engines. It is well worth exploring their
day packages which combine a ride on therailway with other attractions
such as Beatrix Potter, and Aquarium of the Lakes.
Slightly less accessible but well worth the effort is the Ravenglass
& Eskdale narrow gauge railway. The journey runs from the beautiful
Eskdale valley to the Cumbrian coast at Ravenglass (Ravenglass also
has a station on the branch line connecting Carlisle to Barrow, Workington
and Whitehaven making the narrow gauge railway accessible to those without
a car). This must be one of the most scenic rail journeys in the UK.
Buses
There is an extensive range of public bus services throughout Cumbria
and a good source of information and timetables can be found by visiting
Cumbria
County Council's website.
Ferries & Boats
Whether for pleasure or for practical reasons travelling by boat or
ferry is an option for visitors to the Lake District.
On Windermere, Windermere
Lake Cruises carry in excess of one million passengers a year and
operate ferries across the length of the Lake.
Further north at Ullswater, the Ullswater
'steamers' operate between Howtown, Glenridding, and Pooley Bridge.
The Ullswater 'steamers' effectively connect all of Ullswater's extremities
making it a practical and enjoyable method of taking in this beuatiful
lake.
At Derwentwater, the Keswick
Launch company connects 7 different parts of the lake including
Keswick, Ashness Gate (for Ashness Bridge), Lodore, and Hawse End. The
circular route allows walkers to coordinate their walks with the ferry
timetables.
On Coniston Water why not enjoy some 'real' peace. The Coniston
Launch Company run solar electric launches which visit 8 jetties
around the lake and also offer themed cruises such as Donald Campbell's
Coniston and Swallows and Amazons.
