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Wondering if 3 days in the Lake District is enough? This family itinerary packs in steam trains, lake cruises, easy hikes and the best spots to eat.
One of my missions in life is showing my kids just how beautiful England is. Well, I honestly think it doesn’t get much better than the Lake District. In terms of epic scenery with glistening lakes and green craggy mountains, it is up there with my favourite places in the world. The number of times I’ve said “I could live here” is getting ridiculous. It’s been a few years since I was last in the Lake District, but nothing has changed. It is still as awe-inspiring as it’s ever been.
We did so much in our 3 days in the Lake District. I was worried whether 3 days would be enough, but we packed it in. On this trip, with a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, it was all about showing them the beauty of the Lakes while squeezing in a number of fun family activities. That meant family hikes, steam train rides, boat trips on the lakes, and spending lots of time outdoors.
My Lake District itinerary is perfect for families planning a trip here. In this itinerary I’ll break down what to do each day, where to eat and where to stay. This has been road tested by me and my family, so everything flows together really nicely. No horribly long drives. No wasting time. Just a really good itinerary that actually works. That’s the idea anyway!
As ever, I really hope you enjoy the Lake District as much I do. Hopefully this guide can help you plan your trip here.
Getting to the Lake District
There’s no hiding from the fact that the Lake District is far away (unless you live in the north that is). Even though I’ve been here by train before, I’d really recommend having a car as getting around is a lot easier. If you’re looking to hire a car, then I always recommend Discover Cars.
The Lake District is one of those places that you’ll want to stop off every 20 minutes to take another photo, so having a car gives you a lot more flexibility. I also really enjoy driving the winding roads up here too. Proper driving country.
To get here, most routes just follow the M6 north. We whittled away the hours playing i-spy and listening to podcasts. Luckily the kids slept for most of the journey.
For our first two nights, we based ourselves at the Grange Hotel in Grange-over-Sands. This is in the South Lakes and is a good access point for Lake Windermere. After a long drive, we just spent the afternoon exploring Grange-over-Sands and relaxing at the hotel.
As I said, we really packed it in, so I’d really recommend staying somewhere for the first day, then kicking off your Lake District trip the following day. Right, let’s get onto my Lake District itinerary!
A quick glance at my 3 day itinerary
Obviously the Lake District is a huge area. It’s the largest national park in England, so there’s no way you can see it all in one trip. In this guide, I’m just focusing on Windermere and Ullswater, two of the most beautiful lakes in the region, which are easy to combine in a long weekend without spending hours in the car. Areas like Keswick, Coniston and the Langdales will have to wait for the next adventure!
| Day | Morning | Lunch | Afternoon | Overnight |
| Day 1: Windermere | Steam train from Haverthwaite to Lakeside, then the boat to Bowness | Fish & chips at Trenchers, Bowness | World of Beatrix Potter, then the boat and train back | The Grange Hotel |
| Day 2: Hawkshead to Ullswater | Coffee and gingerbread in Hawkshead, then the Tarn Hows walk (3km) | The Force Café, Ambleside | Drive over Kirkstone Pass to Ullswater and check in | Mellguards, Howtown |
| Day 3: Ullswater | Hike Hallin Fell, then explore Lowther Castle and the Lost Castle playground | Sunday roast at the Brackenrigg Inn | Walk to Aira Force waterfall | Mellguards, Howtown |
If you’re looking for more ideas for your trip, check out my guide to the best adventures in the Lake District, from paddleboarding on Coniston Water to canyoning near Windermere. If you fancy exploring around Keswick, the Catbells walk is one of my all-time favourite hikes in the Lakes, with jaw-dropping views over Derwentwater. And for the adrenaline junkies out there, the Honister via ferrata is one of the scariest (and best) things I’ve ever done in the UK. I’m still not over the Infinity Bridge!
My map of the Lake District
I’ve pinned every stop from my guide on the map below, so you can see exactly how the route fits together. You’ll be able to see which route I took starting with the steam train and boat trips around Windermere, then Hawkshead and Tarn Hows, and finishing on the quieter shores of Ullswater. Click any pin for a quick summary, or save the map to your phone for when you’re on the road.
DAY 1
Ride the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
After a chilled morning where we tucked into the hotel buffet, we drove 15 minutes to Haverthwaite station, the starting point of the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. This is where you can travel back in time as you climb aboard an old-fashioned steam train. This one is the real deal too – I even saw the driver shovelling coal into the firebox at the start of the journey, before steam started billowing from the chimney.
We caught the first train at 10:50 which goes from Haverthwaite to Lakeside. It’s just an 18-minute journey, but it’s such a lovely way to travel. I wish all train journeys were as fun as this!
Naturally our 3-year-old son absolutely loved this. It’s such a good activity for families, and we saw quite a few on the train with kids all transfixed staring out the windows at the lakes passing by.
As a bit of a tip, there’s actually a viewing carriage just behind the train engine itself. Even though you don’t get the best views of the countryside, you do get to see all the steam coming out the chimney. It really does feel like you’re driving the train!
The steam train runs between Haverthwaite and Lakeside, taking about 18 minutes each way. An adult return costs £12.50, a child return is £7.30 and a family return (2 adults and up to 3 children) is £37.50. Under-3s ride free, and tickets are only sold at Haverthwaite or Lakeside station on the day, not online.
Jump on the boat to Bowness
The train takes you to Lakeside, which as the name suggests is adjacent to a lake – Lake Windermere. From here you can jump on the boat to Bowness. Now I genuinely think this is one of the best things to do in the Lake District. I mean, you can’t come here and not get on the lakes. The views from the boat are absolutely stunning.
Our cruise from Lakeside to Bowness was on an old 1938 steamer. Again, I know it’s clichéd, but it really feels like you’re stepping back in time the moment you get on board.
One of the things I love about this boat journey is it’s so peaceful. You can just sit and take in the views. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that. I saw a couple in their 70s that I aspired to. It was 11:30 in the morning, and the guy came upstairs clutching two big brandies and an even bigger smile on his face. He and his partner then just shared a morning drink in silence watching the world go by.
One day that’ll be me. Instead, I got to play with the kids as we spotted swans, boats and opulent lakeside houses. If you do one thing on this itinerary, I’d recommend this one the most.
With operators like Windermere Lake Cruises, there are a few options to choose from, but all are excellent value for money. From Lakeside, the Windermere Lake Cruises Yellow Cruise takes about 40 minutes to reach Bowness. A return costs £20.20 for adults, £12.20 for children and £58 for a family. To save money, get the Yellow Cruise & Steam Train combo ticket, which covers both. It costs £29 for adults, £17 for children and £84 for a family, and it’s valid all day, so you can hop off and catch a later service back. That saves a family £11.50 compared with buying separately.
Have lunch at Trenchers Bowness
We pulled into Bowness at lunchtime, so we headed straight to Trenchers, a short 5-minute walk from the pier. This place is serving up some of the best fish and chips in the country (and have the awards to back it up!)
I really liked this place as it was a cross between a 1920s American diner and a traditional chippy. Everything lives and dies on the food though, and it was cracking.
Chloe had the cod and chips (cooked in beef fat I might add), while I had the seafood platter which had salmon, prawns, scampi, fish bites, and a few other morsels too. Both were absolutely delicious. The kids devoured all the leftovers too, so all in all it was one happy family. Once we finished lunch and got some of our energy back, it was time to explore Bowness.
Visit the World of Beatrix Potter
After a short walk through Bowness, we headed up the hill to the World of Beatrix Potter. This is an immersive exhibition celebrating the life of Beatrix Potter who lived nearby in Sawrey. Her experiences in the Lake District inspired the world of Peter Rabbit, and this exhibition brilliantly brings it all to life.
The whole exhibition is like one giant set design with different characters and scenes from the books illustrated in each room. My favourite was going outside to Mr McGregor’s Garden. This was a real garden with vegetables growing. Hidden amongst the cabbages, you could even see Peter Rabbit’s blue jacket draped over a pitchfork. It was the little details that brought back so many happy memories of reading the books myself.
Our son was mesmerised as he walked around learning all about Jemima Puddle-Duck, Squirrel Nutkin, Mr Jeremy Fisher and Benjamin Bunny.
All in all, it took around 45 minutes walking around and is perfect for kids aged up to 10. Adults pay £12.60 and children aged 3–16 pay £7.80. Under-3s go free, and family tickets cost £38 for 2 adults and 2 children or £45 for 2 adults and 3 children.
If you’re following this itinerary, the best value is the combo ticket from the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. It covers the steam train, the boat to Bowness and entry to the World of Beatrix Potter for £39.70 per adult and £22.35 per child. That’s what we did, and it saved us about £5.60 per adult compared with buying all three separately. It also meant we didn’t have to queue for tickets at each stop.
Have an ice cream from the Little Ice Cream Shop
As if it wasn’t enough treats for the little guy, we bought him an ice cream from the Little Ice Cream Shop. There are a few of these dotted around the Lake District.
There are dozens of flavours to choose from. I would say that the serving size is ginormous, so watch out for that. We got a kid’s scoop for £3.50, which was like a real-world 2-scoop ice cream, so we all shared (sorry son, but you ain’t having that much chocolate ice cream all to yourself). A nice little treat for the afternoon.
Head back to the boat and train again
Our last boat back was at 15:00, so we wandered around Bowness until we needed to get our boat. This was the same journey back to Lakeside, then the train to Haverthwaite.
The kids were pretty tired after a long morning/afternoon exploring, so we all had some quiet time while we enjoyed the views.
Stay: The Grange Hotel
Somehow, despite a packed itinerary, our son still had loads of energy to burn off (after his quiet time on the boat). Luckily, the Grange Hotel has a swimming pool, so we headed there for a swim before dinner. Tick.
I really liked the food at the Grange. After having a starter of duck terrine with pickled blackberries and a soy sauce glaze, it was onto the main event. Everyone raved about the rack of lamb, so I had to order that. It was one of the best lamb dishes I’ve had in ages, and it was a very generous portion too.
As an access point to Windermere and the surrounding area, I found the Grange Hotel the perfect place to stay. It meant we could do the steam train which I know so many families will love.
DAY 2
Grab a coffee and some gingerbread from Hawkshead
Once we checked out of our hotel, we headed 30 minutes north to the cute little village of Hawkshead. This place is straight out of a Charles Dickens novel.
As we were going on a morning walk, we needed to fuel up on coffee and snacks, so we headed to Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread shop. Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread is famous all over the country, and the recipe hasn’t changed in over 150 years. That’s crazy, isn’t it?
We arrived at 10am on the dot when it opened up, and there were already a few customers buying gingerbread. To say this is a bit of a destination is an understatement – people really do come from all over just for the gingerbread!
The shop is really lovely too and has a very Christmassy feel to it (probably helped by the gingerbread houses). Well worth visiting.
A packet of six pieces is £5.25 on their online shop. A six-piece presentation tin is £7.95, which makes a nice souvenir.
Walk around Tarn Hows
Just 10 minutes away from Hawkshead is Tarn Hows. This is one of the most accessible walks in the Lakes, and it’s perfect for families with little ones. At 3.3km long, it takes around 1-2 hours to walk. It’s pretty much all flat – our son only gave up towards the end. The pathway is very buggy friendly too.
One of the things I really want to instil in my kids is a love for nature and the outdoors, and I felt this walk was great at doing that. The views are just stunning, they really are. Also, my son was really interested in why each tree stump had a load of coins hammered into them. If anyone knows the answer, please let me know in the comments below!
My advice would be to get here early in the morning. We arrived around 11:00, and the car park was already getting a bit full. We left at 13:00 and people were queuing up for park spaces. The car park is operated by the National Trust, so free for members or £7 if not.
Hopefully my photos will give you a good idea of what it’s like here and why you should add it to your 3 days in the Lake District!
Head to Force Café for lunch
Once we finished our walk, we headed 20 minutes north to Force Café. This place was recommended to us as one of the best lunch spots in the Lakes, and they weren’t wrong. Perched up high in the hills with views overlooking Ambleside, Force Café is in a really lovely spot. The thing is, everyone knows about it. The place was absolutely packed on a Saturday, and outside tables were at a premium.
The Force Café is famous for their all-day brunch dishes. Chloe had a birria beef poached egg dish with hollandaise, and I had a giant lamb burger – just what I needed after a walk around Tarn Hows.
Stay: Mellguards in Howtown
After our lunch, we drove to Ullswater in the North Lakes, which took around an hour. The route took us over Kirkstone Pass, the highest road pass in the Lake District, and again, the views were something else. It honestly felt like I was in a car advert. I just wish I’d had my drone up, following the car!
We stayed at Mellguards in Howtown, a tiny village that’s little more than a cluster of houses scattered along the eastern shore of Ullswater. I loved it here. You’re surrounded by views of the fells, and it really feels like you’re away from it all.
Mellguards is a 4-bedroom holiday home, and it was perfect for us, with loads of space to spread out. My only complaint is that we didn’t stay longer, because there are so many fells and hikes right on the doorstep that I’d love to explore.
After another cracking day, we had a very relaxing evening in. I think the kids were grateful for an early night! They needed their sleep as we were going hiking in the morning.
DAY 3
Hike up Hallin Fell
One of the best things about staying in Mellguards is that there are a few fells/Wainwrights to climb just on the doorstep. As I said, this trip was all about getting the kids into nature and giving them the love of the outdoors, so that meant hiking up Hallin Fell at 9 in the morning.
Hallin Fell is just a short 5-minute drive from Howtown. There is free parking by the church. Technically, at just 388 metres (1,273 feet), this isn’t a high or a hard walk. And again, technically you could probably do it in around 30-45 minutes if you powered up. The ascent is quite steep, but it isn’t very long at all. It only becomes long when you’re carrying a toddler on your shoulders the entire way. Yes, my son completely refused to hike it.
But with lots of stops and lots of snacks, we made it to the top. Unfortunately, it was a little cloudy when we climbed, but the views were still jaw-dropping. You could see the entirety of Ullswater and the undulating countryside surrounding it. It’s easy to see why this is such a popular hike, and the views from Hallin Fell are some of the best you’ll find in the Lake District.
Visit Lowther Castle
One of the places I was dying to visit on this trip was Lowther Castle. When I was researching where to go, this image of a once grand castle now in ruins came up, and I wanted to visit immediately. It didn’t disappoint. Lowther Castle was built in the early 19th century, but after the war it fell on hard times. In 1957 the roof was taken off, leaving just the grand façade and outer walls standing. The ruins have since been made safe and the gardens brought back to life, including a garden that grows right up through the old castle walls. Wandering beneath the huge stone arches honestly felt like stepping into a fairytale.
The highlight for us, though, was the Lost Castle, a huge wooden adventure playground hidden in the woods. It’s thought to be the biggest of its kind in Britain, and it’s packed with turrets, zip wires, slides and ropes to climb. It’s one of the best kids’ adventure playgrounds I’ve ever been to, so if you’re visiting with little ones, make sure you leave plenty of time to let them run wild.
Tickets cost £16 for adults and £10 for children aged 3–15. Under-3s and carers go free. If you’re visiting as a family, the family ticket is the best value at £48, covering either 2 adults and up to 3 children or 1 adult and up to 4 children. One ticket gets you into everything: the castle ruins, the gardens, the exhibition and the adventure playground. It’s best to book online before you go.
Have lunch at the Brackenrigg Inn
After a morning of hiking and castle-hopping, we were well and truly ready for lunch, so we headed to the Brackenrigg Inn in Watermillock. It’s a proper traditional Cumbrian pub overlooking Ullswater, the kind of place you want to come back to after a day on the fells, with a roaring fire, good ale and a warm welcome. The menu is all about local Cumbrian produce, from the meat and veg to the cheese and fish.
We went for the Sunday roast, and it was damn tasty. You get two slices of roast beef, honey roast gammon, pork loin or nut roast, piled up with all the trimmings, including a Yorkshire pudding and cauliflower cheese. After carrying my son up and down Hallin Fell that morning, I reckon I’d earned it! It’s dog-friendly too, so it’s a great stop if you’re travelling with your four-legged friend.
Walk to Aira Force Waterfall
Just 10 minutes down the road from the Brackenrigg is Aira Force, one of the most famous waterfalls in the Lake District, and the perfect way to walk off that roast. The waterfall plunges 65 feet through a rocky gorge. The walk there takes you through woodland that was landscaped as a pleasure ground in the 18th century, so keep an eye out for rare red squirrels in the trees as you go.
It’s only about a mile there and back from the car park, so it’s very doable with little ones. The paths are steep and uneven in places, though, so leave the pushchair in the car. If you’ve got more energy, you can carry on along a 4.5-mile circular trail to the top of Gowbarrow Fell for huge views over Ullswater. As for us, it was the perfect way to round off our trip. This trip really had everything!
Aira Force is free to visit; you just pay for parking. The main National Trust car park costs £7 for 2 hours.
Planning Your Trip
Best time to visit the Lake District
The Lake District is beautiful all year round, but if you can, I’d recommend going in shoulder season. We went in mid-October, and it was the perfect time to visit. Places like Bowness were still very popular with tourists, but everywhere else felt a lot quieter. We also lucked out with the weather, with blue skies and clear days for most of the trip (which is never a given up here!).
April and May are another great time to visit, before the summer holidays and the main tourist season really kick in. The days are getting longer and the fells are turning green again.
One thing to bear in mind if you’re following this itinerary is that the steam train is seasonal. In 2026, the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway ran from 28 March to 1 November, so you can’t do it in winter. The good news is that Windermere Lake Cruises sails every day of the year except Christmas Day, so you can still take the boat to Bowness.
If you’re visiting in the summer holidays, get to popular spots like Tarn Hows and Aira Force early. At busy times the Aira Force car park usually fills up by around 10am.
How much does 3 days in the Lake District cost?
Here’s a rough breakdown of what this itinerary costs for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children aged 3+). It doesn’t include accommodation, fuel or evening meals. Under-3s go free at most of the attractions here, so if you’ve got a toddler like us, it’ll be a little cheaper.
| Day | What’s included | Rough cost |
| Day 1 | Train, boat & Beatrix Potter combo ticket (£124.10), lunch at Trenchers (~£60), ice creams (~£7) | ~£190 |
| Day 2 | Coffee & gingerbread (~£12), Tarn Hows parking (£7), lunch at Force Café (~£55) | ~£75 |
| Day 3 | Lowther Castle family ticket & parking (£50.50), Sunday roast at the Brackenrigg Inn (£70), Aira Force parking (£7) | ~£130 |
| Total | ~£395 |
That works out at roughly £130 a day. To bring it down, National Trust members park for free at Tarn Hows and Aira Force, and packing a picnic for one of the lunches would save around £50.
As you can probably tell, I just loved our time in the Lake District! If you have any questions about my 3 day itinerary, or if I can help in any way, just let me know in the comments below.
