At Blenheim Lodge in Bowness-on-Windermere, we often welcome guests who visit with us via public transport. Blenheim Lodge is located about 5 minutes’ cab ride from Windermere train station and bus depot, Windermere. However, more energetic guests may decide to walk, take a bus (and then walk), or cycle from the train station – there is a bicycle hire shop at the station – to our guest house in Bowness. Once guests are checked into Blenheim Lodge, they can explore much of the Lake District without benefit of private transport if they are so minded.

So what can visitors see in a day without their own motor vehicles? Well, there are a number of options. Assuming that guests are doing all their sightseeing on their own and not taking any organised tours run by local agents, the following are some day trip options to explore. The presumption is that guests would start out from Blenheim Lodge in the morning soon after breakfast, and spend the rest of the day enjoying Lake District landscapes and attractions.
- Take a 7-minute walk to Lake Windermere pier. Explore England’s largest natural lake and the villages located on its shores or just a little further inland. You can easily spend a whole day hopping on and off the ferries run by Windermere Lake Cruises (www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk), visiting Waterhead on the shore or Ambleside just a mile inland, Ferry House on the shore or Hawkshead, also a mile inland, and Lakeside.

- If you fancy doing some walking, why not take a ferry to Waterhead or Ferry House and explore the footpath to Wray Castle between these two points? This walk can be combined with a shorter walk up to Stockghyll Waterfall in Ambleside.
- For a day travelling to the North Lakes, buy an explorer ticket that will allow you to hop on and off the buses travelling between Bowness to Keswick. Stop off at Rydal and Grasmere on the way and visit Wordsworth’s previous homes, Rydal Mount and Dove Cottage. There are also other stops you can make along the way, where you can enjoy wooded walks by stunning lakes.
- For a day in and around Bowness and Windermere, take a walk through the two towns and get your bearings on the area. At the top of Windermere, a walk leads to Orrest Head viewpoint, whilst in Bowness-on-Windermere, just behind our B&B, The Dales Way Walk winds its way through acres of woodlands and fells to three viewpoints. Take in fantastic far-reaching views of Lake Windermere and the surrounding fells and mountains when you reach the view points.

Well, these are just four suggestions that our visitors can think about doing when travelling on public transport. Lakeland is walking country, and these options naturally include walks as well as transportation by bus and boat. We find that visitors have such a lot to see and do even when visiting for more than a week, that they often tell us that they wish they had more time to stay. Our answer is to invite them back for another stay to make new happy memories!

‘Blenheim Lodge . . . panoramic Lake views, peace and tranquillity, nestled against acres of beautiful fields and woodlands, in the heart of the English Lake District National Park.’
Visit our website: www.blenheim-lodge.com
Email: enquiries@blenheim-lodge.com