The Lake District can be expensive — car parking, attraction admission, and restaurant prices all reflect the area's popularity. But the national park's greatest assets are free. The fells, lakes, waterfalls, and woodland that make the Lake District special cost nothing to access, and some of the best days you can have here involve little more than a pair of boots and a packed lunch.
This guide covers the best free things to do in the Lake District, plus tips for keeping costs down.
Free Walks
Walking is the heart of the Lake District experience, and every footpath in the national park is free to use.
Catbells
The walk up Catbells (451 metres) from Hawse End on Derwentwater is free and offers one of the finest summit views in the Lake District. The ascent takes about 45 minutes and is manageable for anyone with reasonable fitness.
Buttermere Circuit
The four-mile path around Buttermere lake is free, mostly flat, and passes through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Lakes. Allow about two hours.
Loughrigg Terrace
The walk from Ambleside to Loughrigg Terrace gives panoramic views over Grasmere and Rydal Water for nothing. About four miles round trip.
Howtown to Glenridding
The lakeshore walk along Ullswater from Howtown to Glenridding is seven miles of some of England's finest scenery. If you walk both ways it is completely free (the steamer from Glenridding to Howtown costs around £8 if you prefer a one-way walk).
Free Viewpoints
Orrest Head
Orrest Head, a 20-minute walk from Windermere railway station, was the first Lake District viewpoint Alfred Wainwright ever visited (in 1930, aged 23), and it hooked him for life. The panorama across Windermere to the Langdale Pikes and the central fells is outstanding and completely free.
Claife Viewing Station
The ruined Claife Viewing Station on the western shore of Windermere was built in the 18th century to provide a picturesque prospect across the lake. It is reached by a short walk from the Windermere ferry landing at Far Sawrey. Free access.
Surprise View, Borrowdale
A short walk from the car park on the Borrowdale road south of Keswick, Surprise View offers a dramatic prospect over Derwentwater with Skiddaw beyond. The viewpoint lives up to its name — the lake appears suddenly as you crest a small rise.
Free Swimming
Wild swimming in the lakes and tarns is free and one of the Lake District's great pleasures. Popular spots include:
- Tarn Hows: Sheltered, beautiful, and relatively accessible. Cold even in summer.
- River Brathay, Skelwith Bridge: A popular swimming spot near Chesters café.
- Great Langdale Beck: Several swimming pools near the Old Dungeon Ghyll.
- Buttermere: The lake is clean and clear, with easy shore access from the village end.
Safety: Lake District water is cold, even in August. Enter gradually, do not swim alone, and be aware of sudden depth changes. Some rivers have strong currents.
Free Waterfalls
Aira Force
Aira Force near Ullswater is a 20-metre waterfall reached by a short walk from the National Trust car park (parking charges apply, but is free for NT members). The falls are spectacular after rain.
Stock Ghyll Force, Ambleside
Stock Ghyll Force is a 21-metre waterfall hidden in woodland a ten-minute walk from the centre of Ambleside. Follow the signs from the Salutation Hotel. Completely free and surprisingly impressive.
Scale Force, Buttermere
The tallest waterfall in the Lake District (52 metres) is reached by a two-mile walk from Buttermere village along the shore of Crummock Water. Free to visit.
Free Museums and Galleries
- Castlegate House Gallery, Cockermouth: Contemporary art in a Georgian townhouse. Free admission.
Budget Tips
- Parking: National Trust membership (from around £75/year for an individual) pays for itself quickly in the Lake District. Most popular car parks are NT managed. Without membership, arrive early to secure free roadside parking at less popular locations.
- Accommodation: Camping is the cheapest option (from around £10–15 per night). The Lake District has excellent campsites at Wasdale Head, Great Langdale, and Borrowdale. Youth hostels (YHA) in the Lakes are some of the best in the country — Buttermere, Patterdale, and Borrowdale are particularly well placed.
- Eating cheaply: Pack a lunch. Seriously — Lake District café and pub prices can add up quickly. For hot food, the chip shops in Ambleside and Keswick are good value. Booths supermarkets in Windermere and Keswick stock excellent local produce for self-catering.
- Transport: The Stagecoach 555 bus runs from Lancaster through Windermere, Ambleside, and Grasmere. Day tickets are cheaper than parking. The Cross Lakes Shuttle connects Bowness with Hill Top and Hawkshead.