The National Trust is the largest landowner in the Lake District, caring for around a quarter of the national park. This includes some of England's most iconic landscapes, Beatrix Potter's beloved farmhouse, Wordsworth's childhood home, and a Victorian steam yacht. Here are the best properties to visit.
Hill Top
Beatrix Potter's farmhouse
Hill Top (54.3685, -2.9731) in Near Sawrey is the 17th-century farmhouse that Beatrix Potter bought in 1905 with the royalties from her books. She used its rooms, garden, and the surrounding landscape as settings for many of her stories, and left it to the National Trust on her death in 1943 with instructions that it be kept exactly as she left it.
The house is tiny and extremely popular. Timed entry tickets are essential and often sell out days in advance during school holidays. Book online before visiting. The garden, shop, and gallery do not require tickets.
Address: Near Sawrey, Ambleside, LA22 0LF
Aira Force & Gowbarrow
Ullswater's famous waterfall
Aira Force (54.5783, -2.9333) is a 20-metre waterfall in a wooded gorge on the western shore of Ullswater. The main falls are reached by a short walk through mature parkland and woodland, with a stone bridge crossing directly above the cascade. The nearby shore of Ullswater at Glencoyne Bay is where William and Dorothy Wordsworth saw the daffodils that inspired the famous poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" in 1802.
The surrounding Gowbarrow Park is free to walk and has further waterfalls, open fell, and views across Ullswater. Parking charges apply (free for NT members). The site can be very busy in summer; the car park fills early on sunny weekends.
Address: Watermillock, Penrith, CA11 0JS
Tarn Hows
The Lake District's most photographed tarn
Tarn Hows (54.3833, -3.0333) between Coniston and Hawkshead is a picture-postcard landscape of pine-fringed water with mountain views in every direction. The circular walk around the tarn takes about an hour on a well-maintained path suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
Despite looking entirely natural, Tarn Hows was created in the 19th century when three smaller tarns were merged by building a dam. It was given to the Trust by Sir Samuel Scott in 1930. Beatrix Potter later bequeathed the surrounding Monk Coniston estate lands. Free to visit; parking charges apply.
Address: Coniston, LA21 8DP
Sizergh
A medieval castle with a rock garden
Sizergh (54.2983, -2.7700) near Kendal is a medieval castle that has been the home of the Strickland family for over 780 years. The pele tower dates from the 14th century, and the house contains some of the finest Elizabethan carved overmantels in England. The oak panelling of the Inlaid Chamber was sold to the V&A in 1891, loaned back in 1999, and formally returned in 2017.
The limestone rock garden, created in the 1920s, is one of the largest in the country. The estate also has wetland walks, a wildflower meadow, and an orchard. A good first or last stop when driving into or out of the Lake District from the south.
Address: Sizergh, Kendal, LA8 8DZ
Wordsworth House & Garden
Where the poet was born
Wordsworth House (54.6636, -3.3680) on the main street in Cockermouth is the Georgian townhouse where William Wordsworth was born in 1770 and spent his early childhood. The house has been furnished in period style and the garden, running down to the River Derwent, has been restored to its 18th-century layout.
The house is presented as a living Georgian home with costumed guides and hands-on activities. A more intimate and personal experience than Dove Cottage in Grasmere.
Address: Main Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9RX
Allan Bank
An unconventional house in Grasmere
Allan Bank (54.4600, -3.0294) is an unusual National Trust property in Grasmere. William Wordsworth lived here from 1808 to 1811 (despite having publicly opposed its construction) and the house later served as the home of Canon Rawnsley, co-founder of the National Trust.
Rather than a traditional furnished house tour, Allan Bank is presented as an informal, child-friendly space with den-building, board games, and a wood-burning stove. There is no cafe but you can bring a picnic. The views across Grasmere lake from the gardens are superb.
Address: Grasmere, Ambleside, LA22 9QB
Steam Yacht Gondola
A Victorian yacht on Coniston Water
The Steam Yacht Gondola (54.3535, -3.0743) is a beautifully restored Victorian steam-powered yacht that has been cruising Coniston Water since 1859. The opulently upholstered saloon seats around 86 passengers, and the yacht makes scheduled cruises from Coniston Pier during the season (typically April to October).
Note that this is not free for NT members. Members receive a 10% discount on fares, but the cruise is ticketed separately from membership. Book online, especially in summer.
Address: Coniston Pier, Lake Road, Coniston, LA21 8AN
Fell Foot
A lakeshore park at the foot of Windermere
Fell Foot (54.2930, -2.9510) is an 18-acre Victorian park at the southern tip of Windermere. The manicured lawns slope down to a pebble beach, making it one of the few places in the Lake District with safe, easy access to the water for swimming, paddling, and launching boats.
There is a cafe, an adventure playground, and rowing boats and kayaks for hire. Free entry; parking charges apply. Extremely popular on hot summer days.
Address: Newby Bridge, Ulverston, LA12 8NN
Townend
A yeoman farmer's house frozen in time
Townend (54.3939, -2.9114) in Troutbeck is a remarkably preserved 17th-century farmhouse that was home to the Browne family for over 400 years. The house is full of the family's carved oak furniture, books, papers, and domestic equipment, giving an unusually detailed picture of Lake District farming life from the 1620s onwards.
Small and intimate, with a low-key atmosphere that contrasts with the bigger estates. The village of Troutbeck itself is worth a wander.
Address: Troutbeck, Windermere, LA23 1LB
Wray Castle
A Gothic folly on the shores of Windermere
Wray Castle (54.4006, -2.9643) is a mock-Gothic castle built in the 1840s on the western shore of Windermere. It was where the young Beatrix Potter spent a family holiday in 1882 and first fell in love with the Lake District.
Note: The interior is currently closed for major conservation work and is not expected to reopen until 2027. The grounds and gardens remain open and are worth visiting for the lakeshore location, the adventure playground, and the views across Windermere. Check the NT website for the latest reopening date.
Address: Low Wray, Ambleside, LA22 0JA
Practical Tips
- Hill Top requires advance booking for timed entry. Book online at least a few days ahead, especially during school holidays and weekends.
- Tarn Hows, Aira Force, and Fell Foot are the best options for families with young children, pushchairs, or limited mobility.
- Steam Yacht Gondola is separately ticketed and not free to NT members (10% discount only).
- Wray Castle interior is closed until 2027 for conservation. Grounds remain open.
- The Trust owns vast areas of open fell and farmland in the Lake District, all free to walk. Borrowdale, Langdale, and Great Langdale are particularly spectacular.
- Membership is almost essential for regular Lake District visitors. Between Hill Top, Sizergh, Wordsworth House, and the many car parks, it pays for itself very quickly.
