Windermere Lake Cruises
England's biggest lake from the deck of a proper boat, with red, yellow and green routes so you can pick a 45-minute hop or a full lake cruise. Combo tickets pair it with the aquarium or the steam railway.
Orrest Head
Windermere & Bowness, Cumbria
This is the little fell that made Alfred Wainwright fall for the Lake District in 1930, and it is still the best first summit for a family: 3.5km there and back from Windermere village, 120 metres of up, and a 360-degree view from the top that feels stolen for the effort. Start on the lane beside the Windermere Hotel, almost opposite the station.
The gravel Miles without Stiles path, opened as the national park's 50th accessible route, zigzags up through Elleray Wood on a restored Victorian carriageway, so a pushchair can now get to the actual summit. Be honest about the effort though: the opening section hits 1 in 4, and whoever is pushing earns their cafe stop. Benches are spaced out for regrouping, and small kids on foot manage it in under an hour with snack bribery.
There are no facilities on the hill itself. Toilets and cafes are in the village at the bottom, which is the right order anyway: climb first, cake after.
Know before you go
- With a pushchair, follow the blue accessible waymarkers the whole way. The older direct paths are red graded and have steps.
- The first pull up from the main road is the steepest bit of the entire route. If everyone survives that, you are fine.
Looking for more parks & outdoors near Windermere & Bowness?
Also in Windermere & Bowness
Brockhole on Windermere
The national park's visitor centre with treetop nets, archery, mini golf, boat hire and a big adventure playground running down to the lake shore. Free to wander; the activities are pay-as-you-go.
The World of Beatrix Potter
Peter Rabbit's world recreated in walk-through scenes, ending in the garden with Mr McGregor's vegetables. Squarely for the under-8s; it is small, sweet and unashamed of it.