The Best Things To Do In Bowness-on-Windermere, Lake District

Last Updated on 17th February 2024

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Bowness-on-Windermere has held a special place in my heart for many years now as it’s a place that I’ve visited with my family many times since I was incredibly young. It’s also the place that my parents went to on their honeymoon and every time we went on holiday in the Lake District, we’d always visit Bowness-on-Windermere.

If you’ve seen my recent Instagram post, you’ll know that Matt and I are currently in the process of embarking on a huge AtoZ UK road trip whereby we’ll be visiting at least one place in the UK beginning with every letter of the alphabet.

While there’s no official start or end date for our trip, nor is there a complete strict structure to it, we’ve already made a start on our challenge when we visited Bowness last week for the day.

If you’re planning a trip to the Lakes, Bowness-on-Windermere absolutely needs to be on your travel itinerary. It’s a stunning little lakeside town filled with beatific scenery, plentiful restaurants and quaint charm.

If you’re wondering what to do in Bowness-on-Windermere or you just want some inspiration for the best restaurants in Bowness-on-Windermere, check out my ultimate travel guide to one of the best places in the Lake District!

How to get there

Bowness-on-Windermere is located in South Lakeland in Cumbria, right on the bank of Lake Windermere; AKA the largest lake in England.

Bowness is probably most accessible by road. Depending on where you’re driving from, there are many routes and roads you can take. It’s just over an hour south of Carlisle via the M6 and A6, 50 mins south of Penrith on the A6 and 40 minutes south of Keswick via the A591.

You can also get the train to Windermere station and it’s roughly a 20-minute walk from there to Bowness. There are also regular bus services running from Kendal and Barrow, as well as intermittent schedules from Penrith. I’ve only ever driven to Windermere so if you intend on taking public transport, make sure to check in advance.

Where to park

If you do decide to travel to Bowness-on-Windermere via car, there’s ample parking available all throughout the town.

My favourite car park is the Rayrigg Road car park as it’s conveniently located right in the centre of town. It costs £1.80 for 1 hour, £3.40 for 2 hours, £4.40 for 3 hours and then it goes up by £1 every hour after that.

Where to stay in Bowness

There are plenty of quirky little boutique hotels and guest houses to stay in, in Bowness, as well as more lavish hotels such as the Laura Ashley The Belsfield Hotel which is a very popular place to stay in the area.

Here are some of my top recommendations for places to stay in Bowness:

Stags Head Hotel (this is where my parents stayed on their honeymoon and it’s an adorable little pub/guesthouse!)
Burnside Hotel & Spa
Oakbank House

Find somewhere to stay in Bowness-on-Windermere!

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The best things to do in Bowness-on-Windermere

As Bowness is a relatively small town, there’s not an overwhelming amount of things to do there, but it is an ideal place to spend a relaxing day in the town/in and around Lake Windermere.

The World of Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter World Windermere Lake District

If you’re travelling to Windermere with kids, or you’re just a huge fan of cutesy literature, make sure you pay a visit to The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction. This magical attraction brings the famous writer’s stories to life and you’ll also get to explore the adorable Peter Rabbit garden and eat delicious treats in the cafe.

Windermere Lake Cruises – best things to do in Bowness-on-Windermere

Renowned for being one of the top-rated things to do in Cumbria, a cruise around Lake Windermere is a must-do on your travel itinerary while you’re in the area.

It’s best enjoyed on a clear day so that you can take full advantage of the stunning views, but it’s still completely breathtaking at any time of year or season.

Depending on where you depart from (Bowness, Ambleside or Brockhole) will depend on how long the cruise lasts and exactly what route you take. However, on all the cruises, you can expect to be taken around the beatific Lake Windermere, admiring the spectacular views of the mini islands and central area of the lake as you go.

Standard Ticket Prices from Bowness for 1-hour cruise (valid from Saturday 4th April 2020 until Sunday 1st November 2020):

Adults: £12
Kids: £6

Mooch around the quaint streets

While I know this point isn’t an exact ‘thing’ to do, I really wanted to point out just how lovely it is to simply mooch around the streets of Bowness-on-Windermere.

Bowness is undoubtedly one of the cutest and most picturesque towns in the Lake District so if you’re not in any rush to do anything in particular, make sure you take some time to just wander around the town.

A stroll around the lakeside is always enjoyable but just bear in mind that it gets very busy in the summer months (even in the middle of a global pandemic!).

Bring your camera along if you’re an avid photographer as everywhere you look, there’s something beautiful to capture on camera. From the majestic swans on the waterfront to the boats swaying in the harbour, to the cobblestoned streets and archaic architecture; Bowness-on-Windermere is undeniably photogenic.

Where to eat – best things to do in Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere certainly isn’t short of incredible places to eat. From fancy restaurants to classic British pubs to quintessential fish and chip shops, you could easily spend weeks trying out all the different places to eat!

Hyltons Restaurant

When we were in Bowness last week, we ate at Hyltons Restaurant which definitely has more of a pub feel to it than a restaurant.

At the time of writing this post, we were in the midst of the Coronavirus global pandemic so we were still very much in the social distancing phase. I was so impressed with the way Hyltons handled the social distancing and there were also hand sanitiser stations situated upon entry that guests were asked (made) to use, as well as tables being set two metres apart. Staff also wore face masks, but no gloves.

Anyway, let’s get to the good bit: the food!

This was my first pub meal back in the UK since we’d started travelling all the way back in April 2019 and I was determined to make the most of it! I went for the steak and ale pie with chunky chips and my goodness, what a great choice this was for my first meal back!

The crust of the pie was crisp, yet still light and fluffy and the steak and ale filling was so tasty. The portion size was also pretty huge and it’s safe to say that I was incredibly full once I’d finished!

Matt opted for the gammon, fried egg and chips which he’d been craving for months. His gammon was succulent and juicy and while the fried egg wasn’t quite as runny as we’d hoped, it was still a truly delectable meal!

I wouldn’t hesitate to head back to Hyltons next time we’re in Windermere and I’d 100% recommend it to you guys!

If you’re looking for more places to eat in Bowness-on-Windermere, I’ve included a few more of the best restaurants and eateries below:

Vinegar Jones – for the best fish and chips in Bowness
Base Pizza – scrumptious pizzas with a variety of toppings to choose from
The Flying Pig Pub – another great place for a classic British pub meal
The Boathouse Bar & Restaurant – for lovely views of the lake as you eat
The Easy Breeze Cafe – for light bites and nibbles

Helen’s Chocolates

Helen’s Chocolates holds such invaluable memories for me from when I was a child as we’d always go there whenever we were passing through Windermere on holiday in the Lake District.

This adorable little chocolate shop is full to the brim with a vast assortment of the most delicious chocolates imaginable. From chocolate truffles (my favourite) to chocolate lollies, scrumptious gelato, fudge, nougat and more, Helen’s is an absolute treat (pun intended!).

You can also order online if you don’t quite get your fill while you’re in Windermere!

Top picks from Helen’s:

Fresh Orange Milk Truffle
Salted Caramel Cup
Pink Strawberry Cream in White Chocolate
Clotted Cream Truffle in White Chocolate
Fresh Milk Truffle

Roly’s Fudge Pantry

Our trip to Bowness-on-Windermere last week was also my first time visiting Roly’s Fudge Pantry.

While I do like fudge, I’m not overwhelmingly bothered about it, but Matt really loves it so we picked up some chocolate orange fudge while we were there.

It’s pretty damn expensive (over £5 for 5 pieces!), but it’s beyond delicious so if you have a particular penchant for fudge, definitely add Roly’s to your list of food places in Bowness!

And there you have it! A brief introduction to spending the day in Bowness-on-Windermere! It’s one of my favourite places in the Lake District and a place that I think everyone needs to visit if they’re passing through the Lakes!

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Would you add anything else to this Bowness-on-Windermere travel guide? Is it somewhere you’d like to visit? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.