Private Tour: Ultimate Full Day Scenic Tour visiting 10 Lakes

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Your day starts with a climb up from the shores of Windermere

2. all the way up to the Kirkstone Inn,the highest inhabited building in the Lake District, for a stop to take in the views back down the valley right the way down to Lake Windermere and Ambleside. This once important coaching inn sits almost at the summit of the Lake District's highest pass that is open to motor traffic. From here the road plunges down into the Kirkstone Pass properly with the valley walls rising up steeply on either side, past the church shaped rock from which the valley gets its name and on to the viewpoint for a photo stop of the ribbon of road as it descends down to Brothers Water. This lake was one of the first places in the Lakes to be acquired by the National Trust. We stop in 2 places on the Pass to allow you to take photos.

   15 min

3. The thin strip of road winds past the lake, down to the Ullswater valley and on to the charming and popular village of Patterdale. This the starting point for a number of popular hill-walks, most notably the Striding Edge path up to Helvellyn, the third highest mountain in the Lakes. The only other village in this valley is Glenridding and it is here that we get our first glimpse of the National Park's second largest lake, Ullswater. Here you join a 1 hour cruise on Ullswater to relax and see the stunning fells as the boat cruises the full length of the lake.

   1.2 hAdmission included

4. You now rejoin your minibus as we leave Ullswater and head north and west towards Keswick. As we pass the impressive mountains and fells, looking up at Blencathra one cannot help but be moved by its shear scale, and those slender fingers of rock running southwards from its high ridge line must either frighten, or excite. Blencathra is one of the most northerly mountains in the Lakes with six separate fell tops, the highest standing at 868-metres. One of the famous features of Blencathra is the steep ridge called Sharp Edge which you will see as we pass the foot of the mountain. This is a walker's paradise and some of the fells in this area are challenging and difficult even on a mild summer's day. Your next stop is right in among these rugged mountains at one of the most spectacularly located Neolithic stone circles anywhere, Castlerigg. Castlerigg Stone Circle stands on a superb natural plateau commanding a superb 360 degree view over the surrounding fells. Made up of 38 free standing stones, some up to 3 metres (10 feet) high, it is one of Britain's earliest stone circles dating back to the Neolithic period 4000 to 5000 years ago. The spectacular and atmospheric location will take your breath away but we only have a short stop here before we head onwards to the shores of Derwentwater for your next destination.

   20 min

5. Our journey now takes us a short distance to the head of Derwentwater where we stop at Lakeside near Keswick, for lunch. This is a tiny, hidden corner of the Lakes with lots going on. The theatre here, hailed by The Independent newspaper as "the most beautifully located and friendly theatre in Britain", opened in 1999. It sits only a short stroll from Derwentwater on the edge of Keswick, amid the magnificent western fells of the Lake District. The Lakeside Café Restaurant is perched between the theatre and Derwentwater. Lofty, light and airy, its large windows give spectacular views across the lake to Cat Bells and beyond, it's the perfect setting for you to enjoy lunch.

   1.2 h

6. We now travel to 'Surprise View', one of the most stunning viewpoints in the Lake District. From here you can see Derwentwater, one of the principal bodies of water in the Lakes. Derwentwater has four permanent islands: Derwent, Lord's, Rampsholme and St. Herbert's. It also has (reputedly) one floating island which sporadically appears towards the end of summer consisting of a mass of vegetable matter that rises to the surface on a cushion of methane gas! Visitors have flocked here for generations to admire the beauty and climb the fells. Two of the favourite holiday homes of Beatrix Potter, Lingholm and Fawe Park, lie on the far shore of Derwentwater. The lake was also used as a filming location for the 2015 Star Wars blockbuster 'The Force Awakens'.

   15 min

7. We then drop down the hill to Ashness Bridge, one of the most photographed packhorse bridges in the Lakes.

   10 min

8. We now move on to Seatoller, a small hamlet in Borrowdale valley next to Seathwaite which is the wettest inhabited place in England. Despite its remote location, this tiny farm settlement is a magnet for walkers. The road now rises higher and higher as we climb the fell to the Honister Slate Mine at the head of the pass. We have a brief stop here for you to capture the view down the valley on your camera.

   15 min

9. Passing the slate sculptures of the Guardians of the Pass, we now climb slowly down the steep track as it twists and turns into the Honister Pass itself. Beautiful, remote and desolate, the pass winds through the fells, the green-tinged slate shining in the sun and the curved rock faces looming above us. The pass itself connects the Buttermere valley with the eastern end of the Borrowdale valley. Rising to 1167 feet in height at the summit, it is one of Cumbria's highest passes, with a gradient of 1 in 4. Flowing through the pass from the summit to Buttermere is Gatesgarthdale Beck and in the valley bottom we stop for another photo opportunity. Buttermere could not be more of a contrast to the magnificent yet hard scenery of Honister. We are now entering the Vale of Lorton, one of the lushest and prettiest parts of the Northern Lakes, the valley contains the lakes Loweswater, Crummock Water and Buttermere. We see two of these, and driving down the eastern shores of the lakes with the sun glinting off the water is one of the loveliest places to be in the Lakes; it is still beautiful even in the rain.

   5 min

10. A steep climb takes us up the Newlands Pass with stunning views over the adjoining valleys. At the top of the pass we will stop to admire Moss Force Waterfall.

    10 min

11. We travel onwards to the Whinlatter Viewpoint where we will stop again to allow you to admire the magnificent views of Bassenthwaite.

    10 min

12. The view of Bassenthwaite Lake is impressive from the viewpoint

    5 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 29 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Fabulous experience highly recommend

  This was the highlight of our trip to the Lakes District and exceeded all of our expectations. We were collected from the Langdale Chase hotel by our two fabulous ladies Gillian and Sandra who were the Dream Team! From beginning to end, this was a very enjoyable tour and certainly worth every cent. The ladies were extremely attentive, knowledgeable, engaging and fun with expert driving abilities along the way. I cannot believe how beautiful this place actually is, photos just don't do it justice. Everywhere we went we saw spectacular scenery with plenty of stops to soak up the atmosphere. We went on a boat down Ulswater which was so serene and relaxing. The weather was sunny and rain but, as Gillian said, the change made everything feel more atmospheric, drawing us into nature and the real lake district experience. Thank you English Lakes Tours (Phil you were tremendous in helping us chose a hotel), and of course, the two lovely ladies we spent the day with. Would thoroughly recommend this company and the tour.

  Y631QXclairemSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Highly recommended

  We had a brilliant full day tour of the Lakes with guide Gillian and driver/guide Sandra. We saw places in the Lakes that we would not have got to under our own steam. The tour was well paced, the guides very knowledgeable, and the van very comfortable. Easy pickup from the Ambleside library. The scenery was "food for the soul". Well worth the price for the tour. We spent our lunch break in Keswick visiting the Pencil Museum - worth the visit. Ample stops for photos and bio breaks (the size of the Honister Slate Mine ladies toilet is about equivalent to a studio apartment in New York! Sandra is an excellent driver. How she's able to navigate the narrow roads, reverse around steep hills and bends is impressive. Highly recommend this tour for visitors both new to the Lake District and returning.

  ammonfordJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Highly recommended

  We had a brilliant full-day tour of the Lakes with guide Gillian and trusted driver Sandra. We visited places in the area that we would not have gone to under our own steam. I had high expectations based on Tripadvisor reviews, and our tour exceeded these. This was a well paced tour, with very knowledgeable and personable guides, and a comfortable van. Scenery was just awesome. Lots of photo opportunity stops. During our Keswick lunch stop we decided to visit the pencil museum - well worth a visit. I especially enjoyed learning more about Beatrix Potter (not just a children's author), Herdwick sheep farming, and the geology of the area. Great value for money. Highly recommended for visitors new or returning to the Lake District. And, Sandra's driving is excellent! How she navigates those narrow roads, steep hills, and bends is impressive.

  jakethepake88July 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Beautiful tour of a stunning landscape.

  Tim was a wonderful guide. We learned so much about the area, the famous authors from each town and he drove us so smoothly through the mountainous terrain. Highlight for us was seeing all the small towns along the way and doing some small town shopping.

  710annaleighcOctober 2025via Tripadvisor

• 5Fantastic journey

  This is a stunning visual and informative tour you must do if you want to see a broad cross section of the Lakes District in a single day! Your certified driver will cruise you over serpentine lanes and parkways while your guide narrates the history, geography and details of this historic region. You will go places missed by most tourists in a clean comfortable van immersed in a constant three dimensional view of breathtaking landscapes and vistas. Included is a lake journey, stops for observation and a break for lunch and quick shopping. It’s a full day but is over much to quickly. We throughly enjoyed Jillian’s commentary and Sandra’s superb driving over some very challenging terrain! It’s a close up in one day of the Lake District one can not possibly achieve without them. As Wordsworth said. “Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher."

  237russellzApril 2025via Tripadvisor

• 5Best Way to See the Lake District!

  This was the perfect way to see the Lakes District! We loved being picked up and returned to our hotel on Lake Windermere. Gillian and Sandra were our talented, engaging guide and driver (respectively). Gillian was knowledgeable, entertaining and shared amazing information and stories about the area and local legends. Sandra was an incredible driver, especially on narrow roads on a rainy day. They gave us plenty of time for taking pictures and rest stops. We would do this tour again in a heartbeat. We highly recommend it!

  RetireAndRejoiceOctober 2024via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Windermere

• Its from-price is 413% above the median of the 23 day trips we list in Windermere.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 10 of 23.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Windermere

Windermere is England's largest natural lake and the Lake District town beside it, with lake steamers, high fells and literary homes close by.

Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, about seventeen kilometres long, its shores wooded and dotted with islands. The town of Windermere stands a little inland, and Bowness-on-Windermere on the water is the hub of boat life, with steamers and launches sailing to Ambleside at the head of the lake. A museum on the shore shows the lake's historic steam launches.

See all 58 experiences in Windermere