Ullswater Walks

Ullswater is the second-largest lake in the Lake District. It curves for around nine miles from Pooley Bridge in the north to Glenridding and Patterdale beneath the Helvellyn range. It has a character all its own: gentle and pastoral at its northern end, and increasingly dramatic as the fells close in to the south. Many walkers consider it the most beautiful of all the lakes.

Why walk here

The best-loved walk on the lake is Aira Force. A short trail from the National Trust car park leads to a powerful waterfall framed by stone bridges in a Victorian pleasure ground. Our longer route continues over Gowbarrow Fell, a Wainwright summit, for one of the finest views of Ullswater in the district. Close by is Glencoyne Bay, where William and Dorothy Wordsworth saw the wild daffodils that inspired his most famous poem.

The waymarked Ullswater Way circles the lake for about 20 miles and can be walked in sections using the lake boats. Short, view-packed summits such as Hallin Fell above Howtown suit families well. For experienced hill walkers, Glenridding is a classic starting point for Helvellyn.

Getting there and around

Ullswater 'Steamers' sail between Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge and call at the pier near Aira Force, making a walk-and-boat day easy. The 508 bus links Penrith with Glenridding and stops close to Aira Force, and Penrith is on the West Coast Main Line. Services are more frequent in summer, so check timetables before you travel. The National Trust car parks at Aira Force are pay-and-display, free for members, and busy in peak season.

Where to base yourself

Glenridding and Patterdale at the southern end have inns, hotels, a youth hostel and campsites, and put you right beneath the high fells. Pooley Bridge at the northern end has cafés, pubs and holiday parks. Penrith is the nearest town with a full range of shops.

When to visit

Aira Force is dramatic after rain and beautiful in autumn colour. Spring brings the famous wild daffodils along the shore. Summer is the best time for combining walks with the lake boats. On winter days the lower paths are still rewarding, though the high fells around Helvellyn become serious winter mountains.

More to explore

Keswick and Borrowdale are a short drive west. See our Keswick & Borrowdale guide. Ambleside and Grasmere lie to the south over Kirkstone Pass in our Ambleside & Grasmere guide. Compare Aira Force with other falls in our waterfall walks guide.