Walking the Lake District without a car

Leaving the car at home is one of the best decisions you can make in the Lake District. Parking at popular trailheads fills early and costs money, the lanes are narrow and busy in summer, and a bus or boat lets you walk a linear route from one place to another without worrying about getting back to the car. This guide covers the rail gateways, the bus routes that matter most to walkers, the lake boats, and which of our walks you can reach without a car.

A note on timetables: bus and boat services change with the seasons and from year to year. We deliberately don't quote times or fares here. Always check the current timetable with the operator or with Traveline before you travel, and check the time of the last bus back before you set off on a walk.

Getting there by train

The Lake District has several rail gateways, and you can plan any journey with National Rail Enquiries.

• Oxenholme (the Lake District), on the West Coast Main Line near Kendal, has direct trains from London Euston, Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland. Change here for Windermere.
• Windermere is the end of the Lakes Line branch from Oxenholme, via Kendal and Staveley. It's the only station inside the National Park's central area, and buses for Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick and Bowness leave from outside.
• Penrith (North Lakes), also on the West Coast Main Line, is the gateway to Ullswater and Keswick by bus.
• The Furness line runs from Lancaster and Carnforth along the edge of Morecambe Bay to Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness. Ulverston is the start of our Hoad Hill walk.
• The Cumbrian Coast line continues from Barrow up the west coast through Ravenglass and Whitehaven to Carlisle. At Ravenglass you can change to the narrow-gauge Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ("La'al Ratty") up Eskdale to Dalegarth, the start of our Stanley Ghyll walk.

The main bus routes for walkers

Most Lake District buses are run by Stagecoach, and the network is built around a few key routes. These are the ones mentioned in our walk guides. Route numbers and stops can change, so treat this as a guide to what's possible and confirm details before you travel.

Stagecoach sells day and multi-day tickets covering the Lakes routes, which usually work out cheaper than single fares if you're making more than one journey. Check the Stagecoach website for current tickets and timetables.

Lake boats

The lake boats are transport as well as a day out, and several piers sit right by the start of good walks.

• Windermere: boats link Lakeside, Bowness, Ambleside (Waterhead) and other piers, with a cross-lake ferry from Bowness towards the quieter western shore.
• Ullswater: the Ullswater "Steamers" run between Glenridding, Howtown, Aira Force and Pooley Bridge. Aira Force pier is a short walk from the falls.
• Coniston Water: a launch service and the National Trust's restored steam yacht Gondola call at Coniston and piers around the lake, including Brantwood.
• Derwentwater: the Keswick Launch circles the lake, stopping at piers that put you at the foot of Catbells and within reach of Borrowdale.

Boat services are reduced in winter and can be cancelled in strong winds. Check the operator's website on the day.

Our walks you can reach without a car

This list is generated from the "Without a car" notes on each walk guide, so it's always in step with the guides themselves.

• Aira Force & Gowbarrow (Moderate): The 508 bus (Penrith–Glenridding) and Ullswater 'Steamers' to Aira Force pier.
• Black Crag & Tarn Hows (Moderate): Possible but awkward: the seasonal 505 bus and Coniston Launch get you within walking distance.
• Castle Crag (Moderate): The 78 Borrowdale bus from Keswick stops in Rosthwaite.
• High Sweden Bridge (Moderate): 555 and seasonal 599 buses stop in Ambleside, a few minutes from the start.
• Hoad Hill (Easy): Ulverston station is a short walk from the start.
• Old Man of Coniston (Challenging): The 505 bus serves Coniston village; allow 30–40 minutes extra each way to walk to the start.
• Rydal Caves (Easy): The 555 bus runs along the A591 past White Moss.
• Scale Force (Moderate): The seasonal 77/77A Honister Rambler from Keswick stops in Buttermere.
• Stanley Ghyll Force (Moderate): The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (La'al Ratty) runs to Dalegarth Station from Ravenglass.
• Westmorland & Furness Way (Strenuous): Section towns Kirkby Stephen, Windermere and Ulverston have railway stations; Appleby is close to Section 2.
• Whorneyside Force (Moderate): The 516 Langdale Rambler runs from Ambleside to the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

That's 11 of our 15 walks. You can also tick "Car-free" in the Walk Finder to see them on a map.

The hardest walks to reach without a car are in the remote western valleys. There's no regular bus to Wasdale Head for Scafell Pike, for example, though some walkers use a taxi from the coast or approach from Borrowdale instead.

Tips for a car-free walking trip

• Base yourself well. Ambleside, Keswick and Windermere have the best bus links; Coniston and Glenridding are good in season.
• Check the last bus before you set off, and keep a taxi number as a backup. Mobile signal is patchy in the valleys.
• Think linear. Without a car, you can walk from one valley to the next and catch the bus back, which opens up routes drivers can't easily do.
• Allow for the walk in. Some stops are a little way from the start of a route; each guide's "Without a car" note says how far.
• Plan for the weather. Buses don't wait for walkers delayed by rain or cloud, so build in a margin. See our safety guide.

Travelling by bus, train or boat also helps the National Park: fewer cars mean quieter lanes, easier parking for those who need it, and cleaner air in the valleys.