Train traveling along the scenic Lakes Line. North West UK.

West Coast Railways train on the Lakes Line

Explore the heart of the Lake District National Park as you travel along the Lakes Line.

Discover the splendour of Cumbrian countryside as you journey through picturesque rural villages arriving on the doorstep of the Lake District fells. Green spaces, woodland paths and spectacular surrounding scenery give every visitor a sense of adventure.

Highlights

Direct access to the heart of the Lake District

Wonderful scenery attracting visitors from around the world

Less than four hours by train from London to Windermere

Find out more

Local line website

Getting there

Train/bus Car Plane

Oxenholme and Kendal can be accessed from Junctions 36 and 37 on the M6 motorway and by the A6. The A 591 connects Keswick and Ambleside to Windermere and Kendal.

Car hire is also available at Oxenholme and Windermere stations.

Train connections to the Lakes Line are made at Oxenholme on the West Coast Mail Line. Look up times. In 2020 there will also be direct train services once more from Manchester International Airport to Windermere.

BY BUS
Windermere is a hub station for a wide range of bus services across the Lake District to Keswick, Ambleside, Kendal and as far as Lancaster (the 555 bus operated by Stagecoach). Kendal also has a bus station next to the Westmorland Shopping Centre. See bus times at www.traveline.info.

Find out about travelling to the UK by air with handy advice from Visit Britain: http://bit.ly/2r2pTC3

Route

Oxenholme - Windermere

Cost

£6.50 Off-Peak Day Return

Opening times

7 days a week | all year

Journey time

20min

Distance

10 miles | 16 km

Time from London

3:10 hours (see itinerary)

Plan your trip

Suggested itinerary

Take the train from London Euston to Oxenholme. Trains are frequent and take approximately 3 hours 11 minutes. Look up times.

You'll find a number of interesting places to stay if you want to extend your visit. Get back to nature and really experience the Lake District with a stay at a campsite, log cabin, static caravan or even the popular glamping. Click here to find your perfect self-catering site near Lake Windermere with Campsites.co.uk

The Lakes Line offers access into the heart of the Lake District National Park and amazing views of the Cumbrian fells. Windermere is a major tourist destination along with Bowness, the lake and nearby Ambleside. There is a busy tourist information centre just 200 metres from Windermere station and one of the many walks starts nearby. There is an extensive network of walking routes, from easy to challenging. A trip with Windermere Lake Cruises shows the delights of the lake and gives access to Fellfoot and Lakeside and to Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. To the north, the boats give access to Brockhole and Ambleside.

Part way along the line is Staveley with its Mill Yard, home to Wilf’s cafe and Hawkshead brewery plus specialist shops and a cycling centre. At Kendal, there the thriving arts community plus museums, galleries and shops plus a ruined castle and lovely riverside walks.

The station at Windermere is a hub for onward travel to Bowness to connect with Windermere Lake Cruises, the Beatrix Potter Museum and a great range of shops, some especially catering for walkers. In Windermere there are hotels, shops and galleries and walking routes up into the fells. Mountain Goat provides transport to more remote areas and also runs the Tourist Information Centre. Ambleside is a short bus ride away and on the route is the Brockhole Visitor Centre. In Kendal there is a thriving arts community and galleries, theatres and specialist shops can be explored.