Fiona Whitty soaked in the beauty of one of the UK’s most breathtaking spots and found a novel way to get away from the hubbub for a little while
From Warton Crag you can look out over Morecambe Bay
With a speed limit on the lake of 10mph this was never going to be a fast and furious boat ride.
But our slow and steady jaunt across Windermere was the perfect escape from the frenetic Lake District crowds back on the shoreline. Sauntering along at just two miles an hour in our dainty self-drive electric motorboat, fish leaping from the water next to us and dragonflies buzzing overhead suited us down to the ground.
Being electric, the boat was quiet and environmentally friendly. And thanks to the 10mph speed limit we didn’t have to worry about dodging water skiers and jet bikes – just the large pleasure cruises which bizarrely seemed to approach out of nowhere.
Our most stressful decision was whether to roll back to soft top or wait until the grey clouds above had dispersed. We chose to throw caution to the wind and throw it back regardless.
I didn’t regret it one bit. The best way to avoid the tourist throng mooching around Windermere is definitely to get out on the water instead. Since lockdown, the iconic Lake District town has been struggling with visitor numbers. According to Visit Britain, the Lake Windermere cruises that leave from Bowness were the eighth most popular paid tourist attraction in England last year. In 2022, they attracted more visitors than Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and St Paul’s Cathedral.
One of the best ways to slip the crowds, I discovered, is to jump behind the wheel and motor off yourself.
We’d picked up the boat from Windermere Lake Cruises’ Bowness Dock hire point and been advised that in our hour slot, we’d be able to motor around a mile up the water and back. The route took us past Windermere’s largest island Belle Isle, acres of woodland filled with oak, sycamore, beech and birch, grandiose fells with tops hidden in the clouds and beauty spots like Queen Adelaide’s Hill, famed for its views.
As backdrops go, it was as idyllic as they come. (£46 for two adults, each extra adult £8). Afterwards, we parked up in Windermere village and wandered through Elleray Wood – one of the forests we’d spotted from the boat – and up to Orrest Head, a 239 metre-high hill with a delightful outlook rippling out over the lake and the fells beyond.
Ardent walker and author Alfred Wainwright hiked up to this very spot as a young man and the views he took in sparked his obsession with the Lake District, leading to his famous Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells series. It was easy to see why.
With a hefty fill of peace, quiet and serenity under our belts we later headed to the adventure mecca of Zip World Windermere further up the eastern shore of the lake.
After doing a pretty good job of introducing high-octane fun to Snowdonia Zip World have since expanded into other UK venues too, like this one. But the remit remains the same – to thrill, excite and terrify. There are several activities at The Windermere site but my partner Tim and I thoughtfully volunteered our son Freddie, 16, and family friend Rory to take part in the most hardcore – the full trek treetop adventure course.
The two-to-three-hour circuit involved a series of obstacles designed to challenge – and seemingly scare the pants off you.
Freddie and Rory navigated see-saw planks, tightrope-style shimmies, zip lines and wobbly bridges all at up to an eye-watering 15 metres off the ground.
The aerial skateboards, where they had to balance on a moving plank of wood and watch their feet skid a lot faster than the rest of their body (while being very high up of course), was certainly one of the most entertaining bits for us observers to see.
It was great fun – both for the doers and watchers. (from £39pp).
We were staying about 40 minutes from Windermere by car at another beautiful spot – Landal Twin Lakes, nestled discreetly in woods in Tewitfield near Carnforth, just over the Cumbria border in Lancashire.
One of Landal’s newest resorts, it was small, laid-back and smartly kept with a series of beautifully appointed lodges set around – you guessed it – a pair of twinkling lagoons.
Ours had three bedrooms, with a huge master one up on a cool mezzanine level. Two bedrooms had en-suites and there was a further family bathroom to boot. We certainly never needed to queue for the loo.
But it was the enormous double-height, open-plan living area that really stood out, with floor-to- ceiling windows and patio doors at the lake-end letting the outside in and providing us with a stunning vista.
The wine cooler and dishwasher in the smart fitted kitchen added to the touch of luxury. Decking at the front also allowed us to enjoy fresh air and sunshine by the calming water while a hot tub, carefully concealed from neighbours by a high hedge, gave us a warm respite during cooler moments.
I could imagine snuggling up in the bubbles during a winter stay, snowflakes fluttering overhead and a romantic smattering of white icing crowning the lake.
The fact there were no other facilities on site – no spa, restaurant, entertainment or communal areas – gave Landal Twin Lakes even more of a peaceful air.
All in all, the accommodation was top-notch – and the setting bliss. We felt a world away from all life’s hustle and bustle.
When we could drag ourselves out of the hot tub for long enough the wider area offered plenty of walks, pretty villages and wonderful views over hills and coast.
A hike up Warton Crag rewarded us with the opportunity to survey the vast Morecambe Bay, with its wide sweep of sandflats and stretches of salt marsh.
Keen to explore the landscape more, we later motored over to Arnside, a quaint seaside resort at the River Kent estuary. To take advantage of the sunshine, we bypassed inviting pubs and cafes and instead sat on the pier to tuck into fish and chips – while dodging hungry seagulls.
Then afterwards, we headed to the quiet village of Silverdale, where we ambled down the beach, clambering over rocks and skimming stones with the Lake District fells standing majestically in the background.
Away from the coast and just down the road from Landal Twin Lakes lies Greenlands Farm Village, which offered family fun from archery and quad biking to a very well-thought-out indoor crazy golf course.
The on-site shop sold lots of locally produced goodies like craft ale, cakes and spirits – plus fresh milk from a nearby farm that you pumped out yourself from a churn.
The Longlands Inn across the road was a comfy and friendly place for a much-needed breather and a very tasty pale ale called Fell Walker from the Bowness Bay Brewery. It was nearly as relaxing as a slow and steady jaunt on Windermere.
GET THERE
Landal Twin Lakes is just off junction 35 of the M6. You’ll need a car to get around.
BOOK IT
A three-night stay in a three-bedroom lodge at Landal Twin Lakes for up to six people costs from £719. See landal.co.uk