This year has been such a strange one with lockdowns and travel restrictions, not knowing whether it is safe to leave the house or not. This is the time of year, people in the UK usually start thinking about a winter sun holiday but maybe it’s wiser to stay in the UK this year. There are so many beautiful places and here are some ideas for a secluded domestic holiday in Windermere.
Make sure you keep an eye on the government websites for the latest travel advice and COVID guidelines. You can find the government guidelines here and the Lake District guidelines here.
We love Windermere and have always visited at least a couple of times a year, getting a hotel in Windermere for a couple of nights. Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles in length, and almost 1 mile at its widest. Windermere and Bowness-On-Windermere have a selection of cobbled streets to walk, cafes, restaurants and shops including Joules and Mountain Warehouse.
The World of Beatrix Potter is a vibrant family attraction bringing to life Beatrix Potter’s enchanting stories in a magical recreation of the beautiful Lake District countryside. The exhibition is in the centre of Windermere and features favourite characters from the famous books, an award-winning outdoor Peter Rabbit Garden, a superb character-themed family-friendly café and world-famous gift shop ensuring all generations of visitors can experience a little bit of Beatrix Potter magic. They have done everything possible to ensure their visitors are safe whilst enjoying the wonderful experience on offer. With the new measures in place, they estimate a visit will take between 35 – 40 minutes and queueing as well as some browsing time in the shop.
You can take a boat across the lake which is beautiful. We always get off the boat at Brockhole on Windermere. It is a not-for-profit attraction run by the Lake District National Park Authority. All profits go towards keeping it special for future generations. It is such a lovely place to walk around and perfect for all abilities, prams etc. You can hire canoes, go tree-top climbing, play in the play area and mini-golf. There is also a gift shop and cafe.
You can also use the boat the get to Lakeside to visit the Lakes Aquarium and the Lakeside railway. The aquarium visitor numbers will be limited each day and everyone will need to book online. To keep visitors and staff as safe as possible, whilst giving you the best experience possible when you visit the aquarium, they’ve stripped back to focus on the bare necessities.
I have been on the railway a couple of years ago and Lucas loved it. The branch line runs 3.2 miles long, you can stop off in various villages and explore. The railway staff have been working hard to apply the safety measures needed to enable you to visit with confidence, complying at all times with government guidelines. The train service is back in steam, however, this will not be their usual service and they will be running on a reduced timetable to ensure the safety of all involved.
In collaboration with Hotels.com, but all views are my own
I wish I could holiday in Windermere and experience the World of Beatrix Potter with my niece and nephew! They would love this and I would love to introduce them to the world of Peter Rabbit more tangibly. This is so cool and I know my nephew would love the trains!
Wonderful place to visit! I wish I could take my grandson there. He’d be so excited to see a train up close. I am also happy that safety protocols are in place to ensure that visitors will not be at risk of contracting illness.
We were in the Lake District last year and enjoyed every single moment. Vacations this year have been different due to Covid, I’m glad you had a good time!
What a fun place to visit! I am not familiar with Windermere and it would be fun to visit as a family.
That looks like a beautiful place to spend some time. I have never been there but we may to need to visit.
I wish it were safe to go on vacation here, but sadly our cases are still on the rise. I would love to do something like this.
I have brilliant memories of Lake Windermere when we visited what must have been 10 years ago. We haven’t been since having kids though so we would love to return. Looks beautiful as always.
thats great you could still go even with covid still happening. we’re planning a mini vacay for the near future
It’s such a strange experience to travel now but it’s great that you’re finding ways to travel and create memories through COVID.
Windermere seems like a wonderful place to visit! I wish I could take my girls there. It great to enjoy life during Covid.
I’ve seen a lot of blog posts where families travel to places with such unique names, I think this one is viable too! Windermere, it sounds mystical!
Sounds like a blast to visit too!
Lake Windermere is such a beautiful place and so nice you managed to get away even during Covid and also sounds like you managed a lovely stress free break
Laura x