Day Trips & Excursions in Lake District

The Cotswolds are the epitome of classic English countryside: from thatched-roof cottages and riverside hamlets to rolling green hills, the scenery has earned the region an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designation. This full-day, small-group tour from Oxford makes it easy to see the sights. Traveling by luxury minibus, you'll venture to some of the Cotswolds' prettiest villages. As you go, your guide will share facts and stories about the region's key landmarks and wealth of history.

Enjoy a day on the railways and discover centuries of engineering heritage with this full-day Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway ticket. Hop aboard your train in Ravenglass and take a seat to begin your rail adventure. As you chug through the English countryside, enjoy panoramic views over the Lake District's ancient woodland and rolling hillsides. Gaze over soaring peaks such as the Scafells, and perhaps hop out at any of the seven stops to explore further on foot. Afterward, visit the museum at Ravenglass to learn of England's rich railway history. 

Enjoy a seamless introduction to the Lake District, and discover its highlight scenery, on this half-day driving tour. Over the course of your tour, you'll see numerous lakes (including Lake Windermere - the largest in the area); will visit the Neolithic Castlerigg Stone Circle; will discover the photogenic Ashness Bridge; will chart the Kirkstone Pass; and much more. As you go, learn all about the region and its history from your guide's commentary.

The Cotswolds, a picturesque region in England, epitomizes idyllic village life. Visit a trove of thatched cottages, trout farms and tea shops, and centuries-old estates during this small-group guided tour. Highlights include Bibury's Arlington Row - known as the prettiest street in England - and the real-life backdrop to hit series "Downtown Abbey."

Discover the spectacular mountain landscapes of the Lake District without having to hike on a 9.5-hour minibus tour of the national park's high mountain passes from Keswick. Absorb incredible views from the Wrynose and Hardknott Mountain Passes, ride through Eskdale Valley on the famous Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, and drink in panoramas from Wastwater, voted Britain's best view. Entry to Muncaster Castle and a ride on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway are included.

Discover another side of the beautiful Lake District, and follow in the footsteps of Beatrix Potter, on this immersive, half-day tour. Meet your guide at your local accommodation, and venture first to Wray Castle, a former vacation home where Potter spent time as a teenager. Continue to her home at Hill Top, see the villages she used to frequent, and learn more about her life and works. As you go, you'll also get to admire the Lake District's wealth of scenery.

Hop on the train from London for a scenic journey into the heart of the Lake District National Park on this full-day guided tour. Follow in the footsteps of former resident Beatrix Potter as you visit her farmhouse, then soak up the scenery that inspired her stories as you travel by minibus past wildflower meadows, rugged peaks, and lakes. Visit the charming village of Hawkshead; take a cruise on Windermere, England's largest lake; then tuck into a decadent cream tea at the Lindeth Howe Country Hotel before returning to London.

The magnificent scenery of the Lake District National Park is even more magical during the winter months, but it can be tricky to navigate the icy roads without a guide. This half-day tour visits highlights such as Windermere, Hawkshead village, Tarn Hows, and Yewdale Valley, and includes a scenic cruise across Lake Windermere.

Experience some of the highlights of the Lake District National Park on this full-day Ten Lakes Spectacular small-group tour from Windermere. Traveling by air-conditioned minivan with an expert guide, explore the beauty spots and villages of central Lakeland as you learn about its history. Ascend high mountain passes, visit a waterfall, take a sightseeing cruise, and see ten of the most beautiful lakes, including Buttermere and Thirlmere. Discover Borrowdale and quaint villages such as Grasmere; visit Castlerigg Stone Circle; and enjoy free time for lunch in the market town of Keswick.

Step off the beaten track and discover the majesty of rural England's Lake District region on this full-day lake explorer tour from Windermere. Travel deep into the countryside with your guide and enjoy panoramic views over the Lake District's mountaintops, waterfalls and lakes. Head away from the crowds on a beautiful lakeside drive through Buttermere and Crummock Water. Take in breathtaking views over Grasmere and enjoy an optional cruise onto magnificent Lake Windermere. During your tour. visit local tea rooms to sample delicacies such as gingerbread, scones and cakes.

Visit the Beatrix Potter house and some of the Lake District's prettiest locations on this 4.5-hour afternoon tour from Windermere. After a scenic Lake Windermere cruise, travel through idyllic countryside to Hill Top, the Beatrix Potter home where the beloved children's author lived during the early 1900s. See the garden and rooms left as she would have known them, and learn about her life here. Finish with a visit to the quaint village of Hawkshead, where poet William Wordsworth attended school; and Tarn Hows, one of Lakeland's most gorgeous spots.

Witness the grandeur of the Lake District's central mountains and western fells on this full-day small-group High Mountain Passes tour from Lake Windermere. Traveling by air-conditioned minivan, follow a route first traced by the Romans over the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes, two of Britain's steepest. Ascend through breathtaking fells; visit Roman Hardknott Fort, and ride the heritage Ravenglass and Eskdale railway. After a lunch break, admire spectacular views of Wastwater before returning to Windermere via Coniston Water.

On this tour you will get to see:Wray Castle where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District. Near Sawrey village which Beatrix visited often, used as inspiration for her illustrations and where she happily settled and married. Hill Top, the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit. Esthwaite Water where Beatrix fished from her boat. Hawkshead village Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix  and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District. Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and Coniston Old Man Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm used in the film Miss Potter.