Lake District National Park Travel Forum

We are from Melbourne, but will be visiting Britain soon.

We will have a few days around Nottingham, then plan to go up to the Lake District for a weekend.

Can you tell us roughly how many hours drive from Nottingham, to say Ambleside?

Would Ambleside be the best town to stay for our overnight? any better suggestions?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,


Glenda

Ambleside is probably around 175 - 200 miles from Nottingham.
Driving will take three - three and a half hours.
Lots of good place in The Lakes. Ambleside is nice but so are many of the other places.

Have you looked at this site -

http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/

it might give you some more ideas about the towns and villages of the area.

This is another useful site

http://www.aboutbritain.com/articles/lake-district-national-park.asp

Use the Automobile Association journeyplanner, which will only give you distances and reasonably accurate times but also details of potential traffic blackspots/roadworks etc. Routes are printable.

http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp?database=B

Nottingham to Ambleside will take around 3hours (157 miles). Be aware that you will be travelling on motorways for part of the suggested route; UK motorways as as prone to congestion as any other road.

Travelling in the UK always takes longer than the map would suggest, so allow plenty of time for your journeys.

The Lake District is a very popular destination, so it might be worthwhile booking your accommodation in advance at this time of year.

Yes the Ambleside / Windermere area is very central for the Lakes in general. We always stay in these towns.

Thank you Britannia2, leics, ranger49 and ballyann,
Most helpful replies.
Can I ask two more questions?

How many minutes from Windermere to Coniston?

Is Coniston a pretty place to stay?

Regards,

Glenda

I can't say offhand but try
www.viamichelin.com

various travel options available short/fast/ etc - a useful site for planning any journey.

I prefer the AA journeyplanner, as they are based in the UK and viamichelin isn't. Whichever you use do be aware that timings are only guides. There is absolutely no certainty about travel times in the UK!

Haven't been to Coniston but know it's a popular place, especially for walking.

http://www.conistontic.org/

Yes Coniston is a pretty village. From Windermere head a little way south of the town on the main road south and there is a car ferry across the lake that runs every 20 minutes or so. It takes about 10 cars. Drive off and stop at Hawkshead for a short visit - another pleasant Lakeland village and then on to Coniston. Coniston is only 20 minutes from when you drive off the ferry. Distances are not great anywhere in the Lakes.

Thanks once more to leics, britannia and ranger,

Our trip is coming up soon, and not much available at weekends. Your helpful replies have made our decisions easier.

Happy travelling to you all!

Regards,

Glenda

Have a lovely weekend and I hope the sun shines for you!

Hi, why not try the Northern lakes? We found it was much less developed and touristy than down around Windermere. We also stayed in a lovely self catering cottage booked via http://www.lakelandcottages.co.uk , tell David and Jo I said hi!

bliss utter bliss.

I agree. I find Windermere (Bowness) to be totally overrated and can never understand why it gets so packed with tourists. There's nothing there that interests me, apart from if I want to do a bit of shopping, but then even that can also be done better elsewhere. The best walking isn't around Windermere, nor are the best views there, nor the best pubs. All it has is the lake, and access to that isn't brilliant at Bowness - a bit better at Ambleside, a town I much prefer.