Spring is one of the best times to visit the Lake District. From March to May the villages are awash with new blooms and blossom, longer, lighter days perfect for walks in the hills or by the lakes and fewer crowds than in the summer months.
Here are a five fun things to inspire you when planning your Lake District trip in spring.
1. Admire the daffodils around the Lake District
From late February, the Lake District becomes swathed with sunny daffodils – from roadside verges, in local parks and tucked into the hillsides.
Poet William Wordsworth, who lived in both Grasmere and Rydal, wrote about his love for Lake District daffodils in his famous poem, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’.
The best places to see daffodils in the Lake District are:
- Glencoyne Bay on the shores of Ullswater
- Patterdale Church Yard near Ullswater
- Wordsworth Memorial Daffodil Garden in Grasmere
My personal favourite spot to see daffodils in the Lake District is Dora’s Field, tucked away next to the Badger Bar in Rydal. The fields were planted by Wordsworth in memory of his daughter, Dora who tragically died of TB. The quiet fields host a stunning array of daffodils each year, which then give way to swathes of bluebells.
You can read more about Dora’s Field in this article I wrote for local Cumbrian business, The Bath House.
2. Visit the bluebells at Rannerdale Knotts
Tucked away in the north-west corner of the Lake District, between the shores of Buttermere and Crummock Water, Rannerdale Knotts is one of the best places in the Lake District to see bluebells, which carpet the surrounding hills in April and May. Enjoy a leisurely walk on the lower slopes or head up high to the summit of Rannderdale Knotts (355m) for stunning views over the two lakes.
3. Go on a woodland walk and look for wild garlic
From early March, shaded woodland and spots near water all over the Lake District become awash with pungent wild garlic – including this spot near Rydal Hall. Delicious stirred into risottos, stews, soups and made into pesto or oils, the leaves are best when fairly new and before they have gone to flower.
Be mindful when picking the leaves to leave some for others and for nature.
4. Enjoy a hot cross bun in the spring sunshine
You can’t beat the sweet, spicy scent of a hot cross bun at Easter—especially when they are homemade!
We are lucky to have two wonderful bakeries in the Lake District that make their own hot cross buns: Apple Pie Bakery in Ambleside and Lucia’s Bakehouse in Grasmere (my personal fave!). Fresh out of the oven, the perfect treat on any Lake District walk (or post walk) in spring.
5. Visit a National Trust property
Many National Trust properties reopen their doors in spring after a winter break, and it’s a great way to spend a spring day wandering through the gardens and learning about the past. Choose from a variety of properties:
- Hilltop House near Hawkshead – the house which Beatrix Potter bought when we came to live in the Lake District
- Allan Bank in Grasmere – a former home of William Wordsworth
- Townend – 17th century farmhouse full of quirky objects and fascinating stories
- Wordsworth House and Garden in Cockermouth
- Wray Castle – Parkland and former medival castle on the shores of Windermere
Top Tip: Many National Trust properties also put on activities in the school holidays and Easter Egg hunts over the Easter weekend
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