Get the latest on visiting the Lake District, last minute deals, and tips for your next visit, right in your inbox >
 

Things to do in Windermere for couples

A few days away just for the two of you. Sounds heavenly, right? And we can’t think of anywhere better to spend it than in the Lake District.

This post is part of the Lakeland Retreats guide to Windermere & Bowness >

Home > Lake District Guide > Things to do in Windermere for couples

Romantic things to do in Bowness-on-Windermere

So how about setting your sat-nav to bustling Windermere or Bowness where you can take in invigorating walks and Michelin-starred restaurants, historic houses and treat-yourself spa days, buzzy bars and peaceful boat trips, adventure-filled bike rides and characterful pubs, and so much more. Ready?

Adventuring

Climb Orrest Head

If you like jaw-dropping views that don’t involve too much effort on your part, then Orrest Head is made for you. It’s relatively short (about 20 minutes to the top) so you can easily be up and down before breakfast – Homeground would be our choice to tuck in.

Starting on a path next to the Windermere Hotel, it’s a gentle meander up through Elleray Wood, with a couple of steepish bits on the final pull. But when you get to the top, the 360-degree views of the lake and surrounding fells will take your breath away – you can see right down the length of Windermere, and there’s also a panorama telling you what else is visible on clear days, including the Old Man of Coniston and Scafell Pike. Selfie time.

Need more ideas? Read our guide for other walks near Windermere.

Hire a boat

Climb aboard a traditional rowing boat or an easy-to-drive motorboat from Windermere Lake Cruises and you can spend a couple of hours exploring the UK’s largest lake at your own pace – taking in the spectacular mountain views, intriguing wooded islands (there are 18 of them) and secluded bays.

You’ll find the boats down at Bowness Dock but you’ll need to book one online in advance. And you don’t need to be a salty old sea dog to get started as you’ll be told everything you need to know before you set sail.

Windermere Lake Cruises website >

Winander house
Glebe Road
Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3HE

Map >

Pedal Power

If you fancy exploring the local area on two wheels, right next door to Windermere railway station you can find Country Lanes Cycle Centre, where you can hire road bikes, mountain bikes, and even e-bikes if you feel like you’re going to need a bit of extra oomph on the hilly bits.

The bike-mad team will help you choose the right bike (they only hire out top-quality brands and change the bikes regularly) and they’ll also kit you out with helmets, locks and maps, and suggest some easy-to-follow routes for you if you’re not familiar with the Lake District.

Country Lanes Cycle Centre website >

Windermere Railway Station
Station Precinct
Windermere
LA23 1AH

Map >

Eating

Homeground

So after you’ve worked up an appetite clambering up Orrest Head, get yourself to Homeground in Windermere for a breakfast (or brunch if you got up late – well, you are on holiday) that’ll set you up right and proper for whatever the rest of the day might bring.

Chances are you’ll have to queue but it’s worth it – and you can peruse the menu and get your mouth watering in drooly anticipation while you wait.

We highly recommend the Homeground Sarnie – a towering stack of smoked back and streaky bacon, smashed avocado, hash browns, caramelised red onion, leaves, and a fried egg on sourdough ciabatta.

You could probably skip lunch after that little lot – although that would be a shame as there are plenty of great places to choose from.

Homeground website >
Their socials are more useful!

Walk-ins only

01539 444 863

Main Road
Windermere
LA23 1DX

Map

Lindeth Fell Country House, Bowness

Not only do you get a treat for the taste buds with your afternoon tea at the Lindeth Fell Country House Hotel – you get a treat for the eyes too with the incredible views over Windermere.

You can indulge yourself with their selection of finger sandwiches, warm buttermilk scones and sweet treats, and choose any tea you fancy – from traditional English Breakfast tea to smoky Lapsang Souchong. Or you can add a glass of fizz if you’re feeling decadent.

Lindeth Fell Country House website >

015394 43286

Lindeth Fell
Lyth Valley Road
Windermere
LA23 3JP

Map >

Source at Gilpin, Bowness-on-Windermere

Fancy a sophisticated, Michelin-starred culinary treat for your dinner? Of Source you do? Head chef, Ollie Bridgewater, came from the legendary Fat Duck. The seasonal ingredients come mostly from local suppliers. And the oohs, aahs and mmmmm that tastes good will be coming from you.

With three and six-course tasting menus to choose from, and the wonderful setting of the Gilpin hotel to enjoy it in, if you feel like splashing out, this is the place to do it.

Source website >

Gilpin Spice website >

01539 488 818

Crook Road
LA23 3NF

Map

Drinking

 Hole in T’Wall, Bowness

Tucked away in the heart of Bowness you’ll find the oldest pub in the area – built way back in 1612. Walk into the Hole in T’Wall and it’s like stepping back in time and that’s the way locals and visitors like it.

Bursting with old-fashioned charm and character, it serves a good range of beer and a selection of hearty home-cooked pub classics in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. What more could you ask for?

Up for a pub crawl or staying locally for a while? Try some of these welcoming hostelries too.

Hole in T’Wall website >

01539 443 488

Robinson Place
Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3DH

Map >

The Crafty Baa, Windermere

Cosy, quirky and characterful, the Crafty Baa is the perfect spot to indulge in a craft beer or two – there’s a huge range to choose from – and fill up on some tasty food before waddling back to your holiday cottage.

Eclectically decorated using upcycled and recycled materials, this funky little gem of a place serves up craft beers aplenty, a wide range of spirits, including 100 whiskeys from around the world, and a menu of nibbles and sharing plates plus pizzas, wraps and hot dogs to die for.

Crafty Baa website >

01539 488 002

21 Victoria Street
Windermere
LA23 1AB

Map >

The Fizzy Tarte, Bowness

They take their cocktail mixing seriously at the Fizzy Tarte. Chock-full of fresh ingredients and the finest spirits, the drinks are impressively crafted, the mixologists are expertly trained, and the results are unforgettable – if you don’t have one too many, that is.

There’s all the classics on offer – Porn Star Martini, Long Island Iced Tea, and Rum Punch – but you can also take it up a notch and order one of their Top Tarte cocktails, which include extra ingredients to tease your taste buds into submission.

Designated drivers needn’t despair either – there are mocktails too. Got enough energy for more nights out on the town? Glam up and head to one of these lively joints.

The Fizzy Tarte website

Ash Street
Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3EB

Map

Visiting

Blackwell: The Arts & Craft House, Bowness

A fine, internationally significant example of Arts & Craft architecture, with nearly all of its original features intact, and filled with furniture and objects from the period, a visit to Blackwell provides a vivid portrait of early 20th century life and the Arts & Crafts movement.

And if it’s not raining too much on the day you visit, you can head outside and admire the Thomas Mawson-designed gardens and the view over the lake too.

Website >

Blackwell
Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3JT

Map

Townend, troutbeck

A short drive from Windermere or Bowness takes you to the peaceful village of Troutbeck, where you can find Townend – a grade 1 listed slate and stone 17th-century farmhouse lived in for 400 years by the Browne family.

Now owned by the National Trust, it offers a fascinating glimpse of an ordinary but well-to-do farming family’s life through the years.

Full of interesting objects and furniture (much of it carved by George Browne, a contemporary of Beatrix Potter), and a library of rare books (some of which are the only copies), the house has been kept much as it was when the Browne family lived there. Don’t forget to take a stroll round the charming cottage garden while you’re there too.

Townend website >

Holbeck Lane
Troutbeck
Windermere
LA23 1LB

Map >

And Relaxing

Beech Hill Hotel & Spa

For a view of the lake and the fells beyond, a few gentle laps in the indoor pool, a chill in the spa pool (bubbles included, bubbly optional), a rejuvenating couple’s treatment or massage, head to the Beech – the Beech Hill Hotel and Spa, that is.

Located on the hillside overlooking the lake, the Lakeview Spa is open to non-residents who want to relax and unwind and spend a couple of hours getting pampered. Bliss.

Beech Hill Hotel and Spa website >

Newby Bridge
Windermere
LA23 3LR

Map >

Cottages in Windermere & Bowness

Get away from it all in one of our cosy Windermere cottages.

Experience the natural beauty of The Lake District with high-quality accommodation and unique amenities for couples, groups, and families!

The Lakeland Retreats guide to Bowness & Windermere

Bowness and Windermere Shops

Bowness and Windermere Shops

You’ll find a huge range of shops selling everything from unique local gifts to everyday essentials. Here’s a flavour of what you can expect

Windermere Boat Trips & Hire

Windermere Boat Trips & Hire

You can’t visit Windermere without taking to the water, it’s one the best ways to see all that spectacular scenery that surrounds the lake

Indoor activities Windermere

Indoor activities Windermere

When the weather isn’t behaving itself and you don’t feel like getting soaked to the skin, it’s time to explore the great indoors

View more >

This website uses cookies
This site uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience. We use necessary cookies to make sure that our website works. We’d also like to set analytics cookies that help us make improvements by measuring how you use the site. By clicking “Allow All”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
These cookies are required for basic functionalities such as accessing secure areas of the website, remembering previous actions and facilitating the proper display of the website. Necessary cookies are often exempt from requiring user consent as they do not collect personal data and are crucial for the website to perform its core functions.
A “preferences” cookie is used to remember user preferences and settings on a website. These cookies enhance the user experience by allowing the website to remember choices such as language preferences, font size, layout customization, and other similar settings. Preference cookies are not strictly necessary for the basic functioning of the website but contribute to a more personalised and convenient browsing experience for users.
A “statistics” cookie typically refers to cookies that are used to collect anonymous data about how visitors interact with a website. These cookies help website owners understand how users navigate their site, which pages are most frequently visited, how long users spend on each page, and similar metrics. The data collected by statistics cookies is aggregated and anonymized, meaning it does not contain personally identifiable information (PII).
Marketing cookies are used to track user behaviour across websites, allowing advertisers to deliver targeted advertisements based on the user’s interests and preferences. These cookies collect data such as browsing history and interactions with ads to create user profiles. While essential for effective online advertising, obtaining user consent is crucial to comply with privacy regulations.