Outdoor activities Windermere & Bowness

Brockhole

Windermere LA23 1FF

When it comes to things to do outdoors, it’s hard to beat a day out (although you might need several to fit it all in) at Brockhole.

What can you get up to? Well, how about this little lot? Archery. Laser Clay Shooting. Krazy Karts. Mini Golf. Treetop Trek. Kayak Tours. Boat Hire. The Woodland Faerie Trail. Mini Tractors. Trails and Orienteering. Treetop Nets. Badminton and Volleyball. Table Tennis. That should keep you and the family busy for a bit.

Brockhole is run by the Lake District National Park as its visitor centre, and all the money made there goes back into making sure the National Park is cared for so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Fell Foot

Newby Bridge

Located at the southern end of Windermere, family-friendly Fell Foot is the ideal spot for a lakeside picnic and to get out on the water and enjoy the views of the mountains.

You can swim, paddle, hire rowboats, kayaks and paddleboards. Or you can bring your own – you just have to carry them down from the National Trust car park. And, when you’re done, get yourself under a hot shower in the state-of-the-art changing rooms in the Active Base.

Fancy having a go at white water rafting? You can do that too from Fell Foot with Lake District White Water Rafting – beginning on the calm of Windermere, you make your way to the River Leven, where things speed up and you get the chance to ride the rapids.

Holehird Gardens

Patterdale Road, Windermere

With 10 acres to cover, you’ll get a gentle workout as you walk around exploring the blooming loveliness that awaits you in the fellside setting of Holehird Gardens near Windermere – with gorgeous views over the fells and Lake Windermere to boot.

Looked after entirely by volunteers, this floral haven of tranquillity, and home to the Lakeland Horticultural Society, rewards a visit at any time of the year.

Heaving with hydrangeas (around 200 different species), awash with alpines, and bursting with bee-friendly buddleia during the summer months, careful seasonal planting means there is something to delight the eyes and the nostrils all year round. Holehird is also home to several national plant collections, including astilbe, daboecia, meconopsis and polystichum.

Windermere Golf Club

Cleabarrow Road, Windermere

Brought your clubs to the Lake District? Then 18 holes at one of the most scenic golf courses in the UK, could be on the cards. Described as the ‘9th most enjoyable course to play in England’ by Golf World magazine, Windermere Golf Club is open to non-members too – you just have to book a tee time and you’re good to swing by.

With views of Morecambe Bay, Coniston Old Man, the Langdales and the Fairfield Horseshoe to be had on clear days, the setting is definitely a hole-in-one even if your game includes more bogies than birdies.

And, after you’ve sunk your final putt on the 18th, you can retire to the 19th hole to sink a pint and have something to eat. Fore!

Lake District Falconry

Crook Road, near Windermere

How does a private falconry experience in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District sound? Get in touch with Lake District Falconry and you could soon be on a Hawk Walk, where you’ll get up close and personal with a bird of prey – you can even don a falconer’s glove so the soaring bird can land and perch on your fist.

The dedicated falconers will be with you every step of the way, sharing their love, knowledge and experience of the magnificent birds.

If you’re getting hitched in the Lakes, they also do wedding packages so you can offer your guests something a little bit different.

Glebe Park – mini golf, crazy golf, tennis

Glebe Road, Bowness

Sink putts, serve aces, go crazy at Glebe Park in Bowness on the shores of Windermere during the summer months.

Fun for all the family, you can see if you are up to par on the 9-hole mini golf course. Have a go at pitch and putt, pretend you’re at Wimbledon on one of the three tennis courts, or just get a bit silly on the crazy golf course. If you prefer kicking to swinging, there’s also a 9-hole foot golf course – who will be the first to get a hole-in-one?

You don’t need your own equipment – everything you need can be hired on-site.

Not feeling energetic? There are seats and picnic tables for spectators too.

Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre

Rayrigg Road, Windermere

You can have a go at watersports aplenty at the Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre – paddle canoes and kayaks, try and keep your balance on a stand-up paddleboard, use the wind to control a sailboat or try your hand at windsurfing.

Instructor-led courses are available if you’re new to sailing or windsurfing, and all equipment is provided.

And, with the beautiful setting of the lake and fells surrounding you, family fun has never been more picturesque.

5 Unmissable Easy Walks Near Windermere

Grab the kids, grab the dog, grab your gran!

With wheelchair-accessible options, great views, a sense of adventure (without needing a mountaineering course), and some top-notch spots to re-fuel along the way, here are our picks for the best steps per smile walks from Windermere and Bowness.

If you’ve got small kids, here’s our favourite Pram Friendly walks.