I recently had my first ever break in the Lake District – and I already want to go back! Next time, though, I’ll probably approach my Lake District packing slightly differently, as the experience was a world away from any other UK holiday I’ve had. Here, the weather can change in minutes, walks described online as “easy” are only easy if you’re not used to steep inclines, and the truly rural nature of much of the area brings its own challenges.
Here are my Lake District tips for your first time…
1. Pack for ALL weathers
This was the most important thing for me! It’s easy to look at the weather forecast, see sunshine and just pack for glorious weather – or to see a rainy forecast and assume you’ll never be going outside. In reality, the Lake District has a habit of providing you with every single season in just one day.
During our week there, we had sunshine and showers, blustery winds and still days, summer temperatures and cooler conditions, often within the same 24-hour period. And if you’re heading out for a walk, you need to be prepared for the weather to change mid-hike.
For this reason, I’d suggest packing:
- A lightweight waterproof jacket
- Waterproof trousers for longer or higher altitude walks
- Clothing you can layer
- T-shirts and cooler clothes for sunny days
- A warm fleece or jumper
- Potentially a hat and gloves
- Suncream and sunglasses
It’s also worth taking a torch – the lack of street lights in some places means gorgeous views of the night sky, but it can also make it hard to get around in the dark!
2. Take more pairs of socks than you think you’ll need
I know this sounds pretty specific, but we were pretty grateful for the washing machine in our self-catered holiday house! If you’re planning on doing lots of walking – especially if there’s any chance of rain – you might be surprised at how quickly you get through them. Even if your walking boots are waterproof, puddles can sneak their way in – and if you’re exploring water-logged caves and rivers with stepping stones like we did, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
If you’re travelling with children, this packing tip is more important still!
2. Grab a parking disc
Even if you’re planning a mostly rural break, you’re still likely to want to pop into one of the Lake District’s towns from time to time: for shopping, for a bite to eat or simply to look around. This is where Cumbria’s disc parking scheme comes in handy.
Grab a free parking disc from one of a number of local businesses, and this will allow you to park for free in the town for a limited period of time. You simply check the disc restrictions for the space where you want to park, turn the wheel in the disc to show your time of arrival and place it visibly on your dashboard – ensuring you leave before your time is up to avoid a fine.
3. Take advantage of the buses
Parking in the Lake District is EXPENSIVE – and spaces at the most popular spots fill up quickly, meaning that if you don’t arrive early in the morning, you miss out. But don’t automatically assume you need to drive everywhere – the local bus network is actually pretty good!
A single journey will cost no more than £3, or you can buy an unlimited all-day ticket from £12.50. There’s an open-top bus route, complete with audio commentary – and you can also purchase combined bus and boat tickets, too. If you’re travelling with children, getting a bus can become part of the adventure, and for the person who’d normally be the designated driver, a bus trip allows them to see just as much of the scenery as their passengers!
Find out more about Lake District bus services here.
4. Calling a hike “easy” is subjective
I’m a pretty good walker. I mostly manage to hit my 10k steps each day, and when the weather permits, we head out as a family for walks of up to 6 miles at the weekends.
In Suffolk, though, it’s pretty flat. In the Lake District, it’s definitely not!
You’ll find a lot of walking routes online that are described as “easy”, “family-friendly” or “short”, but if you’re travelling with children, older relatives or anyone who isn’t used to proper hills, check the elevation profile and terrain before you head out…
5. Technology can fail
This should go without saying…but if you’re planning on hiking in the middle of nowhere, don’t assume you’ll have a great mobile internet connection for directions. Download any route maps you need onto your device, or take printed versions (in waterproof bags, to avoid the rain destroying them!)
Remember too that weaker mobile connections can drain your phone battery, so it’s well worth taking a fully-charged power bank. It’s not just the signal strength that’ll drain your battery either – it’s also checking bus times, finding nearby cafes and taking plenty of photos and videos of the views.
6. Choose the right base
Some people may like to stay rural and remote when they visit the Lake District. Others may prefer to be in a town, where they have access to local amenities.
We chose the latter, using Ambleside as our base – and I’d happily stay there again. It has plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants, even a couple of cinemas, too. It was a great base from which to explore the particular areas we wanted to see, but everyone is different!
7. Do your food shop in advance (or online)
Here in Bury St Edmunds, popping to the “big Tesco” is nice and easy. In the Lake District, things are different, so if you’re self-catering, you’ll need to plan in advance. Kendal, Barrow-in-Furness and Penrith are the closest places to find a “big” supermarket if you don’t want to rely on smaller express stores or expensive delis.
We did a little shop in Aldi in Kendal on the way up, and an online Morrisons order while we were there so we didn’t have to spend a fortune in Tesco Express and the Co-Op during our trip.
8. Bring your National Trust membership card
You might not be planning on visiting any National Trust properties while you’re in the Lake District, but if you’re a National Trust member, bring your membership card with you. Many of the car parks in the areas that we visited are managed by the National Trust, and if you scan your membership card at the payment machine when you arrive, it allows you to park for free.
With some of these car parks costing up to around £8.50 for non-members, it’s an easy way to save some money while you’re there.
9. Save space to bring things home!
Like any holiday, it’s inevitable that you’ll probably want to bring things home from your Lake District trip. In our case, these included Grasmere Gingerbread and Kendal Mint Cake (our son tried it for the first time while we were there and unsurprisingly, he’s a big fan!)
There are many outdoors shops that have great sales, so it’s a good opportunity to pick up some new outerwear or walking boots. Alternatively, you might just need extra space to bring home damp walking clothes (on that note, pack some plastic bags so nothing else gets soggy!)
Come rain or shine, the Lake District is a spectacular place to visit, and I’m already keen to plan a return visit. Hopefully these Lake District tips will help anyone else planning on visiting for the first time…are there any key ones I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments!