Kate A
04 February 2021
The Lake District offers some of the top views in the country and is world-famous for its enviable landscapes and stunning scenery. But when you have just a few days to explore everything the area has to offer, it can be easy to miss out on an amazing view hidden just around the corner. Here are a few of our favourites you should be looking out for!
Note: If reaching a view involves walking in the Lakes, do make sure before you set out that you have sturdy footwear suited to the terrain and always remember some warm clothing, food and water, and to get hold of a map and full route description before you go.
1. Wastwater
The view down Wastwater is iconic and has been voted as the UK's best view on multiple occasions! The deepest lake in the Lake District, Wastwater is situated in the Wasdale Valley, which is also home to England's tallest mountain and one of England's smallest churches. The Screes on the south-east side of the lake rise dramatically from the water to produce a stunning backdrop. Wastwater is popular with walkers, cyclists and canoeists, and there are car parks as well as roadside lay-bys from which to enjoy the scenery.
2. Friar's Crag, Keswick
Friar's Crag is an iconic Lakeland viewpoint and the bench there, which looks down Derwentwater towards the 'Jaws of Borrowdale', has to be one of the most popular seats in the Lake District! Friar's Crag can be reached via an easy and accessible 15-minute walk from the Theatre by the Lake on the Derwentwater foreshore in Keswick. After leaving the tarmac surface at the beginning of the walk, continue on a good - and mostly level - wide stone path south. You can extend the walk further to take in a stroll around neighbouring Strandshag Bay, too.
3. Devoke Water, Eskdale
As well as bustling towns and popular walks, the Lake District is loved for its remote areas and hidden corners. Devoke Water is one such place: one of the Lake District's highest tarns, and certainly its biggest, it sits up above Eskdale on Birker Fell. Though some would perhaps consider this one of the more desolate views on our list, others will fall in love with its stripped-back charm. The ruined boathouse that sits on its shores adds an otherworldly element to Devoke Water while, from one end, the clear waters create an infinity pool effect and seem to drop off the side of the mountain.
4. Buttermere
A photographer's paradise, the tranquil 4.5-mile walk around Buttermere provides a series of stunning vistas. Starting at the north-west lakeshore near the village of Buttermere itself, you will enjoy views across the water to Fleetwith Pike and Warnscale Bottom. Along the northern shore, you'll discover the distinctive 'Buttermere tree' - great for a shot with an interesting foreground, and a classic Lakeland image. Moving south, you'll discover further views of the Buttermere pines from the shore near Crag Wood. In fact, there are picture-perfect views wherever you look!
5. Elterwater
This uniquely shaped lake sits close to the small village of the same name and is towered over by the truly spectacular Langdale Pikes. This breathtaking view really encapsulates what has fascinated people with the Lake District for so many years and, conveniently, it's fairly easy to get to. There is no long mountain hike or tricky terrain, just a winding drive and a gentle walk to your chosen viewpoint. Of course, you can climb the Langdales if you like, but we love a relaxing picnic on the grass, taking in the views from the ground!
6. Grasmere from Loughrigg Terrace
With fine views across Grasmere, Loughrigg Terrace is a path that runs along the side of Loughrigg Fell and offers a good viewpoint to head to as part of a walk around Grasmere or Rydal Water. There are several benches along the path, making it a great rest stop from which to really appreciate the surrounding scenery. If you're lucky enough to visit during the bluebell season, you'll see beautiful carpets of these gorgeous flowers flowing down the fellside towards the water (but please make sure you don't trample them).
7. Orrest Head, Windermere
Famously the place where Wainwright was introduced to the Lake District, Orrest Head above Windermere is perhaps one of the easiest walks offering some of the most spectacular views. It's just a short walk from the village of Windermere, with a slight ascent that won't challenge you too much. After around 20 minutes you'll find yourself at the peak and be able to admire the views over Lake Windermere as well as a panorama of the South Lakes fells. As Wainwright put it, "here the promised land is seen in all its glory."
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8. Arnison Crag, Ullswater
Many people overlook Arnison Crag, on the south shores of Ullswater, as the walk up this fell starts in the same area as a popular route up Helvellyn. But to ignore it is to miss out on a spectacular view! It's well worth the rocky ascent to the summit, where you'll be rewarded with an outlook that literally stretches for miles. Take in the lake before it curves behind the fells; admire surrounding mountains such as Place Fell, St Sunday Crag and Fairfield; and wonder at the remoteness of the valley behind you. The panoramic views up here will keep you transfixed for ages.
9. The Solway Coast
Although just outside the Lake District, the Solway Coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and that is thanks, in part, to its beautiful views over the sea and towards Scotland. Reaching from Maryport to Bowness-on-Solway, this stretch of Lake District coast is well-known for its stunning sunsets. It's the perfect place to either sit and enjoy a peaceful evening or to take a gentle stroll along the beaches and sand dunes. In fact, the whole west coast and southern peninsulas of Cumbria are hidden gems with the likes of St. Bees Head, Ravenglass, Bowness-on-Solway and Ulverston offering beautiful views. You can even sometimes spot dolphins and seals in certain areas!
FAQs
Where is the best view in the Lake District?
Some of our favourite views in the Lake District include Haystacks from Buttermere, Windermere from Orrest Head, Borrowdale from Friar’s Crag, and Wastwater. These are all iconic views that have amazed visitors and locals for hundreds of year. Westmorland cairn on Great Gable marks the spot that two brothers once declared the best view in the Lake District.
What is the most beautiful part of the Lake District?
The area around Windermere is often considered one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District, especially at the north end around Ambleside. However, depending on taste, others will name different locations as their top picks: Ullswater is considered the loveliest Lake, Wasdale is lauded for its remote beauty, and Keswick is loved for its stunning lakeside location.
What is the prettiest village in the Lake District?
Of all the beautiful villages in the Lake District, Hawkshead is perhaps the prettiest. Quintessential whitewashed buildings stand alongside cobbled streets and twisting alleys. Flowers cover the houses in a bright display of colour during spring and summer, and footpaths and cycling routes lead out into the surrounding Lake District landscape.
Which mountain has the best view in the Lake District?
Scafell Pike is the tallest mountain in England, and where could offer a better view than the highest point of the country? Enjoy uninterrupted 360-degree views of the Lake District’s mountains and lakes. On clear days, you can even see Snowdonia in Wales, and the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland!
Holidays in the Lake District
There are so many incredible views to go in search of in the Lake District that it can be hard to decide where to start! If you haven't yet booked your break in the area, why not find the perfect Lake District cottage from which to begin your getaway, using our online search facility?
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Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.