By BusAll bus services stop on Kelsick Road, Ambleside. Services run to Grasmere and Keswick, and locally to Waterhead, Brockhole, Windermere Station and Bowness Pier. Other services connect with Coniston, Hawkshead and Great Langdale.

Service 599 operates frequently between Bowness Pier (Windermere) and Grasmere (via Windermere rail station and Ambleside). Seasonal Sunday service. Service 555 between Kendal and Keswick (via Windermere. Ambleside and Grasmere) runs at regular intervals every day. Service 618 – daily service between Ambleside and Barrow-in-Furness (via Brockhole, Windermere, Bowness, Newby Bridge and Ulverston), with connecting services for Windermere Lake Cruises at Waterhead (Ambleside) and Bowness. Service 505 – daily service to Hawkshead and Coniston. Service 516 – daily service to Great Langdale (Apr–Oct only). Service 517 – seasonal service to Glenridding (via Troutbeck and the Kirkstone Pass) from Windermere railway station. Check timetable for dates and times.

The Ambleside electric bus is a clean and green way to travel around the town, with frequent shuttles between the shops and the lake at Waterhead. Pick-up point is outside the White Lion Hotel.Seasonal service.

Explorer tickets allow travel on all Stagecoach buses in Cumbria and Lancashire. Tickets (for 1, 4 or 7 days) can be purchased on any Stagecoach service. www.stagecoachbus.com

By BoatWindermere Lake Cruises has a choice of steamers and modern launches sailing from Ambleside Pier (Waterhead) to Bowness and Lakeside. Daily sailings (reduced service during winter), with special Walkers’ Tickets and combined cruise/entry tickets for attractions available. www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk

By TrainThe nearest main-line railway station is Oxenholme (2 miles SE of Kendal). A branch line connects to Windermere (5 miles away). There is a frequent rail link between Oxenholme and Windermere (Lakes Line) with trains every hour or so. Tel: 08457 484950 www.tpexpress.co.ukFor more information on all bus, rail and ferry timetables and fares, contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or www.traveline.org.uk

By Cycle Bicycles can be taken on the Windermere steamers and most launches.For more information on cycling in Cumbria generally, go towww.cyclingcumbria.co.uk

For advice on local events, where to eat, where to stay and what to do in Ambleside, please call or visit:Tourist Information Centre, Market Cross, Ambleside LA22 9BS,Tel: 015394 32582,Email: tic@thehubofambleside.com or call at theVisitor Information Point, Windermere Lake Cruises, Waterhead Pier, Ambleside LA22 0EY

Alternatively you can check availability or book accommodation onwww.golakes.co.uk

ambleside Ambleside, at the head of Windermere and the foot of the Kirkstone Pass, lies in the very heart of the Lake District, with easy access to Grasmere, Keswick, Windermere and the Langdales. A vibrant, busy town, surrounded by magnificent Lakeland fells, it is the ideal location for a rural break. Although Ambleside has its roots in the medieval woollen trade, it is predominantly a Victorian town, built of dark grey slate.

Ambleside’s history reaches back at least as far as Roman times. At nearby Waterhead the Romans built a stone fort on a trade route through South Lakeland (now in Borrans Field). Medieval Ambleside had a thriving woollen industry centred on the fast flowing Stock Ghyll which powered the fulling mills that pounded the newly woven cloth. When the town was granted a market charter in 1650, the Market Place became the commercial centre for agriculture and the wool trade. The 17th and 18th centuries were a major period of rebuilding, initiated by yeoman farmers and landowners made wealthy by the profits of the woollen trade. Many houses date from this period, notably at the pretty village of Troutbeck nearby. One particularly fine example, Townend 1 , is owned by the National Trust (open March–October).

The iconic Bridge House 2 is a tiny house over Stock Beck in the centre of the town and one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District. Originally built as an apple store by the Braithwaites of Ambleside Hall in 1723, the building is now owned by the National Trust and is open daily from Easter to October.

As a gateway to the spectacular Langdale Valley, Ambleside is deservedly popular, both with leisure visitors wanting a relaxing break and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a challenge. The town offers easy access to a range of water sports, walks, climbs and cycle routes, and has plenty of great pubs and cafés. It also has a wonderful literary and artistic heritage, which can be explored in the town’s galleries and museum.

Ambleside’s specialist retailers offer everything from outdoor clothing to interior design. Other shops specialise in unique pieces inspired by the landscape, including slate ornaments, watercolour paintings and pottery – look out for the Made in Cumbria logo, which shows you are supporting local craftspeople.

On the Lake Ambleside’s superb location on the shores of Windermere means access to the lake is easy. Not surprisingly, there is a huge variety of activities on offer, to suit all tastes and abilities. Waterhead, at the head of the lake, is a focal point for boating, with craft of all sizes – from cruisers to canoes – available for hire. There are some good opportunities for fishing, not only in the lake itself, but also in the Rivers Rothay and Brathay, in Loughrigg Tarn and Holehird Tarn. Permits are available locally. Or if you just want to sit back and enjoy the views, a trip on a lake steamer is the ideal choice.

3 Windermere Lake CruisesWith regular daily sailings (reduced winter service), the steamers are a great way to travel and see both the lake and the many beautiful lakeshore properties. Combined cruise and admission tickets to Brockhole Visitor Centre, Lakes Aquarium and the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway give savings on the full admission/cruise prices and provide an enjoyable way of arriving at your chosen destination. Tel: 015394 43360 www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk

4 Low Wood Watersports and Activity CentreA good range of water-based instruction, including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing. Motor and rowing boats are also available for hire.Tel: 015394 39441 www.elh.co.uk/watersports

Food & DrinkWherever you go in Ambleside, great food is never far away. The Apple Pie 8 (015394 33679) in the town centre has just celebrated 30 years of serving delicious, freshly prepared dishes, from hearty breakfasts and wholesome lunches to indulgent afternoon teas and picnics to take away.

For a complete night out, try Zeffirelli’s 9 (015394 33845). Enjoy a meal at the wholefood restaurant, take in a film at the cinema or relax at the jazz night – all under one roof.

10 Lucy’s of Ambleside (015394 32288) has something for all tastes. Pop into Lucy’s Delicatessen specialising in produce from around Cumbria; enjoy Lucy’s on a Plate which is a cosy café by day and ambient restaurant by night; or indulge yourself at Lucy4’s tapas and wine bar.

11 The Glass House (015394 32137) restaurant occupies a cleverly restored 15th century fulling mill. Food is made from the freshest local ingredients, fusing British dishes with European menus.

Published by South Lakes Tourism Action Group and Cumbria Tourism

Designed by Sedley Place

Whilst every effort was made to ensure that the information was correct at the time of going to press, Cumbria Tourism can accept no responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions, nor for any inconvenience arising therefrom. www.golakes.co.uk

Around the LakeWalkingKnown to many as the walking capital of South Lakeland, Ambleside abounds with routes for all ages and abilities, from lakeside strolls to fell walks. Loughrigg Terrace is one of the best low level walks in the area and provides stunning views over Grasmere and Rydal Water. From the top of Loughrigg, the view over the Langdales is spectacular and you can choose a variety of routes down – to Loughrigg Tarn, Elterwater, Skelwith Bridge, Rydal Water or Grasmere. Wansfell 5 is a relatively easy climb with the option of extending the walk to Troutbeck and Townend – look out for Jenkin Crag 6 in Skelghyll Wood, recently voted the UK’s most romantic picnic spot. Or for something more strenuous, there are many classic fell walks within a short distance of Ambleside, including the distinctive Langdale Pikes, Fairfield Horseshoe, Red Screes and Dove Crag.

For advice on walking routes, visit theTourist Information Centre.

CyclingThe fells just west of the town offer a good introduction to those new to cycling in the Lake District. The circular eight-mile tour of Loughrigg Fell 7 is a strenuous mountain bike tour that takes in a pretty mix of lakes, woodland, fells and lanes, while Troutbeck and Ambleside are linked by an old bridleway that traverses the southern flanks of Wansfell. This high level route makes a superb mountain bike ride. There are many places in the town to hire bikes including Biketreks (015394 31245), Ghyllside Cycles (015394 33592) and Budgie Bikes (01524 389410).

a sense of place

Cover image: Ambleside

Waterhead Loughrigg Tarn Lucy’s of Ambleside

Car parks – Waterhead, Rothay Holme, Millerfield, Rydal Road, Lake Road, Low Fold, King Street. Disc parking scheme for on-street parking (reusable discs available from local shops, businesses and Tourist Information Centre).

Petrol Stations – Lake Road, Ambleside. Troutbeck Bridge.

Public Toilets – White Platts Recreation Ground (seasonal). Rydal Road car park. Rothay Holme car park (seasonal). Low Fold car park. Mechanics Institute, Market Place. Waterhead car park. Rothay Park (closed Dec-Feb).

Did you know?

For many years St Anne’s Chapel (NY 378 046) was Ambleside’s only place of worship, but was not registered to record marriages and deaths. The deceased were carried nearly 4 miles along the old ‘corpse road’, now signposted as the Coffin Route, to St Oswald’s Church in Grasmere for burial. Once St Mary’s Church was built and consecrated in 1854 this arduous trek was no longer necessary.

In the 1850s, ‘Chairy’ Rigg, a basket maker and chair repairer, brought up a family of six in the tiny Bridge House.

The Log House on Lake Road was imported from Norway by local artist AlfredHeaton Cooper and used as his studio for many years. It now operates as a restaurant and B&B.

‘The Struggle’ aptly describes the steep ascent out of Ambleside to the Kirkstone Pass Inn, one of the highest hostelries in the UK. Teams of packponies and horse-drawn carriages regularly laboured up this gruelling hill. It’s the scene of the annual Kirkstone Pass Car Pull, where teams compete to pull a one-ton car up the 3-mile Struggle in the fastest possible time. The current record to beat is 51 min and 20 sec.

During the Second World War, canned perch from Windermere (called ‘perchines’) were eaten as a substitute for sardines!

Troutbeck has several fine roadside wells, each dedicated to a different saint.

St Mary’s Church was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed the Albert Memorial, St Pancras Station, Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and the iconic red telephone box.

18 St Mary’s Parish Church (NY374044)Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and consecrated in 1854. The erection of the spire caused much consternation at the time as it was thought to be too ostentatious. The Wordsworth Chapel was built as a memorial to the poet, who died in 1850. A large mural depicts the annual rushbearing ceremony in July.

19 Stagshaw Garden (NY380029) Ambleside, LA22 0HE Tel: 015394 46027 www.nationaltrust.org.ukA steep woodland garden, created out of Skelghyll Woods, noted for its fine collection of flowering rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. The best time to visit is in spring, when the shrubs are in full colour. Open April–June and by appointment from July–October.

20 Stockghyll Park (NY382046)Victorian pleasure gardens created around Stockghyll Force – a cascade of water that gushes through a precipitous gorge. Winding paths, steps, bridges and rocky outcrops provide vantage points to admire the falls. Bathing was permitted at Stockghyll in the 1880s but only between 6.00 and 9.00 a.m. or after 7.30 p.m. Towels were provided!

21 The Homes of Football (NY377043) 100 Lake Road, Ambleside, LA22 0DBTel: 015394 34440 www.footballphotographyandtheworld.co.ukImages of football and other photo exhibitions by award-winning photographer, Stuart Clarke. No admission charge, but donations are welcome. Open Wed–Sun (10.00–5.00).

22 LIFE at Troutbeck: Swimming Pool & GymTel: 015394 43243 www.wellbeing-life.co.uk25m indoor swimming pool and 30 station gym. Day membership passes and swim session prices. Please call in advance to check times.

Local facilities

Post Offices - Market Cross, Ambleside.

Tourist Information Centre - Market Cross, Ambleside.

Public Parks - Rothay Park: children’s play area and riverside footpath to Rothay Holme. Borrans Park: lakeshore setting. White Platts recreation ground: tennis courts, crazy golf, bowling and putting greens. Open Mon–Sat (April–Sept), closed on Sundays. Tel: 015394 32074.

More things to see & do

12 Armitt Museum & Library (NY376047)Rydal Road, Ambleside, LA22 9BL Tel: 015394 31212 www.armitt.comCombined museum, library and art gallery that explores the history of Ambleside and its surroundings from Roman times to the present day. There are exquisite watercolours of fungi by Beatrix Potter, historic photographs of old Ambleside, and paintings and collages by German artist Kurt Schwitters (who settled in Ambleside after fleeing Nazi persecution). Regularly changing exhibitions of artwork and hands-on activities for children. Admission charge. Open daily (10.00–5.00).

13 Artists’ Courtyard (NY376041)101 Lake Road, Ambleside Tel: 015394 34120Ceramics, paintings, textiles and jewellery by local artists. Open 10.00–5.00 most days.

14 Galava Roman Fort (NY373034)Built around AD 120, the original stone fort of Galava at Waterhead stood on a raised platform to avoid flooding from the rivers Rothay and Brathay. The Roman garrison numbered about 500 men and supported a sizeable civilian settlement outside the fort. The fort was in use for about 150 years before being abandoned sometime before AD 400. On-site interpretation panels provide information on how the fort would have looked and operated.

15 Hayes Garden WorldLake Road, Ambleside, LA22 0DW Tel: 015394 33434 www.hayesgardenworld.co.ukHousing one of the north’s largest selection of plants, furniture and leisure products from around the world.

16 Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole (NY389010)Windermere, LA23 1LJ Tel: 015394 46601 www.lake-district.gov.ukA wealth of activities for the whole family. There are exhibitions on Lakeland life and landscapes, special events and workshops, a café and attractive gardens with picnic areas and an adventure playground for children. Admission is free, but with on-site parking charges. Disabled access to most of the house and gardens.

17 Old Courthouse Gallery (NY377045)Market Place, Ambleside Tel: 015394 32022 www.ocg-arts.comA showcase of high-quality contemporary art and craft – paintings, sculpture, glassware, ceramics, metalware and jewellery; many by Cumbrian artists.

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Park

what to see & do...

© NTPL Matthew Antrobus

Windermere

Hayes Garden WorldTownendLake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole

Stockghyll Force Waterhead Bridge House