Hidden gems to find in Windermere

Windermere is one of the most popular towns in the Lake District, so why not spend a day hunting out some of these hidden gems to escape the crowds…

  • High Lickbarrow Farm

Tucked away from the busy town, High Lickbarrow Farm is a hidden gem sitting in peaceful countryside above Windermere. The traditional Lakeland farmhouse boasts beautiful gardens set in stunning surroundings. The farm was owned and worked by a local family for over 60 years before it was passed on to the National Trust in 2015. The surroundings are free to explore and are home to extensive areas of wildflowers and docile, grazing Albion breeding cattle. Visitors can also enter the farmhouse through pre-booking a slot with the National Trust.

  • Queen Adelaide’s Hill

An underrated viewpoint, the small Queen Adelaide’s Hill provides stunning, open views down Windermere lake; a beautiful reward for a small hike! A short stroll from Rayrigg Road car park leads you up onto the hill, which is often a quiet spot. 

  • Rayrigg Wood

Rayrigg Wood is a stunning patch of woodland, which lies between Windermere and Bowness. The forest sits in an enclosed area and often goes unnoticed by many visitors making it the perfect spot for a quiet walk, cycle or picnic. A small path runs off Cornbirthwaite Road under a canopy of trees and reveals the woodland along with a hidden stream and little waterfalls. If you go on to explore the far side of the wood, another secret lake view appears over Rayrigg Wyke. 

  • Claife Heights Viewing Station
    A 19TH century ruin standing upon a small mound on the western side of lake Windermere, Claife Heights Viewing Station was once a popular attraction for tourists in the 1830’s and 40s. The National Trust has worked on the site in an aim to restore it to its former glory. The window of the old drawing room is the most interesting feature of the station framing the lake in multi-coloured tinted glass. The colourful design of the window was intended to recreate lighting effects in the landscape, with each colour representing a season.