When is the best time to visit Bowness?

Bowness is a beautiful place to visit all year round, however there are pros and cons depending on which season you visit…

  • Spring  (March- June)

Spring is a beautiful season in the Lake District; lambs are jumping around the fields and fells, daffodils are blooming and tourists are returning following the quieter winter months. Bowness is a great place to be in the spring, with plenty going on for a solo or family trip.

  • Vibrantly coloured spring walks…

Walks around Bowness’ gardens and woodland will provide endless opportunities to spot new wildlife and blooms including daffodils, bluebells and purple orchids.  

  • Blackwell art gallery is home to gardens and green space designed in 1902 by Thomas Mawson. Although there is little left of his original designs, one of Britain’s top landscape designers is hard at work creating a suitable replacement. The terraced style gardens are a great place for spotting spring blooms. 

  • During springtime, Hill Top Farm re-opens to visitors following its closure during the winter months, allowing guests to explore Beatrix Potters famous garden. The iconic garden may be small, but what it lacks in size is more than made up for by its stunning mixture of flowers, fruit, herbs and vegetables that fill the space. You can even spot parts of the garden in illustrations from Beatrix Potters famous tales…

- Spring Festivals

Bowness is a lively place to be in the springtime, with a range of festivals and events taking place in the town giving visitors a warm welcome back! 

The Bowness Bay Blues Festival is a popular, energetic festival celebrating blues music. The event takes place over three days starting on 8th April welcoming Grammy award winning blues artists to the eastern shore of Lake Windermere. Tickets include entry to the event on Bowness Bay as well as access on the festivals ‘Blues Cruise’ sailing over the lake.

  • Summer (June- September)

Summer is the most popular time for visitors to the Lake District with warmer weather, longer days and public holidays encouraging tourists. Bowness is often packed with people during the summertime making it a lively place to be!

  • Outdoor activities

Anything outdoors is best enjoyed when the weather is warm and dry, and lots of outdoor activity centres only host events in the summer. Ferries and launches from Bowness on Windermere Lake run a more frequent timetable and host summer events and deals including parties and dinners on deck. The surrounding marinas on Windermere re-open for the season offering water sports activities and boat hires.

  • Camping

Campsites in and nearby Bowness such as Low Wray Campsite re-open for the summer season between March-October. The warmer weather makes camping an ideal way to spend summer nights in Windermere and often the cheapest way, due to hotels and accommodation often peaking in price during this busy time of year.

  • Summer Festivals

Bowness is an active, lively place during the summertime with the town and nearby areas hosting a range of festivals and events. 

Sporting events are popular in the summer, with swimmers often aiming to complete the Millerground Mile Swim in August and the Three Lakes Challenge; this consists of swimming the length of Loch Awe in Scotland (25 miles), driving to the Lake District and swimming the length of Windermere (11 miles) and finally heading to Wales and swimming the length of Llyn Tegid (4 miles) in 24 hours. In the nearby town of Kendal, the music festival Kendal Calling is a popular summer event, taking place in July with shows from over 250 artists across 13 stages.

  • Autumn (September-November)

Autumn is a beautiful time in the Lake District, with summer crowds disappearing and autumn leaves falling, its time for wild, wrapped up walks, cosy pubs, hot chocolates and Halloween activities…

  • Autumn coloured hikes…

Hiking around Bowness during autumn is a beautiful time, with woodland walks being a great option to display the leaves changing colours alongside some of the grassier fells which showcase stunning purple heather and orange bracken.  Some vibrant woodland walks to explore near Bowness and Windermere include Great Knott Wood, Claife Heights and Fell Foot Woods. Orrest Head is also a great autumn hike and stunning viewpoint over the lake, reflecting the season’s colourful hues on the water.

  • Halloween activities

Bowness is a fun town to be in during Halloween with plenty of things to keep the kids busy during October half term and maybe some scary activities for adults too! Brockhole annually host a ‘Halloween experience’ and ‘Skeletons Parade’ plus a range of activities such as a haunted forest trail, a pumpkin trail, scary shows and ghost storytelling, arts & crafts, a tent of horror and a witches brew and goblin cake making workshop! Brockhole is the place to be during Halloween in Bowness and Windermere!

  • Winter (November- February)

Winter is likely the quietest time of year in the Lake District with closed amenities and cold weather keeping many tourists away. This doesn’t mean Bowness is off limits; it’s a great way to explore and enjoy the town without the crowds. Winter in Windermere can mean stunning snowy hikes, cosy pubs with a roaring fire and festive Christmas days…

  • Winter walks…

Although short, dark days are common in winter, local walks can still be enjoyable with an early start, the right kit and skills. Nearby hills that are particularly beautiful in winter and snow include Orrest Head and Gummer’s How. There’s no need to feel like you’re rushing home after a winter hike, accommodation in Bowness is often at its lowest price during the winter months, so staying at a cosy hotel for a winters night is more affordable this time of year.

  • Cosy pubs

Finding a cosy pub with a fire is a great way to end a winter’s day in Bowness. Local pubs including the The Angel Inn and The Flying Pig both have cosy, roaring fires to warm up next to with a locally brewed pint and some seasonal pub grub.

  • Christmas activities

Bowness is a beautiful, festive town around Christmas time, with plenty of local businesses and shops ideal for Christmas shopping, with a variety of cosy, small cafes and pubs for a mid-shopping coffee or pint.

From Bowness, an arranged bus shuttle can take you to the neighbouring town of Windermere to celebrate the Windermere Christmas Celebration. The event includes ice-skating, live entertainment, brass bands and choirs and market stalls selling gifts, festive food and mulled wine all surrounded by the village’s pretty Christmas lights! The nearby town of Hawkshead also hosts a large Christmas Fair consisting of over 50 indoor and outdoor market stalls selling festive food and treats, crafts and Christmas gifts. The fair is complete with a pretty lantern parade, live music and street performances. Children can also meet Santa at his grotto whilst adults enjoy the mini beer festival in the village’s local pubs!