🌳 OutdoorSeasonal opening
What’s there
- Café on site
- Paid parking
- Picnic area
- Dogs welcome
Access & inclusion
- SEN friendly
Pay and display parking at Glenridding, Pooley Bridge and Aira Force piers; no parking at Howtown pier; EV charger on site at Glenridding.
Only facilities we’ve confirmed are listed — anything missing here we simply haven’t checked, rather than know to be absent.
Ullswater 'Steamers' operate heritage boats on Ullswater, one of England's largest lakes, with four piers connecting the Ullswater Way walking route. The fleet includes vessels built between 1877 and 2011, offering scenic cruises with open and covered deck seating, downstairs saloons, licensed bars and toilets. Pooley Bridge pier is near Dalemain Mansion and Lowther Castle with village shops and cafés. Glenridding pier sits at the foot of Helvellyn and connects to fell walking. Howtown pier starts the lakeshore walk to Glenridding and accesses the Valley of Martindale. The Aira Force pier (currently closed until 2026) connects to a 65-foot waterfall and Wordsworth's daffodils at Glencoyne Bay. The Ullswater Way is a 20-mile circular route opened in 2016, walkable in sections from any starting point.
Stuff to take with you
The things people wish they’d packed for a day out like this one.
- Swimming costume
- Towel
- Refillable water bottleMost places will fill it for free.
- Snacks that survive a rucksackCheaper than the café, and buys you twenty minutes.
- £1 coin for the locker
- Spare socksThe single most reliably useful thing on this list.
- Tissues
- Spare carrier bagFor the wet things. There are always wet things.
- Rucksack
- Kitchen roll
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