Ambleside

The location:

Ambleside is situated at the northern end of Lake Windermere surrounded by picturesque scenery such as Loughrigg Fell, the Red Screes and Wansfell. It is a popular base for hikers and mountain bikers and offers a good selection of shops and restaurants. One of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District is in Ambleside – the tiny, two room Bridge House which was built over Stock Beck more than 300 years ago.

Did you know?

Legend has it that at one time a family with 6 children lived in Bridge House. It was built over Stock Beck in order to avoid land tax.

The Romans built a fort here (dating back to AD79) in order to defend south Lakeland from invasion by the Picts and Scots. It housed some 500 soldiers.

Famous people

William Wordsworth had an office in Ambleside when he was Collector of Stamps for Westmorland.

Kurt Schwitters moved to Ambleside at the end of the Second World War, having left Germany and been interned on the Isle of Man in 1940.

Things to do

There’s no shortage of things to do in Ambleside. It’s a great starting point for walking and mountain biking. You can take a ferry to Bowness or even to Lakeside at the southern end of Lake Windermere. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants, as well as shops, including the UK’s largest independent outdoor equipment store, Gaynor Sports. There’s also the Armitt Museum, an important resource for information on Ambleside and Lake District in general, and the people who have helped shape it into what it is today. Or take a walk up to Stock Ghyll Force, a spectacular 70ft waterfall.

See Also: The Ambleside Suite in Windermere