The Lake District is well known for its amazing viewpoints: from the foot of a lake, from the tallest mountain in England, or from a rocky outcrop half-way up a fell. Many of the best views require a reasonable walk or a strenuous hike, but there are also incredible viewpoints that you can reach easily by car.
Get behind the wheel and find a handy lay-by or car park where you can enjoy these incredible vistas from the car or very nearby.
Note: If you are stopping to admire the view, please be considerate of other road users. Do not block access or park on verges, but find an available parking space or lay-by. This helps everyone enjoy the countryside, keeps the landscape and wildlife safe, and allows workers and emergency vehicles to carry out their jobs.
Honister Pass
The Lake District has a number of high mountain road passes. They’re a thrilling ride for confident drivers and offer some incredible views. Be aware of the steep gradient, but otherwise enjoy the incredible views that open up for you as you go up and over the highest point of the road.
Honister Pass is enjoyed from both directions. Driving east, you can admire a seemingly endless vista of tall mountains, while towards the west you look down into the beautiful Buttermere valley with its twin lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water.
Bassenthwaite Lake
Because the A66 road runs right along one edge of Bassenthwaite Lake, it’s one of the easiest lakes to reach by car. You don’t need to navigate narrow, twisting roads like you do for many other lakes, and it’s the perfect place for a view if you’re not confident on Cumbria’s country roads.
As you travel from Keswick, there is a large lay-by before you reach the dual carriageway. Park here and take a short wander onto Blackstock Point where you can admire the view over the lake and towards Skiddaw. On certain days, you’ll also see white sails gliding across the tranquil water as members of Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Club take to the water for their regular races.
Kirkstone Pass
Another mountain pass to rival Honister, Kirkstone Pass runs between Ullswater and Windermere. It’s another route that’s only suitable for confident and experienced drivers, and only in appropriate weather conditions. However, when you’re up there, the views are marvellous. You can simply drive along enjoying the lush rolling mountain scenery, or stop off at the famous Kirkstone Pass Inn for refreshments and to admire the view. There’s a large parking area for pub users and a beer garden that offers a scintillating glimpse of Windermere lake in the distance.
Ashness Bridge and Surprise View
Drive from Keswick into Borrowdale and you can glimpse flashes of Derwentwater throughout. But head up to Ashness Bridge and Surprise View and you can park up right next to an incredible panorama that will take your breath away.
There’s a short but steep road up to the oft-photographed packhorse bridge. Here you can park in a small parking area and admire the famous view for yourself. Continue driving a little further uphill and you’ll come to the Surprise View car park. Just a few steps away from here, the woodland opens out to look out over Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance. You’ll be in no doubt why this is called Surprise View!
Monk Coniston
Monk Coniston car park is right at the edge of Coniston Water and so is an incredibly convenient place to see an stupendous view just a few short feet from the car. Park up and then wander down onto the shingle beach. Its position right at the north end of Coniston means that you can look down the entire length of the lake and admire the lapping waters and surrounding hills. Beautiful!
Claife Viewing Station
During the Victorian era, the fashion amongst Lake District visitors was to travel between a number of viewpoints that were specially created to frame a picture-postcard view. Claife Viewing Station is one place that is still standing today: it’s a small stone building with colourful glass panels looking over Lake Windermere.
To get here by car, you can drive all the way around from Ambleside, or take the car ferry from Bowness. It’s a 5-minute walk from the Far Sawrey Jetty, or from nearby Ash Landing car park.
Noble Knott, Whinlatter Forest
Whinlatter Forest is England’s only true mountain forest and stands proudly across from Skiddaw. The trees often open out to offer up spectacular views across Bassenthwaite Lake and the surrounding mountains, and there’s no better – or easier to reach – viewpoint than Noble Knott.
Follow the main road of Whinlatter Pass up and out of Braithwaite. You can’t miss Noble Knott car park: it’s on your right as you round a tight bend and the view opens out. There are around 20 spaces here – one often taken up by an ice cream van – and the view over Bassenthwaite is incredible.
Castlerigg Stone Circle
A short drive out of Keswick will bring you to Castlerigg Stone Circle, one of the most spectacular stone circles in the country. Perched on a hill, there are 360-degree views of the Lake District, including mountains such as Blencathra. There are a small number of parking spaces opposite the field that houses the circle. Then you can take a short amble to the stones to take in the sights.
Elterwater & The Langdale Pikes
The shapely outline of the Langdale Pikes make them one of the most iconic viewpoints in the Lake District, and they’re best seen from the small lake of Elterwater. You can drive into the village of the same name and park up, but there is also an excellent spot on your drive into the village. As you travel from Windermere along the B5343, you’ll pass a cattle grid and find a lay-by immediately on your left. From here you have truly stupendous view of the rugged peaks with the picturesque village below. There’s also a handy bench so you can sit outside instead of in the car.
Lake District Viewpoints
Browse prints and photographs of the best viewpoints in the Lake District.