best things to do in winter
in the lake district
The Lake District is beautiful in the Winter. There are less crowds, the scenery is stunning and you get to experience a more peaceful side to the Lakes.
If you aren't sure what to do when you're visiting the Lake District in Winter, here are some of our own ideas for you. We ain't got paid for nowt!
going to the royalty cinema in bowness
A visit to our favourite cinema is like stepping back in time.
First opening in 1927, the cinema was originally equipped with a stage and a maple dance floor underneath the stall seats. In 2025 it was updated so it can now host live events again and a new bar has been installed especially for this. This is a great edition alongside watching films here. If you want to feel nostalgic there’s no better place in the Lake District.
hodge close quarry and cathedral caves
There are plenty of people that come to walk around the atmospheric Hodge Close and Cathedral Caves. How about abseiling down them though?
We offer abseiling in both of these locations. It’s a great way of appreciating just how imposing the steep slate walls are that make up these disused quarrys. You will be descending down a rope into the quarry, in control of your own speed as you go. If you dare to stop and look around during your descent, you will be seeing these locations from an entirely different angle to most people. You can book Hodge Close abseiling via our online booking. If you want to do Cathedral Caves abseiling (or both locations) then please drop us an email.
Ghyll Scramble at stickle ghyll with crags adventures
Ghyll scrambling in Winter, are you mad?!
That completely depends who you are booking with!
At Crags Adventures we have invested in the highest quality wetsuits for ghyll scrambling and canyoning. We import the full suits from Seland- a Spanish company that specialises in manufacturing the highest quality neoprene. We have tried other brands in the past but nothing comes close. Along with providing a warm, high quality wetsuit we also give you additional layers including neoprene socks (the socks are standard all year round) and gloves when the temperatures drop.
Stickle Ghyll is an excellent location for a winter session. You are ascending the ghyll, climbing waterfalls along with other challenges that are entirely optional. When you finish you can pop into the pub that’s in the car park and get a bite to eat and a warm drink- or cold pint!
Bike Riding at grizedale or whinlatter forest
The great thing about being in a forest during Winter is you are sheltered from bad weather by the trees!
Both forests offer some great mountain biking routes, Whinlatter has the better trails but is busier because of it. We enjoy both locations for different reasons, but if you’re going to visit one only I’d head to Whinlatter for the day.
There are bike hire places in the Lake District so you don’t need to own a bike to enjoy it. Be warned, if you hire an electric bike you may never want to ride a normal one again!
walk to rydal caves
Enjoy a 2.5 mile circular walk from White Moss car park to Rydal Caves.
This walk is fairly flat and can be enjoyed by most people. It’s a good choice in the Winter months when you want to have a short walk to see something interesting, without having to go up high.
When you get to the cave you can walk along the stepping stones in there across the shallow water. It’s a brilliant walk if you have children.
After your walk I recommend you pop into nearby Grasmere for some food. There’s plenty of shops to look around and there’s also the famously tasty Grasmere Gingerbread shop. Before you leave take a look in the churchyard for William Wordsworth’s grave.
Canyoning at coppermines with crags adventures
We continue with one shorter canyoning location during the winter and that is Coppermines Canyon. We stop the longer locations due to the colder temperatures.
This place offers non stop action from the time you enter the canyon to the time you exit it! You will experience some roped lowers, jumps and slides in this adventurous canyoning session with us. As with Stickle Ghyll, we will provide you with all the kit to keep you comfortable. Our Coppermines Canyon trip is perfect for a morning or afternoon of pure adrenaline!
top food & drink at the brown horse, winster
When we first moved to the Lake District in 2012 we rented a house near The Brown Horse in Winster.
It’s been our go to pub ever since, when we get the chance!
It’s a family run pub and the food has always been consistently excellent. Other places change and things aren’t quite as good as they used to be, but we can always rely on The Brown Horse. During the Winter you can sample one of their many gins or ales and enjoy a gastro pub meal near the fire. A real treat!
It’s a short drive from Bowness/Windermere and they also have rooms and self contained garden pods so you can stay.
We miss living in Winster and being close to the The Brown Horse, it’s a beautiful valley with peaceful walks.