Located at the northern tip of Lake Windermere, Ambleside is the hub town for the southern and central Lake District region. Its central location and wealth of amenities make it a popular place to stay, so there are several quality hotels in Ambleside and transport links are good.
The Lake District is located in the county of Cumbria, in the northwest of England, some 80 miles north of Manchester and approximately 300 miles from London. The nearest airports are Blackpool International (45 miles away) and Manchester (80 miles away).
The M6 motorway is located close to the Lake District, making driving to the area straightforward. Public transport links are also good and it is possible to reach Ambleside by train or bus from most major British cities (including Manchester airport).
By Car
The Lake District lies to the west of the M6 motorway. To reach Ambleside town and Ambleside hotels, take junction 37 off the motorway, then the A864 to Kendal. From Kendal, take the A5284 (Windermere Road) northbound, until you reach the A591. Continue through Windermere, with the road running alonside the shores of Lake Windermere, to reach Ambleside.
Approximate driving times are as follows:
From London – 5 to 6 hours
From Manchester or Newcastle – 1.5 to 2 hours
From York or Birmingham – 2.5 to 3 hours
From Glasgow or Edinburgh – 3 to 3.5 hours
By Coach or Bus
National Express coaches run regular, daily services from London’s Victoria Coach Station directly to Ambleside, taking around 7 hours. There are also good coach services from Manchester town and airport, Birmingham, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Regional bus operators, such as Stagecoach, offer regular services from some of the closer towns and cities, such as Carlisle, Penrith and Lancaster.
By Train
From London’s Euston Station, the train journey takes between 4 and 5 hours (including one change of train in Oxenholme). Services stop in Kendal and Windermere and you can take a bus or taxi from there to Ambleside.
From Manchester (town and airport) there are regular trains direct to Windermere taking around 1 hour, 45 minutes.
From Glasgow and Edinburgh, there are regular, daily services to Windermere. It is necessary to change in Oxenholme. The journey time is around 3 hours.
If you arrive by train to Windermere, there are many regular buses to take you to the hotels in Ambleside.
For more information, read our Ambleside Tourist Information