Spring holidays in the Lake District

It’s a new year, the days are getting longer and spring is round the corner, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about your next Lake District holiday! We really do think that spring might well be the ideal time to visit the region. Time it right, and get lucky with the weather, and a Lake District spring holiday can find a nice balance between near-peak conditions without the peak-time rush. The days are brighter, warmer and longer than in winter – so more time on the fells – but you also don’t get the crowds and traffic that you do in the peak of summer. This balance also coincides with some of the best sights and sounds to be found in the region at any time in the year.

The most obvious of these is surely the famous daffodils, immortalised in William Wordsworth’s ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud‘. The poem is believed to have been inspired by a walk along Ullswater, between Patterdale and Gowbarrow, and you can still see the host of golden daffodils in the same spot today. Acorn Bank and Derwentwater are also wonderful places for daffodil sightings, and you can also visit the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden in his home village of Grasmere, as well as Dora’s Field in Ambleside, planted by Wordsworth himself in memory of his daughter. When the flowers are in bloom can vary, but they are generally at their best between late February and early-to-mid April.

Daffodils aren’t the only floral sights to to be found in the Lake District in spring, though. Later in the season, from April until the end of May, you’ll find carpets of bluebells lighting up the already spectacular landscape. While they thrive in woodlands, like Skelghyll and Low Wood, perhaps the best place to visit is Rannerdale, via Buttermere. Local legend has it that the bluebells that bloom here every spring grow from the blood of Norman invaders who were defeated in battle there hundreds of years ago. Whatever the truth in that gory backstory, they are a spectacular sight in full bloom, a blaze of colour splashed across the valley sides.

The sights of spring in the Lake District aren’t just limited to the flora – the fauna isn’t to be missed either. The famous Herdwick sheep are one of the iconic sights of the region, and in spring the fells come alive with adorable newborn lambs skipping, leaping and sprinting around the fields. There’s plenty of wildlife to see, too, with otters, red squirrels, deer, buzzards, kestrels and ospreys all native to the Lake District. You can also head to Lake District Wildlife Park to see more exotic animals, including meerkats, gibbons, lemurs, zebra and lynx. Every spring sees the arrival of new babies, whether it’s baby lemurs, goat kids or tapir.

Surely, though, the highlight of any spring visit to the Lake District is the abundance of walks you can enjoy. Winter has its own charms, with snow capped peaks and the pleasure of a roaring fire after a bracing walk in the cold, but the longer days, warmer weather and abundance of new colour and life make spring ideal for a walk in the Lake District. As well as Buttermere and Rannerdale, try Tarn Hows, between Coniston and Ambleside, or take in Coniston itself – in spring there will be blossoms out, adding to an already fantastic landscape that includes the tranquil shores of Coniston Water and the breath-taking views from the top of Coniston Old Man. Grasmere is surrounded by great walks on all sides – a nice, fairly easy walk takes you up to Easedale Tarn, while you can also take advantage of the lengthening days and lighter evenings with a longer walk up to Nab Scar via Rydal. You can also take a walk around the beautiful Bassenthwaite Lake, so close to us here at Herdwick Croft.

Feeling inspired? We’d love to welcome you for a spring holiday in the Lake District this year. Click here if you’d like to view our caravan and holiday park and book online. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling: 017687 76241 or email: info@herdwick-croft.co.uk