Ambleside in Cumbria

Ambleside is a Town in the county of Cumbria.

Ambleside is a market town in Cumbria, situated at the head of Lake Windermere, England’s largest water. The town is within the Lake District National Park. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, Ambleside is rich with heritage and history. Bridge House, built in the 17th century over Stock Gyhll, is one of the smallest houses in Britain and is one of the most photographed scenes in Lakeland. A short walk from the town leads to Stock Ghyll Force, a spectacular 70 foot waterfall. To the south of the town is the Roman Fort of Galava. Ambleside is an ideal base for a walking holiday and has easy access to the surrounding fells and mountains. There are an abundance of shops catering for walkers and climbers, many cafes and restaurants as well as galleries, museums and craft shops.

Ambleside postcode: LA22 9DQ

Retail in Ambleside

There are great places to visit near Ambleside including some great hills, hiking areas, villages, ancient sites, ruins, old mines, waterfalls, rivers and streams, lakes, woodlands, towns, mountains, castles, historic buildings, historic monuments, caves, bluebell woods, nature reserves, disused railway lines, airports and islands.

Don't miss Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks's hills if visiting the area around Ambleside.

Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell are some of Ambleside best hiking areas to visit near Ambleside.

Ambleside has some unmissable villages nearby like Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.

There are a several good ancient sites in the Ambleside area like Hardknott Roman Fort, The Hawk, Sunkenkirk Stone Circle, Castlerigg Stone Circle, High Borrans Romano-British Settlement, Mayburgh Henge, and Gunnerkeld Stone Circle.

Ruins to visit near Ambleside include Bonsor East Mine Workings, Bonsor Dressing Floors, Penny Rigg Copper Mill, Appletree Worth, Stephenson Ground Limekiln (ruin), Water Yeat Limekiln (ruin), and Hebblethwaite Hall Gill.

Don't miss Penny Rigg Quarry Adit, Three Kings Mine, Tilberthwaite Gill Head Waterfall Level, Horse Crag Quarry, Tilberthwaite Deep Level Adit, Cathedral Quarry, and Parrock Quarry's old mines if visiting the area around Ambleside.

Ambleside's best nearby waterfalls can be found at Tilberthwaite Gill, Rydal Falls, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Styhead Gill Waterfalls, Taylorgill Force, Aira Force, and Hell Gill Force.

River Lickle, Appletree Worth Beck, Styhead Gill, Crowdundle Beck, Aira Beck, Hell Gill, and River Kent at Kentmere are some of Ambleside best rivers and streams to visit near Ambleside.

Don't miss Tarn Hows, Thirlmere Reservoir, Derwentwater, Styhead Tarn, Windermere, Wastwater, and Ullswater's lakes if visiting the area around Ambleside.

Woodlands to visit near Ambleside include Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood.

There are a number of towns near Ambleside including Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen.

There are a number of mountains near Ambleside including Scafell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw, Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor], Place Fell, and Wild Boar Fell.

Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther) are great places to visit near Ambleside if you like castles.

There are a several good historic buildings in the Ambleside area like Acorn Bank, Acorn Bank Watermill, Church of St Peter Askham, St Michael’s Church at Lowther, Lowther Mausoleum, Askham Hall, and Smardale Gill Viaduct.

The area close to Ambleside boasts some of the best historic monuments including Fairy Steps.

Caves to visit near Ambleside include Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.

There are a number of bluebell woods near Ambleside including Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.

Ambleside is near some unmissable nature reserves like Smardale Gill Nature Reserve,

The area close to Ambleside boasts some of the best disused railway lines including Smardale Gill Nature Reserve.

The area around Ambleside boasts some of the best airports including Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport.

The area around Ambleside's best islands can be found at Piel Island.

Ambleside History

There are some historic monuments around Ambleside:

Places to see near Ambleside

History of Ambleside

In 1650 the town was granted a charter to hold a market. In the reign of James II, another charter was granted for the town to collect tolls. The town’s Market Place became the commercial centre for agriculture and the wool trade. The old packhorse trail between Ambleside and Grasmere was the main route between the two towns before the new turnpike road was completed in 1770. Smithy Brow at the end of the trail was where pack ponies were re-shod after their journey. With the coming of the turnpikes, the packhorse trains were superseded by horse-drawn stagecoaches, which regularly travelled between Keswick and Kendal via Ambleside.

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Lakes near Ambleside

    Rivers near Ambleside

    Shopping in Ambleside

    Where to Eat in Ambleside