Things do without a car from the Aphrodites Hotel Windermere
The beauty of staying at the Aphrodites Boutique and Spa hotel is the location, and you won´t need a car to explore the best Windermere attractions, walks and boat trips on the doorstep.
Top things to do within easy access of the Aphrodites Boutique and Spa Hotel include:
Windermere Lake Cruises- Make the most of England´s longest lake, and explore Windermere by boat. A combined ticket includes a boat trip to Lakeside, a trip to the Haverthwaite Steam Railway, entrance to the Aquarium of the Lakes and return trip by boat to Bowness.
The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction- One of the most visited attractions in the Lake District, the World of Beatrix Potter is situated in Bowness. Re-creating the famous children´s stories, including the Tale of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck, this fun attraction is a great place to bring the kids!
Aquarium of the Lakes by Boat - Situated on the southern shore of Windermere, the award-winning Lakes Aquarium is popular with visitors of all ages, and you can enjoy a re-created trip below Windermere, the Seashore Discovery Zone, the Virtual Dive Bell, the Over Lake Tank and much more.
Windermere Steamboat Museum - Highlights of the museum include: The S.L Dolly, 1850, which was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest mechanically-powered boat in the world, Miss Windermere IV, 1958, built from mahogany by Borwicks of Windermere, T.S.S.Y Esperance, 1869, which is the oldest boat on the Lloyd´s Yaht Register and was probably the first twin-screw yacht to be built in Britain, and Canfly, 1922, which was built in Bowness and made use of a Rollys Royce engine designed to power a Royal Naval Airship.
Wray Castle - Take a boat to the other side of Windermere, followed by a gentle 4.5 mile walk to the castle. Owned by the National Trust, the gardens of Wray Castle are open to the public, and are well worth a visit. There is even a Mulberry tree in the grounds, planted by William Wordsworth in 1845.
The Lakeside Haverthwaite Steam Railway - Take a boat trip to this top Windermere attraction. Combined tickets include the Beatrix Potter Attraction and the Aquarium of the Lakes on the shores of Windermere, plus train rides to Ambleside, Haverthwaite and Newby Bridge.
The Lakeland Motor Museum - Take a boat to this fascinating museum which is great for the kids, and for the big kids. Formerly displayed at Holker Hall, this collection of famous cars has been moved to state-of-the-art premises at Backbarrow, near Newby Bridge at the southern tip of Windermere. The display includes cycles, vintage and veteran classic cars, scooters, mopeds, engines and motorcycles, plus houses The Campbell Bluebird Exhibition, which pays tribute to Donald Campbell and his father Sir Malcolm Campbell, who between them captured 21 world land and water speed records.
Lakeland Limited- This is a famous kitchenware shop, which was placed joint first out of 100 high street retailers by ´Which´ High Street Shops Survey. Selling unique kitchenware at good prices, this is one of the most visited shops in the region, and the ideal place to buy household goods to take home.
Mountain Goat Tours of the Lake District - Available to pick up directly from the Aphrodites, the Mountain Goat Tours are hop on/hop off bus tours running between Bowness and Grasmere, with stops at various locations, including at popular walking routes, shops, lakes viewpoints and sites of interest.
Windermere Golf Club - Windermere Golf Club welcomes all visitors with prior booking, and you don´t need to be a member to enjoy the course. With spectacular views over Windermere and the surrounding fells, Windermere Golf Club has been referred to as the ´mini Gleneagles´.
Kankku Offroad Driving
Kankku off road driving adventures take place on wild off-road routes in the Lake District National Park, and there are plenty of opportunities for indiviudals, groups and for people who own their own 4x4´s. Kankuu also have a rally team which you can join for one day on a live Championship Rally.
O B Sailing - If you want to take sailing lessons on Windermere, visit the O.B Sailing Centre which offers the best sailing services you can find in the north of England, including RYA Keelboat courses to skippered and bare-boat charters and corporate events.
There are excellent bus and rail connections from Windermere Train Station, which is about 2.5 miles from the hotel. For more details about any of these activities, or for up-to-date news about local events, ask at the Aphrodites Hotel reception.
