9 Top Places to live in the Lake District

Are you considering living in the Lake District?

As one of the most popular and diverse areas of the UK, living in the Lake District is a very popular prospect for many buyers.

There are several amazing locations to choose from when moving to the area.

The Lake District is a region teeming with history and diversity, making it one of the top places to live in the UK!

With stunning scenery and seemingly endless natural beauty, it is clear to see why living in the Lake District is a top choice for many in the UK.

Living in the Lake District provides buyers with a range of appealing features that further add to its popularity.

Throughout this article, we will explore the 9 top places to live in the Lake District.

If you are thinking of living in the Lake District, be sure to read through our helpful guide.

Ambleside

Ambleside is a popular market town sitting at the northern end of Windermere in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

Most of the time, the little town is home to around 3000 people.

But numbers swell during the summer months as tourists head to the area to visit the Lake District region.

Ambleside, though beautiful, is more than just a holiday hot spot.

It provides its residents with the kind of lifestyle many wish they had.

Beautiful landscapes are a given, but Ambleside also offers a selection of independent shops, pubs, and restaurants plus a fantastic cinema with three screens.

Another bonus is the nearby A591.

This road offers a quick route in and out of the area.

Living in this part of the Lake District is both attractive and convenient.

With the average home coming in at an expensive £569,642, you may want to consider buying a holiday home instead.

These start from just £134,950. A perfect home-from-home.

Bowness-on-Windermere

Like so many Lake Districts towns and villages, due to the town’s position on the banks of Windermere, Bowness has become a tourist honeypot.

In 2012, Bowness was one of the official stop-off points for the Olympic torch before it made its way to the Game’s opening ceremony.

This dynamic town boasts hundreds of shops, eating and drinking establishments and many fine cultural and historical attractions.

Many are set along atmospheric winding old streets.

The town’s ample amenities coupled with the great outdoors means there is absolutely no time for boredom here.

There is a great sense of community in the town, an attribute that many value so highly when searching for a new home.

Buying here is made more difficult due to the lack of homes for sale.

Just 9 are available currently. Values range between £195,000 to the highest price of £1,000,000.

Keswick

The market town of Keswick is set in a landscape which inspired the Romantic poets, but it’s also known as the “Adventure Capital” of the UK.

It is in a slightly out-of-the-way position in the north Lakes but is still home to a population of around 5200.

This is an ancient town with archaeologists having found evidence of prehistoric occupation of the area.

Once an important mining town, tourism is now Keswick’s principal industry. The constant flow of visitors ensures a great social atmosphere.

Though Keswick’s winding back streets are a perfect place to wander and shop, it is the great outdoors that is its most appealing attribute.

If you enjoy a good festival, Keswick has several annually. The Mountain Festival is the most well-known.

It attracts world-class athletes, mountaineers, and adventurers as well as local legends. It has grown to encompass sports, outdoor activities, and live music as well as a varied program of talks.

The average sold price for a property in Keswick in the last 12 months is £452,312.

However, it is possible to buy a four-bedroom family home here for a reasonable price of £395,000.

Coniston

A small village, Coniston sits in the southern part of the Lake District National Park, between Coniston Water, the third longest lake in the Lake District, and Coniston Old Man (fells).

Coniston grew as both a farming village and to serve local copper and slate mines.

It was during the Victorian era, thanks to the construction of a branch of the Furness Railway, which opened to passenger traffic in 1859 that Coniston became much more accessible.

The village today has a thriving economy based on walking, sightseeing, water sports, mountaineering, and horse riding.

Anyone considering moving to the area will find Coniston is an important local centre.

Home to a secondary school (John Ruskin School), a primary school (Coniston Church of England Primary School), a bank, a petrol station, and other such services.

Plus, it has also repeatedly been highly placed several times in the Cumbria Calor “Village of the Year award”.

The most notable feature of Coniston Village is The Old Man of Coniston. These amazing fells rise dramatically behind the pretty local quarrymen’s houses when seen from the village centre.

Having just three homes on its property portfolio, buying a home here is difficult. Also, prices are on the high side. The cheapest property is on the market for £425,000.

Windermere

One of the larger locations in the Lake District, and arguably the most famous, the town of Windermere is often mistakenly thought to sit alongside Lake Windermere, the largest in the UK.

This is not actually true; the town does not even touch the lake. Nevertheless, Windermere owes its popularity to its proximity to the lake.

The town took the name of the lake when the railway line was built in 1847 and the station was called “Windermere”). It has now grown together with the older lakeside town of Bowness-on-Windermere.

Unlike many of its neighbours, the town is not as isolated, in fact, Windermere is far from it and very well connected.

The local railway station offers train and bus connections to the surrounding area, Manchester Airport, and the West Coast Main Line.

What Windermere offers is a fantastic location for those who want to get a little closer to nature.

Other local attractions and activities include the World of Beatrix Potter, Brockhole, Holehird Gardens, sailing and canoe hire plus, Windermere Cruises.

Due to its size, you do get a little more choice when it comes to buying a home here.

63 are currently on sale with an average property cost of £455,912.

Grasmere

Situated alongside one of the smaller lakes in the Lake District, Grasmere Village was described by the famous poet William Wordsworth as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”

Wordsworth and his wife lived happily in Grasmere for 14 years.

Grasmere is still a beautiful place to live today.

Though the closest railway station is 9 miles away in Windermere, the nearby A591 is more than adequate if you need to travel further afield.

As far as amenities go, there is a variety of shops in the village including a Co-op, some great restaurants, a primary school, a doctor’s surgery, and a Post Office.

Together with lots of beautiful walks accessible literally on its doorstep out to the surrounding fells, Grasmere has all you need for a peaceful quiet lifestyle.

Glenridding

As is usual in the South Lakes, Glenridding is also popular with mountain walkers. It is a very quiet but picturesque little village with just 500 residents.

On paper at least, it is an unlikely candidate for one of the Lake District’s top tourist towns, but nonetheless, it is.

The stunning Lake Ullswater dominates the village, the second largest in the Lake District at around 7 miles long.

Its proximity to a number of the national park’s most challenging climbs including Helvellyn and Striding Edge has led to Glenridding becoming, during the summer months, a bustling hub of visitors.

The lake offers a change from hiking or climbing.

At Glenridding Sailing Centre you can hire a wide range of boats including canoes and traditional sailing boats and receive tuition from expert staff.

There are very few shops in Glenridding, but the General Store has a bit of everything, ideal to tide you over until you can get to one of the larger towns in the area.

Penrith sits less than 30 minutes from Glenridding.

A large town and a retail hub for the region.

Glenridding may not suit everyone.

It is off the beaten track and feels particularly remote during the winter months.

However, this is precisely what some people may find appealing about a location like this.

Staveley

Situated 4 miles northwest of Kendal where the River Kent is joined by its tributary the Gowan, this lovely village is pretty as a picture.

Three hills overlook the village; Reston Scar on the north side on which much of the village is built, Piked Howe to the northeast known to the locals as Craggy Wood and Lily Fell to the south in the direction of the village of Crook.

The nearest village to the west is Ings, a small settlement closely linked with Staveley and with which it shares schools and a parish minister.

The rural backdrop of the village and its 19th-century cottages, shops and pubs that line the Main High Street make it a sought-after location.

The village is served by a railway linking it to both Oxenholme and Windermere. It is perfect for those seeking a peaceful weekend bolthole, or a permanent residence with the option to work from home.

Homes are not cheap here, with an average cost of a property coming in at almost £600,000.

This is not really a true reflection of house prices in the area, as currently on the market are some very nice character homes which are much more reasonably priced.

For £220,000 you can buy a charming three-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage so, even those with lower budgets can afford something in pretty Staveley.

Kendal

This Cumbrian town is just outside the Lake District, one of its Gateway Towns, but it is well worth a mention.

Kendal’s early prosperity was based largely on cloth manufacture. In the 19th century, it became a centre for the manufacture of snuff and shoes.

Today it is renowned mainly as a centre for shopping, for its festivals and historic sites, including Kendal Castle, and as the home of Kendal Mint Cake, Kendal is a great place to live or visit.

It has been affectionally nicknamed the “Auld Grey Town” due to its many grey limestone buildings.

The town’s local railway station links it to many of the towns and villages in the Lake District including Windermere, and Keswick.

Plus, with the busy M6 being nearby Kendal enjoys extremely convenient connections by road as well.

Kendal regularly features in The Sunday Times’s ‘Best Places to Live’ list, not surprising as the lush green fields and stunning mountains of the Lake District are never far from sight.

One of the things Kendal residents most love about the town is the mix of town and country living it provides.

The added bonus is that the housing market is much more pocket friendly, with the average sold price for a property in Kendal standing at £275,230, Bargain!

Ready to Move to Start Living in the Lake District?

Have you decided to start living in the Lake District?

The Lake District is home to some amazing locations that are ideal for families, young professionals and retirees alike!

If you want to start living in the Lake District and have found your dream home, we are here to help you get moving.

You can start planning your dream move with the assistance of our Lake District Removals service from White & Company today.

White & Company are also pleased to announce our new video survey service.

During these unprecedented times, we can safely conduct remote removals surveys.

We can gather all the relevant information for your move from the comfort of your own home.

So, give us a call today or fill out a quick quote form to see how we can get your dream move to the Lake District in the works.

Max Peterson

Max is a seasoned writer and blogger in the real estate and home moving sectors, as well as a knowledgeable source of information for expatriates living and working abroad. His detailed insights have helped thousands of people move and live abroad with greater simplicity and ease.