Explore Windermere
Choose your boat:
Choose your boat:
Exploring the Lake District by boat is one of the most scenic ways to experience the region, and some of its most beautiful gardens are perfectly placed just a short walk or cruise from popular piers. Whether you’re stepping off at Waterhead, Brockhole, Bowness, or Windermere, you’re within easy reach of historic estates, peaceful woodland paths, and gardens once loved by poets and artists. From Rydal Hall’s Arts & Crafts design to Brockhole’s lakeside terraces, Allan Bank’s wooded hideaways, and the botanical charm of Holehird Gardens, each location offers a unique blend of Lakeland scenery, heritage, and natural tranquility.
This guide brings together four must‑visit Lake District gardens and explains exactly how to reach them using lakeshore walks, bus links, and Windermere Lake Cruises. Perfect for visitors exploring without a car, families planning gentle outdoor adventures, or anyone wanting a relaxing day surrounded by nature, these gardens offer stunning views, seasonal colour, and peaceful spaces — all easily accessed from the water. Whether you're seeking inspiration, history, or just a quiet moment in beautiful surroundings, these gardens make the ideal addition to any Lake District itinerary.
At Rydal Hall, you’ll find formal Arts & Crafts gardens, peaceful woodland, and striking landmarks shaped across centuries. Designed by renowned landscape architect Thomas Mawson, the grounds blend structured planting with natural beauty.
A must‑see is The Grot, a 17th‑century viewing house built to perfectly frame Rydal Falls, once admired by Wordsworth himself. For quiet moments, the Quiet Garden offers woodland paths, ponds, and reflective spaces along Rydal Beck.
Brockhole is one of Mawson’s early masterpieces — a garden of terraces, meadows and woodland gently sloping down to Windermere. His design moves from formal borders near the house to more natural planting nearer the lakeshore.
Look out for specimen trees, clipped yew and box, wisteria, magnolias, and seasonal displays across the year. The restored Kitchen Garden brings Mawson’s productive vision back to life, growing fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
Brockhole is a garden for all seasons — with snowdrops, bluebells, autumn colour, and crisp winter walks. You can even wander to the shoreline for incredible lake views.
How to Get There
Allan Bank offers a relaxed, creative atmosphere with lake and mountain views over Grasmere. Once home to William Wordsworth and Hardwicke Rawnsley, the villa includes an informal art gallery, mural spaces, and cosy spots to enjoy the scenery.
The surrounding gardens feature romantic woodland paths, secret hideaways, and unique historic features. A restored Billiard Room, chapel‑like and atmospheric, adds to the charm with its original stained‑glass.
Rainy day? No problem — there’s an indoor picnic area for visitors to use.
How to Get There
Home to the Lakeland Horticultural Society, Holehird is a garden shaped by history and passionate volunteers. From early formal layouts in the 19th century to modern restoration, it has grown into a beautifully varied landscape.
Expect a Walled Garden, rock gardens, woodland walks, water features, and carefully curated plant collections. Volunteers have spent decades restoring paths, reviving borders, and expanding planting areas — making Holehird a true “garden for all seasons.”
The garden continues to evolve, with new plantings, restored features, and thoughtful updates each year.
How to Get There
