Top 5 Wheelchair Accessible Things To Do In The Lake District
With its naturally rugged, mountainous landscape, you may think that the Lake District would be a nightmare for wheelchair users, but it’s far from it! During our road trip we were excited to discover a variety of fun, picturesque, and most importantly, accessible things to do in this breathtaking national park. Here are our top 5:
1- Wheelchair Accessible Walk — Friars Crag
On the outskirts of Keswick sits the northern tip of Derwentwater – the third largest lake in the country. Along its eastern shore you’ll find a small peninsula called Friars Crag, which offers spectacular views across the water.
Parking at the Lakeside Car Park (where you’ll find an accessible toilet), take the picturesque walk southwards along the waters edge, enjoying views of Derwent Isle as you pass by. The path is easily manageable in a wheelchair — a mixture of tarmac and pressed gravel, with a couple of shallow inclines — and after about 0.75km you’ll reach the viewpoint. Here you’ll find a perfectly-positioned bench, to sit and soak up the dramatic landscape. Note: This is quite a popular spot, so try to visit off-peak for the best experience.
To get back to the car, just follow your route back the way you came. Alternatively, you can find details of an extended walk on the Miles Without Stiles website.
2- Lake District Scenic Drive — Honister Pass
One thing we love to factor in to our travels is a scenic driving tour. Not only is this a fantastic way to scope out a new destination, but it’s also a great wet weather activity and something you can enjoy on those low energy days. Just pack snacks, get comfortable and go.
From the mountains to the lakes, the Lake District is brimming with picturesque driving routes. Our favourite has to be Honister Pass, from Seatoller to Buttermere, which rises to 1,167 feet before dipping deep into the valley. Steep peaks tower over the road, which twists and turns, unfolding a new vista after every bend. Along the route you’ll pass England’s last working slate mine, before following the river to the peaceful Buttermere Lake.
3- An Accessible Waterfall — Skelwith Force
The Lake District is dotted with waterfalls, but due to its rugged terrain, we found the majority of them are hard to reach for wheelchair users. However, we were thankful to discover Skelwith Force — a small-but-mighty waterfall that is wheelchair accessible!
Parking at Chesters By The River, it’s just a short (200 metres) stroll along a pressed-gravel path to reach the waterfall. The path has a very shallow incline, and meanders alongside the rushing River Brathay, which offers a peaceful atmosphere and plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities. Once you reach the powerful waterfall, there are steps you can take right down to it. However, for those of us who can’t manage steps, it is visible from the path. Note: We visited during the spring so I had great views, but in the summer there may be foliage obstructing the view slightly.
Again, if you are looking for a more substantial walk, there’s a great route on the Miles Without Stiles website.
4- National Trust Wray Castle
Perched on a hilltop overlooking Lake Windermere, this castle-inspired home was built in the 1800’s and became a favourite holiday spot for a young Beatrix Potter and her family, igniting her love of the Lakes. Nowadays, it’s cared for by the National Trust, and is a fascinating place to visit.
While this impressive Gothic building was closed for refurbishment when we visited in 2025, I’m led to believe that the entire tour is wheelchair accessible. Blue Badge holders can park right outside the entrance, and the tour is level throughout, with the majority of the walkways being at least 180cm wide.
As well as the castle, the Wray estate has lots to see and do, including; an independent cafe, an arboretum, a harbour and plenty of walking trails. So although we didn’t get to go inside, we enjoyed exploring the grounds and soaking up the views. The paths were quite steep in places, but I managed fine in my powerchair. There is, however, a specialist off-road mobility scooter available to borrow if needed, and a map detailing the most accessible route. It’s also worth noting that there is an accessible toilet located close to the Blue Badge parking.
Want to learn more about our Lake District road Trip?
Check out our full 7-day itinerary (with FREE interactive map!)
5- Wheelchair Accessible Boat Trip — Windermere Lake Cruises
In my opinion, the ULTIMATE Lake District experience is a boat trip on England’s largest lake — Windermere.
Windermere Lake Cruises have a number of vessels, including the MV Swift, which is a fantastic, modern boat, with impressive accessibility. There are various routes you can take, but we boarded in Ambleside and departed at Bowness, to explore the town before catching a later boat back.
Both piers were easy to access, and a ramp enabled me to board the boat safely in my wheelchair. Inside it felt spacious, with plenty of options for places to sit, including the outer deck, which is accessed via steps or a discreet platform lift. We opted to stay inside the main cabin, to enjoy the views passing us by through the enormous windows.
There are accessible toilets close to both the Ambleside and Bowness piers, and surprisingly there was a good-sized toilet on-board too (pictured above)!
Bonus!.. Surprise View
If you were counting closely, you’ll have noticed that we’d already made it to number 5… but I couldn’t tease you with the magnificent panorama at the header of this article and not tell you how to find it!
This is Surprise View — an elevated cliff edge with awe-inspiring, far-reaching views across Derwentwater and the surrounding fells. It may look as though you’d need to be super-fit to reach somewhere like this, but there is a National Trust car park just across the road, with only a short stroll (no more than 50m) along tarmac and pressed gravel to reach the viewpoint. We visited during golden hour, with the warm light casting drawn-out shadows across the ground. As the oak trees parted, we were blown away by the view! The land stretched out before us as far as the eye could see, and it was incredibly peaceful.
Definitely somewhere you should add to your list if you’re in the area!
Tell Us Your Favourites
We hope this gave you some inspiration for your next trip to the Lake District, but we’d love to hear your favourites! Let us know in the comments where you think we should visit next time we head up there.
