← Solway Marathon·2 nights

Ullswater: Two Nights and a Seated Cruise

Two nights beside the Lake District's second-largest lake, with a steamer between the piers that does the walking for you.

Duration2 nights
TransitPrebooked car or taxi, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from Anthorn
DepartsAnthorn

After the Solway Marathon: Ullswater

The Route: Anthorn → Ullswater (2 nights) → Carlisle → Newcastle Airport Logistics: One road transfer to a lakeside base, steamer trips from the piers, then a road transfer to Carlisle for the train east. Marathon Month: June Duration: 2 nights

Anthorn ──(1 to 1.5 hrs by road)──> Ullswater
                                        │
                              (road to Carlisle)
                                        │
Newcastle Airport (NCL) ◄──(Metro)── Newcastle Central ◄──(Northern)── Carlisle

The Solway Marathon is flat and exposed, and the Lake District is the opposite. That is the argument for Ullswater: you can look at the hills and never have to climb one. The lake has a steamer service that links its piers, so the boat does the work.

June at Ullswater is the start of the summer sailing season, with long daylight and a good chance of rain. Pack a waterproof and a warm layer for the deck.

Getting there

A single road transfer is far simpler than a chain of bus connections with luggage. Allow roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from Anthorn as a starting estimate, and get a quote before you commit. Choose a base at one of the lake's piers so you are not climbing out of the valley to your room.

Nights One and Two: Ullswater

Ullswater Steamers links Pooley Bridge, Howtown and Glenridding. The full-length one-way cruise takes about an hour. The operator's published page also advertises a long walk back between piers, which is not what your legs want. Take a return cruise and stay aboard. The timetable and fares page that was checked is the previous season's framework and notes disruption at Aira Force, so confirm the June sailings, the piers in use and the boarding arrangements before you plan around them.

Ask any property about luggage on arrival, early breakfast and the gradient between the room and the pier.

Getting home

Return by road to Carlisle, then take a Northern train to Newcastle Central in about an hour and a half, and the Metro to Newcastle Airport (NCL), which takes about 25 minutes. Book the transfer the evening before.