Ever dreamed of spending Christmas Lake District style? Immersed in a countryside setting, with a packed events calendar? Christmas in the Lake District offers quaint Christmas markets, community craft fairs, and crisp winter walks.
Convinced? Get planning early. Light switch-on events and festive markets start in early November, so our guide suits pre-Christmas Lake District breaks as well as trips booked for Christmas day itself. Here are our top recommendations!
1. Visit local Christmas markets
If you’re looking for a Christmas market, Lake District villages like Hawkshead and Bowness have some of the best, as well as at garden centres and historic houses. You can pick up handmade crafts and gifts, sample local street food, and soak up the atmosphere.
Here’s a full breakdown of the ones to add to your list:
- Hawkshead Christmas Fair: December 5th & 6th. Right in the village centre are 50 indoor and outdoor stalls, selling handmade crafts, local produce, and gifts. There are also plenty of food and drink vendors, live music, and a grotto, plus a lantern parade and carols on the Saturday night.
- Bowness Christmas Market: December 5th & 6th. The Glebe Market runs every Sunday, right beside the beautiful shore of Lake Windermere. But on this weekend, it comes alive with festive stalls, seasonal food and drink, and a visit from Father Christmas.
- Beetham Nurseries: December 3rd – 6th. This garden centre makes a lovely visit all-year round, but for four days every year, local traders set up in twinkling tipis to share food, gifts, crafts, and more. There’s also a wreath-making workshop, late-night shopping, kids crafts, a fire pit, and live music. Plus, it’s the perfect place to pick up a Christmas tree.
- Holker Hall Winter Market: November 6th – 8th. This stunning country house has a huge variety of craft stalls, local street food vendors, brewers, distillers, and chocolatiers. Fridays are best if you want to avoid the crowds, and advance booking is cheaper than paying at the gate (£9.50 vs £12.50).
- Indie Lane Christmas Market at Junction 36: November 7th & 8th. One of the few indoor Xmas markets in Cumbria, so it’s a good bet if the weather’s looking a bit iffy. There’s a vast collection of gifts, clothing, homeware, and artwork, as well as local street food vans (last year, there were delicious wood-fired pizzas).
2. Explore craft fairs and themed festivals
Classic German-style markets are great, but community craft fairs and themed festivals offer something a bit different. They buzz with creativity, Christmas joy, and community spirit.
Here are our top ones in the area:
- Rydal Hall Christmas Craft Fair: November 21st & 22nd. Rydal Hall is a beautiful estate, just outside Ambleside.Once a year, local craftspeople get together to share handmade ceramics, jewellery, woodwork, and textiles. It’s completely free to go, and there’s an excellent tea shop next door.
- Winter Craft Fair at Blackwell: November 13th – 14th; 20th – 22nd. Two weekends give you the chance to support local craftspeople and pick up a unique gift or souvenir. Each day features a different local band or musical artist, and you can make a full day of it with a visit to the MH Baillie Scott exhibition.
There’s also a wide range of festivals going on around the Lake District throughout the festive period. From gingerbread contests to Dickensian festivals, here are the ones to prioritise:
- Ulverston Dickensian Festival: November 28th & 29th. You don’t have to be a Dickens fan to enjoy the Dickensian festival. The cobbled streets of Ulverston transport you back in time, thanks to stalls selling hot mulled wine, costume parades, and street performers.
- Keswick Victorian Fayre: December 6th. It may be the last ever time to visit Keswick’s Victorian Fayre, so get yourself there to explore the non-profit and community stalls. You can also enjoy live music, costume contests, and games in the market square.
- The Gingerbread House Festival: November 20th – 22nd. Hosted by the famous Grasmere Gingerbread in collaboration with The Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, this festival encourages bakers to reimagine the classic gingerbread house design. The best part: every ‘house’ helps raise funds for Shelter, a charity tackling housing injustice across the UK.
3. See Christmas light switch on events or walk a lights trail
Villages in the Lakes, like Ambleside and Keswick, hold events to officially switch on the Christmas lights. Often, there’s a parade, a visit from Santa Claus, and sometimes other activities like ice skating.
There can also be winter lights trails and illuminations at historic country houses. Here are the Christmas light events to add to your calendar:
- Ambleside Christmas Lights: November 21st. At midday, stalls open, entertainment starts, and there’s a children’s fun zone in the school playground on Vicarage Road. Santa arrives by boat, and the lantern parade starts at 4:30pm.
- Keswick Christmas Lights: November 18th. This event has scaled back to become a more traditional, family-friendly affair. Peter Rabbit switches the lights on at 5:30pm this year, and plenty of local singers come together to sing Christmas carols.
- Lights of Lowther: 14th November. The castle ruins, gardens, and trees at Lowther Castle light up, while guests can also follow a beautiful trail through the grounds. Stumble upon illuminations, mulled wine stalls, and a firepit to toast marshmallows.
- Winter at Sizergh: November 20th – December 24th. Wander through a magical light and sound experience, designed by local artists, and inspired by wildlife on the estate. There’s also an immersive children’s path, seasonal crafts inside the house, and the café serves up your favourite festive treats.
Staying somewhere different? Lots of the villages have their own light switch on events, similar to Ambleside’s and Keswick’s versions. Coniston’s is on the 14th November, Penrith’s is on the 21st, and Kendal’s is on the 27th.
4. Ride a festive steam train or boat
The Lake District is known for its lake cruises, heritage boats, and historic railways. At Christmas, many operators offer themed experiences and special, festive events.
Here are our favourites:
- Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway: November 21st – January 3rd. The Santa Express Experience is perfect for families, and consists of a steam rail ride, festive storytelling, and a visit from Santa. Winter Warmer Trains take you on a scenic journey where you can relax, drink in the view, and enjoy a complimentary mince pie.
- Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Tinsel Trains: December weekends. Ride for an hour in a first-class compartment, enjoying festive drinks, snacks, and music. Santa Claus also visits each compartment to hand out gifts.
- Lakes Festive Cruises. If you’re visiting the Ambleside Christmas Lights switch on, there are two boat cruises that will take you there. The morning cruise is Santa-themed, while the afternoon cruise features Grinch mayhem.
5. Watch a festive show, film, or musical performance
Xmas in the Lakes is almost guaranteed rain and snow. Independent theatres, cinemas, and arts venues are the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon, catching a panto, film, or carol service.
Here are the ones we recommend:
- Theatre by the Lake, Keswick: November 13th – January 3rd. The beloved tale of A Christmas Carol gets a spooky twist in this adaptation, performed live by a talented group of actor-musicians.
- Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven. Throughout November and December, there are lots of festive events, screenings, concerts, and shows, including A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker.
- Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal. There’s a full festive lineup from the end of November onwards, including a craft event, a live ABBA Christmas special, and interactive shows like The Man Who Wanted to Be a Penguin.
- Lakeland Arts, Bowness: From 13th November. There are plenty of crafting events over the festive period, as well as a Christmas carol concert by the lake, and festive harp music performances.
6. Experience a magical grotto with the kids
A visit to a magical grotto is a must for Lake District family holidays during the festive period. They offer a magical atmosphere, and the kids can meet Santa.
There are plenty going on in the region, but our top ones are below:
- Hayes Christmas Grotto Experience: Immerse yourself in lights, artificial snow, and a grotto, where kids can meet Santa and take home a special gift.
- Holker Hall’s Christmas Grotto: Father Christmas and his elves gather in the grand library by a roaring fire and hand out a gift for each child. There are also trails, activities, and food.
- Muncaster Castle: Every weekend of December, there are tons of activities, live music, craft stalls, enchanted trails, a Santa’s grotto, and a letter-writing station.
- Festive Rookery Woods: If you’re after some festive adventure play, the climbing wall in Keswick offers archery, dens, slides, and ziplines, with a festive twist, plus an elf hunt.
Good to know: Grottos fill fast, so make sure you book early!
7. Book a festive craft workshop
Booking a craft or festive workshop in the Lakes is great if you’re looking for something a bit more creative and hands-on. And you get to take home a unique souvenir if you’re visiting the area.
Here are some of the best festive workshops this year:
- Townend Barn, 11th & 12th December. Craft your own festive wreath from locally gathered greenery, while enjoying hot drinks and mince pies.
- Lakeland Arts, 1st December. If you want a more practical take-home gift, check out the willow weaving workshop at Blackwell Arts, where you can make a unique tree-topper.
- Dan’s Plants, 28th & 29th November & 5th December. If you’re around Kendal or Natland, Dan’s Plants is the place to craft a beautiful homemade wreath, using Scottish foliage. Plus, there’ll be drinks and nibbles to enjoy too.
- Allan Bank, Grasmere: November & December, across various dates. Make your own paper decorations, using templates designed by local artist Emma Boyes. You can see her display there too, and even add your creation to the display.
8. Glide across an ice rink beside the fells
One of the most festive activities to do in the Lake District at Christmas is go ice skating. There aren’t tons of options, but there’s a 200m ice rink overlooking Ullswater at Another Place, The Lake.
There’s also a 16ft Christmas tree, lights, and the Patterdale fells form a stunning backdrop. Penguin and polar bear skates are available for little ones. You can book a slot for the 3rd December onwards.
9. Go for a crisp winter walk
No Lake District Christmas is complete without a walk. Certain routes thrive during winter, especially waterfall walks and low-level routes which don’t keep you in the cold too long.
Here are our top recommendations:
- Aira Force, near Glenridding and Patterdale. For a brisk, short walk, head along the Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park Trail.You can also do the extended version to incorporate Gowbarrow Fell Summit (481m) and get panoramic views of the surrounding fells.
- Tarn Hows, near Hawkshead. It’s far quieter in winter, and we think the views are more interesting on a moody, gloomy day. Walk all the way around the tarn in under an hour, or do the longer loop from the village which takes you through woodland and a small waterfall.
- Rydal Water, just outside Ambleside. A must-do walk for first-time visitors, you see the famous Rydal Caves, and get lovely views across Rydal water and Grasmere fells. If you want a longer route, tie it into the full Coffin Route from Ambleside.
If you’re walking in the Lakes over Christmas, check the weather forecasts before you head out, especially if you’re heading up a fell. Also, pack a good waterproof jacket and some warm layers!
More of a runner? Try a festive fun run. The Christmas Pudding 10k runs through the Langdale Valley, and there are shorter Santa Dashes in Keswick and Kendal.
Recommend reading: 10 Best walks in the Lake District for young families.
10. Indulge in a festive feast
Cosy country pubs in the Lakes are the perfect place to hole up on a cold day, enjoying a hearty Sunday roast beside a crackling fire. It’s also the ideal way to warm up after a crisp, winter walk.
Most local pubs in the Lakes offer a festive menu during December. If you want something extra special, check out these options:
- The Borrowdale Hotel, Keswick. Choose from a traditional five-course Christmas lunch, a Boxing Day roast, a festive dinner with a Cumbrian food historian, and more.
- Lodore Falls, Keswick. If you’re in the area with your kids, Lodore Falls hosts a three-course Santa’s Sunday Lunch, and a sing-along Frozen Afternoon Tea (with a meet-and-greet with ice princesses).
- Inn on the Lake, Ullswater. Adults can enjoy a festive dinner, overlooking the lake, with a choir singing Christmas carols or an afternoon tea in the orangery. There’s another Santa’s Sunday Lunch here for little ones.
- Langdale Chase Hotel, Ambleside. With sweeping views across Lake Windermere, indulge in a festive-inspired afternoon tea, including pigs in blankets and gingerbread-spiced chocolate.
It depends where you’re staying, but plenty of pubs and restaurants are dog-friendly too, so no one has to miss out!
Book your Christmas break in the Lake District
There’s plenty to do in the Lake District over the festive period, including winter walks, ice skating, craft fairs, and Christmas markets.
Make sure to book activities early, especially grottos and festive lunches since these fill fast. Planning one of your Lake District winter holidays? Browse places to stay that put you close to walks, restaurants, and activities you’re most interested in.
Bringing a furry friend? Explore dog friendly hotels.