One way to reduce the impact of cars is to encourage tourists to leave the car behind and travel around the area on public transport. Visitors can travel on open topped buses and boats as well as trains making the journey part of the day out. Give the Driver a Break is a series of leaflets giving suggestions for car free days out. You can even get a discount at some attraction if you arrive by bus.
Find out more in our Give The Driver A Break section.
Cross Lakes Experience is a way of getting around the popular central Lakes using buses and boats. Find out more with our Cross Lakes Experience page.
When ospreys started to nest next to Bassenthwaite Lake they generated great excitement among birdwatchers. They now get approximately 100,000 visitors a year. The visitors and the money they bring in are very welcome but their cars less so. To tackle the problem there is now the Osprey bus which will take you on a journey to explore Bassenthwaite Lake. There are stops at Whinlatter Visitor Centre where you can see the ospreys, Thornthwaite Galleries, Dubwath Wetland Nature Reserve, Trotters World of Animals, Mirehouse and Dodd Wood. The Osprey Bus is part of the Bassenthwaite Reflections Programme, which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Please take a look at Osprey Bus details (opens in new window)
This bus service operates from Keswick in both clockwise and anti clockwise directions taking in Portinscale, Catbells, Grange, Seatoller, Honister Slate Mine, Buttermere, Lorton and Whinlatter Forest. This bus serves several spots where parking is a particular problem including the foot of Catbells. Since 2009 parking restrictions have been introduced at the foot of this very popular mountain. So many cars were parking here that they were blocking access for buses and emergency vehicles. The restrictions are vigorously enforced so the bus is now the best option for people wanting to climb Catbells.
This small scale “park and ride” scheme has certainly reduced pressure and parking problems at some popular visitor destinations, but it is not ideal. Parking is in the centre of Keswick which is already very busy and is also quite expensive for a whole day. The bus service is good but there can be a long wait if you miss one and there is no provision for people who are stranded if the last bus is full! We are working hard to solve these problems.
Check out Do Keswick - Honister Rambler bus information (opens in new window)
The Lake District National Park Authority looks after this unique corner of England, encouraging people to enjoy and understand its beauty and helping those who live and work here. Our staff include rangers and field workers, advisers at our visitor centres, planners, ecologists and event organisers.
