Lake District Day Trip from Edinburgh by Train
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Lake District Tours from Edinburgh by Train

 

Lake District tours from Edinburgh

You don't need a car to see the Lake District from Edinburgh. Trains from Edinburgh run south on the West Coast Main Line to Oxenholme Lake District, so the Lakes fit neatly into a trip between Scotland and England. Our rail tours meet you at the station and take you straight into the Lakes with a local guide.

Our Lake District tours range from half-day scenic drives to full days among the lakes, the mountain passes and the places linked with Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth, all in small groups with a local guide.

What you can see in a day

Half a day is enough to see eight lakes, Castlerigg Stone Circle and Ashness Bridge, or to follow Beatrix Potter to Hill Top or Wordsworth to Dove Cottage. With a full day, the Ultimate Lake District Tour adds a cruise on Ullswater, Honister Pass and Buttermere, and in winter the Ten Lakes tour crosses four mountain passes. Our Brontë and All Creatures Great and Small tours go further, into Yorkshire.

What you'll see

Coming from Edinburgh by train

Our rail tours start at Oxenholme Lake District or Windermere station. Your guide meets you outside the ticket office, and the tour brings you back to the station at the end. Each rail date shows the station and the pickup time.

Many guests make it a long day out; others spend a night or two in Windermere or Bowness and join more than one tour.

A small group or a private tour

Our shared tours are small groups of no more than seven, priced per person, for ages 7 and up. A private tour is for your group alone, at one price for up to seven guests and with no age limit, and can collect you from your hotel in the Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Coniston, Grasmere or Keswick areas.

Lake District tours from other places

These tours also start from Windermere, Bowness, Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick, Coniston and Oxenholme. See all our Lake District tours.

Why travel with English Lakes Tours

Since 2018 we have shown visitors from all over the world the Lake District we live in. Groups are small, the minivans are comfortable, and our guides are specialists, with Masters and PhD-level qualifications in the subjects they talk about.

Questions about these tours

How do the Lake District rail tours from Edinburgh work?

You take the train from Edinburgh to Oxenholme Lake District or Windermere, and your guide meets you outside the station ticket office. The tour brings you back to the station at the end. Each rail date shows the station and the pickup time.

Which Lake District tour is best for a first visit?

With a full day, the Ultimate Lake District Tour covers ten lakes, a cruise on Ullswater, Honister Pass, Buttermere and Castlerigg Stone Circle. With half a day, the Eight Lakes tours see eight lakes, Castlerigg and Ashness Bridge in a morning or an afternoon.

Are lunch and entry fees included?

Lunch is never included: full-day tours stop where you can buy it. Entry to the places on the itinerary is included, such as Hill Top or Dove Cottage. The scenic tours have no entry fees.

What is the difference between a shared and a private tour?

A shared tour is a small group of up to seven, priced per person. A private tour is for your group alone, at one price for the whole group of one to seven, with hotel pickup in the main Lake District towns and no age limit.

How late can I book a tour?

Online booking stays open until an hour before the tour departs, as long as there are seats. Each tour page shows the dates and pickup times that are available.