Only a couple of miles from busy Ambleside, and maybe eight from Bowness, Elterwater is a tiny village that even were all the cottages lived in full-time would be a quiet place. The B5343 on which the settlement stands continues to Chapel Stile then narrows beyond it heading to the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes in the hills to the west. The village has its eponymous mere a short walk south. The water is private but the National Trust owns some of the shore. With its reed-beds and visiting swans in the right season the little lake, fed by water from the Langdale Hills around it, is possibly closer than any other to the unspoiled beauty that first attracted tourists to the region centuries ago, as perhaps befits the smallest of Lakeland’s 16 waters. It is hard to imagine, but until the 1920s there was a major gunpowder works here, said to produce 1000 tons of explosive a year in its heyday, sited in Elterwater because of the charcoal burning which was the local industry for centuries. With a pretty stone bridge, village green and excellent pub Elterwater is worth a detour, or can make a good base for walking the heather-covered fells and for the mountain-biking that has become popular over recent years.
Places to Stay near Elterwater
Britannia Inn (The) (0.07 miles)
In the village of Elterwater, this traditional Lakeland inn offers real ales and home-cooked food, in the heart of the Lake District. Lake Windermere is just 3 miles away. Each homely room ... More
Eltermere Country House Hotel (0.33 miles)
Elterwater, the most glorious of Lakeland Villages with its own Lake. The Eltermere was built in 1756 and overlooks Lake Elterwater an area of fantastic natural beauty at the foot ... More
The Langdale Hotel & Spa (0.44 miles)
Founded on the site of an abandoned 19th century gonpowder works dotted with massive milestones and other carefully preserved reminders of its history, the Estate offers a superb range of facilities including two restaurants, two ... More | visit website
Three Shires Inn (1.21 miles)
Click for special and substantially discounted rates from Laterooms
A Traditional slate Inn built in 1872, nestled in one of Lakelands unspoilt areas, Little Langdale. Whether you intend to walk, climb drive or just ... More
Gold Rill Hotel (1.59 miles)
Situated in a quiet corner of Grasmere overlooking the lake and surrounded by majestic fells. Just 2 minutes walk from the village centre. The hotel stands in one acre of ... More
Wordsworth Hotel (1.68 miles)
Grasmere Red Lion Hotel (1.72 miles)
The Grasmere Red Lion combines the charm of a traditional coaching inn with modern facilities, situated in the quaint central Lakeland village of Grasmere. All the rooms in this non-smoking hotel are en suite many ... More | visit website
Grasmere Hotel (1.80 miles)
The Grasmere Hotel is a delightful Victorian Country House Hotel and Restaurant in Grasmere Village. Our multi award-winning restaurant overlooks the ... More
Forest Side Hotel (2.15 miles)
Forest Side is an attractive, secluded Victorian stately hotel, situated in wooded estate in the Lake District. It is located at Wordsworth's picturesque Grasmere village. Home to wild deer, red ... More
Swan (2.20 miles)
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