Hotels in Patterdale

Patterdale's handful of places to stay sit right at the point where lake and fell meet, which is exactly why walkers return year after year. The Patterdale Hotel, long the village's main fixture, offers traditional hotel rooms a short stroll from both the Helvellyn paths and the lake shore, while smaller guesthouses and farm B&Bs scattered along the valley offer a quieter, more personal alternative, often with drying rooms and packed-lunch options aimed squarely at hillwalkers. The YHA Patterdale youth hostel, a substantial Lakeland stone building on the edge of the village, provides budget-friendly dorms and private rooms and has been a fixture for generations of fellwalkers.

Glenridding, a mile or so along the shore, widens the choice considerably, with lakeside hotels, inns and self-catering cottages, many with direct views over Ullswater towards the Steamers' pier. Booking well ahead is sensible for anything in the valley, particularly around bank holidays and school holidays, since the number of beds is small relative to the volume of walkers heading for Helvellyn, Striding Edge and Grisedale each year. For those wanting a base to explore beyond Patterdale itself, the wider Ullswater valley and nearby Penrith open up further options, from country house hotels to simple inns, all within easy reach of the lake and the Kirkstone Pass road towards Windermere.