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.

Patterdale's appeal is almost entirely about what surrounds it — lake, fell and valley — rather than the village itself, which is easily explored in an afternoon before the real business of walking or sailing begins.

• Helvellyn via Striding Edge — the classic and most exposed route onto Helvellyn starts from Patterdale or Glenridding, climbing to the narrow, rocky arete of Striding Edge before the final scramble to the summit; it is one of the most celebrated (and most photographed) ridge walks in England.
• Ullswater southern shore — the lakeside path south from Glenridding towards Sandwick and Howtown gives gentler walking with constant water views, without the exposure of the higher fells.
• Ullswater "Steamers" — the historic vessels Lady of the Lake and Raven, dating from 1877 and 1889, cruise between Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge; many walkers use a one-way sailing to link up a linear walk back along the shore.
• Grisedale valley — a quieter, less strenuous valley walk running west from Patterdale beneath St Sunday Crag and Dollywaggon Pike, following Grisedale Beck up towards Grisedale Tarn and the Wordsworth-linked Brothers' Parting Stone.
• Glenridding — the neighbouring village a mile or so along the shore has extra cafés, pubs and the Glenridding Sailing Centre, which hires out boats and kayaks and runs sailing tuition on the lake.
• Brothers Water — a small, little-visited tarn just south of Patterdale on the Kirkstone road, one of the first stretches of water acquired by the National Trust in the Lake District.
• Aira Force — a dramatic 65-foot waterfall in National Trust woodland on the opposite, northern shore of Ullswater, an easy detour by car or Steamer from Glenridding.

The White Lion Inn in Patterdale is the village's traditional pub, serving Lakeland ales and pub food to walkers coming off the fells. The Patterdale Hotel has its own bar and restaurant open to non-residents. A short walk along the shore into Glenridding brings further options, including the Ratherheath Kitchen, the Glenridding Hotel's bar, and several daytime cafés serving the steady stream of walkers and boat passengers passing through the village each day.

Camping around Patterdale means pitching in the shadow of some of the biggest fells in the Lake District, with Ullswater a short walk away on the valley floor. A handful of small, family-run sites sit along the valley between Patterdale and Glenridding, typically simple grass pitches for tents and campervans with basic facilities, aimed at walkers rather than large touring caravans — space is tight in a valley this narrow, so advance booking is strongly recommended, especially in summer. Wild camping is not legally permitted anywhere in England, including on the Lake District fells above Patterdale, without the express permission of the landowner, so campers should stick to established sites rather than pitching on open fellside, however tempting the views from Grisedale or the flanks of Helvellyn might look.

The terrain here is genuinely mountainous by English standards — steep, rocky, and quick to turn wet underfoot — so a well-pitched, sturdy tent matters more in Patterdale than in gentler parts of the Lakes, and weather can change abruptly even in summer. May, June and September tend to bring the most settled camping conditions, with long daylight hours for reaching the higher fells and cooler nights than the height of summer; July and August are busiest and warmest but also see the most unpredictable rain off the surrounding tops. Winter camping here is a serious, experienced-only undertaking given the exposure and the risk of snow and ice on the surrounding ridges.

For those who want the setting without the full outdoor commitment, glamping options in and around the valley — wooden pods, safari tents and shepherd's huts — offer a warmer alternative with proper beds and heating, while still putting Ullswater and Helvellyn on the doorstep. Several sites combine camping and glamping pitches on the same ground, so it is worth checking exactly what is on offer before booking, particularly out of the main summer season when facilities at some smaller sites are reduced.