We all know that there are some wonderful things to do in the Lake District National Park.  It is after all, an exceptional example of nature’s playground, with the fells to hike, valleys to explore and the shores of the lakes inviting you to take to the water for a swim or boating trip.

At Low Wood Bay, you’ll find that we’ve gone that extra mile in terms of outdoor activities.  As well as the outdoor spa facilities for those who want a bit of R&R whilst taking in the spectacular views of the Langdales, there’s also the Watersports Centre which offers pretty much all you can think of in terms of boating, paddleboarding or even wake surfing.

Many of our guests yearn for something more to bring them closer to the natural world, and that’s why we’ve teamed up with Lake District Falconry to offer intimate hawk walks in the Lake District, allowing participants to get up close to birds of prey and even have them fly to their outstretched gloved hand.

How to get into Hawk Walks in the Lake District

We first started working with the falconers and their birds at The Wild Boar Inn, where our 72 acres of woodlands make the perfect tree canopy cover to see the raptors fly, swoop and dive in a natural environment.

A Hawk Walk with the Lake District fells in the background.

And so we decided to help create a falconry centre here on the shores of Windermere, using Low Wood Bay’s extensive grounds and the backdrop of spectacular Lake District scenery to offer ‘hawk walks’ for guests and visitors.

What is a Hawk Walk?

Sessions start with the experienced falconers introducing one of the raptors, allowing participants to wear a falconry glove and have the bird of prey perch on their fist.  This is followed by the opportunity to fly the hawk to and from the glove with expert guidance from an experienced falconer.

A bird’s eye view of Windermere and the fells

General manager at the spa Mark Needham says: “We’re very lucky to be able to offer our guests some of the best views across Windermere here at Low Wood Bay.  So what better place to allow them an even closer step to nature by trying their hand at falconry.

“During the hawk walks, there’s a chance to take on the role of the falconer, donning the gauntlet and calling the birds to you.  It’s a great way to experience the unique bond between these birds and humans. We have a number of hawk walk packages to choose from, including options to make a day of it with spa usage and a two-course lunch or afternoon tea.”

As an integral part of the sessions, participants also learn about the behavioural habits of the birds and watch one of the hawks perform a simulated hunt using artificial prey.

Bird of prey on it's handlers gloved hand during a Hawk Walk

Stephen Lea from Lake District Falconry says: “It’s great to add such a spectacular venue for our exclusive hawk walk experiences.  Low Wood Bay guests can get to know our beautiful hawks and immerse themselves in their world against the spectacular backdrop of Windermere and the Lakeland Fells.” Find out more book your falconry experience.

Take to the water to immerse yourself in Windermere’s scenery.

Waterhead from lake Windermere

Aboard Windermere Lake Cruises

Your hotel stay in the Lake District may not be complete without a leisurely cruise out on the water and Windermere is perhaps the most convenient in offering you some of the best scenery the national park has to offer.

With pick up and drop off points just a stone’s throw away from Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, jumping aboard one of Windermere Lake Cruises’ famous vessels allows you to get a different perspective and drink in the spectacular surrounding landscapes of the fells.

And feel free to be selective about the vessel of your choice: a modern launch may be your thing or perhaps the chance to step back in time on a lake steamer from a bygone age.

A Grand Day Out On Lake Windermere

Here we join Fern for her big day out as she took to the water on a solo adventure to enjoy everything the Windermere shoreline has to offer:

“Setting sail from the bustling pier at Bowness, I hopped on the steamer heading down to the Waterhead Pier at Ambleside. Bagging a seat on the upper deck, I was able to enjoy the glorious August sunshine and uninterrupted views across the lake and beyond.

“As we pulled away from the pier, I watched as a couple attempted to launch themselves from the adjacent pier in a small motorboat.  They were zig-zagging towards the centre of the lake, perhaps unaware that they had the eyes of the whole lake on them!

“As we leisurely sailed towards Waterhead Pier, I watched people paddle-boardingkayaking and swimming from the brimming shoreline of Windermere.  The view was inspiring and watching them all enjoying the cool waters, I made a mental note to book myself in for a holiday paddle-board session the next day.

Paddle boarder on lake Windermere stood looking at the view.

“Throughout the cruise, the captain offered up a series of interesting facts about the lake and surroundign area, including how Lillie Island got its name, tourism in the national park and how the founders of Lake Windermere Cruises were once fisherman. Who knew that not so long ago, you would have seen fishermen out on the lake rather than pleasure cruisers and paddleboarders?!

“The highlight of my day had to be as we slowly pulled into the Waterhead Pier, three RAF jets made their presence known with a low level fly-past low across the lake into the heart of the national park. It was a delight to watch tourists and locals alike rummaging for their phones to get a photo. I’ve been trying for two years and have only ever managed a blur!”

Where To Board A Windermere Lakes Cruise?

If you are a guest with English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, you can pre-book your discounted or special offer tickets before heading off to the piers at Ambleside or Bowness.

Ducks and swans by a cruiser at Waterhead.

Ticket Types

Windermere Lake Cruises has a range of ticket options from which to choose:

The ‘Red Cruise’ will take you from Ambleside jetty to Bowness and back.

The ‘Yellow Cruise’ from Bowness covers the south of the lake with fantastic scenery to match.

These two circular tours introduce you to some to the most secluded inlets and isolated islands, as well as the panoramic views of the fellsides rising up from the waters of Windermere.

The Freedom Of The Lake option allows you to spend a bit more time on the water and go a bit further giving you unlimited cruising on all routes for 24 hours.

Whether it’s a 1st or a 50th, each and every anniversary marks a significant time in a marriage and we are humbled that so many couples choose to celebrate their special day here at Low Wood Bay.
(more…)

Low Wood Bay has a long history of encouraging visitors to enjoy the waters of lake Windermere – either by boat or open water swimming. (more…)

Now in their eighth season, Paddlers for Life will host the North West Cancer Survivorship Conference at Low Wood Bay on Saturday, 12th September and the spectacular Charity Dragon Boat Regatta the following day.
This is an opportunity for GPs and health professionals, cancer rehabilitation specialists, cancer survivors and supporters to get together in the heart of the beautiful Lake District, discovering together what the future can hold for cancer survivors and to build a greater understanding of the eclectic nature of the physical, social and practical needs of cancer survivors in order to drive practice improvement.   (more…)

Last night English Lakes picked up a national silver award for excellence in VisitEngland’s hospitality, catering and tourism Awards.
The Wild Boar secured a place at the top table at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015, coming in second position in the Tourism Pub of the Year award category. (more…)

Low Wood Bay is hosting the Big Chill Swim Windermere which will take place over the weekend of 30th January – 1st February. It would seem that open water swimming is the new hot (or should I say cold!) trend.
The Outdoor Swimming Society reports a 77% increase in membership since 2006 and growing by around 9 members daily. They list details of 940 outdoor places to swim in England – the fact that it’s a long list is probably not surprising since it is said that wherever you are in the UK you are not more than 70 miles from the sea, not to mention the many and varied lakes and rivers! (more…)

On Thursday the 11th of December Low Wood hosted a very special Spirit of Christmas Afternoon Tea Event.

Martha Wood, Reception Shift Leader who organised the event

Martha Wood, Reception Shift Leader who organised the event


Martha Wood, the Reception Shift Leader from Low Wood Bay had an idea to do something fantastic for some of the older members of our local community to spread some Christmas Joy! What started as a small idea was then encouraged by the management of the hotel and English Lakes Directors and also supported by many local businesses in the area. This spurred Martha on to organise a memorable event full of festive joy for over one hundred people from our local community. (more…)

Low Wood Bay, on the shores of Lake Windermere is the home of open water swimming. The Lake District Hotel has hosted The Great North Swim, the UK’s biggest open water swimming event, since 2008 and the The Big Chill Swim, possibly the UK’s coldest winter open water swim event, since 2012 – the water temperature was 5 degrees this year! (more…)

Today, Thursday 22nd May 2013,  marks the 80th birthday of Golden Globe winner and Emmy-nominee, Joan Collins O.B.E (Happy Birthday Joan!) and as we were reminiscing over Joan’s extensive filmography over the years, we were reminded about the time Joan Collins stayed at Low Wood Bay on the shores of Windermere.

Joan Collins and "The Pike" at Low Wood - 13th May, 1982

Joan Collins and “The Pike” at Low Wood – 13th May, 1982


The star, most recently famous for the catchphrase “zip it, shrimpy” in the Snickers advert actually visited the hotel to film a thriller “The Pike” set on Windermere. Pictured above with “The Pike”, we think the catchphrase would have been the perfect ending to the Jaws-like film. (more…)

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