The Best Things To Do In The Lake District In May (And Why You're Mad If You Miss It)
May in the Lake District is a bit of a secret that locals have been quietly keeping to themselves for years. And honestly? Good. Because while everyone else is waiting for the summer holidays to roll around, May is sitting there being absolutely gorgeous, relatively peaceful, and completely underrated.
The crowds haven't properly arrived yet. The evenings are stretching out. The hills are that specific shade of green that makes you feel like you've walked into a painting. And the bluebells - don't even get me started on the bluebells.
Here's how to make the most of it.
1. Walk through a bluebell wood before they're gone
This is genuinely one of those things that sounds a bit naff until you actually do it, and then you spend the rest of the year telling everyone about it. The bluebell season in the Lake District peaks in late April and early May, and it absolutely does not hang around.
The good news is you're spoiled for choice up here. Rannerdale Knotts near Buttermere is arguably the most spectacular - an open, unwooded hillside that turns entirely purple in May, often called the "secret valley" by people who've been lucky enough to stumble across it. It's the kind of place that makes you feel like you've accidentally walked into a screensaver.
Brandelhow Woods on the shores of Derwentwater is brilliant if you want something more relaxed - easy lakeshore paths through ancient woodland with carpets of bluebells underfoot, and it's dog-friendly. And if you're coming from Ambleside, Skelghyll Woods is well worth the short walk from town - tall trees, ancient woodland, and it tends to bloom a little earlier than anywhere else so you can catch it before the crowds even know it's started.
Get there on a weekday morning if you can. Take your phone, take approximately four hundred photos, and don't apologise for any of them.
2. Get out on the water
Windermere, Coniston, Ullswater - take your pick. May is the sweet spot for getting out on the lakes because the weather's improving, the water's calmer than you'd think, and you're not fighting for a kayak with forty-seven other families.
Windermere Canoe Kayak runs sessions right from Bowness that are genuinely great fun whether you've paddled before or you're the sort of person who's never been in a boat and is absolutely pretending otherwise. If you'd rather something a bit more relaxed, Windermere Lake Cruises offer self-drive rowing boats so you can get out on the water entirely at your own pace - no experience needed, no agenda, just you and one of England's most famous lakes. And for something a bit more epic, the Ullswater Steamers are worth the trip - heritage boats that have been sailing the lake for over 160 years, with mountain views that'll make your jaw genuinely drop. It sounds touristy. It is legitimately lovely.
3. Walk something (you don't have to go up Scafell)
Look, Scafell Pike is there if you want it. It's brilliant. But May is also the perfect time to tackle some of the more underrated walks that don't get the same attention - and honestly, sometimes the smaller ones are the best ones.
Brantfell Hill is a perfect example. It starts right in Bowness-on-Windermere, which means you can walk straight out of town, climb something that actually feels like a proper fell, get the views across Windermere and beyond, and then - crucially - walk back down into Bowness and go straight to the pub. It is, in every sense, a walk designed by someone who had their priorities exactly right. You've earned your pint. Nobody can take that away from you.
If you want something a bit more ambitious, Loughrigg Fell above Ambleside offers views that'll stop you in your tracks, and you won't need a full day or a professional guide to do it. The days are long enough in May that you can head up in the late afternoon and catch the golden hour at the top, which is one of the best feelings going.
If you want to read more about the best walks in the Lakes for the best views, read our guide.
4. Visit Grasmere without the summer chaos
Grasmere in July is wonderful but busy. Grasmere in May is wonderful and actually enjoyable. You can get into the Wordsworth Grasmere museum without queuing, wander the village without being elbowed, and pick up a piece of the famous Grasmere Gingerbread from Sarah Nelson's shop - a recipe that's been a closely guarded secret since 1854 and is still baked fresh every single day. You'll smell it before you see it. That's not a figure of speech.
It's one of those villages that rewards a slow wander. Give it a proper afternoon, not a flying visit on the way somewhere else.
5. Catch a Bank Holiday without a plan
May has two bank holidays - the 5th and the 26th - and the best thing you can do with either of them is deliberately not over-plan them. The Lake District is one of the few places in the country where just being there is enough. Drive somewhere new, stop when something looks interesting, walk further than you intended.
The bank holidays in the Lakes have a specific energy to them. Everyone's in a good mood. Nobody's in a particular rush. It feels like the whole place just exhales for a couple of days. Just make sure you've booked somewhere decent to eat before you leave the house - the best places to eat in Bowness on Windermere fill up fast on bank holiday weekends, and nothing ruins the vibe quite like wandering around hungry at 2pm because everywhere's full.
6. Find a proper pub or restaurant in bowness - and actually book it
This is the bit where I'll be honest with you: eating well is a non-negotiable part of any Lake District visit, and if you're looking for places to eat in Bowness on Windermere, The Easy Breeze is worth getting on your radar properly.
The new menu just launched - Slow-Cooked Lamb Shawarma, Korean Spiced Coconut Curry, a Châteaubriand Steak Sharer for two that needs thirty minutes' notice and absolutely no regrets. On Sundays they do a roast that's worth making the trip for on its own - and yes, the dog can come too.
On weekend afternoons (12-5pm) they're doing 2 spritz cocktails for £14, which is the kind of offer that makes a long May afternoon in Bowness feel like a very good idea. And in the evenings there's live music, which has a habit of turning a dinner out into more of an occasion than you planned for. In the best possible way.
Bank holiday weekends will be packed, so do yourself a favour and book a table in advance. The kind of place you end up staying longer than you planned because nobody really wants to leave.
May in the Lake District doesn't shout about itself. It doesn't need to. It just gets on with being brilliant and lets the people who show up figure it out for themselves.
You should show up.