Cottage vacation rentals in Bowness-on-Windermere

We spent 5 nights here at the end of March and start of April 2025. We were really fortunate with the weather and took full advantage of the wonderful location: scaling Slight Side and Scafell on one day, riding to Coniston via the bridleway on another and 'bagging' most of the Coniston fells on another day via Wrynose Pass. We ate in on a couple of nights and also went to the Wainwright's for some pub grub, as well as Stoves for their evening menu. Simon and Belinda's place is very well situated in Great Langdale for all kinds of walks and rides, food and decent pints. The house itself is a lovely place to return to in the evening with easy parking outside for our van and once inside, everything is spotless, well equipped and cosy. We really appreciated all the helpful information on bike routes and walking routes and spent the late evenings by the fire pouring over the Wainwright books planning the next day's adventures. 100% recommended.

Charming cottage well renovated, with everything you need, fantastic location for walks/cycling and a short drive to other attractions, would definitely come back, the views alone make you feel lucky to be here.

beautiful surroundings and comfortable stay - loved the log fire and hot tub additions.

Just wow. What a beautiful place, and even more wonderful hosts, Mark and Ruth. Staying here felt like stepping back in time, bringing back nostalgic memories of summer trips to the Lakes as a child. It’s a warm, traditional, and welcoming place, perfect for families or couples looking for a peaceful getaway. The hot tub and sauna were fantastic, properly heated and well-maintained, a cut above the lukewarm versions we’ve experienced elsewhere. The grounds are truly stunning: expansive gardens, a forest and stream for kids to explore, and even a private stretch of beach on a secluded part of Lake Windermere. It’s just far enough from Bowness to enjoy the tranquility, but close enough for an easy drive or quick taxi ride into town. Truly a special place. We couldn’t recommend it more!

We arrived on the Friday for a 3 night stay. The Barn is in a beautiful place inside and out. The Hot Tub was lovely on an evening and the patio fire was great to sit around for drinks early evening watching the Sun go down. Casterton village is only a couple of miles from Kirkby Lonsdale. The village its self had a gorgeous pub 7 mins walk from the Barn which had a great range of food and served Sourdough pizza on Sunday evening after 1700hrs with a lovely warm atmosphere and open fires. There is a great taxi service and some fabulous restaurants near to the Barn. The Black Bull and the Highwayman were fabulous. (We did go to Number 9 also and it was not somewhere I could recommend, service and food really poor.) Patrick and Anika were great responsive hosts and this is a do not miss property, that offers every you need for a fabulous stay. Our little group loved it. Thank you Karen, Denise and Naomi

We had an absolutely lovely time staying at High Swinside. Diana was an amazing host and went out of her way to make us all feel comfortable. I would highly recommend any of her cottages.

Beautiful spacious house . Thomas gray house. Great location. Grounds really nice. Even used hot tub as weather was sunny and warm. Jerry had made sure that was ready. Kitchen lovley. Bedrooms really nice. Tv in every room. Games consoles grandkids made use of. Lovley family house. Would go thete again no problem. Jerry thought of everything very very good host.

Hot tub was fantastic, loved every minute of our stay, so relaxing, can't wait to book again.

My husband and I stayed at Tethera for the long Easter weekend and we loved the cottage. It had everything we needed. Emma really has thought of everything and more. From a binder full of helpful information, well stocked kitchen with some welcome goodies, cozy living room, perfectly fluffy linen to towels for our dog, Yoda. The shower has great water pressure too! We live in London and really liked how peaceful and private it was. Yoda loved all the new scents and the animals around too! We locked ourselves out one day and Emma responded within minutes. We loved the fresh eggs her hens lay and got some back home as well. I would recommend the place to everyone. It’s spotless, extremely comfortable and perfectly placed for all the nice hikes and pretty towns of Lake District to be easily accessible. Perfect cottage with an equally perfect host.

Windermere Cottage was a perfect spot for exploring the lakes. Plenty of space for 5 adults and a dog with 3 bedrooms all en-suite. A 2 minute walk into Windermere and lots of food and cafe options along with a Co-op, Boots and WHSmiths along with lots of lovely local shops and cafes. The cottage was easy to find, pristine and great facilities. Alison was timely in communication and offered some friendly advice on places to eat as well as providing a lovely bottle of wine and chocolate biscuits on our arrival. Thank you for a lovely stay. Would highly recommend.

Brilliant stay at Stuart’s. This is the third time we’ve stayed and we wouldn’t hesitate to stay again! There’s so much to do and the accommodation is perfect. See you next time Beth and Fraz

Knotts View was exactly what we needed for a peaceful break. Stunning location, gorgeous cosy property, immaculately clean. Chris greeted us on arrival and was on site in case we needed anything, which we didn’t as everything was provided and more. Fantastically equipped kitchen, super comfy beds, plentiful logs for the fire and a secure garden for our dog to potter around. We took advantage of the Royal Hotel for food and drinks, which is just a few steps away. Plenty of choice of classic pub food and local beers. Ideal location for exploring Ulswater, plenty of walks right on the doorstep with no need to drive unless you want to. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Chris and Ruth for an amazing break.

A wonderful cottage in a fabulous location. Fizz, fresh bread and homemade jam to greet us. Lovely warm and surprisingly large cottage with a gorgeous view of the ford. Great walks straight from the door with wildlife aplenty (sadly no red squirrels but our host did point us to a hotel where we managed to see them). All in all, a cracking place to stay.

Great central location in Windermere & a parking space which was really welcomed. You can walk to the shops/cafes/restaurants in just a couple of minutes. Bowness is approx 20-25 mins walk. Easy access by car or public transport to the rest of the Lakes. Lovely house with everything we needed for our stay. We were super lucky with the weather and managed to catch the sun in the back garden. Will be fab in summer. The owner has left plenty of books if you want ideas of walks or places to visit.

We had a wonderful 3-night stay at this lovely cozy cottage. It was clean, well maintained, and felt just like home from the moment we arrived. The place is equipped with everything you could possibly need, and the peaceful, scenic surroundings made it even more special! Sean and Jane were very helpful and responsive, making the whole experience smooth and welcoming. Highly recommend for a relaxing getaway!

I had a great time at Gill's place. Good base to explore the Yorkshire Dales and The Lake District. The bed and pillows were very comfortable, and the bathroom and kitchen were spotless. I felt very comfortable and at home during my stay. I also got to meet Gill and she was lovely, thank you for everything!

Had a lovely stay in David's cottage: attention to detail throughout the home was great, and every necessity was provided. Stunning views and trails within walking distance of the front door!

Absolutely loved our anniversary stay at Crumble Cottage. Was everything we needed for relaxation and more On check in, Stewart was on hand and gave us an overview of the place, surroundings and suggested great places to visit and eat. The cottage itself is approx 15min walk into the centre of Cartmel - with great places to eat and drink there We visited the Wolf Predator experience by Grange-over-Sands - it was amazing!! Really enjoyed the comfort of the cottage and the tranquility- Will definitely be back again! Thanks for having us (Heidi & Craig) ☺️

Catherine is an excellent host, great communication and keen that everything is ok, quick response to queries raised. lovely welcome touch, of milk, cereal, bread, pastries, fruit juice jam, butter and apples and a supply of tea and coffee. Lovely compact cottage with a good kitchen, with a dishwasher and microwave. peaceful and quiet, away from everything but only a short drive in to Kendal

We had a truly wonderful stay at Anthony’s spectacular home in Windermere. The house itself is beautifully maintained with all the amenities a family could need for a comfortable and relaxing stay. One of our favorite features was the garden and the lovely conservatory — perfect for morning coffee or winding down in the evening. Located within a private community, the property felt very safe and serene, giving us a real sense of comfort throughout our stay. It’s just a short 4-minute drive to the charming town of Bowness, where we enjoyed exploring the shops and dining at some great restaurants. Plus, it’s conveniently located for day trips to many of the Lake District’s top attractions. Anthony was a fantastic host — very communicative and accommodating, especially with a flexible check-in that really helped us out. We highly recommend this place and are already looking forward to coming back again!

Lovely little cottage that had everything we needed for a 3 night stay. Comfy bed, great shower with super nice shower gel, and lots of useful bits and bobs in the kitchen. Lovely surprise to have a bottle of Prosecco and cookies left for us too - thank you! Perfect location for walking into the village, eating at Rogan & Co and exploring the Southern Lakes. We went to Netherwood Spa for a 90 min Thermal Journey which is a 10 min drive, highly recommend after a day of walking! Would definitely come back and stay here again.

Fell cottage is a lovely, cozy and very clean . Well equipped with everything we needed. We stayed there for three nights and loved the fireplace during cold nights. Joan is a superb host! She welcomed us at the cottage and explained everything about it. Joan also recommended wonderful local pub, where we had delicious meal. The cottage is in quite village and the location was perfect for all our outings in Lake District. We loved our stay at Fell Cottage and highly recommend it. Thank you Joan !

We love staying at April’s cottage, its truly a home from home. Location is perfect for a visit to the lakes with everything on your doorstep from great walks to cafes, restaurants, pubs and supermarkets. To top it off you have a fantastic sunny terrace to relax in after a day of exploring! Thanks again

Bank House Cottage is an exceptional cottage to stay at. Hosts Veronica and Alan were wonderful, giving local recommendations and ensuring that everything was perfect for our stay. The cottage itself is beautiful and has an interesting history. It was sparkling clean and had all the amenities you could ask for. We also availed of the Hot Tub which was luxurious and very relaxing. We would thoroughly recommend a stay at the cottage and hope to return in the future.