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Lake District Parking 2026: What It Costs and Where to Park

Who runs which car park, what a day costs, what's actually free and how not to get fined, all checked on 29 September 2026.

Lake District Parking 2026: What It Costs and Where to Park
Photo: Lakeside Car Park - geograph.org.uk - 7704782 by N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The short answer

Lake District parking costs about £10 to £12 for a full day at the busy places: £10.60 in Ambleside, Bowness and Grasmere, £11.40 for up to 12 hours in Keswick and £10 at National Trust sites like Tarn Hows and Aira Force, where members park free. The car parks have different owners, so the app changes with the place (MiPermit in Keswick, PayByPhone in Windermere, JustPark at the National Trust, RingGo for the National Park) and some machines still want coins. Be parked before 10am in school holidays, or take the 555, the 599, the Windermere ferry or a Park and Sail ticket.

Lake District parking isn't one system, it's about five: two councils, the National Park Authority, the National Trust and, at one end of Keswick, a rugby club, each with its own machine, its own app and its own opinion about coins. I'm a dad in Carlisle with a six and a seven year old, so I know the misery of arriving at a lake with a picnic and two people who need the loo, then finding the only space is a verge a farmer will glare at.

Checked 29 September 2026; prices change, so the operator link on each car park is the one to trust. What I couldn't verify is listed at the end.

Lake District parking: who runs what

The National Park Authority's own page says parking comes from 'a range of bodies, including councils, government authorities, schools, private operators and charities'. That's a polite way of saying nobody's in charge.

  • Westmorland and Furness Council: Windermere, Bowness, Ambleside, Grasmere, Kendal, Ulverston and, less obviously, Penrith.
  • Cumberland Council: Keswick, Cockermouth, Carlisle.
  • The National Park Authority: lakeshore and valley car parks such as Waterhead, Stock Lane and White Moss, and it does enforce.
  • The National Trust: 31 Lake District car parks, including Tarn Hows, Aira Force and Buttermere.
  • Everyone else: Keswick Rugby Club, a farmer's field at Barrow Bay and Braithwaite school, which takes a £3 cash donation at weekends and in school holidays.

Which Lake District parking app do you need?

Probably four, and they don't talk to each other.

  • MiPermit, for Cumberland (Keswick, Cockermouth, Carlisle). Each car park has a code, such as 712223 at Keswick's Lakeside, or ring 0345 520 7007. The machines take cash and cards. Carlisle's Cecil Street is the exception and uses Flowbird.
  • PayByPhone, for Westmorland and Furness, with codes like 9575. The council adds 20p to anything over £2, so a £10.60 day costs £10.80. Its machines disagree: Miller Bridge in Ambleside lists coins or phone with no card, while Red Bank Road in Grasmere says 'you cannot pay with cash'. The coin ones don't give change.
  • JustPark, for the National Trust. Register by location code, pay up to 48 hours after your visit, and members can scan a card or validate on the app.
  • RingGo and 'Pay to Park', for the National Park Authority. Waterhead is RingGo 37320, Stock Lane 37319. Some car parks can't take cards for lack of internet, the Authority says, so 'be prepared to pay with coins'.
The coins are always in the other coat.

Westmorland and Furness warns that scammers have stuck fake stickers over payment machines, and says it never uses QR codes for parking. Don't scan one.

What a day of Lake District parking costs

Correct on the day I checked. Longer is cheaper per hour: three hours in Keswick is £6.50 but six is £9, so past lunch, stay for the afternoon.

  • Ambleside, Grasmere and Bowness (Westmorland and Furness): £5.80 for three hours and £10.60 all day, though Ferry Nab is £11.90.
  • Keswick long-stay (Cumberland): £3.80 for two hours, £6.50 for three, £9 for six, £11.40 for up to 12.
  • National Trust: £7 for two hours, £8.50 for four, £10 all day at Tarn Hows, Aira Force and Lake Head; £7, £8 and £9.50 in Borrowdale, Buttermere and Honister.
  • Elsewhere: Kendal and Ulverston £8.10 all day, Cockermouth £5.70 for up to 12 hours, Penrith £6.80 for up to 10, Carlisle Castle £3.30.

For longer stays, Westmorland and Furness sells 3 day (£23.80) and 7 day (£46) passes at certain South Lakeland machines, not online. Cumberland sells 1, 3, 6 and 12 month permits, and the National Park sells annual ones; I couldn't find current prices. Electric cars pay 50p a kWh in the Park's charging car parks, plus the parking.

Free parking in the Lake District: what's really free

Not much near anything you'd put on a postcard. The National Park's list marks small car parks as free: Gutherscale near Cat Bells, Noble Knott above Whinlatter, Machells Coppice on Coniston Water and Mardale Head at Haweswater. Small means free is a gamble, and the lists disagree: the Authority calls Overbeck Bridge in Wasdale free, the National Trust charges £7, so believe the sign.

In towns, free is about timing. Penrith's Sandgate is £1.50 on Sundays and bank holidays and free from 6pm to 8am, and Booths in Keswick gives the first hour free. Early bird rates: £1.40 before 9am at Lake Road in Ambleside, 7am to 9am at Kendal's Westmorland Shopping Centre. Blue Badge holders get an extra free hour in Westmorland and Furness car parks, three hours free in Cumberland's long-stay ones and free parking at National Trust sites.

National Trust car parks in the Lake District

Members park free at most of them by scanning a card at the machine (not junior members, and the limit is 3,500kg, 7m and 16 seats). There's no overnight parking at any, and the Trust uses number plate cameras: a member without a card who doesn't pay 'may receive a compliance notice'. Prices are in the list above. Nether Wasdale has no machine at all, just a donation box.

Town by town: where I'd park with kids

One pick per place, chosen for toilets and pushchair room, with distances only where an official page gives one. Council pages mostly don't mention toilets, so mine come from the National Park's car park list, and where I say nothing, nothing is listed.

Keswick

Keswick: Lakeside car park

Keswick: Lakeside car park, Keswick
Photo: Lakeside Car Park - geograph.org.uk - 7704782 by N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Cumberland runs Keswick's three long-stay car parks on one tariff, so parking in Keswick is easy to work out. Lakeside is the family pick: 253 spaces and four coach bays beside the lake and Theatre by the Lake, with toilets on the National Park's list. Central (334 spaces) and Otley Road (87) cost the same. Bell Close is short stay, with accessible toilets.

Price
£3.80 up to 2 hours, £6.50 up to 3, £9 up to 6, £11.40 up to 12; overnight 7pm to 7am £1.10
Parking
253 spaces, CA12 5DJ; cash, contactless, card or MiPermit code 712223
Toilets/buggies
Toilets on the National Park's list; buggy access not stated
Check first
Prices: keswick.org still shows older ones
Official website ↗
Keswick

Keswick Rugby Club (Park and Sail)

Keswick Rugby Club (Park and Sail), Keswick
Photo: Keswick Rugby Football Club by Back ache, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The sensible one for the Launch or Cat Bells: park for the day and get a Launch voucher, 15 percent off for the driver and up to four passengers. The price depends on the page, £4 on the National Park's list, £5 gravel or £6 tarmac on keswick.org. No campervans.

Price
£4 to £6 a day depending on the source
Parking
About 200 to 250 spaces, Crow Park Road, CA12 5EG; payment method not stated
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
The price, and whether the Launch is running
Official website ↗
Newlands valley, near Keswick

Cat Bells

Cat Bells, Newlands valley, near Keswick
Photo: Catbells Northern Ascent, Lake District - June 2009 by Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

There's no proper car park. The National Trust lists two lay-bys, Gutherscale (eight spaces) and Little Town, and says it's 'much better to park in Keswick' and come by bus or boat. The National Park calls parking at the start 'extremely limited' and warns that double yellow lines can stop emergency services getting through and 'you will be fined'. I couldn't find an official page on the Newlands road restrictions, so I won't describe them.

Price
Gutherscale is free on the National Park's list; Hawse End Field opens ad hoc in peak season for a fee
Parking
Gutherscale lay-by, CA12 5UE, eight spaces
Toilets/buggies
None listed at the lay-bys; not a buggy walk
Check first
Launch and bus timetables before you set off
Official website ↗
Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness: Glebe Road

Bowness: Glebe Road, Bowness-on-Windermere
Photo: Glebe Road, Bowness on Windermere - geograph.org.uk - 1884598 by Brian Clift, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Parking in Windermere mostly means Bowness, where the lake and boats are. Glebe Road is the family pick: 124 spaces, toilets on the National Park's list. Braithwaite Fold is the overflow, 400 spaces about 800 metres south. Windermere Lake Cruises count six car parks within 5 to 20 minutes' walk of the pier. Both start at £5.80 for up to three hours, so a quick ice cream costs the same as a long lunch.

Price
£5.80 up to 3 hours, £7.40 up to 4, £8.80 up to 6, £10.60 all day; motorbikes free
Parking
124 spaces, LA23 3HE; coins, card or PayByPhone 9576; 8am to 8pm
Toilets/buggies
Toilets on the National Park's list; council says wheelchair accessible
Check first
Council permits not valid here; no overnight for motorhomes
Official website ↗
Ferry Nab, Bowness, to Far Sawrey

Windermere Ferry

Windermere Ferry, Ferry Nab, Bowness, to Far Sawrey
Photo: Windermere from Ferry Nab - geograph.org.uk - 4413587 by Jonathan Hutchins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Not a car park, but half of Bowness queues for it. It's £1.50 on foot, £2.70 by bike, £3.50 by motorbike and £8 for a car up to 6m, card only, paid on board. The crossing takes about 10 minutes, with no timetable or booking, and a missed one means about 20 minutes' wait. Summer hours run from 6.50am to a 9.50pm last crossing from Ferry Nab; winter hours start on Sunday 25 October, last crossing 8.50pm. On a busy day I'd walk on.

Price
Walker £1.50, cyclist £2.70, motorbike £3.50, car up to 6m £8, over 6m £14.50; Blue Badge holders pay standard fares
Parking
Ferry Nab car park, LA22 3JN: 120 spaces, £11.90 all day
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
No sailings Christmas Day or Boxing Day; weather and maintenance can stop it; one tourism page still shows the April 2023 fares (£1 and £6)
Official website ↗
Lakeside, near Newby Bridge

Lakeside pier (Windermere Lake Cruises)

The easy one. Windermere Lake Cruises say Lakeside has 300 spaces a few metres from the pier, 'up to 10 hours' for £5, plus 150 at Haverthwaite station for the steam train. That's half the Bowness price, and a boat takes you to Bowness or Ambleside, the nearest thing to park and ride on the lake. Its Park and Sail deal is listed at £6, so ask which price you'll get.

Price
£5 for up to 10 hours per the cruise company; Park and Sail listed at £6
Parking
300 spaces at Lakeside, LA12 8AS; 150 more at Haverthwaite station
Toilets/buggies
Toilets on the National Park's list
Check first
£5 or £6; the company's own Waterhead car park has 21 spaces at £6 a day
Official website ↗
Ambleside

Ambleside: Rydal Road

Ambleside: Rydal Road, Ambleside
Photo: Ambleside - Rydal Road - geograph.org.uk - 2538330 by Ian Cunliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Parking in Ambleside is a choice between Rydal Road (171 spaces, toilets listed) and the car parks nearer the water. Miller Bridge has 210 but takes coins or phone only. Lake Road has 48 and an Early Bird rate of £1.40 before 9am, the best deal in town if you're up early. Waterhead at the pier end is the National Park's own, with toilets and eight electric chargers.

Price
£2.60 an hour, £5.80 for three, £10.60 all day (Rydal Road, Miller Bridge, Lake Road)
Parking
Rydal Road, LA22 9AN; coins, card or PayByPhone 9917
Toilets/buggies
Toilets listed at Rydal Road and Waterhead
Check first
Miller Bridge has no card option; check what the Early Bird covers
Official website ↗
Grasmere

Grasmere: Red Bank Road and Stock Lane

Grasmere: Red Bank Road and Stock Lane, Grasmere
Photo: Grasmere from Red Bank Road - geograph.org.uk - 8367763 by DS Pugh, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Grasmere's car parks are small and so is the village, so expect them to fill on any decent day. Red Bank Road (77 spaces) takes cards and phone only. Stock Lane, run by the National Park, lists accessible toilets, RingGo and coins or cards. I couldn't find the Park's Grasmere prices on a page I could read, so check the machine.

Price
Red Bank Road £2.60 an hour, £5.80 for three, £10.60 all day; Stock Lane not found
Parking
Red Bank Road, LA22 9SW; cards or PayByPhone 9919, no cash; Stock Lane RingGo 37319
Toilets/buggies
Accessible toilets listed at Stock Lane
Check first
No cash at Red Bank Road; no overnight parking
Official website ↗
Rydal, near Grasmere

White Moss Common

White Moss Common, Rydal, near Grasmere
Photo: Paths onto White Moss Common - geograph.org.uk - 7745938 by DS Pugh, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

White Moss has an upper and a lower car park, you pay at the car park, and I couldn't find the price. What is listed: toilets with baby changing 40 metres from the car park and a 1.1 km path graded 'for all', with a small step off the first footbridge. Easiest first pushchair walk I know, and the loos are the bribe.

Price
Charged; amount not found
Parking
Upper and lower car parks; lower is LA22 9SD
Toilets/buggies
Toilets with baby changing 40m from the car park; path graded 'for all'
Check first
The price at the machine; the step off the first footbridge
Official website ↗
Kendal

Kendal: Westmorland Shopping Centre

The pushchair car park: 629 spaces, 11 of them parent and child, the only council car park I found that says so. You pay on exit, at machines or the barriers, cash or card. There's a 1.8m height limit, so mind the roof box. Blackhall Road (81 spaces) is £8.10 all day on coins, card or phone.

Price
£2.20 an hour, £4.40 for three, £6.80 for six, £8.10 all day; early bird 7am to 9am £1.40
Parking
68 Stricklandgate, LA9 4PU; cash or card, pay on exit
Toilets/buggies
11 parent and child spaces; toilets not listed on the council page
Check first
Height limit 1.8m; Sunday and bank holiday hours 9.30am to 5.30pm
Official website ↗
Ulverston

Ulverston: Theatre Street

Ulverston: Theatre Street, Ulverston
Photo: 7 Theatre Street - panoramio by flipflopnick, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Cheaper than the lake towns for a short stay: £1.80 for an hour, £4.40 for three, chargeable 8am to 6pm. Small, at 44 spaces, and it takes coins or cards.

Price
£1.80 an hour, £4.40 for three, £6.80 for six, £8.10 all day
Parking
44 spaces, LA12 7AU; coins, card or PayByPhone 9931
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
Space, since there are only 44
Official website ↗
Cockermouth

Cockermouth: Memorial Gardens

Cockermouth: Memorial Gardens, Cockermouth
Photo: Cockermouth Castle from Memorial Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 4803225 by Richard Thomas, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The cheapest of the lot. Memorial Gardens has 115 spaces at £1.60 an hour and £5.70 for up to 12. Fairfield on South Street has 182 spaces and a two hour limit. Cockermouth is also where the Buttermere shuttle bus starts, when it runs, so park here and pay £3 to get to the lake.

Price
£1 for 30 minutes, £1.60 an hour, £3.10 for two, £5.70 up to 12 hours
Parking
115 spaces, CA13 0HR; cash, contactless, card or MiPermit 712225
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
Shuttle season: the 2026 one ended on 31 August
Official website ↗
Penrith

Penrith: Sandgate

Penrith: Sandgate, Penrith
Photo: The Druid's Arms, Sandgate, Penrith - geograph.org.uk - 6648312 by Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Penrith is Westmorland and Furness, not Cumberland. Sandgate has 120 spaces and six coach bays, and the charge stops at 6pm. The X4 and X5 buses run from Penrith to Keswick, and the bus from Penrith station to Keswick bus station takes about 40 minutes.

Price
£2 an hour, £2.80 for two, £4.80 for four, £6.80 for up to 10; Sundays and bank holidays £1.50; free 6pm to 8am
Parking
Albert Street, CA11 7XA; card, coins or PayByPhone 805798
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
Motorhomes and coaches: 24 hour maximum stay
Official website ↗
Carlisle

Carlisle: Castle car park

Carlisle: Castle car park, Carlisle
Photo: Car park below Carlisle Castle - geograph.org.uk - 3731572 by Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Carlisle's my home turf, so I'll be blunt: Castle car park has 321 spaces at £1.50 an hour and £3.30 for anything from three to nine and a half hours, and the Sands (261 spaces) is £4.20 all day. Don't leave the car at Castle overnight: it shuts from 8pm to 6.30am and getting a locked-in car out costs £45.

Price
£1.50 an hour, £2.40 for two, £2.90 for three, £3.30 for 3 to 9.5 hours; charges 8.30am to 6pm daily
Parking
Devonshire Walk, CA3 8UL; contactless, card, coins, Apple Pay, Google Pay or MiPermit 712010
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
Overnight closure and the £45 release fee
Official website ↗

Parking at Tarn Hows, Buttermere and the other busy places

Near Coniston and Hawkshead

Tarn Hows

Tarn Hows, Near Coniston and Hawkshead
Photo: The Tarns, Tarn Hows - geograph.org.uk - 5277774 by Anthony Foster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Parking at Tarn Hows is one car park and a lot of people. Non-members pay £7 for two hours, £8.50 for four and £10 all day; members and Blue Badge holders are free. The Trust names the JustPark app (code 80693) as the way to pay and I couldn't tell if there's a machine too, so download it early. The Trust says it's 'likely to be busy at peak holiday times' and to follow signs from the B5285, not the sat nav.

Price
£7 up to 2 hours, £8.50 up to 4, £10 all day; free for members and Blue Badge holders
Parking
Main car park plus a short stay viewing car park; JustPark 80693
Toilets/buggies
Toilets with baby changing and an accessible toilet in the car park
Check first
Busy at peak times; no coaches; follow signs, not sat nav
Official website ↗
Ullswater, near Watermillock

Aira Force

Aira Force, Ullswater, near Watermillock
Photo: Aira Force Waterfall, Cumbria - geograph.org.uk - 4329966 by Christine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The one place the Trust tells you when to arrive: the main car park 'usually fills up around 10am' at peak times. Prices match Tarn Hows, and members are free if registered. When it's full, Glencoyne Bay, High Cascades and Park Brow charge £6, £8 and £9.50. Or skip it: the 508 from Penrith takes about 30 minutes and Ullswater Steamers call from Glenridding.

Price
£7 up to 2 hours, £8.50 up to 4, £10 all day; overflow £6, £8, £9.50
Parking
Main car park CA11 0JS, card or cash at the machine or JustPark; overflow at Glencoyne Bay CA11 0NQ, High Cascades and Park Brow CA11 0JY
Toilets/buggies
Small toilet block in the car park, with an accessible toilet
Check first
Arrive before 10am at peak times
Official website ↗
Buttermere

Buttermere

Buttermere, Buttermere
Photo: Buttermere - geograph.org.uk - 2246107 by Malcolm Sandilands, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Parking at Buttermere catches people out because the village has two car parks that work differently. The Trust's is £7 for two hours, £8 for four and £9.50 all day; its car park page says cash or JustPark, but the valley page says cash only, so bring coins. The National Park's has RingGo 37311, coins, cards and accessible toilets. Visit Lake District lists just 32 spaces in the village. Lanthwaite Wood is a half mile level walk from Crummock Water.

Price
£7 up to 2 hours, £8 up to 4, £9.50 all day at the National Trust's; free for members
Parking
Buttermere CA13 9UZ; Lanthwaite Wood CA13 0RT; Honister Pass CA12 5XN; no overnight parking
Toilets/buggies
Accessible toilets at the National Park's car park
Check first
Cash or app; the Buttermere shuttle finished for 2026 on 31 August
Official website ↗
Wasdale Head

Wasdale

Wasdale, Wasdale Head
Photo: Wasdale Head from Great Gable 2022 01 by Julian Herzog (Website), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Wasdale is where the honesty box lives: Nether Wasdale has no machine, just a donation box. Lake Head, the biggest, with a toilet block and welcome centre, charges the Tarn Hows rates. The Trust prices Overbeck at £7, £8 and £9.50, though the National Park calls Overbeck Bridge free. The Park says parking in the valley is 'very limited'.

Price
Lake Head £7 up to 2 hours, £8.50 up to 4, £10 all day; Nether Wasdale donation box
Parking
Lake Head CA20 1EX; Overbeck CA20 1ET; Nether Wasdale CA20 1ET
Toilets/buggies
Toilet block at Lake Head
Check first
Overbeck price; the Wasdale Explorer shuttle (£3 for the day) ran to 31 August 2026, and the Trust's page gives other dates
Official website ↗

Park and ride in the Lake District, and other ways to skip the car park

There's no proper park and ride here, the kind with a big car park on a ring road. What exists is Park and Sail at Keswick and Lakeside, and a 'Park and explore' ticket the National Park mentions that bundles day parking with bus travel. Braithwaite Fold's council page puts it at £23.80 for up to five people; I couldn't find the small print, so ask before you buy.

Keswick to Windermere and Buttermere

The 555, the 599 and the Honister Rambler

Single fares are capped at £3, so a bus can beat a £10 car park. The 555 links Lancaster, Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick. The 599 covers Bowness, Windermere, Rydal and Grasmere and, in summer, runs up to every 20 minutes with an open top bus. The Honister Rambler (the 77 and 77A) loops Keswick, Cat Bells, Buttermere, Cockermouth and Whinlatter. The summer guide runs to 1 November but the Rambler's timetable I read ended on 31 August, so check what's running.

Price
Singles capped at £3; North West Explorer day ticket £12.50 adult, £9 child or concession
Parking
Not applicable; park at Cockermouth, Penrith or a town car park
Toilets/buggies
Not listed
Check first
Which of these are running after 1 November
Official website ↗

When the car parks fill up

The only official time I found is the National Trust's: Aira Force 'usually fills up around 10am' at peak times. I'd treat that as the rule. Half term is 26 to 30 October for most Cumbria schools, then Christmas, then 15 to 19 February. In holidays and on dry weekends, be parked before 10am or after 3pm. Clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, and some toilets close for winter, including Rosthwaite and Seatoller in Borrowdale.

Keswick, through Grasmere and Windermere

Tour de France 2027, Stage 2 from Keswick

Next summer's problem. Stage 2 leaves Keswick on Saturday 3 July 2027 and heads south past Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere, with full road closures planned. Parking isn't announced. I'd plan a bus or a walk.

Price
Free to watch
Parking
Not announced
Toilets/buggies
Not announced
Check first
Start time, road closures and parking, all still to be confirmed
Official website ↗

Fines, etiquette and what not to do

Cumberland's penalty is £70 (£35 if paid within 14 days) at the higher level and £50 (£25) at the lower one, which is what overstaying costs. Westmorland and Furness doesn't print its amounts on the page I read. The National Park enforces too, with appeals to parking@lakedistrict.gov.uk.

  • Passing places: leave them empty. Roads like Ashness Bridge and Watendlath are steep, narrow and depend on them.
  • Verges: the National Park asks people not to cause 'highway obstructions by parking badly on roadsides and verges'.
  • Gates: don't block them. The Authority says so, and a farmer needs the gate more than you need the photo.
  • Overnight: camping in car parks or on verges isn't allowed 'at any time', and the Trust bans overnight parking at all its places.

What I couldn't check

  • The National Park's own prices at Waterhead, Stock Lane and White Moss weren't on any page I could read.
  • Rayrigg Road, Quarry Mount, Broad Street and Low Fold car parks: the council site rate-limited me.
  • Newlands road restrictions: no official page found.
  • Keswick Rugby Club's price, and keswick.org quotes older Cumberland prices (£3.70 for two hours) than the council, which I've used.
  • The Tour de France page didn't load, so that entry is from the Almanac feed.
See what's on in The Cumbrian Almanac

Questions people ask

Is there free parking in the Lake District?

Some, but not near the famous places. The National Park's list marks small car parks such as Gutherscale near Cat Bells, Noble Knott above Whinlatter and Mardale Head at Haweswater as free, and National Trust members park free at its car parks. In towns, Blue Badge holders get extra free time and Penrith's Sandgate is free from 6pm to 8am.

How much is parking in the Lake District?

About £10 to £12 for a full day at the busy places: £10.60 in Ambleside, Bowness and Grasmere, £11.40 for up to 12 hours in Keswick and £10 at Tarn Hows and Aira Force. Cockermouth (£5.70) and Windermere Lake Cruises' Lakeside pier (£5 for up to 10 hours) are cheaper.

What app do you need for Lake District parking?

It depends who runs the car park: MiPermit in Keswick, Cockermouth and Carlisle, PayByPhone in Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Kendal, JustPark at National Trust car parks and RingGo at National Park ones. Some machines only take coins, so keep a few.

Do National Trust members park free in the Lake District?

Yes, at most National Trust car parks: scan the card at the pay and display machine or validate it on JustPark. Junior members are excluded, and Blue Badge holders also park free in its pay and display car parks.

Where do you park for Buttermere?

The National Trust's village car park (CA13 9UZ) is £7 for two hours or £9.50 all day, and the National Park has its own village car park with RingGo. Lanthwaite Wood, by Crummock Water, is a half mile level walk away. Visit Lake District lists just 32 spaces in the village, so the 77 and 77A buses are the backup.

How much is parking at Tarn Hows?

£7 for two hours, £8.50 for four and £10 all day for non-members at the time of writing, free for National Trust members and Blue Badge holders. Payment is via the JustPark app (code 80693) and the car park has toilets with baby changing.

Is there park and ride in the Lake District?

Not in the usual sense. The nearest things are Park and Sail at Keswick Rugby Club (15 percent off the Launch) and at Windermere Lake Cruises' Lakeside and Ambleside piers, plus a Park and explore ticket the National Park says combines parking with bus travel.

Can you park at Cat Bells?

Only in a couple of small lay-bys: the National Trust lists Gutherscale (eight spaces) and Little Town, and says it's much better to park in Keswick and take the bus or the Launch. The National Park warns that parking on double yellow lines can block emergency vehicles and get you fined.

Sources and further reading

Facts checked against these pages on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Opening times and prices change, so confirm with the venue.

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