Things to Do in Lake District in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Lake District
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Properly atmospheric fell scenery - low clouds clinging to the mountains, dramatic light breaking through storms, that moody Romantic-era landscape painting aesthetic you actually came here for. December weather makes the Lakes look like themselves.
- Significantly fewer crowds than summer months, particularly mid-week. You'll actually get car parks at popular trailheads before 10am, and lakeside spots without the coach tour masses. Weekends around Christmas get busier, but nothing like July.
- Cozy pub culture at its absolute peak - wood fires actually lit, proper hearty food making sense, that justified feeling of earning your pint after a wet walk. The indoor experience of the Lakes is genuinely better in winter.
- Accommodation prices drop 30-40% compared to summer peak, and you can actually book decent places with a few weeks notice rather than the six months ahead you'd need for August. Mid-week rates in early December are particularly good value.
Considerations
- Daylight is brutally short - sunrise around 8:15am, sunset by 3:45pm. You've got roughly 7.5 hours of usable daylight, which seriously limits what you can accomplish in a day. That fell walk you planned? You're starting late morning and need to be off the mountain by 3pm.
- Weather is genuinely challenging and changes fast - that 145mm (5.7 inches) of rain falls across 17 days, meaning more days are wet than dry. Paths turn to mud, becks (streams) swell and can cut off routes, and visibility on the fells can drop to near zero. This isn't scenic drizzle, it's proper Lake District rain that soaks through everything.
- Several attractions run reduced hours or close entirely - some lake cruises stop operating, certain mountain roads may close in bad weather, and smaller museums and cafes in villages often shut for winter or operate weekends only. You'll need to check what's actually open before planning your itinerary.
Best Activities in December
Low-level lakeside walks and woodland trails
December is actually ideal for the lower-elevation walks - Catbells, Tarn Hows circuit, Buttermere lakeshore, Rydal Water to Grasmere. You avoid the serious fell-top exposure to wind and rain, still get beautiful scenery, and the woodland paths are magical with bare trees and that soft winter light. The mud is real though - these aren't summer strolls. Most circular routes are 5-10 km (3-6 miles) and take 2-3 hours, which fits perfectly into the short daylight window. Start by 10:30am latest to give yourself margin.
Heritage steam railway journeys
The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway both run special December services, including Santa trains in early-mid December. When the weather's grim, these give you scenic mountain and lake views from inside a warm carriage - genuinely lovely when rain's lashing the windows. The narrow-gauge Ravenglass line climbs 7 miles (11 km) into the fells and you see terrain you'd never walk in December conditions. Regular services run most December days, roughly 4-6 departures daily, journey time 40-80 minutes depending on route.
Historic house and garden visits
Wordsworth's homes (Dove Cottage, Rydal Mount), Hill Top (Beatrix Potter's farmhouse), and the grand estates like Holker Hall or Sizergh Castle offer excellent indoor experiences when the weather's foul. December actually has special appeal - many do Christmas decorations in period style, and you get the houses without the summer crowds crushing through small rooms. Gardens are dormant but atmospheric, and the tearooms are properly cozy. Most visits take 1.5-2 hours for house and grounds.
Traditional Cumbrian pub experiences and local food
December is peak season for the Lakes' pub culture - proper fires, Herdwick lamb stews, Cumberland sausage, sticky toffee pudding, and local ales from breweries like Hawkshead or Coniston. The ritual of a wet walk followed by drying out by a fire with food and beer is genuinely one of the best things about winter in the Lakes. Many pubs are historic coaching inns or slate-built village locals with centuries of character. Lunch service typically 12-2:30pm, dinner 6-9pm.
Scenic drives through mountain passes
When walking's off the table due to weather, the Lake District's mountain roads become the activity - Kirkstone Pass, Hardknott Pass (if you're confident with steep narrow roads), Honister Pass, and Wrynose Pass offer spectacular scenery from your car. You get the drama of the fells without the exposure. The roads climb to 300-400m (1,000-1,300 ft) and views on clear days are stunning. That said, these passes can close in severe weather - snow, ice, or high winds - so check Cumbria County Council traffic updates before setting out.
Indoor climbing walls and swimming facilities
When the weather's truly awful - and you'll get 2-3 days in December where it's properly grim - the indoor facilities in Kendal, Keswick, and Penrith are worth knowing about. Keswick Climbing Wall is well-regarded and busy with locals when the crags are soaked. Swimming pools in market towns offer that warm-up-and-exercise option when you're going stir-crazy in your accommodation. These aren't tourist attractions as such, but they're what locals actually do when the fells are unclimbable.
December Events & Festivals
Keswick Victorian Christmas Fayre
Typically first weekend of December, the market town of Keswick does a proper Victorian-themed Christmas market with costumed characters, traditional food stalls, local crafts, and that festive atmosphere that works well in the Lakes setting. It's not a huge event but it's authentic rather than corporate, and gives you a reason to be in Keswick town center rather than just using it as a base.
Ambleside Christmas Lights and Markets
Ambleside switches on Christmas lights in late November and runs weekend markets through early December. The town's compact Victorian center looks genuinely nice with lights reflected in the streams running through it. Local producers sell Cumbrian cheese, chutneys, and crafts - it's low-key but pleasant if you're based nearby.