Lake District National Park is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and charming villages not only nationwide, but also around the world, attracting visitors from all over the world. Popular destinations such as Ambleside and Windermere often take the central stage, but the growing trend makes travelers look for more remote locations. The appeal of discovering untouched treasures with thousands of social media posts specializing in “hidden gems.”
So travel experts are highlighting the true treasures that are located within a more frequent area, but offer a quieter and authentic experience of this iconic British landscape. It is a peaceful foundation for those who want to explore, and remains somewhat off the beaten path, making it an attractive alternative for a “quiet” escape.
This is just a 7-minute drive from the popular Ambleside and 17 minutes from Grasmere.
This modest place, Skelwith Bridge, is described as having “stellar views” on Tiktok, showing even photos and videos shared online.
“The village of Skelwith Bridge is smaller and quieter than the nearby villages, with only 150 people living,” explained Jerry Rebbeck, a local expert at Wheelwrights Holiday Cottages.
This makes it “a quiet place to stay as a base for exploring the national park. A great place to visit when you have access to the Fells, river walks, lakes or stay somewhere else.”
The village's charm extends to its natural environment, and travel experts share that “it's obviously – surprisingly – from the stone bridge across the Brathway River, it's perfect for all sorts of walks, filled with British wildlife, such as otters, kingfishers, grey herons and a variety of fish.”
A four-minute walk along the river leads to Skelwith Force, a 16-foot waterfall. Jerry “is less known than the other more dramatic waterfalls in the area… it is a small, charming natural beauty, adding to the status of Skelwith Bridge as a hidden gem in the UK.”
Further upstream, the gentle Elterwater Lake features “a simple and scenic walk with well-maintained paths” surrounding it.
For those interested in the area's industrial past, the Cathedral Cave, a network of interconnected caves, is also nearby, and can be explored as part of a 4.7-kilometer circular trail near Coniston, Cumbria.
Jerry concluded: “It's off the beaten track, but it's close to a wealth of landmarks and beautiful scenery, offering both the best world of both to rest and explore the lake.”
