We’re working to make Fell Foot as accessible as possible. While the historic lakeside pleasure ground poses challenges, steps are being taken to ensure everyone can enjoy the site’s history and beauty. Learn more about accessibility and how to plan your visit. We support the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
Getting here, parking and facilities
The site is easy to reach by major roads.
Look for brown signs on the A590 from Kendal and Ulverston, and on the A592 from Bowness.
There are disabled parking spaces: 2 spaces in the North car park, 6 spaces in the South car park, 2 spaces at the Active Base car park.
You can also drop off passengers near the café outside Active Base.
Car park locations
North car park: Disabled bays are straight ahead and to the right as you enter. They’re near the parking machine and welcome hut, with signs behind each bay.
South car park: Three bays are on either side of the parking machine, also marked with signs.
Active Base: Bays are on the right as you enter, marked in yellow on the tarmac.
Paths from the North and South car parks go downhill to the Boathouse café and lakeshore.
Surface
Car parks have a mix of gravel and tarmac. Most disabled bays are on gravel.
There’s no shuttle or transfer vehicle from the car parks to the rest of the site.
There are eight speed bumps on site.
Speed limit signs are posted at the entrance.
Charges
Parking is free for National Trust members and Blue Badge holders.
Other visitors need to pay.
Bus
Stagecoach number 6 bus runs all year and stops right outside the entrance at ‘Fell Foot Country Park’. It travels between Windermere, Bowness-on-Windermere, Newby Bridge, Ulverston, and Barrow.
Please note: If you use the Stagecoach journey planner, it might suggest the X6 bus to Newby Bridge. We don’t recommend this route because there’s no pavement or safe walking path along that part of the A592 road.
Train
The closest train stations are Grange 6 miles (9.5km) and Windermere 8 miles (13km). If you are traveling on the West Coast Main Line, take a train from Oxenholme-the-Lake District to Windermere station. Fell Foot Park is just a short bus ride. The buses to Fell Foot depart from right outside Windermere train station.
There is a visitor welcome hut next to the car park machine in the North car park, just off the path near the information panel.
The hut is not always staffed.
A gentle downhill tarmac path leads from this area into the park.
The hut is 8x8 feet, painted dark grey outside, with wooden walls and a grey wooden floor inside.
Accessible toilets are available in the North car park and at the Active Base.
To use the Active Base disabled toilet, ask staff in the café or office for a free key fob.
A Changing Place is located next to the Boathouse Café.
North Car Park Toilets
The accessible toilet has:
Right-hand transfer space
1000mm turning space for wheelchairs
Terracotta tiled floor, white tiled walls
Automatic hand dryer and manual light switch
Male and female toilets:
Have lino floors, part tiled walls, and automatic hand dryers
Access involves 7 steps up to each building, with more steps inside
Boathouse Café Toilets
Female toilets:
Located next to the café
Have a step at the entrance and more steps inside
200mm high steps to each door
Lino floors, part tiled walls, spotlights
Male toilets:
Located inside the Boathouse next to the café
Step-free access
2 cubicles and 2 urinals
Lino floors, painted walls, spotlights
Baby changing facilities are available in both male and female toilets.
The Changing Place facility is located in the Boathouse adjacent to the Boathouse Café.
Guidance of how to use the Changing Place equipment is provided in snap frames on the wall.
Access to the area is step-free but it does include some gradients on the pathways. The pathways are a mixture of gravel and tarmac surfaces. Access can also be gained through the café to the adjacent Boathouse area.
The doorway to the changing places facility is located to your left as you enter the Boathouse from the main entrance.
If you enter the Boathouse via the café entrance the Changing Place is located to your right.
It requires a radar key to access. Please ask in the café if you need to borrow a radar key.
The doorway is over 1000mm wide with a large handle which pushes down to open the door.
The door opens outwards. To lock the door, push up the handle 90 degrees.
Includes a hoist and changing bench (users must bring their own straps).
Over 1200mm turning space for wheelchair users. The bench can be levered up and down.
The peninsular toilet has grab rails on both sides.
Sink is height-adjustable with space underneath for wheelchair access, the basin sits at 720mm off the floor.
A privacy screen can be moved around the room.
A red emergency pull cord is available if you need help.
The Boathouse Café has a cobbled surface to the entrance. There is a small raised lip of less than 10mm across the doorway.
There is an alternative cobble free and step free entrance through the Boathouse entrance behind the café (to the right of the large Fell Foot sign).
Each doorway to the café is over 1000mm wide. The door is non-power assisted and can open to 90 degrees. The door opens inwards. Catering team members can assist if required.
There is some outdoor seating with picnic tables which can accommodate wheelchair users.
There is a decked viewing platform located to the front of the Boathouse Café. There are 2 steps for access via the cobbled courtyard. There is step free access through the café via the glass double doors to the far end of the café.
Dignity mugs and cutlery. We have a set of double handled porcelain Dignity mugs, with or without a spout, which reduce the risk of spilling for users with limited hand mobility.
We can also offer visitors specially designed cutlery with larger, thicker handles making them easier to grip. A selection of these are available to pick up from the counter, or please ask a member of the team if you would like to use them when visiting.
The counter with the till is 870mm high. There is a tray rail running along the full length of the counter which is 850mm high and 350mm wide.
Catering team members are available to assist with service and carrying trays.
The width between the tables is approximately 1200mm.
There is an induction loop in the café at the till.
If queueing is difficult please ask our catering staff for assistance and we can provide service direct to your table.
Menus are in large writing on the blackboards throughout the café.
Straws are available on the counter or upon request.
The floor surface is large flagstones and the walls wooden clad, there are some spotlights and large lamps hanging from the ceiling for lighting within the Boathouse Café.
There is a mixture of chairs with and without armrests available. Most chairs are upright and soft. There are 5 comfy sofas and 2 armchairs available.
The ice cream parlour is in a smaller, detached stone boathouse next to the café The entrance has a stone ramp with a moderate gradient.
The floor is large flagstones and there are spotlights throughout. 7
The doorway is over 1000mm in width; the doors open outwards to at least 90 degrees and are non-power operated. There is a second set of glass doors within the boathouse space which open inwards and open to at least 90 degrees.
The counter is just over 800mm high, but staff and volunteers are able to assist with service by carrying goods if required.
There is an induction loop at the till point.
The access internally is a large open space, but there are large wooden pillars supporting the historical building’s structural integrity.
All-terrain wheelchairs
2 x pre-bookable all-terrain wheelchairs are available on a first come first served basis.
One is a manual push all terrain wheelchair with no power assistance, and the other is an electric assist push all-terrain wheelchair.
We welcome disabled visitors, companions, carers and assistance dogs. Find out about our Essential Companion pass for individuals and Links Pass for groups.
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Discover the history and heritage of Fell Foot in the Lake District on this circular walk, exploring historic boathouses, a modern Active Base, and 18th-century pleasure grounds and gardens.
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