Borrowdale YHA

The Lake District


This friendly hostel makes a super, outdoorsy base for forays around Borrowdale. It's in a lovely spot next to a babbling brook, surrounded by gardens and fells. Part timber-clad, it has the feel of a ski chalet with convivial dorms, a big kitchen and lounge, table tennis and snooker tables as well as a wildlife area outside.

Camping pods are available in the garden.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Lake District attractions

1. Bowder Stone

1.56 MILES

A mile south from Grange, a turn-off leads up to the geological curiosity known as the Bowder Stone, a 1700-tonne lump of rock left behind by a retreating…

2. Watendlath Tarn

1.73 MILES

This National Trust–owned tarn is reached via a turn-off on the B5285 south of Keswick. On the way the road passes over one of the Lake District's most…

3. Honister Slate Mine

1.93 MILES

This old slate mine has been reinvented as a centre for all kinds of activities: you could venture underground into the bowels of the old 'Edge' and …

4. Lodore Falls

2.96 MILES

At the southern end of Derwentwater, this famous waterfall featured in a poem by Robert Southey, but it's only worth visiting after a good spell of rain…

5. St Olaf's Church

5.36 MILES

Supposedly one of the tiniest chapels in England, this 16th-century church is full of atmosphere. Legend claims the roof beams were salvaged from a Viking…

6. Keswick Museum

5.95 MILES

Keswick's quirky town museum explores the area's history, from ancient archaeology through to the arrival of industry in the Lakes. It's a diverse…

7. Derwent Pencil Museum

6.01 MILES

Reopened after being badly damaged in the 2015 floods, Keswick's oddest museum is devoted to the charms of the humble pencil – with exhibits including a…

8. Castlerigg Stone Circle

6.33 MILES

Set on a hilltop a mile east of town, this jaw-dropping stone circle consists of 48 stones that are between 3000 and 4000 years old, surrounded by a…