Lake District Gardens Tour

Derwent Bank, Keswick

7 nights at an HF Country House

Availability Aug 2026, Apr-Sep 2027

2 Itineraries available

Full Board

Non-members From

£1,299

pp

Members From

£1,269

pp

For group booking of 10 or more please click here
Enjoy a week-long holiday at our welcoming country house on the shores of Derwentwater and explore some of Cumbria’s best gardens. From the elegant Winton Park and the immaculate topiary of Levens Hall, to historic Lowther Castle, every stop is perfect for garden lovers and green-fingered guests. We’ll visit a mix of hidden gems and award-winning garden spaces, all guided by our knowledgeable leader every step of the way.

Accommodation

HF Country House
Adored by poets, painters, and literary giants for centuries, the Lake District has always had an irresistible pull. It’s no surprise, then, that this country house near the market town of Keswick holds such appeal, not least for its setting in lovely grounds that slope down to the shores of Derwentwater. The location couldn’t be more perfect; to the west is Cat Bells, to the east is Keswick, Walla Crag, and Latrigg, and to the south is the entrance to the Borrowdale valley. There’s a wealth of big-name attractions within easy travelling distance, including Blencathra, Helvellyn, and Ullswater. Also visit-worthy for walkers is Scafell Pike for its well-trodden routes and trails and the 73-mile-long Cumbria Way for its mist-shrouded peaks, glacial valleys, and many excuses for pit-stops and picnics.
Derwent Bank hotel and Derwent Water area. Stills from drone.

Walking grades and options

This holiday is active and busy with visits throughout the day. You will need to be able to get on and off minibuses with ease, and be able to walk up to 2 miles, across uneven, grassy terrain where the ground can be slippery underfoot.  

It is important for your own and your fellow guests’ enjoyment that you can maintain the pace. We’ve provided a simple fitness test below, which will help you assess whether this holiday is for you. 

You should be able to do the following: 

  • Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace (2 miles per hour) without needing to take a break to rest 
  • Climb two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace 
  • Stand unaided for an hour 
  • Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute 

Please ensure you able to fulfil these fitness requirements, to ensure you get the very best from your holiday. 


What You’ll Love

  • Exploring the world’s oldest topiary garden at Levens Hall
  • Visiting a selection of award-winning and notable Lake District gardens
  • Meeting like-minded garden lovers
  • A more personalised experience thanks to small group sizes (maximum 16 people)

What's Included

  • All entrance fees (other than National Trust & English Heritage properties)
  • Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
  • Cream tea on arrival day
  • Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
  • Daily packed lunches
  • Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
  • Guided sightseeing with an experienced HF Holidays Leader
  • All transport to and from sites of interest
  • Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently

Reviews


Itinerary

Itinerary

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

Today’s journey takes us south to Sizergh Castle & Levens Hall, both near Kendal. At Sizergh, the limestone rock garden, reflective lake and colourful border planting create a garden full of interest. In the afternoon, we explore Levens Hall, home to the world’s oldest topiary garden. Here, the clipped shapes stand among roses and flowering borders.  
 

Please Note: Entry to Sizergh Castle is not included in the price of this holiday. It is a National Trust property and NT members can take advantage of free entry. 

Our first day starts with a visit to Winton Park, where landscaped terraces and colourful borders open to sweeping Eden Valley views. In the afternoon, we continue to Morland House, with its extensive lawns, walled rose garden and the lower garden around Morland Beck. Both are hidden gems of the Eden Valley and have lots to offer throughout the year. Please be aware that there are uneven surfaces and steps to navigate at all gardens we visit this week, so sturdy footwear is highly recommended.

Discover more about Derwent Bank and the local area for ideas on how to make the most of your free day.

For today’s visits, we begin at Hutton in the Forest, where elegant terraces, a colourful walled garden and shaded woodland walks reveal centuries of careful design. Later, we continue to Mirehouse, a relaxed and welcoming garden by Bassenthwaite Lake. With wildflower corners, woodland paths and literary links, it balances both natural and man-made. 

We have two slightly different itineraries today, depending on the date of your holiday. Our May group will have a private visit and tour with the gardener at the beautiful gardens of Matson Ground Estate, Windermere, before visiting the award winning RHS Partner Garden - Holehird, to explore its gardens which boast six National Plant Collections, including rhododendrons, hydrangeas and alpine amongst others.

All other holidays will visit Holehird Gardens too, but instead of visiting Matson Ground Estate, they will have a tour of the Yews Estate where they'll be introduced to the formal gardens (designed by Mawson & Avray Tipping), as well as to the Flower Farm owned and operated by the estate.

On our final day, we start with a visit to Dalemain Mansion, known for its Blue Himalayan Poppy, Meconopsis Dalemain. This much-loved family home boasts herbaceous borders and a romantic rose walk. We’ll round off at Lowther Castle, where dramatic ruins frame modern gardens and sweeping lawns, woodland avenues, and imaginative planting have reinvigorated the grandeur of the estate. 

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

Itinerary 2027

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

Today’s journey takes us south to Sizergh Castle & Levens Hall, both near Kendal. At Sizergh, the limestone rock garden, reflective lake and colourful border planting create a garden full of interest. In the afternoon, we explore Levens Hall, home to the world’s oldest topiary garden. Here, the clipped shapes stand among roses and flowering borders.  
 

Please Note: Entry to Sizergh Castle is not included in the price of this holiday. It is a National Trust property and NT members can take advantage of free entry. 

Our first day starts with a visit to Winton Park, where landscaped terraces and colourful borders open to sweeping Eden Valley views. In the afternoon, we continue to Morland House, with its extensive lawns, walled rose garden and the lower garden around Morland Beck. Both are hidden gems of the Eden Valley and have lots to offer throughout the year. Please be aware that there are uneven surfaces and steps to navigate at all gardens we visit this week, so sturdy footwear is highly recommended.

For today’s visits, we begin at Hutton in the Forest, where elegant terraces, a colourful walled garden and shaded woodland walks reveal centuries of careful design. Later, we continue to Mirehouse, a relaxed and welcoming garden by Bassenthwaite Lake. With wildflower corners, woodland paths and literary links, it balances both natural and man-made. 

Today we'll visit award winning RHS Partner Garden - Holehird, to explore its gardens which boast six National Plant Collections, including rhododendrons, hydrangeas and alpine amongst others.

Our second garden today is Yews Estate, where we're treated to a tour there, introducing us to the formal gardens (designed by Mawson & Avray Tipping), as well as to the Flower Farm owned and operated by the estate.

On our final day, we start with a visit to Dalemain Mansion, known for its Blue Himalayan Poppy, Meconopsis Dalemain. This much-loved family home boasts herbaceous borders and a romantic rose walk. We’ll round off at Lowther Castle, where dramatic ruins frame modern gardens and sweeping lawns, woodland avenues, and imaginative planting have reinvigorated the grandeur of the estate. 

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

Accommodation

Derwent Bank, Keswick

Adored by poets, painters, and literary giants for centuries, the Lake District has always had an irresistible pull. It’s no surprise, then, that this country house near the market town of Keswick holds such appeal, not least for its setting in lovely grounds that slope down to the shores of Derwentwater. The location couldn’t be more perfect; to the west is Cat Bells, to the east is Keswick, Walla Crag, and Latrigg, and to the south is the entrance to the Borrowdale valley. There’s a wealth of big-name attractions within easy travelling distance, including Blencathra, Helvellyn, and Ullswater. Also visit-worthy for walkers is Scafell Pike for its well-trodden routes and trails and the 73-mile-long Cumbria Way for its mist-shrouded peaks, glacial valleys, and many excuses for pit-stops and picnics.

A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out). 

Evening entertainment

While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.

Walks talks 
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.  

The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house. 

You are welcome to check in from 4pm at the earliest. HF Members can check in earlier, from 2pm. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team. Check out 10am.

•  40 well-appointed guest rooms  •  Exclusive occupancy: 54 guests minimum  •  Check in from 4:00pm • For members check in from 2:00pm •  Free Wi-Fi  •  Full-board (including cream tea on arrival)  •  Free on-site parking  •  Boot room and drying room  •  2 travel cots & high chair  •  Discovery Point offering a wide range of local area maps, route guides, and information for self-guided walks  •  Books and games to borrow  •  Licensed bar  •  Lounge  •  Garden  •  Electric vehicle charging point - Please note, you will need to bring your own cables to use this EV charging point Visit England - Guest Accommodation

Seasonal dining, tailored for you

Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan  and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a  40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.

Welcome Cream Tea

What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home.  A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.

A hearty breakfast to start the day

Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast  and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including  hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick  and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.

Our famous picnic lunch

Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.

3-course evening meals

Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.

Designed with your comfort in mind, Derwent Bank has 40 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior. 

Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV. 

Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

We love: Room 12 for its extra space and lovely views across the gardens and Derwentwater. Rooms 46, 47, 48, and 49 are first-floor garden rooms, each with their own balcony. 

The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply. 

 

Room supplements

Superior Premium single Premium double/twin Choose your room
£25 pppn £20 pppn £20 pppn £30 per room

 

*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location 

For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Derwent Bank

Getting here

Address

Derwent Bank
Portinscale
Nr Keswick
Cumbria CA12 5TY

Tel: +44 (0)1768 773667

By train

The nearest station is Penrith, on the main line between London and Glasgow. 

Check National Rail for train times and routes.

By shared transfer

If you’re travelling to or from Derwent Bank on Mondays or Fridays or over the festive period, you can join our group transfer from Penrith Railway Station.

2026 prices are £64 per person for a return transfer or £32 per person for a single transfer.

Outward journey: Depart Penrith Railway Station at 16:50; arrive at Derwent Bank at 17:30.

Return journey: Depart Derwent Bank at 09:15; arrive at Penrith Railway Station at 10:00.

Places are limited so booking is essential. We recommend booking at least 14 days in advance by contacting:

HF Holidays Sales and Support Team
Tel: +44 (0)203 974 8865
Email: reservations@hfholidays.co.uk

By taxi

The 20-mile journey from Penrith railway station to Derwent Bank takes about 40 minutes by taxi in normal traffic conditions. 

For pricing, please contact A Cab Taxis directly.

A Cabs Penrith
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, A Cabs Penrith*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:

Tel: +44 (0)7482 289021
Email: acabspenrith@gmail.com

A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Derwent Bank.

By bus

The X5 bus runs approximately every hour from Penrith station and the journey takes around 50 minutes. The nearest bus stop is on the A66, about a three-quarter mile walk from the house.

As you alight the bus at the Portinscale bus stop, turn to your right and go down the road signposted to Portinscale, Grange, and the Newlands Valley. Follow this road through Portinscale village - Derwent Bank is on your left-hand side after the Derwentwater Marina.

Alternatively, catch the X4 or X5 bus to Keswick bus station and take a 10-minute taxi ride to Derwent Bank. We recommend booking a taxi in advance.

By car

There is a large car park at Derwent Bank if you decide to drive. 

From Penrith, you’ll need to leave the M6 motorway at junction 40, taking the A66 towards Keswick. After 17 miles you'll reach a roundabout - continue ahead following signs to Cockermouth and Workington. Turn left off the A66 towards Portinscale, Grange, and the Newlands Valley. Derwent Bank is about three quarters of a mile further on the left. 

By air

The nearest airport is Manchester International Airport.  

There are direct trains every hour from Manchester Airport to Penrith and the journey time is about two hours.  

Flying to London Heathrow airport is another option but you’ll have a longer onward train journey – it could take at least 4.5 hours to reach Penrith. From Heathrow, take the train to London Paddington, then the London Underground to London Euston connecting to the main line train to Penrith, which takes three hours. 

More Information

Packing list - Garden Tours1

The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. Our Garden Tour visits will take us to locations with uneven terrain and possibly slippery surfaces. You will also be on your feet for most of the day, so please bring suitable, sturdy footwear with a good grip.

Please consider bringing a waterproof jacket, even in the warmest of weather, and account for changeable conditions. You might like to bring a phone or camera to take photos of your holiday, and don’t forget to share them with us when you return home – we love to see our holidays through our guests’ eyes!

 

Carbon Footprint

We see it as our responsibility to minimise our emissions, not just for this year but every year to come. Our work with sustainability experts, ecollective, has enabled us to measure our carbon footprint and create a strategy to reduce the carbon intensity of our product by 5% each year. Our ambition is to be net zero by 2040 – earlier if we can.

Learn more

Reviews

2027 Leader to Be Announced

We are currently appointing our leaders for 2027, these will be announced shortly.

Jill Durnford Lake District Gardens

A big fan of Britain’s gardens, their history, geology and wildlife, Jill is an HF Holidays Leader and certified Blue Badge Tour Guide who likes to share her passion with others. She’s lived in southeast England, the West Country, Scotland, Cumbria, and now find herself in the Welsh borders.  A real people person, Jill loves showing guests around the gardens she’s most fond of and introducing them to Lake District gardens in particular.

Val Abraham - 26 June 2026

Val has lived in the Lake District National Park for more than thirty years and qualified as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in the year 2000. She has explored many gardens throughout the United Kingdom with clients as well as through her own personal interest in horticulture, garden design and garden history. Val has RHS Level I and II Qualifications in Horticulture and has also studied Garden Design with Plants. As your Group Leader Val will do her utmost to make your holiday inspiring, interesting and fun.

Code: DBK07-GDT05

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Dates & availability

Lake District Gardens Tour

Members save an additional £30 on this booking and get a range of other exclusive benefits. You can join during booking process. Read more about membership

2026

7 Aug - 14 Aug 2026

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,404

pp

Members

£1,374

pp
Single rooms

28 Aug - 4 Sep 2026

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,404

pp

Members

£1,374

pp
Single rooms

2027

30 Apr - 7 May 2027

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,649

pp

Members

£1,619

pp
Single rooms

18 Jun - 25 Jun 2027

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,984

pp

Members

£1,954

pp
Single rooms

13 Aug - 20 Aug 2027

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,789

pp

Members

£1,759

pp
Single rooms

17 Sep - 24 Sep 2027

7 nights. Trip notes

Twin & double rooms

Non-members

£1,819

pp

Members

£1,789

pp
Single rooms

£1,889

pp

£1,859

pp
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Travel with confidence

We know that peace of mind is priceless, so we’ll always go above and beyond to meet – and exceed – expectations

If the flights we have organised are cancelled or changed, we’ll do everything we can to find alternative transport, with minimal disruption to your holiday

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HF Holidays

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Offering a choice of over 260 itineraries in nearly 40 countries

Run as a co-operative with 40,000-plus members

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