My husband and I plan to be in England starting in late April and spending a few days in the Lake District as well as a couple of other locations. We have tentatively decided to stay in Keswick. Because we don't want to drive, we will be relying on public transportation. One area we'd like to visit is the Ullswater Lake vicinity. How would we get there from Keswick, whether directly or with a potential change in buses at some point? Would Glenridding be the stop? Is there enough to do to spend a full day? I know that depends on what we're interested in. Seeing the waterfall, moderate hiking would be on our agenda.
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Lake District, England
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On a weekday you take the X4 or X5 to Penrith Railway Station and change there for the 508 to all points on the North Shore of Ullswater including Aira Force (I assume that is the waterfall you mean).
Aira Force actually has it's own pier for the lake boats which I recommend you build in to your schedule. There are various ways to do that. One of the most time honoured (since Victorian times) is the walk round the end of the lake from Glenridding Pier to Howtown Pier for the boat back.
But on a Saturday you can take the 509 from Keswick direct to Aira Force, continue on to Pooley Bridge (every alternate hourly bus is an open top) or take the UB1 which starts at Aira Force and goes to Howtown on the other side of the lake.
I strongly suggest you make this a circular trip, come back on the 508 over the Kirkstone to Windermere, then the 555 back to Keswick.
Bus Times Book- https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2025/Lakes%20by%20Bus%20Summer%202025%20WEB.pdf
I suggest you buy an Ullswater Bus and Boat ticket from the first bus driver- this covers all buses in the Lake District (and far beyond as far as Dumfries (Scotland), Newcastle, Liverpool and nearly Manchester) for the day and any cruise on the Ullswater steamers- currently £17.50 which is an outstanding bargain. Prices will probably go up a bit at Easter.
One interesting thing to look out for at Aira Force is a tablet on a bridge to Stephen Edward Spring Rice CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath)- one of his brothers, Gerald, died in WW1, and another brother Cecil Arthur was wartime UK ambassador to the United States, died at Ottawa and wrote the patriotic UK hymn “I vow to thee my country”.
There is a plaque to them at lovely remote Watermillock Church (served by the UB1 bus).