When to arrive

You should aim to arrive mid-to-late afternoon on Monday 6th July. On arrival, you should collect the key for your room from the Scale How building (which is just up the hill behind a Health Centre). It will only take a few minutes to unpack, and you may want to spend your last few minutes of spare time familiarising yourself with the Lakeland landscape, or maybe by trying one of the refreshing drinks served in a local pub. How you get to the school depends on your chosen mode of transport, as we describe below.

When to depart

The school finishes at 1pm on the last day. Lunch will be provided.

Arrival by road

If arriving on the M6 from the south, leave at junction 36 onto the A590, then the A591 (which is a dual carriageway bypassing Kendal). Continue along the A591 through Windermere, and follow the lake around towards Ambleside. The college is on the A591 (which leads onto Grasmere and Keswick) just after the town centre. You will go over a narrow bridge and turn left at a small roundabout, after which the turning into the college is almost immediately to the right.

If arriving on the M6 from the north, leave onto the A66 at junction 40 (Penrith). Follow the A66 towards Keswick, and turn onto the A591 that takes you through Grasmere to Ambleside. The college is on the left-hand side just before you reach Ambleside. The turning into the college is just after a health centre.

Use the AA Journey Planner for more detailed directions - try "Rydal Road, Ambleside" as a destination address.

Arrival by rail

The nearest railway station is at Windermere which is accessed from the West Coast mainline that connects London Euston to Glasgow. On weekdays, there are some direct services to Windermere from Manchester Airport (via Manchester Piccadilly). Otherwise, your journey will almost certainly involve a change at Oxenholme "The Lake District" Station. Nearer the time, you will be able to plan your train journey using the National Rail Journey Planner, specifying "Windermere" as your destination.

Two buses serve Ambleside from Windermere station, Stagecoach 555/6 for Keswick, or the Open Top 599 for Grasmere. Tickets are purchased from the driver of the bus, and cost around £3. Alight at the first stop after Ambleside town centre, which is opposite the University of Cumbria. Ask the driver if in doubt as to where to disembark.

Arrival by aeroplane

The airport in easiest reach of Ambleside is Manchester, served by all major airlines and a smattering of low-cost operators, such as jet2.com, bmibaby and flybe who between them fly from various locations in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe (although their destinations do seem to be clustered around Southern Spain, for some reason). Trains depart from "The Station" which is well-signposted from the arrivals areas at Manchester Airport. There are frequent services via Manchester City Centre to Preston which links up with the West Coast mainline - see above for more details regarding trains.

Other possibilities for airports include Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and London Heathrow. Although in principle closer than Manchester, the journey from Blackpool airport does not appear to be any quicker, and it certainly won't be easier.

Where is this place exactly?

Should anyone need to contact you during the school, the postal address and phone number of the college is:

University of Cumbria
Rydal Road
Ambleside
LA22 9BB
+44 (0) 15394 30300

You can find this place on a map here.

Click here to return to the main Physics by the Lake web page.