Settling in · Ambleside
Landing in Ambleside? Start here.
The first fortnight in Ambleside, in order: the paperwork that has to happen, then the places that make it feel like somewhere you could stay.
Week one and two
The order to do things in
1
Ring your Sama contact when you land
Whoever placed you. Tell them you arrived and that you are all right.
2
Apply for your National Insurance number
You can start work before it arrives, but do not leave it: your tax will be wrong until you have it.
3
Open a bank account
Passport, visa or share code, and proof of address. A letter from your employer usually does it.
4
Get a UK SIM
A local number makes the bank and the GP straightforward.
5
Register with a GP
Free at the point of use. Do it in your first week.
6
Check your tax code with HMRC
Get on the right code early or you will be paying too much for months.
7
Save your share code
You will be asked to prove your right to work and rent more than once.
8
Find the nearest shop, place of worship and club
The part that decides whether you stay, and the part no handbook covers.
Official, and free
Official finders
Run by the State, so they stay current. Search each one for your own town.
Find a GPThe NHS list of GP surgeries, searchable by postcode.Apply for a National Insurance numberYou need one to be taxed correctly. Apply once you are in the UK.Find an NHS dentistHarder than the GP. Start early and ring around.Check your visa and BRP or eVisaView and prove your immigration status online.Find your local police stationEmergency is 999 or 112. Non-emergency is 101.Understand your tax codeCheck what HMRC thinks you earn, so you are not overtaxed for months.Driving on a foreign licenceHow long you may drive on it, and whether it can be exchanged.Renting: know the rulesYour rights as a tenant, deposit protection and what a landlord may and may not do.Citizens AdviceFree, independent help with anything at all.Public transportNational rail and bus times and tickets.
Near you
64 places in Ambleside worth knowing in week one
From OpenStreetMap, the map that locals build, plus places our team knows. Every card has a map link. If one has closed or moved, WhatsApp us and it comes down.
Nothing nearby matches that yet. Try a shorter word.
Places of worship
Every faith near you, listed so people can find a community when they arrive. Sama Talent Group is not affiliated with any religion or religious organisation.
Churches
St Mary's Church
Christian, Anglican
Ambleside Road, Windermere, LA23 1BA
About 7 km away
Hawkshead Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Flag Street, Hawkshead, LA22 0PE
About 7 km away
Carver Uniting Church
Christian, United reformed, methodist
Lake Road, Windermere, LA23 2DB
About 8 km away
Our Lady of Windermere & St. Herberts
Christian, Catholic
Lake Road, Windermere, LA23 2EQ
About 8 km away
Lakes Christian Centre
Christian, Evangelical
Park Road, Windermere, LA23 2BG
About 8 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Ambleside
Iglesia ni Cristo, Blackpool
About 68 km away
Spencer Court Community Centre, Spencer Court, Blackpool, FY1 3TW, England
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Isle of Man
About 103 km away
Farrant street Isle of Man, IM2 3HG
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 10:45am · Sun 11:00am (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Leeds
About 113 km away
Monk Bridge Road, Meanwood, Leeds West Yorkshire, England, LS6 4HH
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (children)
Addresses and worship service times from the Iglesia ni Cristo directory, checked October 2026. Times can change, so check the locale's own page before you go. directory.iglesianicristo.net
Food and takeaways
Jintana Thai Restaurant
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-14:30,17:00-22:00
Compston Road, Ambleside, LA22 9DJ
Treasure Mountain
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 17:00-22:00; Mo off
1 Cross Street, Windermere, LA23 1AE
About 7 km away
Prince of India
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-24:00
27a Crescent Road, Windermere, LA23 1BJ
About 7 km away
Jintana Thai
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 12:00-15:00,17:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-22:30; Su 12:00-22:00
Lake Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3BJ
About 8 km away
Mela
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-23:30
Ash Street, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3EB
About 8 km away
Sports and clubs
Dawes Meadow
Rugby union. Sports centre
Longlands Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3DS
About 8 km away
Watersports at Low Wood Bay
Sports centre
A591 Windermere, LA23 1LP
About 3 km away
High Borrans
Sports centre
Borrans Lane, Windermere, LA23 1JS
About 7 km away
Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre
Multi. Sports centre
Rayrigg Road, Windermere, LA23 1BP
About 7 km away
Coniston Sports & Social Centre
Sports centre
Shepherd's Bridge Lane, Coniston, LA21 8AL
About 10 km away
Royal Windermere Yacht Club
Sailing. Sports centre
Fallbarrow Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3DJ
About 8 km away
Bowness Bowling Club
Bowls. Sports centre
Longlands Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3AS
About 8 km away
Lake District Boat Club
Sailing. Sports centre
Glebe Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 3HE
About 8 km away
Days out and things to do
Community and support groups
Troutbeck Institute
Community centre
Greengate Troutbeck, LA23 1PF
About 4 km away
The Phoenix Centre
Community centre
Phoenix Way, Windermere, LA23 1BZ
About 7 km away
Marchesi Centre
Community centre
Holly Road, Windermere, LA23 2AF
About 7 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Mooi Hair Salon
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00
100A Oak Street, Windermere, LA23 1EN
About 7 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Ambleside Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Tu 13:00-18:00; Th off; Sa 10:00-13:00
Kelsick Road, Ambleside, LA22 0BZ
Windermere Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu,Th,Fr 09:30-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00; Mo 09:30-13:00; We,Su off
Ellerthwaite Road, Windermere, LA23 2AJ
About 7 km away
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. We do not make places up: if the map has it wrong, fix it on openstreetmap.org and it comes through at the next refresh.
Saving money
What locals use to spend less
The shops and sites people here use for cheap clothes, second-hand furniture, a car, and the weekly shop. We are not paid to list any of them.
Facebook Marketplace and GumtreeSecond-hand furniture, bikes, tools and cars, often for very little. Meet in public, and never pay before you see it.Freecycle and OlioThings people give away for free, and food from neighbours and shops that would otherwise go in the bin.Too Good To GoSurprise bags of food from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, at a fraction of the price.PrimarkCheap everyday clothes, work basics and bedding.Aldi and LidlThe cheapest big supermarkets for the weekly shop.B&M and Home BargainsCleaning products, kitchen kit and household bits for less.Charity shopsClothes, coats and furniture, and the money goes to a good cause.MoneySavingExpertFree guides to cheaper phones, energy, bank accounts and sending money.
Getting around
Getting around from Ambleside
TravelineBus, coach and train times for the whole of Great Britain.National RailTrain times, tickets and railcards.Transport for LondonThe Tube, buses and the Oyster and contactless fares.
Driving here on your licence
Once you live in Great Britain you can drive a car or motorcycle on your full, valid licence for 12 months. After that, a licence from a designated country can be exchanged for a GB licence; from other countries you apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. Lorries, minibuses and buses have stricter rules: check before you drive one.
Check your licence on GOV.UK Exchange a licence
Hiring a car
Each rental company sets its own rules on age, how long you have held your licence and which licences it accepts, and young drivers often pay more. Check those rules before you book, and bring your licence and passport to the desk.
Driving rules taken from the official pages linked above, checked October 2026. They change, so the official page is the one to rely on.
While you are here