The Open Championship 2026 is at Royal Birkdale, 12 to 19 July. Royal Birkdale is in Southport. Southport accommodation has been fully booked for over a year. Formby is similar. But Royal Birkdale is 45 minutes from the southern Lake District by car, and the Lakes are largely unaffected by the usual Open congestion.
Travel logistics
The M6 connects the Lake District to the M58 and then the A565 south to Southport. From Windermere to Royal Birkdale is around 50 miles, roughly 50 to 60 minutes in normal conditions. During Open week, the A565 approaching Southport will have significant traffic from 8am onwards. Allow extra time. The A59 via Ormskirk is the alternative southern route.
There are no official shuttle buses from the Lakes to Royal Birkdale. The options are drive and use the official Open parking and shuttle from the designated car parks outside Southport, or train from Oxenholme or Lancaster to Southport via Preston. The train route works but requires planning — trains to Southport require a change at Preston or Wigan.
Why it works as a base
The Lake District as an Open week base makes practical sense if you are combining the golf with a walking holiday. You get proper accommodation in a world-class landscape, you drive to the golf for the day, and you have the fells and lakes for the days you are not attending. The lakes and hills are completely unaffected by the Birkdale crowds.
Best southern Lakes bases for the Open
- →Windermere and Bowness: closest to the M6, 50 minutes from Birkdale. Widest accommodation choice.
- →Ambleside: 55 minutes. Good town base with walking access.
- →Coniston: more remote, 60 minutes. Good if you want a quiet village over a town.
- →Hawkshead: a compromise between Windermere and Coniston. 55 minutes. Beautiful village.
Book now
If you are reading this in early 2026, the time to book is now. Open week fills the Lakes too, particularly for families who want a holiday that covers more than just the golf. The best Lake District accommodation for July will go before May.
Find accommodation across the Lake District for Open week.
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Damian Roche
Founder, Churchtown Media. Builder of TheLakesGuide.co.uk, TheLakesWildlife.co.uk, and HikeTheLakes.com. Southport-based. Regular Lakes visitor for decades.
