Ennerdale Valley is served by two free car parks both at the western end of the valley. (see in multimap) Bowness Knott car park is hidden under mature Larch beneath the crags of Bowness Knott. It is an ideal starting point to explore the valley on foot, bike or horse. There are a few seats only 100 metres from the car park which give a superb view up the valley, ideal for those who do not want to walk far.

Bleach Green and Broadmoor Car Parks are located at the western end of the lake and are ideal for those wanting to do the "round the lake" walk. They are not suitable for cyclists or riders as there are no suitable bridleways or tracks to link into. Neither Bowness Knott or Bleach Green have toilets.

For SatNav users Bowness Knott has a grid reference of NY110153 and the nearest postcode is CA23 3AU. For Bleach Green the grid reference is NY085153 and the nearest postcode is CA23 3AS. Please avoid using the unclassified lanes past Croft Foot to and from Mireside as these are not suitable for cars. Please be aware that the roads leading to Ennerdale are narrow and have a number of blind bends. Ennerdale continues to be a productive forest and on occasion you may meet a lorry carrying timber.

There is no public vehicle access beyond Bowness Knott . Please respect this restriction as visitor surveys have shown that vehicles are the largest detracting feature within the valley. Unauthorised access beyond Bowness Knott is a breach of the Forestry Commission bylaws and should you have an accident you may find you are not covered by your insurance.