Local Attractions.
Our beautiful holiday cottages have panoramic views of Skiddaw and the Northern Fells, with easy access to the market towns of Keswick and Cockermouth; as well as the Solway Coast area of outstanding natural beauty.
Our location is ideal for visiting the Northern Lake District which includes: Bassenthwaite, Derwent Water, Buttermere and also the quieter Western Lakes of Ennerdale, Loweswater and Crummock.
We are only 30 minutes drive from The Great Border City of Carlisle and Penrith, and within an hour you can reach Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere.
There are so many places to visit we here have a selection to help you plan some days out during your stay with us.
The Lake District is full of family friendly days out, here is a selection of ideas, we have many more leaflets available in our laundry room, also Cumbria Tourist information has much more information.
Honister Slate Mine, www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk
Honister is the last remaining working slate mine in Britain, you can take an underground tour to see how it all works. With a miner’s helmet on your head and a lamp in your hand you can explore miles of mining tunnels and caves deep under the ground. Some age and height restrictions apply.
Aira Force, Ullswater, Cumbria www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Aira Force near Ullswater is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Lake District. The water drops over twenty metres from top to bottom. Its just a short climb from the car park up through the forest and glades to reach the Aira Beck gorge. At close by Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, there are plenty of activities along the shores. Alternatively head to the pier at Pooley Bridge and take a trip around the lake on one of the Ullswater Steamers.
The Cumberland Pencil Museum, Keswick www.pencilmuseum.co.uk
Pencils are popular in Keswick because graphite was first discovered in nearby Borrowdale. The museum contains a replica of the original graphite mine alongside traditional pencil-making machinery. The museum’s main attraction is the largest coloured pencil in the world at almost eight metres long, great for giant doodles – if you could pick it up!!
Dodd Wood to admire the Ospreys www.ospreywatch.co.uk
The Ospreys are one of the rarest birds of prey in the UK, they were extinct in the UK between 1916 and 1954. At Dodd Wood, above Bassenthwaite Lake, you can watch them hover, hunt and fish. The upper viewing point is a thirty minute walk from the car park. The Osprey’s have made close by Whinlatter Forest their regular nesting site, there are high powered telescope’s on the nests to help you catch a glimpse of the eggs and chicks, there is a connecting Osprey bus connecting the two sites.
Trotters World of Animals, Coalbect Farm, Bassenthwaite www.trottersworld.com
Trotters World of Animals is a wildlife park with plenty of unusual species on display, from Asian Fishing Cats, Mandrill Monkeys and Short Clawed Otters to Reptiles and exciting falconry displays. They have feeding displays throughout the day and visitors are very much encouraged to handle the animals.
Carlisle Castle, Castle Way, Carlisle www.english-heritage.org.uk
Carlisle Castle was first built in the 1100’s and part of the original construction still survives. You can climb the ancient stone stairways and descend into the dark dungeons. Opposite the Castle is Tullie Museum and Art Gallery where you can fire a roman weapon, climb a section of Hadrian’s Wall and travel on an Edwardian train.
Rheged Centre, Redhills, Penrith www.rheged.com
The Rheged Centre is Europe’s largest grass-covered building, it has been build to look like a Lakeland hill, complete with limestone crags and waterfalls. Also a massive 3D movie screen.
Wordsworth House and Gardens, Cockermouth www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The Staff play the roles of the original inhabitants of Wordsworth House, the childhood home of William Wordsworth. The house contains a working kitchen where you can help the cooks or go to the children’s bedrooms to play with replica 250 year old toys. While in Cockermouth Harris Park is lovely for a strole along the river and through woodland. There’s a children’s playground and lovely views over the historic town. The Cockermouth Town Trail is a series of metal plaques lead you on a historical journey which includes a view of ancient Cockermouth Castle.
St Bees Head, St Bees www.visitcumbria.com
The beach at St Bees Head is a terrific place to go treasure hunting. It is a coastal nature reserve, particularly popular with birdwatchers who come to spot rare species like the black guillemot, which doesn’t breed anywhere else in England. The shingle beach is great for gemstone hunting.
Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass www.muncaster.co.uk
Muncaster Castle claims to be one of the most haunted castles in Britain. You can take an audio tour, play on interactive computers and see the court jester. For smaller visitors you can pretend to be a vole in the castle’s Meadowvole Maze. The castle has one of the best owl collections in the world all on show. There are hourly displays of falconry and feeding, alternatively have a wander around the pretty gardens.
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Cumbria www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk
The railway known locally as the La’al Ratty, runs for seven miles through some of the Lake District’s prettiest valleys. You can ride in a open-air carriage on a real, working miniature steam train, with covered carriages if it’s raining.
The Rum Story, Whitehaven www.rumstory.co.uk
The Rum Story in Whitehaven explains the town’s role in the rum business in the 1700s. At the museum you walk through part of a re-created slave ship. While in Whitehaven walk down to pretty Whitehaven Harbour or visit the Beacon, a interactive museum on the harbour side.
This is just a small example of what our beautiful area has to offer.
The Lake District has many areas to walk, we have included some ideas, from short strolls to hard hikes, make sure you have a good map and the right equipment. We have information on walks and some guide books available in the laundry room adjoining our cottages.
Tarn Hows – This easy circular walk follows a gravel track around a beautiful tarn and takes one to two hours. It is one of the most famous beauty spots in the Lake District. The Lake is surrounded by woodland with plenty of places to play hide-and-seek, spot wildlife and build dams.
Scafell Pike – Take the tough hike up Scafell Pike and you can tell your friends you have climbed the highest mountain in England. Scafell Pike is 978 metres tall, the walk is over 10 miles and may take up to a full day. There are many different routes, the main starts from Wasdale Head Car Park
Buttermere – You can walk all the way round Buttermere lake on a five mile footpath that runs along the shore. The walk is reasonably easy and takes about two hours, and there are plenty places to stop on the way round.
Grasmere and Rydal Water – The popular lakeside trail around Grasmere and Rydal Water includes fabulous views and historic places. Allow two to three hours for this walk, and longer if you would like to hire a rowing boat along the way.
The Old Man of Coniston – The big hill to the west of Coniston village is known as the Old Man. The walk up is quite tough and takes upto four hours but once at the top the views are well worth it. You can sometimes see as far as the Isle of Man. From Coniston village take the well-marked tourist route past Church Beck and the old mine workings.
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