National Trust Lake District

[Sparklyring]

Planning our holiday for next year and hoping to get use out of our National Trust passes. What's everyones place to go?

Hopeful bump

Mainly used for car parking in the Lake District! Sizergh Castle is National Trust. Nothing particularly stand out though.

Aria force

Wray Castle is very good, especially if you have young children, but I found it interesting as an adult. There's Beatrix Potter's house near Hawkshead. Its ages since I've been there but I enjoyed it. I think you need to book in advance and get a timed ticket as its very busy. I really like the Wordsworth House in Cockermouth and Sizergh Castle is good too. A lot of the NT property in the Lake District is countryside rather than houses etc, but you do at least get free parking. Aira Force is one of my favourite places.

Beatrix Potters home just outside Hawkeshead.
Dove Cottage - William Wordsworth home Grasmere
Also his childhood home in Cockermouth.

Good walk along the shore of Windermere from Wray. Not circular but depending on age of children you can just amble along and stop off on the beachy bits. There are longer circular walks you can do with older children taking Wray as your starting point, such as the Latterbarrow one that’s on the NT Wray page. Great views from there.
NT parking at Claife, past Near and Far Sawrey, also leading to the shore, great cafe near the Viewing Point, which I believe has been refurbished and worth the climb up.

I hated Hill Top. Crowded, not very child-friendly and a bit oppressive, but perhaps worth it with membership so you’ve ‘done’ Beatrix Potter’s house.

Sizergh is lovely. Interesting house tour if open, lovely gardens and walks round the wider estate. Sizergh Barn along the road has wonderful food and a good cafe.

There’s also Town End House on the outskirts of Windermere. Only the house there so not a destination for all day unless you’re doing one of the walks round there past The Mortal Man etc - but you’d have to park elsewhere if you were doing the walk as well. Interesting though.

How did I forget Wray Castle? 😳 Don’t drive there though. Much easier to park at Ambleside or Bowness and go by boat.

Acorn Bank (near Penrith) is nice - it's closed at the moment but hopefully won't be next year.

Definitely Wray castle. We went by boat from Ambleside and had a lovely day with the dc.

Fell Foot (right at the bottom of Windermere) is good for hiring rowing boats, much better than trying that at Bowness imo.

@ErrolTheDragon Is Acorn Banks completely shut or just the house? Is it worth visiting if the house is shut? It's on our way from home to our lodge so could make it a break stop if it's worth it.

I live in the Lakes and our NT membership is invaluable. Mainly for carparks... we live fairly close to Fell foot and use it often after school, the parking prices are expensive so it pays to have membership.

We used to go to Wray and Allan bank when kids were younger.

But mainly use it for carparks. There are 2 in great langdale, a 3rd up the hill at Blea Tarn. Tarn Hows is too. And 2 on the west windermere nr the Ferry

Wray castle is ok for families, I don't find it that interesting for adults, it depends what exhibitions they have on. The neighbouring NT campsite is beautiful.
Allan banks at Grasmere is nice if you are in the area.
My favourite NT places in the Lakes are Town End, Troutbeck (an old family farmhouse with amazing hand carved furniture) and Hilltop house (Beatrix Potters house) and the Beatrix potter gallery in Hawkshead.
The free carparking is worth the membership alone but you need to be there early to get in the popular ones.

OP - the website indicates Acorn Bank is totally shut at the moment. Hopefully things will be better next year but who knows if they'll still be doing prebooking.
The current general info is here

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-book-your-visit-and-what-to-expect

You can also use your pass for some of the car parks.

There’s a NT car park in Elterwater. You can do a beautiful circular walk past the lake and waterfall. Chesters tea room also happens to be on the walk which is a must for their baked goods. 😁

@FoxtrotOscarPoppet

You can also use your pass for some of the car parks.

There’s a NT car park in Elterwater. You can do a beautiful circular walk past the lake and waterfall. Chesters tea room also happens to be on the walk which is a must for their baked goods. 😁

They have a takeaway now, round the back. Handy when the main cafe is busy. You need to get to the NT car park very early on nice days or it’s full.

You also need a small mortgage for Chesters

Aira Force

Windermere

Keswick