Where to go/ what to do near Windermere?

[Howmanysleepsnow]

Just that really. 6 adults (oldest 73), 2 teenagers, 2 junior school aged dc, 2 preschool aged. One adult hates water, one couldn’t manage more than an hour’s walk. Any suggestions?

I loved Windermere. Sadly my lasting memories were of scouring car parks in an attempt to find somewhere reasonably close to town.

In the end we went a few Miles up, hired a boat for a few hours and sailed in. I'd suggest that though, it was a lovely day.

Brockhole. You can get up from Bowness on a boat.
There's a nice cafe and art exhibition and gardens for the older people and treetop nets for the teens.
(disclaimer - we went pre-corona so don't know how much will still be open).
www.brockhole.co.uk/

Fell foot park. There's a NT place in grasmere that's interesting, very much kids orientated, can't remember name

Do the things you thought of doing when you decided you would book Windermere?

The tourist info places would be best place to start tbh.

Assuming it's all open again... Park at Brockhole and exhaust all there is to go there. There's high ropes for teens, coffee shop, adventure playground. Then take bikes/ hire and get the ferry from Brockhole over to the west shore. Cycle along the shore and up to Wray castle.
Next day...Split into groups.

@PuppyMonkey my dad booked it, without any specific ideas. My little bit of the family are happy walking/ paddle boarding, but it’s less suitable for the others

Ferry from Bowness to lakeside, visit lakeside aquarium, then you have the option of getting on the lakeside and haverthwaite railway.

Wray castle NT is very much aimed at children, the grounds are nice to wander around and picnic in.
Hilltop (Beatrix Potters cottage) is nice, probably the adults would enjoy it more and Hawkshead village is good for a wander around. If you are over in that area, Tarn Hows is beautiful and a very easy, family friendly walk. Grizedale forest has lots of walks of varying difficulty, there is a kids playground and a Go Ape with a zip wire that might appeal to the teenagers.

Or there's always the pencil museum in Keswick, if it's open, not far away.
That would appeal to everyone - who doesn't like pencils?

Definitely Brockhole - the playgrounds are ace and there's a high ropes course too. Lovely gardens and café for older folk too.

You could get the boat and go to the Lakes Aquarium or drive to the Safari Zoo at Dalton which is about an hour or so away.

Go to Grasmere and get some gingerbread and go to the little fairy café by the lake (I forget the name but it's very pretty).

Windermere jetty museum on the main road into Windermere

Take teens paddle boarding round the little islands in the lake they will love it . There’s a place by the car ferry.

Ghost tour in hawkshead - involves a bit of walking

Bit further away but Lakes Distillery tour