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Original poster

Keswick recommendations?

84 replies

charliewww · 07/05/2022 20:15

I've got a week booked in Keswick soon, with 8yo dd. We haven't been for a few years - does anyone have any recommendations of things we can do/good places to eat while we are there?

Happy to travel to other areas in the car. So far I have on my list the wildlife park, and a rock shop dd has seen on YouTube which is in Ambleside...

OP posts:
Glendaruel · 07/05/2022 20:26

Lots to do. The new railway path is a great walk if you want something easy. Puzzling Place has great optical illusions, Keswick Museum has a great huge instrument called the musical stones that you can play and a lovely cafe. If you bring your swimming stuff you can swim in derwentwater. At Bassinthwaite you can have afternoon tea on the train from the film the orient express.

BaaMoon · 07/05/2022 20:30

Pencil museum

Trixiefirecracker · 07/05/2022 20:35

Is the wildlife park South Lakes? …as that has a terrible reputation. You can swim in most of the lakes and some lovely little tarns. The walk from Watendlath is really lovely and there’s a tea room there. Best fish and chips in Keswick at the Old Keswickian

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8 year olds
dancerdog · 07/05/2022 20:41

The Pencil Museum is one of my favourite museums.

Go a trip on the lake (Derwentwater) You can get off and walk for sections of the trip (but do check - I was there recently and some of the landings are closed at present)

heliosfountain · 07/05/2022 20:43

Definitely the Pencil Museum, we went in 2015 and my kids still use their (now very stubby) named pencils! It's an ace museum.

Trixiefirecracker · 07/05/2022 20:44

I have to disagree about the Pencil Museum. I live right near it and it’s one of the worst museums I’ve every been to! 😂

heliosfountain · 07/05/2022 20:45

Oh and we loved the walk round Buttermere lake, unforgetable!

Original poster
charliewww · 07/05/2022 20:47

See I've never been to the pencil museum as I always thought it would be naff but I might give it a go!

I don't mean the south lakes zoo. There's a wildlife park near where we are staying. It's only small but good for a few hours!

OP posts:
maeveiscurious · 07/05/2022 20:48

Catbells is doable with a child of that age and the stone circle castlerigg

Trixiefirecracker · 07/05/2022 20:52

There’s a walk with Alpacas near here, I’ve never done it but a friend has…they loved it!

BaaMoon · 07/05/2022 20:54

charliewww · 07/05/2022 20:47

See I've never been to the pencil museum as I always thought it would be naff but I might give it a go!

I don't mean the south lakes zoo. There's a wildlife park near where we are staying. It's only small but good for a few hours!

Ah it's great! I know you think but it's just about pencils but I still remember my trip there when I was a teen.

Mirrorball2022 · 07/05/2022 20:54

Boats on the water, can walk around the water or partially and get a boat/bus back if they are running. There’s boat hire just out of Keswick. The optical illusion place is ok if it’s raining. There are small shops in Keswick to wander round but nothing exciting really.

Lot of places nearby to travel by car but we always stay put once in an area we are staying don’t have to worry about parking again etc. There are bus routes too to other areas: some open top.

Sleeptillnoon · 07/05/2022 20:56

Kong climbing wall in the centre of Keswick is nice, and kid friendly. You can do bouldering or clip & climb. There's a cafe with a hard play area in it where you can sit with a drink and watch her play.

Second a boat trip, you can get the launch and go all around the lake, which is beautiful.

Don't miss the playground in Fitz Park, it's really great, and the museum & cafe are really close.

Have fun, I'm very jealous!

SweatyChamoisPad · 07/05/2022 20:58

Just adding my endorsement for fish and chips at the Keswickian. Second best fish and chips of my life! First goes to Yorkshire Fisheries (which is inexplicably in Blackpool, Lancs).

coffeecupsandfairylights · 07/05/2022 20:59

If you go to the Wildlife Park near Bassenthwaite, I really recommend one of the animal experiences if she's old enough.

I did the Bird of Prey experience there a few years ago and it was amazing.

Original poster
charliewww · 07/05/2022 21:01

Ah yes is the Keswickian the one at the top of the market square?

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. She's not very adventurous (scared of water and heights so boats and rock climbing off limits sadly!) but we will definitely check everything else out.

Animal experience at the wildlife park is a fab idea!

OP posts:
toomanybooksonmybookcase · 07/05/2022 21:20

Whinlatter have a Gruffalo trail and a pretty cool forest adventure play park. Take spare clothes though as part of it involves children being able to play and splash in one of the streams. Yep, that was me who forgot the spare clothes and one of my kids ended up sitting in the car on the way home wearing DH's fleece.

The railway path is also really good and smoothly paved as well so great for scooters e.t.c. It's about a 6 mile walk, so if you don't think she'll manage both ways you can walk into the village of Threlkeld (just beyond the end of the path) and get the X4/X5 bus back into Keswick

If you're going to the wildlife park, arrive early as parking can fill up quite quickly, as does Whinlatter

Trixiefirecracker · 07/05/2022 21:23

charliewww · 07/05/2022 21:01

Ah yes is the Keswickian the one at the top of the market square?

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. She's not very adventurous (scared of water and heights so boats and rock climbing off limits sadly!) but we will definitely check everything else out.

Animal experience at the wildlife park is a fab idea!

Yes…Also Allan Bank is fantastic. Great for kids and huge chance of seeing red squirrels. It’s about 20 min drive from Keswick to Grasmere and the Grasmere gingerbread is divine.

itssquidstella · 07/05/2022 21:25

Eat at The Fellpack: fellpack.co.uk/restaurants/

Toddlerteaplease · 07/05/2022 21:27

Love the pencil museum! And the old Keswickian for chips. Zeffirelli's in Ambleside is good for pizza.

Toddlerteaplease · 07/05/2022 21:28

@Trixiefirecracker that is blasphemy!!!

Toddlerteaplease · 07/05/2022 21:30

Blackwell is lovely and you also get half price enter my to the Windermere jetty museum.

PennyPinkPineapple · 07/05/2022 21:30

A trip to Booths the supermarket. Love it!

Toddlerteaplease · 07/05/2022 21:33

My sister lives round the corner from booths in Penrith. Apparently they have a little tiny hoover to suck up crumbs from the pork pies in the deli counter!

Trixiefirecracker · 07/05/2022 21:38

@Toddlerteaplease what is???