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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to plan a day trip to the Lake District? Help!

57 replies

Heyhihobye · 19/05/2026 01:08

Hiya Mumsnet, I am so confused and worried about sounding a bit thick, really.

I want to take my children (1, 6, 9) to the Lake District next week. I was thinking a full day trip - early morning to evening time.

I am basically clueless (trying to research online) and actually have no idea where to begin.

Is a day trip worthwhile and possible?
What do people actually do there?
What are your tips and recommendations?
How can I make the most of it?

Please help me out so I can create an itinerary and give the kids a nice memorable trip!

Thanks Mumsnet x

OP posts:
Somnambule · 19/05/2026 12:29

Pennyfan · 19/05/2026 11:33

I think Tarn Hows is the best suggestion on this thread. What’s the point of leaving Manchester to go to parks and a museum? You can get that back home. But a visit to the Tarn which feels wild yet accessible could be something magical for young kids. My son used to run for hours through our local woods waving his wooden sword and making up adventures. Do it!

Totally. Put kids in a beautiful place and give them some freedom, and they don't need attractions or entertainment.

Thecows · 19/05/2026 12:52

PlayingDevilsAdvocateisinteresting · 19/05/2026 02:08

I think that as you are under an hour away @Heyhihobye, that it could be worth it, but I'm not sure how much fun the children would find it, especially the 1 year old. If your youngest uses a pushchair you might want to check wherever it is that you intend to visit, as since I had to use a wheelchair, some places - a lot of places - were too difficult for me to negotiate. That was because many curbs, and steps into shops, cafes, and restaurants, are very high, and along with some cobbled roads - in some of the town centres - it was just too difficult for me to manoeuvre. Of course a pushchair is much lighter, as is it's occupant, so they could be lifted into many of the type of places I mentioned.

The only activity that I can think of at the moment, and that you may all enjoy, to a lesser or greater extent, is maybe a passenger boat ride on Lake Windermere. If you want to do that, Ambleside would probably give you the best choice. (Some of the other lakes also have passenger boats)

I think that it would also be a good idea to research beforehand any free childrens play parks, and maybe - if the 9 year old doesn't mind, have a cuppa and a snack at a childrens soft play, for the younger two? If you could find somewhere that had both soft play, and something like a childrens wall climbing activity, then that could make a reasonable place where they could all let of some steam!

Talking of steam, I have a feeling that there is also a pleasant steam train journey, but I think it is nearer to the West Coast, and probably quite south within the LD. But I'm sure that it wouldn't be hard to look it up. However, I found that when we were actually within the National Park, most of the roads are very windy - like a snake, rather than windy like a gale! - and, of course, they also had lots of ups and downs. I always loved that part as you could get some stunning views from the higher parts, but it does mean that if you want to visit several different places in the one day, the roads can make the journeys take quite a bit longer than you may imagine from the distances.

Personally, I would not have even attempted the LD if I didn't have another adult with me to help with three children, and you haven't mentioned whether anyone else is going with you. Of course you might have a much stronger constitution than I do, and a 1 year old, a 6 year old, and a 9 year old, might be a breeze for you, so please don't let any negativity I have shown, put you off if you have no worries about coping. I would just add that it probably wouldn't be a great idea to go if it is forecasted to be a rainy day... 🤭

Whatever you do with them next week, I hope you all have a brilliant time 😁

Sorry but I had to laugh at suggesting a soft play place in the LD! Just stay at home 🏡. Young children love belting around outside and exploring rivers and woods. That's my idea of the LD, outside in nature

Missohnoyoubetterdont · 20/05/2026 07:54

Thecows · 19/05/2026 12:52

Sorry but I had to laugh at suggesting a soft play place in the LD! Just stay at home 🏡. Young children love belting around outside and exploring rivers and woods. That's my idea of the LD, outside in nature

I think it’s good to have a back up plan though, we are not known here for the best weather so, especially with little kids, who might not tolerate wandering around the countryside in the lashing rain then pinpointing places to escape to is a good idea!

redfishcat · 20/05/2026 12:17

Or try Grizedale forest. The visitor centre has a fab playground, easy walks for pushchairs and I think a grufalo hunt. Cafe is reasonable and parking is good. Easy to access from Manchester and only a bit to drive on narrow roads.

PlayingDevilsAdvocateisinteresting · 20/05/2026 12:23

Thecows · 19/05/2026 12:52

Sorry but I had to laugh at suggesting a soft play place in the LD! Just stay at home 🏡. Young children love belting around outside and exploring rivers and woods. That's my idea of the LD, outside in nature

Well I am genuinely very glad @Thecows that my suggestion that the under 2 year old, but over a 12 month old, might like to have about 40 minutes or so in a soft play place, while Mum and the 6 and 9 year old had a drink, and a piece of cake, or such like, has given you a laugh, I really wish that I could still laugh so easily!

I was only trying to be helpful by thinking back to when my 3 children were still little - mostly in the 1980s - and we didn't have anything like soft play at that time, and on long days out I would have loved to be able to have a short break somewhere, and have a cup of tea while my youngest coild have a break from their pushchair, or car seat. So I was just wondering what the OP could do for
a short time with her delightful little one, and it also wouldn't matter for that short time whatever the weather was like.

One of my favourite TV programs quite recently was about that shepherdess and her husband and their large brood of children, where they all lived on a North Yorkshire farm - sorry, I can't remember what the programs was called, or any of their names now 🤭 - Anyway what I loved most about that program was how all of the children had so much freedom to play, and to help their parents on the farm.

Each week I enjoyed watching the children's freedom, and the antics they got up to, including at least one of the very young girls helping a sheep that was struggling to birth it's lamb! But I don't think that even that mum would have let her under two year old child go off exploring rivers and woods in the LD, without very close and trustworthy supervision! If she had done so, couldn't she have been legitimately accused of serious neglect of a baby?

When I replied to the OP, I had no idea if she was going to be the only adult in charge of a baby, a 6 year old and a 9 year old, so I was thinking in those terms when I gave her my response 😂

BumpyaDaisyevna · 20/05/2026 13:23

We live up here - when mine were little we often made a day of it at Wray Castle https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/wray

the inside of the castle used to be open but with no posh furniture- just with loads of dressing up and running around for kids, it was great!

the inside is closed atm but you can still park there run around the ground picnic by the lake etc etc.

Wray | Lake District

Parkland and castle on the west shore of Windermere.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/wray

BumpyaDaisyevna · 20/05/2026 13:24

You can get boats from Ambleside that take you across to Wray.

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