Lake District for Beginners

[edel2]

Hi everyone

I'm from Ireland and going to go to Lake District in November.

All I know (literally) is that it's beautiful. I would be soooo grateful for advice....where to stay, what to do, what to bring....ANYTHING!!

I've three kids (8 and 6 years old, and 7 month old) - the older 2 are great walkers, so we plan on doing lots of it (weather permitting).

Also Brockhole for tree top nets, go ape etc. You can hire little self drive motor boats, we always get them from Brockhole because that stretch of water is.pretty quiet and they're also a lot cheaper. You can catch a ferry / gondola from Brockhole to Wray Castle too.

This is great place to stay near Ullswater. My grandkids love it. Several types of accommodation such as glamping cabins, self catering cottage and hobbit holes.There’s a cosy bar on site with wood fired pizzas.

https://thequietsite.co.uk/

@edel2 Check out The Yan near Grasmere. Great base if you have a car. Couldn’t fault it.

Calm down🙀 ffs
It's actually a true story but I'm being lighthearted.
There actually wasn't any signal where we were, there's no "of course there's WiFi" when you're in the middle of nowhere.
MN is getting worse for posters jumping on every little thing, sorry you're such a fun sponge, you must have such a miserable life.
I take it by your user name that you're a "man", just what we need on here, another man on a woman's forum giving their "expert" opinion 🙄 get your arse over to dadsnet

@Campervangirl
sorry youre a fun sponge you must have such a miserable life

what the fuckity fuck!!! 🤣🤣How rude!!😂

I take it by your user name that you're a "man", just what we need on here, another man on a woman's forum giving their "expert" opinion 🙄 get your arse over to dadsnet

Bless you, you can take what you want, that doesn't mean you'd be right though. You have no idea how far off the mark you are.

You know the saying, ' never assume, as it makes an ass of u and me'. Are you that gulliable you take everything at face value.

Look at posters names ,do you really think AndrewGarfieldslap is really a lap top for example?
You do know user names can be absolutely anything asl ong as they aren't offensive or the same as someone else's. And you do know that people make up names that may have no connection to the ' real world' but maybe it was something that was amusing to them at the time of needing a new nickname.

I think it's you that's had such an extreme reaction to a not that bad post and your post is bloody rude and quite frankly nasty. I wonder what triggered you?🙄
Take care, hugs.

Op.
If you don't mind emails subscribe to the Lake District national park news letter. That is always informative. Also there are quite a few face book groups that cover the lake District that are full of good ideas and advice as well.
As others have said November will be quiter but will have shorter daylight hours.However depending you on your skill level you can still get so.e longish low level walks in or ha e a shorter mountain day, if you are equipped. Use an app like Alltrails or Komoot for ideas.
Have a great time. I live 25 mins from Kendal so im there most weeks either working with teens or hiking mountain biking or swimming in my free time.
Me and Dh are staying in Grasmere this weekend for our anniversary and no doubt end up in Tweedies!

I love visiting as fairly local. It is a beautiful place. Where are you staying? We did Helm Crag, Orrest Head and Tarn Hows with my 6yo this summer, all relatively easy walks. I'd recommend bringing a carrier for baby so you can get the most out of the lakes.

Ambleside is my favourite place and they have a lantern parade and Christmas light switch on in mid November followed by fireworks. Happy to pm details if that’s somewhere you are thinking of.

wherever you end up - will be lovely

To all previous posters and to anyone else - I can second the Pencil Museum - it sounds rubbish - but it really isn't 😁for a hour or two 🖍

Grizedale forest as I recall has a sculpture walk ( not sure if they still do , but they do have "activities" ) - hang on - just googled https://www.forestryengland.uk/grizedale

I still hold by Tarn Hows which is very beautiful - a decent walk ( not a climbing sort of walk - just walking around the tarn. ) Ambleside lovely for cafes / lunch etc but yes much more touristy. Backbarrow ( south Lakes which seems not find as much favour - which is fine ) has a lovely car museum and a brilliant cafe for lunch. One other thing if you are there at the time is Cartmel Races - that is a good day out and Cartmel itself is lovely as a village to walk around https://cartmel-racecourse.co.uk.

There is so much to do in the Lakes . If you really want to out do the Pencil Museum - try the Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston - I went many years ago ( I believe they may have changed venue and it was so charming and amateurish it just made me laugh - I suspect they have upped their game since then - but worth a go on a rainy afternoon https://www.laurel-and-hardy.co.uk/history-page/.

All best to you @edel2 I m sure you will have a lovely time

If you do Keswick, the Lingholm kitchen is lovely for lunch and can combine with walk around lake and the Keswick launch. It's also said to be the inspiration for mr McGregor garden as Beatrix Potter stayed there. Another good place to eat is Bassenthwaite Lake Train Station, but book. Their afternoon tea is lovely. They converted the old derelict buildings there and bought the train and carriages from the film murder on the orient express for extra capacity. Keswick Museum is a good spot to find out about the area and has lovely park and The Alhambra cinema is a beautiful cinema, over 100 years old and recently refurbished (the toilets have lovely wallpaper!)

The lakes will be quieter in nov, but if you were coming in season, I would suggest the West lakes are quieter with ennerdale, loweswater, the beach at St Bees, Sawmill Cafe in Wasdale with its local food, trip on the ratty train and Muncaster Castle.

Second Cartmel races! Loved going there. Our horse won! Happy days.

That time of year you may get a good deal on a holiday lodge at Limefitt holiday park
This is up the Troutbeck valley and is handy to get around to Windermere etc, next to the lovely Kirkstone pass that's a gateway to the north lakes.

Check v carefully if you plan to eat out / visit attractions etc. Many pubs don’t do food (or even open) every night even in high season because of labour shortage and a lot restrict opening hours over winter.

We regularly visit and stay in or near Keswick. Whinlatter is great with bike trails, zip wires and walks for all ages inc kids trails. Keswick has King as mentioned and the Lake etc. Take the launch and go for a walk. Regarding rain, you might be lucky, it’s often wetter in summer rather than autumn. Grisedale is nice, but the roads are quite winding and it feels a bit bit more remote than Whinlatter. There’s an aquarium and a few stream railways in Cumbria. I’ve not done Wray Castle, it looks fun. Cockermouth has nice cafes and a National Trust property, plus brewery tours. The Bowderstone is worth a look.

Marking place as we’re going in October!

A lot of the walks suggested really can’t be done with a pram! You’ll need a hiking carrier for your 7 month old. I wouldn’t attempt Catbells with even that unless you’re very fit.

But if you decide to base yourself in Keswick then you can do lots of easier stuff - a bus to Honister slate mine, and the same bus will get you to Buttermere where there’s a walk around the mere that is pretty flat. You might try Latrigg - it’s often the first fell on the way to the top of Skiddaw.

If you’re in Keswick get the double decker bus to Borrowdale valley. It’s one of the more beautiful places on earth and walking along Greenup hill from Rosthwaite will give you a flat walk with the taste of true fell-walking. I like taking inexperienced or unfit walkers along there and into the Langstrath valley. It may not be warm enough in November but the Langstrath beck is a great wild swimming beck.

I suggest buses because they are often better for sightseeing and you don’t have to find expensive parking. And the burden of day trippers and tourists’ cars in Cumbria is awful. The winter timetables in the main tourist spots are still ok - like Wainwright I do extensive fell-walking by public transport.

If you decide to base yourself further south there are probably more rainy day and manufactured touristy things but some are ok. The National Trust house near Troutbeck - Townend - is really interesting and it’s a reasonable easy walk in the softer countryside of the area.

You could go from Troutbeck right up to High Street by the Tongue if you feel you can carry your baby - your DC should be able to manage that and they can imagine the horse races at the top!

Oh also in Keswick, don’t miss fish and chips at the Keswickian.

We haven’t found traffic that bad out of peak season. It’s hardly likely to be a big deal in November. The bigger issue is places not being open and weather. Buses are ok but with a baby? I would have a car as a base and somewhere to get back to quickly if needed.

To be honest, the locals would be happy if folks like you gave the Lake District a wide berth too

A lot of the walks suggested really can’t be done with a pram! You’ll need a hiking carrier for your 7 month old. I wouldn’t attempt Catbells with even that unless you’re very fit.
That is true. However there is a book I used to use a lot when I used to take teenage disabled people who were in wheelchairs out in the lakes and the paths were suitable for prams. I'll see if I can find it. There's loads of valley walks or lakeside walks that can be done with a pram. You can be a bit more ambitious if you have ....... I can't remember the name, child carrier, like a rucksack. Dh used to carry ds1 all over the lakes in one of them.

Yes @notacooldad we have more “accessible “ walking routes now. The Lake District national park website should have details.

And there are the easy strolls such as Orrest Head. More of these in the south than the north and west. But all the touristy stuff is not the real Cumbria …

Of course not. It’s just that people who live there need to make money to live. It’s always mean to think no one should run a business of which you don’t approve. Let everyone move elsewhere if they run a tourist business and make sure schools close etc! How ridiculous can you get? Live and let live and support all business.

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick often has a family friendly show in the Autumn so it's worth looking at their schedule as it's possible that you might want an indoor activity or two in November!!
Wray Castle is good for little children but check the opening arrangements as a lot of National Trust properties close for the Winter after October half term.
As already mentioned, Whinlatter is good for small children with some easy well marked walks and you can hire bikes there.
You can get combined tickets on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway and the Windermere Steamers and there's still decent views from inside on wet days.
Other wet weather attractions include the Lakeland Motor Museum and the Steam Boat Museum at Windermere which is also a nice place to eat.
You might get lucky with the weather of course - we do get beautiful days in the Autumn and Winter - but there's a reason for all those Lakes so it's best to be prepared for rain! Hope you have a lovely time.

The Windemere Jetty Museum was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling prize. It’s a stunning tourist attraction. Well worth a visit.

If you go to Keswick, up the west side of Derwentwater is Catbells which is a cracking walk, on a good day it can be crowded, but if you carry on after the peak, the crowds disappear. On the west side of Derwentwater turn off the lakeside road, over Ashness Bridge and follow the narrow rd all the way to Watendlath. Stop halfway to look out over the lake. At the end you can walk over the fells to Butteremere. A warning. In November the weather can change quickly. If you are walking on the fells make sure you have appropriate shoes and clothes. Take a good map, and some food and drink. If the cloud level drops, visibility can rapidly diminish so take care.