Lake District - activity recommendations?

[PoorlyPete]

We're off the lakes at the end of the month with 3 year old DS. We've got a trip to Muncaster castle and the Haverthwaite (sp?) railway planned but other than that we have 3-4 days to fill. Would love some recommendations of things to do with a very energetic child please!

Climb Gummer's Howe. Little hill right to the south of Windermere. You can drive half way up and the rest is an easy 30-45 min walk on footpaths with a bit of optional scrambling. It has great views from the top, a proper mountain feel. Both my DC managed it easily at 3 (actually I think DS was about 4 and 3 days), bribed by sweets

Ambleside climbing wall

Mini golf in Ambleside

NT Fell Foot Park - adventure playground, rowing, running about

OK swimming pool in Keswick if its wet

South Lakes zoo

South Lakes aquarium

World of Peter Rabbit in Hawkshead if he is into Beatrix Potter (I have never been , my 2 are not in BP)

Fossil hunting at Humphrey Head (Grange over Sands/Morecambe Bay, not actually Lake District National Park)

Wray Castle (NT)

Lowther Castle (also NT)

The castles are both really good family days out.

OK soft play in Ambleside if its wet again

Mountain biking at Grizedale or Whinlatter Forest. The mountain biking at Grizedale is not that easy though (My DC are 4 and 7 and both pretty experience for their age) , but a 3 year old would be OK on a baby seat, but there is a lot of uphill! Good playground at Grizedale too though .

Another vote for Fell Foot and the Ambleside mini golf and the chippy
Rowing from the boat station next to Ambleside Youth Hostel.

Hi i can't help but bumping this thread in case of any more good suggestions.

i think bikerunski and I had the same holiday.

Brock holes has a brilliant bouncy nets thing up in the trees. 3yo ds spent a good 2 hours playing there in the rain (full waterproofs very useful because it holds water even after it stops raining. Otherwise second wray castle but if you do the boat trip and do the lakeside walk, it's a very long 2 miles. It is cycle able though. Fell foot and Gummer's Howe both good as was sizergh castle (we went for breakfast and left at 4). Even by NT standards it was great for kids with woodland trails and garden games and just loads to do. Fell foot and wray are also nt as are a number of car parks so it may be worth looking at membership.

Lakes aquarium has horrendous queues on a wet day.

I think i meant Sizergh Castle, not Lowther.

The walk round Tarn Howes is very accessible, less than 2 miles, and easily do-able for little legs. NT car park.

Sizergh is fab. We were there for ages too! And there's a great farm shop nearby for lunch too.

Also Wray Castle and Brockhole.

Where are you staying? It's not that easy driving from one end to the other (even with the A591 back so you may

Sorry
So you may want to go for specific areas

Stick Man and Gruffalo trails at Whinlatter. You can also hire bikes etc. The playgrounds there are fab, take a picnic and it's easily a full day.

Walk up Latrigg from the car park above Keswick. My toddler managed it fine and the views are amazing.

Keswick pool, as a pp said, is good on a wet day. There's a slide and a wave pool.

Trip on the boat at Derwentwater or Ullswater.

If it's a nice day, paddling at Crummock Water is lovely - so quiet, and away from the masses. There's a pub nearby with a brilliant beer garden too, the Kirkstile Inn. If you park near there it's a short walk to the lake.

If you're going Ravenglass way, the railway is worth a go but can I suggest not doing Muncaster Castle? It's a bit shite and very overpriced. My toddler was bored rigid... sorry.

Ooh, just read that your toddler is v energetic! Definitely not Muncaster. Take him to Whinlatter or Grizedale and let him run!

Grizedale has sculpture trails (one with interactive sculptures) and a great playground.

Stick man trail at grizedale too

Is whinlatter or grizedale better?

I prefer Whinlatter to Grizedale, for running, cycling and children's things to do, but both are great. Depends where abouts in the Lakes you are, really.

I prefer Whinlattet with children, but the southern Lakes (where Grizedale is) is generally better for children- bit more accessible for little legs, but more touristy/kiddy things. The Northern Lakes were my playground in my days of gnarly mountaineering, the mountains are bigger and remoter.

Whinlatter is about an hour further away from where we are staying than grizedale is so don't want to make the trek out there unless it is worth it.

Ravenglass and Eskdale railway.
Brockhole..there is a large free playground as well as the paid for net things.

Lowther Castle isn't NT I'm afraid, but well worth keeping an eye on as they're currently building an AMAZING wooden play area (I think some of their literature said it would be the biggest in Europe!) Unfortunately though this coincides with introducing children's entry fees.

Other National Trust places; Allan Bank (Grasmere) Acorn Bank, Wordsworth house all offer something different and might be worth checking out if you're members in addition to Wray Castle and Sizergh Castle.

If it's wet weather King Kong in Keswick is supposed to be great for energetic kids, I haven't yet been but am told it's an indoor 'hard play' area with tunnels and bits to climb and explore.

New chocolate workshop in Hawkshead is good.

Treetop nets at Brockhole

Fell foot

Peter rabbit show at world of Beatrix potter world Bowness.

Hi - we spent a week in the Lake District last year with our toddler and 5 year old boys (who are both very energetic too!). We loved the Lakes and had a great time getting out and about. One of our favourite days out was a boat cruise on Ullswater and a walk to the Aria Force waterfall. Anyway I thought that this article about 11 things to do in the Lake District with toddlers might help. Jo

www.kiddieholidays.co.uk/11-things-to-do-in-the-lake-district-with-toddlers/

We're going to Ravenglass tomorrow. We love the Laal Ratty. We go to Boot stop off at Brookhouse inn for a delicious lunch then back on the railway going back and forth a couple of times. Then a cream tea before heading home. We go at least once a year because Dh and dc's are big steam fans.