Tell me about the Lake District

[MissDollyMix]

Planning a trip to the Lake District for our family of 4 (DC will be 8 and 11) and 2 canine companions. Looking at various cottages but am honestly completely overwhelmed by choice! I want something with a bit of luxury, nice garden, lovely views and a pub (dare to dream!) in walking distance. DH wants some good walks nearby. So we don't want much then! Thing is, I haven't been to the Lake District for years. I actually don't even know what is there, what are the main things to see and do (and in turn, what we need to be near)? Is it best to be somewhere out rural, or should we head for one of the busier villages? Which are the best bits? Which are the bits to avoid? Any guidance would be much appreciated.

I think you’d be pretty hard pressed to find something that doesn’t fit your bill in the Lake District to be honest! I’d avoid Lake Windermere as it’s so busy!

I like staying in Keswick when we go to the Lakes. You can walk to shops/pubs/cafes etc but can also do plenty of fell walking straight from your front door as well.

Hi I live in the Lakes, in on of the honeypot towns and work for a cottage company.

For everything you’d like I’d definitely consider Grasmere. Its a very pretty little village with lovely local shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs. Its midway between Keswick and Windermere for exploring and close to Ambleside for a change of scenery. Theres a few national trust properties nearby and rydal hall for a wander.
Theres two smaller lakes nearby, Grasmere and Rydal with lovely shore walks plus plenty of scope for decent fell walks from the doorstep too.
There are two 4 star luxury hotels called The Wordsworth and Forest Side with decent restaurants.
Theres loads of B&B’s and also plenty of holiday cottages. I can recommend a great gated detatched cottage with a stunning garden with fell views and balcony hot tub if you have the budget!

I’d avoid July and August, it’s crazily rammed everywhere in the Lakes, you’re just fighting for space all the time and the roads are gridlocked.

Thank you for taking the time to comment this is very helpful!

www.keswickcottages.co.uk/holiday-cottage/lords_seat__vb_5_star#.YAXAwKTfWEc
We like it here

I second Keswick. As well as all the pubs, cafés, beautiful fell/lake walks etc, there's the spectacular Castlerigg Stone Circle, which is set in a kind of bowl surrounded by mountains.

Really, most of the Lake District will fit all your criteria, except the far west coast (which still has amazing countryside, but less in the way of pretty villages and lovely cafés).

I'd also recommend the Lakes Aquarium, which you can get to via a nice trip on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite steam railway and the Windermere ferry.

You’ll definitely find places that fit the bill around somewhere like Grasmere, Ambleside or Keswick but oh my, you can really pay for the privilege!

When we have been we’ve tended to have to compromise on something because luxurious accommodation in prime spots (particularly in school holidays!) is ££££!

Personally I prefer to compromise a bit on location - there are so many beautiful places away from the most popular spots, plus they have the advantage of being quieter.

Last trip I scoured the whole of the LD for a nice air bnb within budget and then whittled it down based on location.

Lake District is lovely come prepared for all weathers especially the rain. But it looks beautiful in all weathers.

I would avoid staying in Windermere and Ambleside.
Staying in or close to Keswick would be a good balance base (in terms of pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, shops, supermarket, walks on door step all within walking distance). But it can be busy on a nice day, on weekends and in school holidays.

But lots of other much smaller, quieter, less central places may be nice and may also suit you and meet your requirements.

The one thing to remember is it can be very wet so be prepared.
The Grasmere tip is good, its a nice small place, Keswick is lovely on a Saturday as its market day so often busy and if you fancy a difficult drive go to Watendlath Tarn its stunning but the road is very tight with few passing places, but take your time and its worth it.
www.visitcumbria.com/kes/watendlath/

Via Ashness bridge
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/features/ashness-bridge-wildlife-and-a-surprise-view

This is a trip we have done a few times its nice day out and the section before the ferry is quieter.
www.donthibernate.co.uk/route-9-the-lakes/

The Motor museum is great for a wet day, you can take dogs and if you dont want to see the cars it has a great cafe and outside seating next to the river.
www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk

We stayed at The Graythwaite Estate in September. They have lots of cottage options and is on the opposite of Windermere to Bowness, but it's an easy hop on the ferry.
We also drove further afield to visit the safari zoo, which was a brilliant day out

It's very grey and full of tourists. Just FYI

Would you consider a hotel? If so: rothaymanor.co.uk/

They happily accept dogs, but depending on your children, you might find the food a bit much.

Other than that, Keswick- there are some nice restaurants and great little pubs there, and who cares if it's raining? Try to take in afternoon tea at the Lodore if having a walk round the lake- or lunch at the Lingholm Estate if you decide to do Catbells.

It's the lakes, it's ALWAYS raining! But....it's a different kind of rain- refreshes the soul, and boy, could we all do with that at the moment!

Thanks again for all in the input. It's really helpful. Off to check out all of your suggestions.

Thankfully I'm a bit of a weirdo who rather likes the rain! So that won't spoil things. Really starting to feel excited about planning a holiday now.

You’re welcome, message me if you need any help. Also just to mention, for some kid-friendly outdoor activities there is the Honister Slate Mine Via Ferrata. Tree Top Trek at Grizedale Forest (also bike and segway hire, visitor centre and adventure play area), another Tree Top Trek with nets at Brockhole visitor centre near Windermere which has all sorts of other activities too. Cheaper options are a walk around Tarn Hows which is worth the drive just for the views, and theres plenty of boats to hire or steamers to ride on Windermere and Ullswater (at the Glenridding end). Oh and Wray Castle is worth a visit too.
The Visit Cumbria website will have tons more information and a “Whats On” for when you get here.
Happy hols!

Rookin House also worth a visit quad bikes, pony trekking etc.

Hallin Fell, Latrigg and Catbells are all fairly short steep walks to the top but fab views free.

Whinlatter forest has Go Ape and various walking and cycling trails.

Their is an outdoor pool and play area at Lazonby in the Eden Valley.

In the Eden Valley is Lowther Castle has lovely walks (the castle is ruined but its a fabulous back drop). Nice walking trails and rope swings dotted about and they encourage you to wander off the beaten track (they also have a newish play area which we haven’t visited). Also Askham near Lowther castle has some nice walks.

The western lakes are often much quieter and less touristy and vast Wastwater, Ennerdale areas. Their is also the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway.

You can take a ferry across some of the Lakes or hire a boat.

My favourite lake is Ullswater.

Just a few suggestions to keep you busy.

@Plussizejumpsuit

It's very grey and full of tourists. Just FYI

It was up to 30 degrees when we were there last summer and we found lots of quiet mountain walks

Thank you for all of these inspirational ideas!

I keep seeing lots of cottages in Cartmel but looking at the map it seems quite far off the main tourist area. Is it a good place to be based or too far out?

It's very grey and full of tourists.

Actually it's very green. Because it rains a lot! Also the Lake District in the rain is still more beautiful than most places in the UK in the sunshine.

Only certain bits of it are full of tourists, at certain times of year. There are so many beautiful lakes, tarns and fells, and the majority of tourists never venture beyond Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere. When we moved here, locals warned us about the traffic, but it's a lot less bad than where we lived before (near a small market town in Oxfordshire)!

Cartmel is too far out. Roads are small and winding in the lakes and it can take a lot longer to get anywhere than you expect.

Pubs and good walks are everywhere. I would make a list of other attractions you might want to see, work out where would be a good base for those and find a village nearby with a pub. Then find a cottage.

When are you wanting to go? I’d agree Cartmel is too far out for a first trip. We sometimes stay near Newby Bridge which is about as far out as you’d want to be.

When we were there last year we couldn’t decide between northern and southern lakes so we split our time between the two - we did 4 nights just outside Keswick and 4 near Newby Bridge so we had a got to explore lots of different places (plus stayed in very different accommodation - we had 4 nights glamping in a shepherds hut and 4 nights in a nice barn conversion).

I am very fussy about accommodation (I’ll veto a place just because I don’t like the sofa!) so that guided our choice as much as anything else. There’s a lot of distinctly average cottages around, particularly if your budget isn’t high

I love both Grasmere and Hawkshead, both lovely villages. Lots of local walks but close to Windermere. Some good pubs and places to eat out. If you go to grasmere go to the gingerbread shop next to the church it’s legendary !!

Elterwater is a nice less well known village with a great pub, good access to walking in langdale. You can take the exciting driving route to Wasdale from there. You’re not far from grasmere, coniston, Ambleside and even Windermere. Grizedale forest.

Bit further to Keswick area but do’able.

I grew up in the Lakes and I really don't think it's as wet as people make out. I now live in the Peak District and I think the weather is generally worse here, especially the wind. If you're from the sunny south maybe you'll disagree.

When we were moving here, I looked up the stats, garlictwist. (I was indeed moving from the sunny south.) The average annual rainfall here is more than double the amount wherecwe moved from!