Rainy day in the Lake District

[QuebecBagnet]

Any ideas what to do which don’t involve walking in the rain!

No kids but need to be dog friendly.

Am near Keswick but was wondering if Ambleside/Windermere are worth a drive to just to mooch around dog friendly shops?

I want to be the first to say the pencil museum.

I must have gone three times every summer as a child. It certainl6 felt like that, anyway.

Yes, rainy days is what the pencil museum is for

Rheged Centre near Penrith is amazing ... but not sure if it's dog friendly.

@Ragwort

Rheged Centre near Penrith is amazing ... but not sure if it's dog friendly.

It isn’t. I googled just before starting this thread as I’ve fancied going for a bit.

I mean I guess it’s cool enough to leave the dog in the car for a bit while I pop in. Problem is in three years I’ve never worked out how to lock the car without setting the alarm. So dog always sets the car alarm off! If anyone knows how to lock an Astra without the alarm being set that would also be useful. Dh says press the button once but that doesn’t work.

Yes, sorry just checked it myself .. but it's well worth a visit if you can - such an interesting place.

Boat trip on Windermere

Boat trip sounds nice. Not sure I’d be interested enough in pencils to go to the pencil museum. 😂

Ulverston aquarium and car museam. Grasmere gingerbread shop and dove cottage. Whitehaven the beacon and rum story. Cockermouth banks museam and wordsworth house. Ambelside garden centre. Carlisle castle and museam.plenty to do just not sure about dogs.

@Bran21

Ulverston aquarium and car museam. Grasmere gingerbread shop and dove cottage. Whitehaven the beacon and rum story. Cockermouth banks museam and wordsworth house. Ambelside garden centre. Carlisle castle and museam.plenty to do just not sure about dogs.

Oh I love a good garden centre and the Ambleside one looks to be dog friendly! 👍

The cafe at Grasmere garden centre is brilliant and they're definitely dog friendly.

Also good garden centre at carlisle both have restaurants

In the Astra, do you have a black panel above the rear view mirror that has a button that lights up when you press it ?
If so, that’s how you turn the interior sensors off.

The pencil museum is surprisingly good

@GeneLovesJezebel

In the Astra, do you have a black panel above the rear view mirror that has a button that lights up when you press it ? If so, that’s how you turn the interior sensors off.

I’ll investigate that tomorrow but there are a load of buttons on the ceiling there which I have no idea what they’re for. So sounds probable.

Try Larch Cottage bear Penrith or Chester's by the river at Skelwith Bridge . Lovely cafe and shop at both .

If you can catch it open, Allan Bank, the National Trust house just out of Grasmere is great for a wander round and you can sit in one of the comfy chairs and watch the rain fall outside.

@Kat772

Try Larch Cottage bear Penrith or Chester's by the river at Skelwith Bridge . Lovely cafe and shop at both .

I really dislike Chesters now and it used to be my favourite coffee shop/lunch stop ever. Gone seriously downhill the last few years and tripadvisor reviews confirm it’s not just me. Last time I ate there they served me a pizza and the base was watery mush. Literally couldn’t eat it, the manager looked horrified when I demonstrated the mush and refunded me and gave me free chips but I haven’t been back.

@Saucery

If you can catch it open, Allan Bank, the National Trust house just out of Grasmere is great for a wander round and you can sit in one of the comfy chairs and watch the rain fall outside.

The house and woodland walks are shut. The gardens are open but not sure it’s worth it just for the gardens? Never been before so not sure. I do have NT membership and it’s dog friendly. No cafe either!

Some ideas here
www.donthibernate.co.uk/route-9-the-lakes/

There’s a potting shed you could shelter in?
Shame it’s still shut, sorry, I should have checked before recommending. I think they must be having problems getting volunteers or something - it used to be open much more widely than it is and you could get drinks and cake there.

www.pawsbythelake.co.uk/
Bowness, and there is the Wateredge Inn nearby which is dog friendly iirc.

@GeneLovesJezebel. you were right about the button. Thank you. I’ve googled this previously and never found the answer. We went to Rheged!

Honestly you don't need any interest in pencils to find the pencil museum fascinating! Went on a rainy day, not expecting much at all just wanted to stay dry. Loved it! Highly recommended!

Did you enjoy Rheged? Such an unusual place.