How miserable will be be if we spend half-term in the Lake District?

[sameagain]

DH and I love the Lakes and spent loads of time,all through the year, up there before DCs. We would go on long walks, up the peaks etc, properly equipped, whatever the weather.

I feel like we could all do with some time away together. Things haven't exactly been bad, but we don't seem close and even when we're all together at home it will often be in separate rooms/doing different things.

We have DSs 5 & 7 who also love the Lakes, but have only been in summer time, although have all wet weather gear etc and perfectly happy to be out in the rain, not sure about bitter cold.

So concerns are:

-We will be cold (and therefore moany)
-We will be bored (only so many hours in the day that DCs are prepared to walk for) and it will be dark by 4.30 ish? In the summer we would walk in mornings and find play park or water for the afternoon.

I have this idea that we could be outdoors for the mornings, have a lovely lunch somewhere, then back to a nice cosy cottage for board games/stories/watch a DVD. DCs will be tired early and DH and I can share a bottle of wine in front of fire in the eves. But, I have a feeling the reality might be cold miserable and bored kids and therefore parents getting on each others nerves.

What do you think?

No, go. We have taken our children in the October half term many times and there is always something to do. Shorter walks, boat trips, steam train ride, the occasional museum. And one year, they discovered Monopoly and we played it obsessively. It is nice just to have time away with each other.

(We also go to Cornwall at New Year - now that IS a challenge! )

I agree it is nice just to have time together although it does depend what kind of family you are.

the Lakes are wonderful in any weather. I prefer it when you get the mist rolling over the hills - more dramatic

Cold is a great excuse for wrapping up in cosy jumpers and hats, hot chocolate and lingering near real wood fires

Bored??!!?? Loads of stuff to do that is not about walking. Cinema in Ambleside is wonderfully cute, there are loads of indoor exhibitions, swimming pool, craft places, water sports for any weather etc etc. Honestly, it will be great.

Big pile of DVDs will sort out the early evenings..

Go on - go and enjoy the Lakes! Might even get snow up there and that is fab. Best holiday we ever took in the Lakes was a snowy Easter break. Frozen half to death but lots of wonderful cozy pub meals, coffee shop trips and real fires.

Well said Lemon, we had a lovely walking holiday in Wales in February when dd was 3.

Agree with DG and Twinset.

We've had 2 or 3 holidays during the February and October half-term (down to dh's job really) and they have been fine.

Iirc we have been to the Cotswolds, the New Forest and most recently, Suffolk.

Your last para sums it up perfectly! (hte dc were were 4 and 7 last October btw)

I'm quite now

Hot choc, real fires, pub lunches, scrabble, dvd's, wine etc is my fave holiday tbh

There was an article in the Grauniad very recently about real snow ski slopes in the north of England and Scotland.

Why don't you stay near Kendal or somewhere fairly large? That way you have the swimming pool, shops, arts centre etc for bad weather and still have some walks on the door step?

We are going for Easter but have booked a cottage with access to a heated indoor pool so that we only have to keep the kid outside in the mornings and then they can swim in the pm. We did this in October, year before last, and it worked really well.

Walking up hills is MUCH better in cold weather than in hot weather. DDs best attempts to date have been when the only snow was right at the top so she had the prospect of snowballing me to look forward too. (we live in lancs. so get to the LD quite often... we have no snow here but sure there must be some up there!)

Think you've just decided me on where to go this sunday

Oh I love the Lake District. We went there between Christmas & NY and it was frosty but wonderful and not as busy as it is in the summer.

We stayed in Fallbarrow Park just outside Bowness on Windermere. Not a romantic cottage, but within walking distance of Bowness so fabulous if you don't want to take the car out and meant we could walk to Lakeland Steamers and meander round Bowness.

We have booked for both the May bank holiday weekends, which gives you an idea of how much we love the Lakes !