Going to the Lakes over half term with our 3.5 year old. We have been there quite a few times and have quite a few ideas but just wondering if there are any gems we are missing out on so any suggestion are welcome.

Current ideas (doesn’t mean we are doing them all)

Grizedale Go Ape (if he is over 1m – he was close last time I measured)
Grizedale general (walking trails and play area)
Ravenglass Railway (might be a bit cold)
Lakes Railway (from the Aquarium)
Beatrix Potter (in Windermere with the small displays)
Plan to walk up to cave above Grasmere (it might not be Grasmere but between Grasmere and Ambleside).
Lakes visitor centre

He loves being outside so any suggestions like that would be great!

Cheers

cinema, swimming pool, lake ferries, hill walking, looking at his tablet with his mum, warm in the accomodation whilst his dad goes mountain biking?

Rheged centre ( Just outside Penrith is a great place for kids, look at the play section on the website for info!

Go to Wray Castle, our kids had so much fun here. It’s completely designed for kids inside, we spent quite a while inside (dressing up, drawing, games, soft play etc)

You can also hire a boat, not ridiculously expensive

Peel Castle on Peel Island in Barrow harbour- access via a ferry from Roa Island. You can wander round this medieval castle as you please- and I think the pub is now functioning on the island.

Brockholes just outside of Windermere is good. Lowther Castle just south of Penrith is good. There’s a good playground at Whinlatter, also Fell Foot at the bottom of Windermere is ok, decent playgorund, cafe and easy walks by the Lake, you can also take in a walk up a little hill called Gummer’s Howe.
There’s railways at Boot (Eskdale) and the Lakeside and Hatherthwaite railway at the bottom of Windermere.

South Lakes Zoo…Ulverston
I was the one dragging my heels in terms of visiting ..but probably enjoyed it the most ..terrific value at £5.00 adults ..and if your toddler is under the age of 16..they go free 😆
Not sure if it closes at all over Autumn / Winter ..
Actually just checked ..free admission for all until 20.10.17

Home

Keswick – ace play park, museum with dead cat, Puzzling Place, Leisure pool with waves n slide, lake cruises, open top bus, ‘Hard play’ at King Kong Climbing Wall. And let’s not forget the PENCIL MUSEUM.

END OF THREAD

my 4 year old will get her first visit to the pencil museum this half term. It was sadly shut due to flooding last year.

Wray castle is great for that age. As mentioned, it is really child friendly and they can run amok.

If the weather is good, we went to Patterdale, got on the boat on Ullswater and went up to Aira Force. Good walk for the little one and going on a boat is always exciting.

Make him walk up Skiddaw like my dad did when I was 4…

Grizedale has a nice little play area to charge about on next to the visitor centre. I believe there is also a Gruffalo trail there and at Whinlatter. Are there really Go Ape sessions for kids of that age?

Combine that with Wray castle and a picnic on the lakeshore at Windermere and you’re sorted for an ace day.

TBH he’d probably be happy just mucking about in a stream. Build a dam!

South Lakes Zoo…Ulverston

Is that the one that’s had a few recent ‘issues’ reported in the media?

Rheged Centre, Lowther Castle, Treetop Nets at Brockhole. Collecting conkers anywhere. Good play park in Keswick and good pool.

you could make a game of ‘avoiding the rain’ which is what you’ll most likely be doing on a weekend in October in the lakes.

Edlong
I found out after visiting that it had been closed down previously …obviously whatever concerns they had must have been resolved .
I’m no expert but can only say that what I saw was a very well run zoo ..no animal looked to be in distress and all seemed to have lots of space ..and I’m kind of anti -zoo which is why I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the visit beforehand ..

Treetop nets at brockhole. Wray castle, laal ratty

Our kids loved the puzzle museum in Keswick.

+1 for Wray Castle, but get the boat across, don’t try and park there. Keswick play stuff followed by pizza at Casa Bella is a staple for our lot.

Cheers for the suggestions some new ideas there. Go ape is a minimum height of 1m no age range. The brockole tree nets look like a good alternative though.

Good Weather:

Ambleside park has had a big makeover and is very good.

Lowther Castle is so much better than expected. The lost castle adventure playground is excellent.

The Gruffalo trails at Whinlatter and Grizedale can be combined with the playgrounds.

Wet weather:

As mentioned Wray Castle which can be combined with a flat bike ride along the side of Windermere or it works nicely with a green cruise on the lake and a stopover at Brockhole (adventure playground was recently closed for referb so worth checking that it has reopened) for a full day out.

Keswick pool has a slide and waves. Can be combined with King adventure.

Allan Banks in Grasmere has a nice walk through the woods, a play rooom and an art room. It also doesn’t have the NT stuffiness that many of their properties have.

Shap lido, make a man of the little bugger