[Closed] A what to do in the Lakes thread for a family on non bikey Americans?

what to do in the Lakes thread for a family on non bikey Americans?....

..... Leave them to it and go ride your bike?

Which bit of the lakes?
If they enjoy walking, sort out a 2 to 3 night walking tour. Book hostels or b&b and free them from the car. The lakes is really quite compact, so can cover lots of it on foot. It was the highlight of a trip for canadian relatives of mine - youth hostelled from keswick to coniston.
If not, keep them away from windermere/bowness. If in the west, wasdale is impressivee on a good day. Muncaster castle and miniature railway are 'quaint'

Glasgow? - couple of hours on the train from penrith or Carlisle. Drive time depends on location in the lakes. Happy to supply local info/walking routes by email. Some fantastic pubs!

..... Leave them to it and go ride your bike?

I'm not going with them.

Thanks Boxelder, when I get more of an idea of what floats their boat I may well get back to you.

[url= http://www.lucysofambleside.co.uk/ ]Lucy's bistro / restaurant / pudding shop[/url] in Ambleside is always worth a visit. Ideal for introducing them to trad English crumbles, sponges, suet puddings and other joyous stuff.

Lucy's bistro / restaurant / pudding shop in Ambleside is always worth a visit. Ideal for introducing them to trad English crumbles, sponges, suet puddings and other joyous stuff.

Mmmm, I might join them after all 😀

It's a must do. The boat trips out of the west side of Ambleside are worthwhile too - cheap way to spend a day, hopping on and off the ferry. Tell them to avoid Wray Castle though. It's shit.

Most of the Lakes to Glasgow drive via motorway is relatively (repeat, relatively) scenic and easily do-able in a (long) day but that doesn't really address the main point. Namely, why do they want to visit Glasgow?

Iain's father emigrated from Glasgow.

Beatrix Potter house maybe? Don't know if the yanks are into that?.

B.A.Nana - Member
Beatrix Potter house maybe? Don't know if the yanks are into that?.

Settle petal - the doors are quite small and we're talking about Yanks here...

Tell them to read [i]Swallows and Amazons[/i], then hire a couple of gaff-rigged dingies and let them play out on Coniston for a day. 😀

Bit like this then (skip the advert)

Leave them in ambleside with the other tourists

Cathedral Quarry is good, tie in with a low level walk via hodge and a decent pub for a good alternative if too wet / windy to go up high. Kendal Wall also good if wet and has just had a load of new stuff added. Honister via ferratta seems popular, although could be a bit tame for climbers? Grasmere sports is at the end of August, local wrestling and super-short fell races plus loads of very cumbrian stuff to go at. Hire Kayaks on Derwent water, or use the steamer to do a linear walk over cat bells etc. Same for Ullswater steamer to Howtown, walk back over Highstreet. Book into Black Sail (YHA, but remote) and hike in / out over a couple of days. Train from Oxenholme to Glasgow should be the best way to get to Glasgow, even better if staying north lakes and going from Penrith.

Lucy's bistro / restaurant / pudding shop in Ambleside is always worth a visit.

I was there on Friday, I forgot just how good it is...

Show them photos of Govan, and save them the drive - it's an easy enough drive, just unexciting when they get there

Ullswater steamer to Howtown and walk back
Walk on Loughrigg - to gauge whether they are up for bigger fells
Cathedral Quarry and/or Hodge Close
Go Ape at Grizedale or Honister via ferrata
Drive over wrynose and Hardknott - wild swim in river by Birk's Bridge/drive to Wasdale Head
Masons Arms at strawberry bank for a meal
Golf at Windermere GC - only one of 2 UK courses without bunkers (I think) but doesnt need them

Take them to the Pencil Museum for the kit ate wow... 🙂

When you say 'hike', do you mean plodding about in the valley in trainers or something 'proper'?

Hike, will probably mean country walk rather than full on 'proper'.

I saw Julia Bradbury walking up Catbells which looked doable without a whole load of kit.

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Show them photos of Govan, and save them the drive - it's an easy enough drive, just unexciting when they get there

IIRC Iain's dad came from Govan. It's a far cry from the leafy 'burbs of Virginia.

Ullswater boat trip? Via Ferrata at honister?.

Glasgow is 2 hours from Keswick, all motorway except the 15-20 mins from Keswick to Penrith. As said above, some if it is actually quite scenic.

Definitely take the train from penrith (1 hour and a bit) for a day out in glasgow- much more relaxed way to do it and very easy.

Are they bikey at all? Hire mtb's at whinlatter and enjoy the blue rote, or get bikes in keswick for a tootle up the railway line or around derwen****er.

Buttermere is beautiful and can walk around the lake, another good gentle hike is castle crag from grange in borrowdale.

About fifteen years ago I visited a motor museum that had a couple of Malcolm Campbell's record breaking boats and cars. Is it still there?

Grizedale Forest without any doubt. Shocked an artist and mountain biker would not have that VERY high up a list! Oodles of wonderful art (Ting being one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen for some unknown reason) and paths and bike hire. Do it.

Aye, cars of the stars museum in Keswick, still there.

Cars of The Stars has closed I think.

Theres a motor museum at backbarrow though, the cafe is supposed to be good, not been yet

Here it is.

http://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/campbell_bluebird.php
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Grasmere Gingerbread and a walk up to Alcock Tarn for a good view of the Lakes.

Or head for Buttermere just for it being so damn gorgeous

Yeah Buttermere is very beautiful and very little time to walk round it.

Water sports on Coniston. Sit on kayaks, Canadians or row boats. Getting to wild cat island (swallows and amazons) is a good challenge

Rowing on Derwent water as well

Walks. Yes Catbells but really the list is near infinite

Grizedale sculpture walk

Go ape at grizdale

bike hire at grizedale. The Trail centre is Ok for an introduction to off road riding

Words worth house (Dove cottage).

swimming in lakes/rivers/streams

geocaching

again quarries. Hodge close etc.

boat trip walk combinations. Derwant water, Windermere, Coniston or ulswater. The Ulswater shore walk is tops. You could take your bike you won't be much faster

aquarium of the lakes

pay some one to take you rock climbing or gill scrambling

Can't recommend the Tree Top Trek at Brockhole enough. We did it the other week and I tell you what, it makes you focus!! Located on the Lake Road between Windermere and Ambleside.

What about a Segway trek from either Grizedale or just south of Hawkshead

Anyone any idea how far Haworth is from the Lakes time wise?

They are keen to visit Glasgow too. Would a day trip there and back be achievable in a day without seeing nowt but motorway to save them having to relocate to a hotel up there?

The motorway routes as good as any, the alternative route is up the Nith Valley via Sanquahar and eventually the M77 but you make minor gains in scenery and lose time in Glasgow as the stretch between Sanquahar and Killie is pretty slow going at times. But as a day trip maybe get the train up from Oxenholme rather than drive

Anyone any idea how far Haworth is from the Lakes time wise?

To Windemere you are looking at about 1hr 30 mins (using A65 i.e. via Skipton by-pass and keep on going)...

Cheers Fubar.

Now, you say 'hikey', but you might want to double check - walking between car and house/office plus some shopping mall circuits may not be enough preparation for a visit to the Lakes... are you entirely sure they know what is in store?

*This post is only semi in jest..

+1 on above.

A few years ago, I helped some US friends with a weeks hiking schedule in Lakes. They were regular "hikers" in the Colorado Rockies and "very experienced."

After a deliberately easy first day messing about on my favourite low fell (Loughrigg) I received a call looking for much easier ideas or the rest of the week!!!!

They are all pretty fit, I recall the boys were competitive swimmers and fitba players although they call it soccer.