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 | Cumbria Times Weekend Edition |
12:00 AM 1st September 2023
lifestyle
Make The Last Days Count With More Summer Holiday Adventures In Cumbria
Visitors enjoying the gardens at Sizergh, Cumbria
Whether you’re looking for activities for all ages, a step back into history or a chance to explore another side to the region, Cumbria’s Living Heritage knows the best places to while away the hours.
Among those on offer is Wordsworth Grasmere, the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year winner at this year’s Cumbria Tourism Awards.
Marie Batty, sales and marketing manager at Wordsworth Grasmere said: “In the midst of the Lake District, we have created a space to take time out and slow down.
“Visitors can reconnect with nature, with activities from boating on the lake to being amongst real things – the treasures of our literary past. There really is something for everyone.”
“Visitors can reconnect with nature, with activities from boating on the lake to being amongst real things – the treasures of our literary past. There really is something for everyone.”
Brockhole - Lake District National Park Visitor Centre, Windermere
From the Tree Top Trek to the Woodland Faerie Trail, there is something for everyone at Brockhole. Anyone looking for a less adrenaline-fuelled day out can explore the gardens and grounds or follow one of the orienteering trails. Brockhole is an all-weather destination, so on a wet day visitors can head inside and enjoy The Lake District Story. Find out all about Cumbria’s beautiful landscape, how it was formed and the role and influence the national park has had on cultures for centuries in this free exhibition.
From the Tree Top Trek to the Woodland Faerie Trail, there is something for everyone at Brockhole. Anyone looking for a less adrenaline-fuelled day out can explore the gardens and grounds or follow one of the orienteering trails. Brockhole is an all-weather destination, so on a wet day visitors can head inside and enjoy The Lake District Story. Find out all about Cumbria’s beautiful landscape, how it was formed and the role and influence the national park has had on cultures for centuries in this free exhibition.
Lakeland Motor Museum
Housed in a converted mill, this museum is one for every petrol head and history fan around. With more than 30,000 exhibits, visitors can trace the history of road transport from cycles to motorbikes, motor cars and automobilia. Delight at the miniature marvel that is little Bamby or get up close to the world’s only surviving 1949 Tri-van. The museum also plays host to the Bluebird exhibition hall, where you can learn more about Donald Campbell’s record-breaking cars and speedboats. The only problem visitors face? Having enough time to see it all.
Worsworth Grasmere
Winner of Cumbria Tourism Awards 2023 ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’, this historic house and museum has plenty of things for every age to enjoy with guided activities running every day of the week including gallery tours, poetry workshops, sketching sessions and nature journaling.
Once home to poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy, Dove Cottage transports your senses to over two centuries ago, giving you what one online reviewer calls “an interesting snapshot into a time gone by”. Take a look at the poems, journals and letters, stroll around the Garden-Orchard, or play and explore in The Woodland before filling hungry bellies at the Café.
Keswick Museum, Keswick
Come rain or shine, no visit to the popular Lake District town is complete without a visit to the award-winning museum. The building and collection was first established in 1882 and opened to the public in 1898, so the museum itself is living history. It is home to about 20,000 objects reflecting life in and around Keswick, exploring north Cumbria’s social, industrial, geological and natural history, as well as boasting work from local craftspeople and artists. While older family members might read up on the history, youngsters can take part in the Super Silly Museums Activity Sheet, seeing how many things they can spot – before drawing their favourite. Running until December 31, families can also indulge in The Wild Escape – Comic Challenge. Visitors are encouraged to grab a comic strip, pick an animal from the museum and help them go on a wild adventure.
Come rain or shine, no visit to the popular Lake District town is complete without a visit to the award-winning museum. The building and collection was first established in 1882 and opened to the public in 1898, so the museum itself is living history. It is home to about 20,000 objects reflecting life in and around Keswick, exploring north Cumbria’s social, industrial, geological and natural history, as well as boasting work from local craftspeople and artists. While older family members might read up on the history, youngsters can take part in the Super Silly Museums Activity Sheet, seeing how many things they can spot – before drawing their favourite. Running until December 31, families can also indulge in The Wild Escape – Comic Challenge. Visitors are encouraged to grab a comic strip, pick an animal from the museum and help them go on a wild adventure.
Wordsworth House and Garden
In the heart of Cockermouth lies William Wordsworth’s childhood home, an informative and realistic Georgian townhouse.
There are free family-friendly activities running from Saturday to Wednesday during the school holidays, including children’s trails and creative crafts. Take a guided tour of the house and enjoy interactive experiences that take you back to the 1770s. The kids (and even the adults) can dress up in Georgian clothes and play with traditional toys, learn to write with a feather quill, or try their hand at grinding oatmeal in the giant pestle and mortar. Don’t forget to explore the garden if the sun is out!
In the heart of Cockermouth lies William Wordsworth’s childhood home, an informative and realistic Georgian townhouse.
There are free family-friendly activities running from Saturday to Wednesday during the school holidays, including children’s trails and creative crafts. Take a guided tour of the house and enjoy interactive experiences that take you back to the 1770s. The kids (and even the adults) can dress up in Georgian clothes and play with traditional toys, learn to write with a feather quill, or try their hand at grinding oatmeal in the giant pestle and mortar. Don’t forget to explore the garden if the sun is out!
Muncaster Castle
This historic castle is home to complex architectural heritage with state rooms, furniture, artwork and artefacts that span centuries. Take an audio tour around some of the rooms of one of Britain’s most haunted castles, before exploring 77 acres of tranquil woodland and gardens that are rich in wildlife and exotic plants from around the world. The kids can be kept entertained with an adventure playground, enchanted trail, maze, adventure quarry and giant swing on the grounds. The family can also pay a visit to the Hawk & Owl Centre, located within the gardens, for a chance to get up close and personal with some feathered friends.
This historic castle is home to complex architectural heritage with state rooms, furniture, artwork and artefacts that span centuries. Take an audio tour around some of the rooms of one of Britain’s most haunted castles, before exploring 77 acres of tranquil woodland and gardens that are rich in wildlife and exotic plants from around the world. The kids can be kept entertained with an adventure playground, enchanted trail, maze, adventure quarry and giant swing on the grounds. The family can also pay a visit to the Hawk & Owl Centre, located within the gardens, for a chance to get up close and personal with some feathered friends.
Cumbria’s Living Heritage has compiled a free guide to the best historic houses, gardens, castles, museums and cultural attractions to visit this summer, and is available to download now.