OT - visit to the Lakes

[Tosh]

Off to the lakes next weekend. That'd be the lakes suffering blizzards and road closures this weekend.

Going with the wife and 7 year old to Penrith-ish

Knowing some of you are from that neck of the woods and that I won't be in a nippy car to whizz about in, any tips/suggestions as to what we might do (other than hunker down with some DVDs and popcorn)

Thanks

[moggy]

Go skiing

[Sam]

My 6 year old girl really loves the Beatrix Potter attraction thing in Bowness. My 4 year old boy thinks it rubbish because the animals don't have any weapons.

If said offspring is adventurous the tree top trek at http://www.brockhole.co.uk/ is really good fun for him/her and you.

The Lakeland car museum is a nice shiny new building but a pretty lame collection, you get a better turn out at village fetes.

7 years old is big enough to drag them up and down hills without having to resort to carrying them half way round though. That's what The Lakes is for : The joy of getting p155 wet through and having a picnic up a mountain or trying to hit 50mph down a narrow muddy lane on a push bike.

[Bruce M]

Go there every year or so to stay at middle-class-butlins (centreparcs)

[hot66]

if the snow is gone, plenty of great driving roads on your door step ,

family stuff ... some nice kid friendly waaks around grassmere or in the Langdale area

The Potter museum is good for little uns

We always go to Hill Top Farm ( Potters Home) ( NT) near Hawkshead ( the wife likes this place)

Then get the car ferry back across to Windermere

Personally I like a walk followed by beer

[chris hak]

I'm at the Lakes at the moment. Keswick appears to have got off lightly (although there's plenty of snow to make the area even more stunning), so we walked Cat Bells today and Latrigg yesterday. There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes, as my missus is sick of hearing me say!

[johnM]

If your kids like a wild life park try south lakes wild life park, it's around 15 minuets from newby bridge and well worth a visit. Only 5 mins from me if you want a brew.

http://www.wildanimalpark.co.uk/

As james said worth a drive over hardknott and wrynose pass but not in the snow.

If you would like a pub or two recommended let me know.

Kind regards.

[Landie]

Just a couple more suggestions:

Take a steamer on Ullswater - Park at Pooley Bridge and boat down to Glenridding - can walk back on the East side of the Lake - at least part way to Howtown - depends how the 7 year old is at walking!

In Keswick (worth a look in its own right but will be v. busy) there is an optical illusion attraction Puzzling Place (?) that I know kids have enjoyed - not been myself tho'.

Get Derwent water launch from Keswick across to the South or West side of the lake (various options) - walk along the lake through woods etc and then pick up the launch a bit further on to return back.

David

[Tosh]

Thanks all - much appreciated. Booked the Treetop Trek for Friday. He'll enjoy the Ullswater steamer more than the walk - which wife and I did a few years back. Optical illusions could be a winner!

Pub - has to be up at Hesket Newmarket...