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• Spa Hotels In Windermere The Lake District
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• Hot Tub Hotels In Windermere And The Lake District
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• Windermere In The Rain
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• Holiday Accommodation Wanted In The Lake District

Top 20 things to do for kids in the Lake District

The Lake District offers some of the best children´s activities in the UK, and whatever time of the year you visit, your kids will never get bored. From adventure playgrounds to visitor centres and interactive museums, you will find a wealth of things to keep the children entertained in this beautiful part of England. It would be impossible to list all the activities available, but our top 20 include:

1.A World in Miniature Museum,

Houghton Hall Garden Centre, Houghton, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA6 4JB. Tel: 01228 400388. This superb museum boasts three collections of top miniatures from around the world, and incredible copies of miniature antique furniture take pride of place in miniature room settings which illustrate incredible attention to detail. This is great for kids of all ages.

2.Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre, Brockhole, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LJ. Tel: 0845 272 0004. No visit to the Lake District is complete without a visit to Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre. With interactive exhibitions, an adventure playground, a café, shop and information centre, plus direct access to the lake from the gardens, this is a great day out for all the family.

3.The Brewery Arts Centre, Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4HE. Tel: 01539 725133. This centre is one of the most incredible venues for theatre, music, art and events in the UK. With a 450-seater music venue, three cinemas, two visual arts galleries and a drama studio, there are plenty of things to see and do in the complex. And if you are feeling peckish, make the most of the excellent home made Cumbrian cuisine served in the café.

4.Cars of the Stars Motor Museum, Standish Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5LS. Tel: 017687 73757. Housing an incredible range of vehicles from TV and film, including Batmobiles, the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and some of the transforming vehicles from James Bond, this fantastic museum is a must for all fans of film and cinema.

5.Cumberland Pencil Museum, Southey Works, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5NG. Tel: 017687 73626. Much more fun than it sounds, this museum´s entrance is a replica of the famous Seathwaite Mine, and offers kids and adults a fascinating journey through the history of local pencil-making. Also home to the world´s longest pencil, kids can join in the fun with quiz trails. If you fancy a bite to eat, sample the home cooked food in the superb café.

6.Ducky´s Park Farm, Airfrield Farm, Flookburgh, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 7LS. Tel: 015395 59293. An ideal way to spend a few hours with the kids, this petting farm is suitable for children of all ages.

7.Greenlands Farm Village, Tewitfield, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA6 1JH. Tel: 01524 784184. This farm village includes a farm shop, selling delicious local produce direct from the farm, a café a garden centre, and an open farm visitor attraction with wine ship and display of ceramics.

8.Lakeland Motor Museum, Old Blue Mill, Backbarrow, Newby Bridge, Cumbria, LA12 8TA. Tel: 015395 58509. With over 30,000 exhibits, including the Campbell Bluebird Exhibition, which celebrates the life of Donald Campbell who broke speed records on land and water, before suffering a fatal accident on Coniston Water. A motorist gift shop and waterside café make this the ideal place for a family day out.

9.The Lakes Aquarium, Lakeside, Newby Bridge, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8AS. Tel: 015395 30153. This innovative aquarium offers plenty to see and do for all ages. Offering a wide range of special features and exhibitions to keep the kids entertained, the award-winning Lakes Aquarium also champions conservation in the Lake District. Many species of freshwater fish can be seen here, and the children can get up close and personal with some of them.

10.Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite Station, Haverthwaite, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8AL. Tel: 015395 31594. For fans of steam trains, there is no better place to visit than the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. Steam trains run daily from Haverthwaite to Lakeside via the Leven Valley. A licensed restaurant serves delicious meals and snacks, and kids can also enjoy a tour of the engine sheds. If you fancy a picnic, there is a designated picnic area, plus a shop for souvenirs.

11.Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens, Underskiddaw, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4QE. Tel: 017687 72287. Mirehouse is a family-run historic house with live music playing throughout. Not just for the adults, this attraction is very child-friendly and offers quizzes, a heather maze and a poetry walk in the grounds. A tearoom specialises in quality Cumbrian food at very reasonable prices.

12.Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RQ. Tel: 01229 717614.
The perfect place to visit for ghostbusters of all ages, Muncaster Castle is apparently haunted, and has been home to the Pennington family for over 800 years. With a 70-acre garden and beautiful flower displays, the castle offers plenty to see and do for the kids, including a world owl centre, housing over 40 species.

13.Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry, Abbot Hall, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 5AL. Tel: 01539 722464. For lovers of the Lake District who want to know more about the culture and history of the area, take a trip to the award-winning Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry, which shows how local residents lived and worked in the Lakes many years ago, and offers a fascinating insight into the early days of the Lakes.

14.Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. There is no better way to enjoy the Lake District scenery than by enjoying a day out on the  Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. The journey aboard the Heritage steam engines will take you from the village to the foot of some of the Lake District´s highest mountains.

15.RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, Myers Farm, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 0SW. Tel: 01524 701601.

This fascinating nature reserve is home to a range of special wildlife, and offers visitors nature trails, bird watching hides, which provide great hidey holes for twitchers of all ages, plus a visitor centre, an RSPB shop and a tea room.

16.Silverband Falconry, White Acres, Kirkby Thore, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1XR. Tel: 017683 61724. This fun falconry only opens with prior appointment, and allows kids some hands-on experience with falcons and different species of birds and wildlife. Handlers will explain how the falcons live and feed, and will answer any wildlife-related questions the kids may have.

17.The Bond Museum, Southey Hill Industrial Estate, Behind Cumberland Pencil Museum, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5NR. Tel: 017687 75007. This is must-see attraction if you are a fan of James Bond, and attracts families throughout the year. Offering information about the making of the Bond films and with exhibits of Bond memorabilia, this is a must for all fans of the big screen.

18.The World of Beatrix Potter, The Old Laundry, Crag Brow, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3BX. Tel: 015394 88444. Probably the most famous kid´s attraction in the Lake District, the World of Beatrix Potter offers a magical journey through the eyes of Potter´s most famous characters, including Jemima Puddleduck and Peter Rabbit. Beatrix Potter wrote most of her children´s tales while living in the Lake District, and this fascinating attraction highlights her life and works in a kid-friendly environment.

19.Trotters World of Animals, Coalbeck Farm, Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4RD. Tel: 017687 76239. In one of the most beautiful settings in the Lake District, Trotters World of Animals houses over 100 species of animals, including zebra, bison, and meerkats, and with plenty of other attractions in the park, this is the perfect place for a family day out.

20.Trout Fishing at Hawkshead, The Boathouse, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QF. Tel: 015394 36541. The largest-stocked lake in north west England is Esthwaite Water, which offers incredible fishing action in one of the country´s most scenic spots. If you are new to the sport, tuition is available, and you can also find an on-site tackle shop.

Whether you plan to stay in Windermere, Bowness, Grasmere, Coniston or any other part of the Lake District, you will find plenty of things to see and do with the children. The Lake District is also well known for its events, including festivals, fairs and farmer´s markets. Pick up information from the local tourist office or from hotel reception when you arrive.

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