Lake District Itineraries

Morning: Start your day with a visit to Dodd Wood on Bassenthwaite, where you can spy the ospreys through your binoculars at the osprey viewing station. Energetic families can continue on up to the summit of dodd wood, taking in the abundance of woodland wildlife en-route.

Alternatively, hire a row-boat from the lake shore in Keswick and spend the morning exploring the islands of Derwent Water.

Lunch time: Head in to Keswick for a choice of amazing eateries. See our "why we love Keswick' post for ideas on places to eat and things to do in Keswick.

Afternoon: Head along Derwent Water into Borrowdale for an adventurous afternoon. Families can choose to stop off at 'Surprise View' for the best views over Derwent Water, or head further into the valley for a visit to the Bowder Stone; a walk up Castle Crag, or a visit to the super-fun 'Via Ferrata' experience at Honister Slate Mine (book in advance).

Dinner: For dinner in Borrowdale, check out the Riverside Bar in Rosthwaite; The Langstrath Country Inn in Stonethwaite, or The Glaramara near Seatoller.

Discover more family walk ideas in the North Lakes

Morning: Get an early start and reap the benefits! From your hotel on lake Thirlmere, head straight out the door and into the hills- no need to drive anywhere! Your choice from here is plentiful, so here are a few of the walks from your doorstep to choose from:

Mountain/s - Difficulty (based on steepness & length)

Helvellyn - High

Blea Tarn - Med/High

High Seat/Bleaberry Fell/Keswick/Bus back - Med/High

Watendlath - Med/High

Great How - Low

Castlerigg - Med

Raven Crag - Med

There are so many more great routes to choose from, but hopefully this gets you started on your area research.

Dinner: If you don't end up in Keswick, and instead choose to go back to Thirlmere in time for dinner, head on down to The Kings Head, opposite Dale Head Hall, for some awesome pub-grub!

Morning: Let's start the morning with a short drive to Grasmere village, where you can visit Dove Cottage- once the home of William Wordsworth; now open to the public, and preserved in much the same state as when he lived there.

Nibble on some world-famous 'Grasmere Gingerbread' from the Old Grasmere Gingerbread Shop whilst heading over to the ancient and pretty, St Oswalds church, where you will find the tombstones of William Wordsworth and his wife Mary. Located between the church and the River Rothay you will find Wordsworth’s Daffodil Garden, a sight to behold in the Spring!

Finally, a visit to Grasmere isn't complete without popping in to 'The Herdy Shop' to pick up some fabulous herdwick, Lake District memorabilia!

Lunch: Head back up North along the A591, stopping just outside of Grasmere, at the Traveler's rest pub, for a wonderful, wholesome Cumbrian lunch.

Afternoon: An afternoon shopping in Keswick is just the ticket. Enjoy the outdoor-gear shops; art galleries, and mountainous ambience of Keswick before heading to Theatre By The Lake for an Evening show (Book in advance- guests at Dale Head Hall get £3 off per ticket)

Dinner: See our 'Why we love Keswick' article for some Keswickian foodie inspiration!