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Welcome to your personal and friendly guide to the English Lake District!
(The picture above is Grisedale Pike
Summit, courtesy Andrew Leaney) We're different because we know the Lakes
inside out - we've been regular visitors for over 40 years. We've built
up a detailed knowledge of the best places to stay, the best
restaurants, the finest cafes and bars, the most attractive and
delightful walks (whether you want to climb a mountain or stroll along
the edge of one of the beautiful lakes), the most exciting and fun-filled family
activities and attractions, and even the best shops in the district!
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Where would you go if you wanted to see the classic Lakeland view, the one that sums up everything about the English Lakes?
Or if you were buying outdoor gear, where would you go for
great personal service and advice - from experts who really know what they're talking about? What about
eating out? Who's in and who's out of fashion? Where can you go for
the best pub food? Or an
exquisite gourmet treat? And how can you find the most comfortable and enjoyable
accommodation - the place to stay that exactly suits you and your needs? You'd like a romantic weekend away or you just have to have king-size beds? No problem!
We have the answers to these and all your other questions - saving you hours looking around, avoiding disappointment, and simply giving you the best holiday experience you can have!
The Lakes attracts many thousands of
people every year, yet the region retains its beauty, charm and
tranquillity. You can easily find yourself alone among some of the finest
mountain scenery in Europe, or you can explore the beautiful
valleys and little towns with a host of exciting restaurants, cafes,
shops and galleries.
Whether you want to
trek the high passes of the Lakeland mountains, take a weekend break, or plan a fun day out, we can give you the ideas you need to make any Lakeland trip a rip-roaring success!
You can choose where to go in the Lakes -
and, of course, on this website - by clicking on one of the links in the
left hand column, or you can take a short cut to see our favourite Lake
District places and pastimes in our exciting, handy and time-saving "Top Ten" feature to the
right of this page.
So which of the Lakes
will you visit first? The bustling little towns of Bowness, Ambleside
and Windermere offer shops, restaurants, cinemas, and just about everything that everyone in the family could want. You could cruise slowly and
sedately down the length of Windermere in a vintage steamer, stride out from Ambleside on a 20 km (14 mile) trek across 7 high peaks, or sit and watch the swans feeding at Bowness Bay.
Or maybe you'd prefer to visit Coniston, a beautiful and tranquil village with walks through the ancient copper mining districts to the top of Coniston Old Man, where you're rewarded with truly amazing views down to the Lake. Once you're back at lake level, you can visit the home of John Ruskin, anthropologist and social reformer, at Brantwood, and feel the
tranquillity of his ancient lake-side home.
Esthwaite Water offers you the chance of some trout fishing and a visit to the enchanting village of Hawkshead, with its tiny streets, charming pubs and delicious Lakeland treats from the local delicatessen.
On the other hand, Keswick is the archetypal Lakes' market town, much unchanged for hundreds of years, and it's the perfect base for seeing the sheer, unsurpassed wild beauty of the Northern Lake District. And Bassenthwaite Lake, Crummock Water, and Derwentwater may be just about the most beautiful places in England.
The latest hotels to be added to our guide:
The Sun Inn, Hawkshead
Muncaster Castle
2010: Ticket Prices & Opening Times
January – All facilities closed.
Winter season
1 February to 20 March 2010; 1 November to 31 December 2010
Gardens, Owl Centre, Children’s indoor Meadow Vole Maze: daily 11am to 4pm
Opening times for 'Christmas at the Castle': Sundays from 21 November
(except 26 Dec) plus 27 to 30 December 2010 from 1pm to 3pm
Summer Season
21 March to 31 October 2010 and 13 to 21 February 2010
The
Castle itself is open all week except Saturdays from 12pm to 4.30pm. (The
castle is closed on Saturdays for private functions.)
The
Gardens, Owl Centre, children’s indoor Meadow Vole Maze are open daily
10.30am to 6pm (last admission at 5-00pm)
And
there is late opening for special events with 'Darkest Muncaster'
Illuminations on certain dates.
Ticket Prices 2010
Winter Season
Gardens, Owl Centre and Meadow Vole Maze
Adult
£6, Child (5-15) £3.50, Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) £15
Including Castle add
Adult
+£3, Child (5-15) +£2.50, Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) +£9
Summer Season:
Gardens, Owl Centre and MeadowVole Maze
Adult
£8.50, Child (5-15) £6, Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) £27
Including Castle add
Adult
+£2.50, Child (5-15) +£1.50, Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) +£5
Group
rates are available for pre booked groups of 12 or more.
Specialist tours of the Castle, Gardens and Owl Centre are available on
request at additional cost.
Special Events take place throughout the year, with details on our website
www.muncaster.co.uk
info@muncaster.co.uk
01229 717614
Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RQ
Located 1 mile south of Ravenglass on the A595. Follow signs for the
Western Lake District from junction 36 of the M6 motorway. SatNav CA18
1RD.
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We'd like to hear and read about your
experiences. Email us and tell us what you enjoyed and what you didn't -
we especially want to hear about your experiences in hotels and
restaurants.
We truly hope you find as much happiness and pleasure in the Lakes as we've had over the years, and perhaps we'll meet at the top of the Langdale Pikes one day.......or wherever. Meanwhile, the Lakes are yours to enjoy!
Your guides,
Rod & Helen
PS: We list many hotels in every
price range, with personal recommendations and observations. If you find a hotel that deserves to be on the list, please let us know!
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The Lakes has been home to some of the
greatest writers and artists in English history: Wordsworth, Coleridge,
Shelly, and more recently the distinguished talents of the Heaton-Cooper
family. Get the low-down on the Lakes cultural scene here.
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Who'd have thought some of the best theatre in England was taking
place in Keswick's theatre by the lake? But that's not
all...whatever cultural activity you're into,
you'll find it in the Lakes. |
Explore the stately homes, abbeys, churches
and castles of the area. The Lakes has many fine properties to explore,
all richly rewarding and
worth a visit. |
Need to know something? You'll most likely find it here.
Whether it's the location of the local Tourist Information Centre,
the transport network, or useful phone numbers,
this is the starting point for your
search. |
Featured websites
Why Not Do Something Different?
If you fancy trying something different on
your holiday, Kendal Mountaineering Services provide bespoke
adventurous activities and outdoor training courses in the English Lake
District.
This company has an established record of
offering memorable and – at the same time - value for money experiences of
all kinds to suit all ages and abilities – in every area of the Lake
District. They offer anything from a half day of activities to a full day
depending on what you want to do. All the courses are tailor made to suit
your requirements – and this is probably their unique selling point.
Moreover, they will design a suitable program for all kind so fgaes, and
all sizes of groups. all people - from individuals to large groups
Discounts apply to groups booking above the minimum numbers. What they
offer is as follows:
Half day activities (£40 per person, minimum 2
people)
Hhalf day activities can be combined to make a
multi-activity day.
Canoeing, Kayaking, Ghyll scrambling,
Canyoning, Abseiling, Introduction to rock climbing, Orienteering, Team
building events.
Full day activities (Price depending on
activity – minimum £70 per person. Minimum group size - 2 people)
Caving days – introductory (level 1trip),
Caving days – advanced (level 2 trip), Lake District Classic Rock
Multi-pitch climbing days (guided), Guided Lake District Classic
Scrambles, Guided mountain walking days, Winter skills days,
Hen days, Stag days, Corporate Events.
Outdoor skills training courses (prices start at £75 per person, per
day - depending on course.
Navigation skills training courses (1 or 2 day
courses), Introduction to rock climbing, Learning to lead rock climbing,
Improvised rescue techniques for rock climbers, Learning to lead
scrambling course, Winter skills courses (2 days),
Winter climbing days.
To make a booking or find out more, please
contact
info@kendalmountaineeringservices.co.uk or phone 01539 737332 or
mobile 07761 483364. Additional information can be found at
www.kendalmountaineeringservices.co.uk where you can also see
what they’ve been up to on a Blog!
A walk up Gummer's How can be
found here.
Walks around the Ullswater area
here.
See things to do on our activities page!
Many of the images at the
top of the pages on this website are from
Andrew Leaney's website. This is a highly enjoyable website with many
of Andrew's walks and photographs.
Lakeland
places Other
Lake District Websites
Other sites (2)
Other sites (3)
London Visitor Guide
Thinking of a holiday in
Devon? Visiting
Mallorca?
More Lakes walks can be found
here. You can also go here for many
more Lake District walks.
And the latest mountain walks are here.
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