It only seems like the school year has just started, and it’s half-term already next week.
And there is plenty of fun to be had across Cumbria, and opportunities to have an autumnal adventure with the National Trust
The National Trust has put together a round-up of the best family events and activities in the Lakes and wider Cumbria which we would like to share with you to help inspire a great half-term holiday.
So, pull on your wellies and crunch through the leaves on a nature trail, hunt for bats in the dark or have a go at pumpkin carving and make the most of nature’s harvest.
And remember, every visit to a National Trust property this autumn helps Europe’s largest conservation charity care for special places like the Lake District for years to come.
Sizergh, Kendal
Autumn trail
12 October–3 November, 10am–4pm
Sizergh’s estate is brimming with wildlife and as winter approaches, each creature is looking for its own cosy place to settle down. Can you follow the trail to make sure each animal gets to the right home? Normal admission charges apply plus £1 per trail.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sizergh
Hill Top, Hawkshead
Samuel Whiskers’ children’s trail Daily until 3 November, 10am–4pm
Make your way around Beatrix Potter’s farmhouse and see if you spot Samuel Whiskers’ family who have come to visit. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top
Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead
‘Telling Tales’ exhibition
Daily until 3 November, 10.30am–4pm
Get up close to original artwork from some of Beatrix Potter’s most popular ‘little white books’ and discover why, over 100 years after the publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter’s cute characters still appeal to so many of us today. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatrix-potter-gallery
Wray Castle, Ambleside
‘Looking out for the small things’ family activities
23–25 October, 10am, 11am, 12 noon, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
In partnership with plant champions Plantlife, join in with a series of activities to inspire creativity and celebrate the natural world of Wray Castle – particularly the small things. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wray-castle
Fell Foot, Windermere
Rowboat, kayak and paddleboard hire16–27 October, 10am–4pm
Head out on England’s largest lake for a leisurely row or test your balance on a kayak or paddle board – you’ll be able to see the newly restored Victorian boathouses from a new perspective. Hire prices start at £12.
Pizza by the lake
17, 24 & 31 October, 4–6pm and 21 & 23 October, 12–3pm
Grab a freshly made treat from a wood-fired pizza Land Rover oven. There’s something for everyone, with a variety of options including vegan cheese. Prices range between £7.50–£8.50.
Family fit
19 & 26 October and 2 November, 10.30–11.30am
Keep fit with all the family, with an hour of activities combining circuit training with sports and games making exercise fun! Encourage the young ones to ditch their devices and get active in nature, while burning off some calories yourself. £10 for one adult and up to four children, £14 for two adults and up to four children. Tickets include entry to the Active Base changing rooms, with showers and lockers.
Orienteering Workshops
21 & 23 October, 10am–3pm
Orienteering is a great way to get outdoors and explore and is fun for all ages. Have a go at one of the courses around Fell Foot and test yourself on a timed route.
Little explorers
16, 23 & 30 October, 9.30–10.30am
Stretch little legs with a series of guided, nature themed walks around the park at Fell Foot especially for pre-school children. These basic walking routes are designed for the whole family to enjoy and are a great way to get kids active in the great outdoors.
Mirror Trail
19 October–7 November, 10am–5pm
Look up! Take the mirror trail and venture into the Pinetum to learn more about Fell Foot’s collection of specimen trees. £1 per trail.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fell-foot
Sticklebarn and the Langdales
OctoberFest
Friday 18–Sunday 20 October, 3–11pm
Langdale Octoberfest returns for its second year! Celebrate the best in food, talks, live music and adventure at this three-day festival, with world class entertainment, plenty of outdoor activities for all the family, and real ales, hearty food and amazing memories. Look out for family orienteering, a family-friendly 4km trail run and fun events for you and your four-legged friends. Small charges for different activities.
Nature discovery trail
19 October–3 November, 11am–4pm
Become a nature explorer with one of the nature trails at Sticklebarn. Go on an adventure to find bugs, birds and beasties. Once you’ve found all the clues, head back and collect a prize. £2 per trail.
Bat walks
22–24 October, 6–9pm
Join a National Trust ranger on a walk around Langdale looking out for bats and learning all about this nocturnal animal, before returning to Sticklebarn for sausages around the fire and a spooky film. Adult £12, child £3. Booking essential online.
Spooky films night
31 October, 4pm until late
Head to Sticklebarn for a Halloween movie night in the Hayloft…if you dare! There’ll be an early film slot for the young or easily scared, with a late-night slot for the real horror connoisseur. £2 suggested donation.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sticklebarn-and-the-langdales
Allan Bank, Grasmere
Woodland pumpkin trail
19 October–3 November, 10.30am–4pm
The woodland at Allan Bank has been taken over by spooky pumpkins! Venture into the woods this half term and see how many you can find… don’t forget to check inside the spine-tingling tunnel. Normal admission charges apply plus £2.50 per trail.
Pumpkin carving
26 & 27 October, 11am–3pm
Unleash your creative skills at our pumpkin carving workshops – will you carve an animal, a face, a shape or something even spookier to put on your doorstep to scare the trick or treaters? Pumpkins and tools will be provided so all you need to do is bring your imagination to have some haunted fun. Normal admission charges apply plus £3 per pumpkin.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/allan-bank
Wordsworth House & Garden, Cockermouth
Pastimes from the past
19, 20, 26 & 27 October, 2 & 3 November, 11am–4pm
Think outside the Xbox and try your hand at the kind of indoor and outdoor games William and Dorothy Wordsworth would have enjoyed. Play snip snap snorum, have a game of skittles or a jingling match. Then count sheep in Cumbrian, track down bugs in the garden and get some tips on how to turn your own backyard into a nature haven. Normal admission charges apply.
Become a rock artist
21 & 28 October, 11.30am–3.30pm
Follow in the footsteps of the land’s earliest inhabitants and decorate a pebble to tell a personal story. Normal admission charges apply.
Get cooking in the kitchen
22 & 29 October, 11.30am–3.30pm
Head to the kitchen, roll up your sleeves and try your hand at making traditional Cumbrian clapbread. Normal admission charges apply.
Become a natural artist
23 & 30 October, 11.30am–3.30pm
Let nature awaken your creativity and make a piece of wild art from found objects or create a poem out of stones. Normal admission charges apply.
Spooky stories by the fire
24, 25 & 31 October, 11.30am & 2.30pm
Join the servants by the kitchen fire to hear some of the ghostly tales William and Dorothy Wordsworth might have enjoyed. Suitable for children aged 7+. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wordsworth-house
Acorn Bank
Halloween pumpkin trail
17 October–2 November, 10am–3pm
Hunt the pumpkins hiding in the woods at Acorn Bank this Halloween half term. Pick up a free trail when you arrive and see how many you can spot. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/acorn-bank
Townend, Windermere
Autumn nature trail
19 October–3 November, 1.30–4pm
Explore the garden this autumn and find out more about the creatures living here as they prepare to hibernate for winter. What will they eat and where do they live? Normal admission charges apply plus £2 per trail.
Taste of Townend gruesome cures
31 October, 1.30–4pm
Discover some quirky cures for sickness, 17th-century style, or why you might need to paint your child in blood and dry them in front of the fire…. Normal admission charges apply.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/townend
Tarn Hows, Coniston
Nature discovery trail
19 October–3 November
Discover fantastic feathered friends, towering trees and monstrous mini beasts on a self-led nature trail around Tarn Hows this autumn. £2 per trail.
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tarn-hows-and-coniston
Whitehaven Coast
Wild art week
21–25 October, 10am–3pm
Pop on your coat and get creative on the coast; there’ll be giant chalks, artists’ easels and all the fresh air and inspiring views you could wish for. Free
Bulb planting on Solway Road verge
Monday 21 October, 1–3pm
As part of the Get Cumbria Buzzing Project, help the National Trust team plant bulbs and wildflowers along the Solway Road to provide vital food for pollinators like bees and butterflies. They’ll have all the equipment, but need some extra hands to help out! Free
Whitehaven beach clean
31 October, 10.30–12 noon
Lend a hand as the National Trust team up with the Colourful Coast Partnership to remove marine litter and plastics from the beach at Whitehaven. They’ll provide the litter pickers, bin bags and gloves so all you need to bring is your enthusiasm. Free
Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whitehaven-coast
Check out our visits to National Trust properties this year:
