• It’s obvious but - get walking! Whether you want to go yomping up hills or just a relaxing country ramble, there’s no better place to do it. Get the family up early to catch a spectacular sunrise from Todd Cragg atop Loughrigg fell, a low and easy ascent.
• Go to Ullswater for Aira Force, a spectacular 20m waterfall that bewitched Wordsworth, just like the daffodils of Ullswater themselves. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
• The Cars of the Stars museum has all your favourite vehicles from the silver and small screens including: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the Batmobile, the Back to the Future DeLorean and a James Bond collection!
• Go Ape! in Grizedale Forest. You and the kids can be Tarzan for a day, swinging through the tree-tops and flying down the massive 426ft zip wire!
• Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England and was the inspiration for classic kids’ book, Swallows and Amazons. Enjoy leisurely steamboat rides and the multitude of cafes and eateries dotted about its shores – but watch out for the lake monster that lurks beneath the surface!

Best places to stay

• The Inn on the Lake at Ullswater offers “Children’s Breaks” packages, offering fun activities for all the family at reasonable prices.
• The Waterhead Hotel, a four star townhouse on the shore of Lake Windermere in Ambleside, operates Sam’s Club for 5-10 year olds and welcomes pets. Rooms start from £53 per person per night, based on two adults sharing inclusive of Bed and Full English Breakfast.

Best time to go

Rain, wind and fog are common but not even they can dampen the attraction of this stunning area. Thankfully though, summers can be glorious: the driest months being from March to June.

Other tips

• Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling is a sight for any visitor to behold as contestants wear white long-johns with embroidered purple velvet y-fronts over the top! Catch it every summer at Grasmere.
• Windermere railway station is the hub for train and bus connections to Manchester Airport, and the West Coast Main Line. Driving from London takes around 5 hours.