Child-friendly Free Days Out in the Lake District

Travelling as a family to the Lake District and Cumbria for a trip away whether you're visiting for a weekend or a week-long holiday it's always a good idea to plan ahead. Living in the local area means that we have had plenty of opportunity to explore everything this amazing county has to offer.

Read on to discover some of our favourite free days out in the Lake District and Cumbria. These are listed in alphabetical order for ease!

Please note, while these days out are all free to enjoy, you may need to pay for parking. For more ideas, check out the following blog posts:

• Child-friendly days out with English Heritage

• Child-friendly days out with National Trust

• Child-friendly days out with paid entry

Castlerigg Stone Circle

While this is technically an English Heritage site I decided to include it here as you don't need a membership to visit Castlerigg for free. Whether you walk the 4.5 mile circular, or park on the road outside this British historical landmark, Castlerigg Stone Circle is a great place to visit with children.

Did you know...? With panoramic views of the Lakeland Fells including High Seat and Helvellyn, this site is stunning at any time of year… particularly at sunset!

Cave discovery

Who doesn't love a cave? With old slate mines and quarrys galore in Cumbria, there are no shortage of amazing places to discover. My top two caves to visit in the Lake District are:

• Rydal Cave. Overlooking Rydal Water from Loughrigg Fell, this cave is one that we loved walking up the fellside to find. At around 2 miles long in total, the walk to Rydal Cave is not a bad route to walk with children.

• Cathedral Cave. This 3-mile circular is well worth a visit! Located in the woods above the Langdale Valley, this is a super popular destination - so head out early to avoid the crowds.

Derwentwater, Friar's Crag, and Hope Park

Parking at Lakeside Car Park in Keswick gives you a number of options for you and your family to enjoy. These include:

• The 10 mile walk around Derwentwater.

• The 0.3 mile walk to Friar's Crag.

• The beautiful Hope Park (which is stunning in all seasons but best in Spring!).

• Activities such as Hope Park crazy golf, the Hope Park café, and remote control boats.

• Easy access to Keswick town centre.

N.B. Parking at Lakeside Car Park in Keswick to enjoy Derwentwater, Friar's Crag, and Hope Park cost up to £11.10 for 12 hours.

Fell walks

Wainwright bagging may be a mostly adult sport, but that doesn’t mean children can't join in. Depending on the age and capabilities of your family, there are plenty of smaller fells that you can hike from Latrigg (where you can park half way up a cheat a little!) to Catbells.

Grizedale Forest

Grizedale offers 10 walking and 9 cycling trails, so whatever your family is in to, this is an ideal place to visit. Play areas, picnic spots, and unique sculptures to discover in the forest offer plenty of opportunity to enjoy this day out as a family.

N.B. Parking in the Whinlatter Visitor Centre car park starts at £2.60 to a maximum of £10 per day.

Hadrian's Wall

Most of the best places to discover Hadrian's Wall are on route to Northumberland. That being said, Banks East Turret and the land around Birdoswald Roman Fort has some amazing preserved sections of the Western sector of Hadrian's Wall. It is definitely worth a visit and there are some beautiful walks and views including down to the River Irthing.

Hardknott Roman Fort

English Heritage don't just have days out you need a membership for. Here's a another free for everyone option! If you're brave enough to drive up Hardknott Pass with its up to 33% gradient and the narrow road Hardknott Roman Fort is a great place to visit. Founded during Hadrian's rule on the trade route through the pass, the ruins of this Roman Fort come with the most spectacular views and plenty of space to explore.

Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path

This is an easy route for the whole family to enjoy. It is included in Miles without Stiles (number 37) and is an easy 6 mile trip there and back. Thanks to some recent improvements the route is now fully accessible, so if you want to take bikes, wheelchairs, pushchairs, or more this is a great choice.

N.B. There is only limited parking in Threlkeld, so it's best to start in Keswick. The best place to park is at Keswick Leisure Centre which is a pay and display car park.

Want to discover more? Check out my coverage of this route with all the details you need to plan your day out in my blog post on Keswick Railway Path.

Lakeshore wanders

From the Buttermere circular, the paddling on the shoreline of England's deepest lake, Wastwater, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the reason this national park is so famous.

Want to discover more? Check out my blog post on Visiting the Lakes of the Lake District.

Penrith Castle

This is another English Heritage site that I've decided to include here as you don't need a membership for free entry! If your family loves to explore ruins just like mine does, this is a great site to explore. With plenty of ruined castle remains still standing, and a beautiful park to enjoy around as well as the local shops to walk to, this is a great spot to go with children.

Play parks

No matter where in Cumbria you are staying, there are plenty of amazing play areas to take your children to run off some energy. Most include beautiful walks in the local area too! Some top choices include:

• Ambleside's Rothay Park

• Barrow-in-Furness’ Barrow Park

• Brockhole on Windermere's free adventure playground

• Carlisle's Bitts Park

Shap Abbey

One final English Heritage entry that is free for all… not just members! Nestled near the River Lowther in Cumbria's Eden valley, this 12th century abbey is a great place to run around and explore. We took a picnic and enjoyed a good few hours playing amongst the ruined walls of the old abbey. If you want to adventure out there are also plenty of local walks to enjoy here.

Silloth Beach (or other coastal spots!)

From the fairy door trail and adventure play area to the sandy beach, arcade, and locally renowned ice cream, Silloth has a lot to offer. You don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a beach in the Lake District, and most offer free (but sometimes limited) parking.

Other top Lake District and Cumbrian beaches you may want to add to your itinerary include:

• Allonby

• Arnside

• Harrington

• Silecroft

• St Bees

Talkin Tarn Country Park

This is one of our favourite family days out. It has a 1.3 mile circular walk, woodland to explore, wooden carved animals to find, a small playground, and even a little café for drinks and snacks. Plus, you can watch the birds from the hide or hire a boat to go out on the tarn. There are so many options here!

N.B. Parking your car at Talkin Tarn? Under an hour costs just £1.40, anything over is only £2.60… an easy, budget-friendly day out for sure!

Whinlatter Forest

Whinlatter offers a fabulous range of child- and dog-friendly walks in England's only true mountain forest. With stunning views over Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, and Derwentwater, and multiple Julia Donaldson themed trails to follow, this is definitely in our top ten child-friendly free days out.

N.B. Parking in the Whinlatter Visitor Centre car park starts at £2.60 to a maximum of £10 per day.

Want to discover more? Check out our visits to the Gruffalo orienteering and Zog trail at Whinlatter.

So, with that I've shared some of our favourite free days out in the Lake District and Cumbria. The reality is life is expensive, especially when you have children, so being able to plan some free family days out in the Lake District is perfect. Have the best time and let me know where you’ve loved on your travels!

For more posts about our family adventures, from UK staycations to days out for kids visit my Travel blog. If you have any questions about places to visit in the Lake District, feel free to ask in the comments section below.

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