Category Archives: Lake District

A Detour to Caerlaverock Castle

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On our way back home from The Lakes, we decided to take a little detour and visit Caerlaverock Castle in Dumfries—a place we’ve been wanting to see for ages. It’s a bit of a trek, so we hadn’t made the trip yet, but today felt like the perfect time to do it. And boy, it did not disappoint!

The castle is absolutely stunning—built in a triangular shape with a moat surrounding it, it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. We all loved exploring the castle, as there are so many nooks, crannies, and hidden staircases to discover. The prison was a highlight for the boys—they were fascinated by the thought of being locked up in such a historic place!

We spent hours wandering around, enjoying the views, and soaking in the history. It’s definitely one of those places that’s worth the extra effort to visit.

We’ll definitely be coming back again, and we’d highly recommend it to anyone in the area looking for a bit of adventure and history. A perfect pitstop on our journey home!

Last Day in the Lakes: A Walk Around Derwentwater

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Our last full day in the Lake District was between Keswick and Windermere for our trip, and this time Keswick won. We’ve enjoyed both places before, but today we decided to spend the day exploring around Derwentwater.

As usual, parking near the Theatre on the Lake can be quite expensive, so we did a bit of research and discovered we could park at Keswick Rugby Club for just £4 for the whole day. From there, it’s a lovely walk through the park that brings you straight to the lake. We headed off towards Friars Crag and then followed the lake path, but this time we went a bit further than usual. Along the way, we stumbled upon a massive rock on the beach—split in half, and it had the most fascinating structure inside that looked like a brain!

After the walk, we popped into Keswick town for some well-earned fish and chips. Always a classic when you’re in the area!

With a total of 17,135 steps today, we were all pretty exhausted by the end, but it was the perfect way to wrap up our time in the Lakes. A day full of beautiful scenery, good food, and, of course, plenty of steps to keep us busy!

A Quick Stop in Lancaster

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After a no-breakfast hotel experience, we decided the best way to start the day was with a classic McDonald’s breakfast—you can’t go wrong there!

Since Lancaster is about halfway between Blackpool and the Lakes, we thought it’d be a good idea to stop off and explore a bit. Our first stop was Lancaster Castle, but unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed. Entry was only available via guided tours, lasting 60 minutes, and at £20 for a family of four, we decided to give it a miss this time.

Right across from the castle was Lancaster Priory, which was a stunning building. We wandered in to have a look, but it was a bit noisy inside since they were tuning the organ. Despite the noise, it was still beautiful to see.

Afterwards, we took a walk around the town. The market was in full swing, and there were lots of tasty treats to browse. Oliver even picked up a Beano annual from one of the stalls, and mum found a couple of new books at a charity shop—2 for £1, what a bargain!

We wrapped up the day with 10,507 steps on the clock—another day of exploring and making memories!

Road Trip to Blackpool: A Fun-Filled Adventure

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We’ve been talking about another trip to Blackpool for a while now, and after four years since our last visit, we finally made it happen! This time we decided to stay overnight to make it easier and save the long drive. Plus, Lewis has been going on about wanting to go for months, so it was time to make it happen.

We arrived and parked across from our hotel, then set off for our first adventure—a walk through the amusements and along the shop fronts. Just as we were getting into it, a sudden downpour hit, so we took shelter and decided to pop into the Central Pier amusements. The boys had their 2p coins from Gran Janice, so they had a blast trying their luck on the machines. After that, we explored the pier rides, grabbed some lunch, and walked back through the shops before checking in at our hotel.

After a bit of a rest, we headed back out for a walk along the promenade. We stopped for some rock (of course!) and the boys had a turn at the funfair rides. Oliver wanted to go on the dodgems, but he wasn’t tall enough to reach the pedal, so mum had to join in. It was a fun experience!

For dinner, we headed to The Chinese Buffet, and the boys tried all sorts of new foods. It was a lovely meal, and they were on their best behavior—bonus! Afterward, we had to hit the amusements again, this time with £1 each in 2p coins. The boys were a bit cheeky, trying to steal mum’s winnings and tokens, but we ended up winning a few dinosaur gliders, a rubber, and, of course, a stick of rock for each of us.

By the time we headed back to the hotel, it was well past bedtime, but we squeezed in a family game of pool on the wonkiest table ever! Naturally, there were some disagreements, and Lewis gave up after a few shots to play games on mum’s phone instead. As for who won? Dad and Oliver managed to snag the victory.

Our hotel room was a family room with 2 doubles and a single, so mum and Lewis took one bed, dad and Oliver took the other, and Alexander had the single. The sleep wasn’t the comfiest, and we’ve agreed it might be the last time we try a family room (lesson learned!).

We were all pretty exhausted by the end of the day, but we racked up 17,157 steps, and it was worth every one of them! What a fun day in Blackpool!

A Visit to Wray Castle and a Bit of a Detour

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Today, we had planned to visit Stott Park Bobbin Mill, but when we arrived, we found out it was closed for conservation works and wouldn’t reopen until Wednesday. A bit of a bummer, but no problem—we whipped out the map and decided to head to Wray Castle, just a short drive away.

The road between the two destinations was a bit hairy, with some narrow, winding lanes, and we encountered a few tractors along the way. But the highlight? We met a sheep on the road, just casually strolling along. Welcome to the countryside!

When we finally arrived at Wray Castle, it was lovely. The castle had a Peter Rabbit adventure trail that the kids absolutely loved, along with activities like dress-up and crafts, including origami. There was also a table tennis and snooker table, which kept them entertained for a while. The castle’s dining room doubled as a place to eat your picnic, which was a nice touch.

However, we were a little disappointed by the lack of furniture and information about the castle’s history and what it would have been like when it was fully furnished. That said, the adventure playground across from the car park was amazing and definitely the highlight for the kids.

As National Trust members, we thought it was worth the visit, but with the cost being £25 for a family ticket and an additional £6.50 for parking (on top of entry), we’re not sure we’ll be back. The price felt a bit steep for what it offered.

Later that evening, we headed back to the chalet, where we played a game of Junior Cluedo. It was a tight competition, but David emerged victorious!

We ended the day with 5,788 steps on the clock. Not a bad day despite the detour!

Mother’s Day at Housesteads Roman Fort

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Today was Mother’s Day, and the first one we’ve celebrated while on holiday. The boys did a fantastic job of making me feel special, with gifts of books, sweets, and lots of handmade cards, pictures, and gifts. After a breakfast in bed, followed by a second breakfast of bacon and eggs, it was time for me to choose the day’s adventure. I went with Housesteads Roman Fort, a part of Hadrian’s Wall that we had planned to visit last October but ran out of time.

It turned out to be an excellent choice! The fort is perched on a steep hill, so it was a bit of a hike up, but once we got there, the views were absolutely stunning, and the fort itself was incredibly impressive. The site has a shop and an information centre, which includes a short video on what the fort looked like back in the day, along with some artefacts to explore. The boys also enjoyed the dress-up station, where they could pretend to be Roman soldiers and reenact Roman fights—definitely one of their favourite parts!

Once we made it to the Roman Fort, we were all really impressed by how much larger it was than we expected, and we had a great time walking around, learning about its history, and soaking in the views. Oliver especially loved exploring every nook and cranny of the fort.

Afterward, we took a short drive to Steel Rigg, which was only a couple of minutes away. A short walk down, followed by a bit of an uphill trek along the Wall and the crag (Lyndsey wasn’t too fond of this part), brought us to the top, where the view was breathtaking. Definitely worth the climb!

Pro tip: Wear walking boots if you plan on doing this walk—definitely makes the journey easier!

We ended the day with a steak and chips dinner and a couple of glasses of rosé—a perfect way to finish off a wonderful Mother’s Day.

8646 steps today, and a perfect day all around!

A Perfect Day at Pooley Bridge and Ullswater Lake

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What an amazing day we had today! We made our way to Pooley Bridge and went for a lovely walk around Ullswater Lake—something we missed in October due to the flooding. It’s a walk we really enjoy, so it was fantastic to finally get to do it again.

As soon as we reached the start of the lake, we came across a rope swing—it was great fun! And surprisingly, it held adults too, so we all had a go. There’s something so fun and freeing about swinging out over the water!

We managed to walk a bit further than we usually do and ended up at the campsite and farm area, where there was a food van. We grabbed some chips to complement our sandwiches and sat down to enjoy them. The boys were quick to spot the small park nearby, and they spent some time playing. However, there were a couple of incidents along the way: Lewis got whacked by a swing and went flying through the air (it was a bit of a shock, but he was fine), and then Alexander fell off the climbing wall, landing right under a swing. He stood up, cracked his head, but thankfully he was okay too! It was a little chaotic, but they both bounced back quickly.

Pro tip: We parked at the all-day parking in Pooley Bridge, which cost us £3.00. There’s also an alternative car park that costs £3 for up to 2 hours.

On the way back home, we stopped by the shops in Penrith for some ice creams, then decided to visit Brougham Castle, which is just a 5-minute drive from our chalet. It’s a lovely ruin, with flowers growing through the old walls. You can walk up to two levels of the castle for a fantastic view. It was a great little stop to round off the day.

By the time we got back, we were all absolutely shattered after a full day of adventures.

11008 steps walked—an excellent way to kick off the holiday!

Back at Kaptain’s Cabin – A Perfect Getaway

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We’ve been to the Lakes quite a few times now, but this trip felt extra special as it was our second stay in Kaptain’s Cabin (we were here last October too). The sun was shining as we arrived, which made it feel even more like a holiday. There’s something so relaxing about being here—after settling in, I grabbed a book and enjoyed some quiet time, while the kids ran around the chalet, making the most of the fresh air.

The cabin itself is always a great spot for us. It’s cosy and tucked away in the perfect spot for exploring, but also just the right place to unwind when you want to relax. It was a perfect start to what promises to be another lovely stay in the Lakes!