Local Walks
Scenic walks around Ullswater to suit all abilities.
Local Attractions
Places you must visit in the Lakes.
Family Days
Fun ideas for all the family to enjoy.
Places to Eat
A list of local places to eat that we recommend.
The Quiet Bar
Read more about our unique bar on the campsite.
Webcam
See what the weather is like in Ullswater.
Adventure Days
Fun-packed family days out near The Quiet Site.
Finding Us
Easy to follow directions to The Quiet Site.
Links
Information on camping and caravanning.
Rainy Days
Does it rain a lot in the Lake District?
Actually it does rain rather a lot but as the saying goes... 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing!'
While Cumbria does have a high average rainfall, we rarely get the boring and often miserable cloud and drizzle that often blights the southern and eastern parts of the country for weeks on end. The light quality is often fantastic, particularly during the autumn, winter and spring.
Weather transitions in the lakes can be fast-moving and one can occasionally experience all 4 seasons in less than 24 hours.
Family camping holidays in the rain bring back nostalgic memories for most of us but things have moved on significantly in the last 30 years...
Many of our grass pitches have a central core of fine round pea gravel, virtually eliminating the bottomless muddy area that would have formerly passed as a pitch. Yet these pitches retain the greenness of the pitch once the tent is up.
Camping Pods eliminate the need for erecting and packing away tents in the rain.
Top Wet Days
A 10 minute drive to Aira Force car park. Walk up beneath the ancient leaf canopy to the waterfalls which improve with rain!
Park at the lakeside car park in Keswick, feed the ducks, take a short walk to Friars Crag, imagine life in the house on the island and then stroll into town to marvel at more anorak/outdoor-clothing shops than anywhere else in the country!
Indoor entertainment at Keswick includes a great Theatre, a Cinema, Cars of the Stars and James Bond Museums. The Cafe at George Fishers is good for family lunch.
Take a trip on the full-size steam train, the Lakeside Railway from Haverthwaite to Windermere. Visit the Aquarium at end of the line before the return journey. The line is fairly short but you have never been on a slower train!
Dalemain Country House is just a 5 minute drive from the site and certainly is worth a visit. Don't forget to visit the lovely tea rooms. Tel: 017684 86450 www.dalemain.com.
Rheged is probably a place to avoid in the wet unless you enjoy sharing an underground hole with a few thousand other people!
Attractions for Wet Days
Rheged - Penrith
Tel: 01768 868000
An award winning family indoor day out. Named after Cumbria's Celtic
Kingdom, Rheged's attractions include a cinema screen the size of 6 double
decker buses. The problem with this excellent wet day venue is that it gets
VERY busy, so if you are going, make sure you are there early. The 3D films
are effective, but the place does lack character. This is possibly as its
owned by a motorway Service station!
The Puzzling Place - Keswick
Tel: 017687 75102
The Puzzling Place is a Tourist Attraction that opened to the public in
Museum Square, Keswick on the 7th of July 2001. It is the product of two
years work by local brothers Tim and Andrew. Their aim was to open a gallery
style exhibition that was different to anything experienced before, both in
content and the relaxed, informal ambiance of the place that couples
education with the elements of fun and surprise.
Penrith Swimming Pool
Tel: 01768 863450
In case you were not wet enough. Climbing wall here as well. Make sure you
ask for a parking voucher at reception.
Zeffirellis Cinema and Jazz Cafe Bar - Ambleside
Tel: 015394 33845
Two separate multi-screen cinemas showing the hot films of the moment. Chill
out in the cafe bar before or afterwards.
Penrith Cinema
Tel: 01768 862400
Two screens showing the current films. Watch out for the traffic warden,
this is Penrith, or what is left of it...
The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction - Bowness
Tel: 015394 88444
Hop down the road to Bowness and see Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Mrs.
Tiggy-winkle and all their friends at the definitive Beatrix Potter
Attraction in the English Lake District.
Windermere Steamboats and Museum - Windermere
Tel: 015394 45565
Windermere Steamboats & Museum offers a unique and historic collection
of Steam and Motor Boats, Steam Launch Trips, Shop and Refreshments,
"Swallows and Amazons" Exhibition and a Model Boats boat pond with
frequent demonstrations.
The Armitt Museum - Ambleside
Tel: 015394 31212
A unique place combining Library and Museum, scholarship and fun, art and
entertainment. The Armitt encapsulates all that is best about Lakeland and
its people and preserves that essence for future generations to enjoy. This
is achieved by the generosity of countless benefactors and volunteers who
together have created the building, collection and exhibitions. The Armitt
has a superb collection of books and manuscripts, drawings and paintings,
memorabilia and archaeological objects relating to an extraordinary gallery
of famous Lake District characters.
Honister Slate Mines - Honister
Tel: 017687 77230
A great day out. A fully guided underground tour into the mine itself is
available several times a day, detailing the history and spectacular
features of the mine.
Whitescar Caves - Ingleton
Tel: 01524 241244
Deep beneath Ingleborough Hill in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, lies a
hidden world which has been sculptured by nature over thousands of years.
Imagine a subterranean landscape, beautifully lit, with gushing streams and
waterfalls, exotic cave formations, and a huge ice-age cavern adorned with
thousands of stalactites. This is White Scar Cave,the longest show cave in
Britain.
Aquarium of the Lakes - Lakeside Windermere
Tel: 015935 30153
More than 30 spectacular, naturally-themed habitats bring the natural
history of the Lake District vividly to life. Enjoy close encounters with
hundreds of amazing creatures including trout, eels, pike, perch, giant
crabs, rays and many more.
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway - Lakeside Windermere
Tel: 015395 31594
Travel through time in the Lake District - ride on the train and help to
preserve steam on one of the last Furness railway branch lines.
Cars of the Stars - Keswick
Tel: 017687 73757
The World famous museum of vehicles from film and television.
Pencil Museum - Keswick
Tel: 017687 73626
Journey through the history of pencils and pencil making, with in depth
information on such topics as: the History of Graphite Mining in Borrowdale,
including a replica of Seathwaite Graphite Mine, Machinery Displays, Video
Shows of Pencil Making & Artistic techniques, Children's Drawing Corner
and free Competition, Brass Rubbings, Artists' Workshops.
The Lakeland Plastics Shop - Bowness
Tel: 015394 88100
Visit the recession beating Lakeland Plastics shop for a spot of retail
therapy. Discover kitchen gadgets that you never even knew existed! The cafe
upstairs is fairly good.
Cedar Gallery - Bowness
Tel: 01539 448009
This is where we got the prints of Windermere by Jeff Sudders that decorate
the lodge.
Hayes Garden World - Ambleside
Tel: 015394 33434
More than just a garden centre, more like a small town, Hayes Garden World
attracts in excess of a million visitors a year, with exciting new ideas
and imaginative displays to enthuse the keenest gardener and shopping
enthusiast alike.
A Cookery Course - Lucy's - Staveley
Tel: 015394 32288
Discover a whole new approach to the preparation and cooking of food, in
particular food produced in Cumbria, with an emphasis on food that is
'sourced locally and cooked globally'. Whether you wish to learn the basics
for life, find a new direction or simply escape the day to day routine,
you'll be thrilled at what Lucy's have to offer.
The Keswick Climbing Wall
Tel: 017687 72000
The Keswick Climbing Wall and Activity centre has covered activities that
will burn off some energy on those days when the weather means you don't
want to be outside.
Watch Swallows and Amazons Videocast
On the free Quiet Site WiFi
Ahead of the BBC's 12-part series of Swallows and Amazons, planned for 2010, you can learn about the writer and the setting for the iconic children's books. The books are based on the sailing adventures of four friends on holiday in the Lakes during the 1930s. If it's too wet to venture out to Coniston, why not log onto www.golakes.co.uk to watch the story of Ransome and the area, so your genned up for when the sun comes out.
The Lake District Coast Aquarium - Maryport
The new-look Lake District Coast Aquarium, has opened a new extension, the Wild Solway Centre, which is currently housing a shark exhibition and film. Other exhibits include fish and invertebrates in 50 displays and fish feeding demonstrations. It costs £5.75 for adults and £3.75 for children.
Greenlands Farm Village - Near Carnforth, Lancashire/Cumbria Border
This open farm launched in April 2009 and is ideal for rainy days because its shops, activities, café and vast indoor play area are all under cover. There's opportunities to buy local produce, crafts, organic toiletries, wine and plants, plus there's a pottery. If it's fine you can brave the picnic area and have hands-on experience with the farm animals, including pygmy goats, Shetland ponies and miniature sheep.
Moresby Hall - Whitehaven
The elegant Grade I listed Moresby Hall has launched cookery courses this year following the completion of a demonstration kitchen. Each session will teach you to make a starter, main course, pudding, vegetable dish and canapés. It lasts four hours and the £50 fee includes a recipe pack, foodie gift and lunch.
Dubwaite Silver Meadows - Keswick
Well, it is a wetland nature reserve, which makes this new centre a perfect trip for a drizzly day. At the north end of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, this new centre has 70 acres of reserves teeming with native birds and wildlife. No wellies needed - you can make your way round on the eco-friendly boardwalk made from recycled plastic.
Peter Rabbit Garden at The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Bowness
At the new Peter Rabbit Naturally Better Garden you can jump into the scene of one of Potter's famous stories. Shelter in the green house and potting shed if it's too wet, then nip outside in a dry window to explore the gooseberry bushes, fruit trees and rows of radishes, lettuce and carrots (the plant varieties adhere strictly to those familiar to Beatrix Potter). The rest of the attraction is indoors. It costs £6.75 for adults, £3.50 for children.
High Head Sculpture Valley - Near Carlisle
High Head Sculpture Valley is an extraordinary display of life-sized wood, stone, iron and bronze sculptures in a wooded valley. If it gets too wet outside, there's an art gallery that has temporary exhibitions and classes, plus a tearoom, farm shop and a spa, with treatments from £20 an hour.
Theatre by the Lake - Lakeside, Keswick
This stunning theatre, with views over Derwentwater, Borrowdale and the Western Fells, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in style. It has a host of summer productions this year.
Ullswater Steamers
Take a tour of arguably the most beautiful lake in the country.
The Bond Museum - Keswick
Tel: 017687 74044
A new museum in Keswick with all the cars and 00 bits...
Eden Ostrich World
Tel: 01768 881771
Email:
www.ostrich-world.com
