Showing posts with label Cumbria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cumbria. Show all posts

Monday 13 May 2019

Windermere Lake Cruises & The Lakeland Motor Museum - A Review

In a recent blog post, I reviewed our experience at the Treetop Nets located at Brockhole Visitor Centre in the Lake District. We had an incredible time and plenty of fun, but once our two hour session was over, we were keen to see what else there was on offer in the area, as well as having a little bit of time to relax.

It can often be hard to find an activity where the parents get a little bit of time to chill out, without the kids immediately declaring their boredom, but we found the perfect solution by combining a Windermere Lake Cruise with a trip to the Lakeland Motor Museum.

We walked the short distance from the Treetop Nets to the Brockhole jetty, where there was a Windermere Lake Cruises ticket desk to purchase your tickets. You can also buy them online if you prefer and then simply exchange your booking confirmation for the tickets on arrival. We did the latter and exchanged our online booking voucher for tickets with minimal fuss. I had printed a copy of the timetable off the day before, so that we knew exactly where and when we could catch the boats throughout the day.

We had a Freedom of the Lake ticket including Lakeland Motor Museum entry, which meant that it could be used on any of the boats for a duration of 24 hours and that we could also use it to visit the museum. However, if you did only wish to travel on a particular route, then you can buy tickets specifically for the journey that you require. There are a great range of ticket options available, along with the choice of adding an attraction for greater value for money. Attractions that can be added are the Lakeland Motor Museum, the Lakes Aquarium and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway.


There was plenty of seating for us to wait on until our boat arrived and then when it started to come into the jetty, all the customers began to form an orderly queue. On first glance it looked as though our boat was nearly full, so I was slightly worried about us being able to find seats altogether. Whilst it was busy, there were in fact still plenty of seats available on the upper deck, so my family and I sat on two rows upstairs, so that we could get a great view of the scenery.

We had decided that we would travel to Bowness first, prior to visiting the Motor Museum, so as our boat travelled on a circular route, this meant that we firstly had to travel to Ambleside, before returning back past Brockhole and onto Bowness. This was a really relaxing and enjoyable boat journey which had the most picturesque backdrop to our travels. The boat guide pointed out some areas of significance and also highlighted some peaks to us in the distance. My children really enjoyed looking out for wildlife, as well as trying to spot some of the hotels and landmarks that were mentioned on the journey.


As we continued our journey to Bowness, we passed numerous other watercraft all enjoying time out on the lake. This varied from yachts and motor boats to kayaks and paddle boards. Riley loved waving to everyone as they went past and it was great to see so many people wave back.

On arrival in Bowness, my children immediately spotted an outdoor stall selling ice cream, so we disembarked and had a little walk around the waterfront, before purchasing a cone each for us all. There was also a little arcade that we played in for a while, before we continued further up the road in order to explore some of the town.

We had last visited the area a couple of years ago, so Riley couldn't quite remember his last trip, so we walked up to the outside of the Beatrix Potter Museum and took him for a look inside the shop. Both my boys collect coins, so they were keen to see if they had any of the new Peter Rabbit coins on sale.


After we had spent a short time in Bowness, we decided to catch another boat and then continue our onward journey to the Lakeland Motor Museum. I had printed the timetable off from the website previously, but there were also plenty of leaflets and boards which advised when the next departures were. Our boat was already boarding at the jetty and fortunately there wasn't a large queue, so we were able to get onboard straight away and find some seats.

There was a choice of seating available and as the weather had become quite cold and overcast, we decided to sit downstairs for the next part of our journey. There were some long seats with tables in between, along with large picture windows at the side, so you could still see all the scenery as you travelled. A small refreshment shop was also located downstairs, so we enjoyed some hot drinks and snacks to warm us up.

All of the journeys that we had with Lake Windermere Cruises were really smooth along the water and not bumpy at all. I sometimes get a bit dizzy or light headed when travelling on boats, but these cruises were really relaxing and enjoyable and it was nice to be able to enjoy this time together as a family.

If, like us, you decide to visit the Lakeland Motor Museum, then you will need to catch a bus once you arrive at Lakeside. These run regularly and in time with the boat arrivals and departures, with the journey on the bus taking approximately 10 minutes. It is a great little service which makes exploring the area really easy.


On our arrival to the Lakeland Motor Museum, my children immediately remembered it. It has some superb displays and exhibits that my kids always find really fascinating. The museum itself is located within a converted mill and it boasts a massive collection of over 30,000 exhibits that cover a wide range of transportation from the twentieth century. As well as the main museum, there is also a separate exhibit in an adjacent building, that is dedicated to The Bluebird and the racing career of Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell.

As we entered the main shop and reception area, my children were provided with some quiz books that they could fill in as we had a look around and they were really pleased to see that some of the questions were different from our previous visit. The quiz book encouraged them to read the information on the displays, which helped them to learn more and gain a greater understanding of the vehicle that they were looking at.

My eldest son found the original prices of the cars really interesting, so he downloaded an app whilst there, that allowed you to convert historical prices into the modern day equivalent. One vehicle originally cost £400 new which sounded so inexpensive, but once you converted this to today's money, it would have been the same as thousands of pounds.


There were some new exhibits in place that had arrived since our last visit, so it was great to be able to have a look at some new vehicles that we had not seen before. It is actually quite amazing how they manage to fit so many displays in one place. Everything is so well laid out and the route through the museum is really easy to follow. The extensive car collection covers a large time span and features some wonderful cars ranging from prestige and luxurious, to performance and iconic.


Along with the vehicles, there are also some really fun shop displays, as well as old vehicle and fuel station signs all adorned along the walls. As an added bonus there is also a small room upstairs that features some old arcade style games. Each of the games cost 20p to play and there is a change machine so that you can exchange a £1 for a few coins. My son Ben loved the Super Steer-A-Ball game and managed to get his timing to perfection so that he could complete the route successfully.

There was also a fantastic display of bicycles and motorbikes upstairs in what was quite a magnificent collection. With so many to look at and compare, it was really interesting to view some of the older and more unique designs that varied quite a lot to todays modern comparisons.


My youngest son Riley really enjoyed learning about the Bluebird and he even chose to watch the video that played in the exhibit, sitting nice and quietly and listening to everything that was being said in the documentary. He absolutely loves to learn and find out new and interesting facts, so he was amazed hearing all about the record attempts that took place on the lake. Another couple visiting actually commented on how well behaved and quiet he was, which was a lovely compliment to receive.

Once we had finished looking around all of the exhibits, we returned to the shop with our completed quiz books so that the children could claim their prize. They were all rewarded for their efforts with a lovely little medal, which Riley was particularly proud of, especially as he had managed to answer most of the questions all by himself.


Overall we had a fantastic time with both Windermere Lake Cruises and the Lakeside Motor Museum. The boats looked really well maintained and all the staff on board seemed very accommodating and friendly. A small refreshments bar on board ensured that we could buy some hot drinks and snacks, whilst enjoying a leisurely cruise around the lake. Riley absolutely loved waving to the other boats that went past, whilst Ben enjoyed looking for wildlife both in and around the lake. The on-board commentary ensured that we didn't miss anything of significance and this also kept the children interested as they tried to spot what was being described by the guide.

The Lakeland Motor Museum was well enjoyed by my children and although we have visited previously, they still found it just as fascinating as our previous visit. There were some new exhibits that we had not seen before and the quiz that children are provided with on entry was also different. My kids really enjoyed looking for all the answers throughout the museum and also had a great time playing on the vintage games in the upper floor. Both attractions were superb and it was a fantastic way to spend a relaxing afternoon together.

For more information on Windermere Lake Cruises or the Lakeland Motor Museum, then you can visit their websites or their social media pages on the following channels:

Windermere Lake Cruises

Website - https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/windermerelakecruises
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Windermereboats
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/windermerelakecruises/

Lakeland Motor Museum

Address: Lakeland Motor Museum Ltd, Old Blue Mill, Backbarrow, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8TA
Website - www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LakelandMotorMuseum/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/LakeMotorMuseum
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lakelandmotor/


*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary Freedom of the Lake & Motor Museum Ticket for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience. Opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. All details provided are believed to be correct at the time of writing, however these can be subject to change for example admission, prices and opening times. I would therefore always recommend visiting the attractions own website prior to visiting in order to obtain the most up to date information.

Friday 10 May 2019

Our Review of the Treetop Nets in Windermere, Lake District

As a family we are always on the look out for fun new activities to try, especially ones that we can all enjoy together. We enjoy adventure and being outdoors, so when we heard about the Treetop Nets in the Lake District, this sounded like the perfect activity for us to experience. We therefore decided to head up north during the bank holiday weekend to spend the day in Cumbria and see what kind of family fun there was to enjoy.

The Treetop Nets at the Brockhole Visitor Centre in Windermere, are suspended nets located high up in the trees and feature giant trampolines, tunnels and slides. Due to the fact that you are enclosed with nets around the side, it also means that there is no need to wear a harness and you can simply jump, run and explore your way through the treetops. We were all really excited to try this out and my children were particular keen to test out the slides, which were described as being super fast!


The journey from our home in North Wales to Windermere takes approximately one hour and forty minutes, so we decided to set off early at 7:30am so that we could stop for breakfast somewhere along the way. We had booked our session on the Treetop Nets for 10am, so this gave us just enough time to enjoy a bite to eat and have a pleasant drive.

Our booking confirmation provided plenty of important information, so I had made sure that we had all read through this the day before. There are plenty of health and safety rules which are for the customers own benefit, so it is important to be aware of these and adhere to them both prior and during participation.

It is really important to wear appropriate clothing for the outdoors and for walking and bouncing on the nets, so flip flops and sandals are an absolute no! My children all opted for joggers or leggings with trainers so that they could move about easily, whilst I opted for jeans and pumps. Long hair needs to be tied back so I made sure that Emma's was in a high ponytail before we arrived and I took a hair bobble along with me so that I could tie my own hair back whilst there. You are also not permitted to wear jewellery of any kind, this is because they can be easily caught in the netting which could cause you an injury, so it is best to make sure everything is left safely at home as there are no secure lockers on site.

You are advised to arrive 15 minutes early to allow time to park, pay for your parking ticket, make your way to the Treetop Nets and sign in with reception. I would definitely recommend arriving a bit earlier if you can as we arrived 15 minutes early, but had issues with the parking ticket machine (as did the lady in front of us), so by the time we had resolved this and walked to the reception area, we only just made our 10am slot. It is better to be early and play on the neighbouring park whilst you wait, than to be late and risk missing your session.


Once we had reached reception, we were greeted by a lovely member of staff who asked us to fill in some consent forms. I had to sign to confirm that we accepted the risks of taking part and then I also had to sign on behalf of the children. Another member of staff then took us to an outdoor briefing where we were told the do's and don'ts and given advice on how to use the slides. She also carried out a check to make sure that none of us were wearing any jewellery and provided us with some bags that we could use to go down the slides. These are essential for using on the slides if you want to avoid any risk of injury or rope burns. We were then free to explore!

Each session lasts two hours and on first glance I wasn't convinced that it would keep us entertained for that length of time. I predicted that we would all be done after an hour, but I will happily admit that I was wrong and in fact the full two hour session flew by. Initially Emma and Ben ran off in different directions, whilst I stayed with our youngest son Riley. He was very nervous and apprehensive to begin with and would get scared if he looked down. We began by walking gently and holding onto the sides, so that he could get use to how it felt walking on the nets. This gradually helped to build his confidence and he began to move more into the middle, but he was adamant that he would not be going down any slides. After about twenty minutes he gained the confidence to start bouncing and really began to enjoy himself. Before long there was no stopping him as he ran and bounced his way through the nets.

At this point he was still unsure about the slides, but said that he would think about it, and he watched on as his brother and sister went down them. His elder brother then managed to convince him to try one of the tunnels and he spent ten minutes just going back and forth through it. He absolutely loved it and found it quite a challenge to get out at the other end, which he thought was hilarious as his brother had to keep helping him out.


Emma and Ben then decided to spend sometime in the Ball Zone which is a huge netted area that contains large rubber balls (about birthing/gym ball size). Personally I found this area to be a little too busy for Riley who is 6 and it seemed more suitable for the older children and adults who were playing Dodgeball with the balls. I did notice that in the second hour of our session there was a member of staff supervising this area which was reassuring and play did seem much calmer during this time. Both Emma and Ben did enjoy it there though and were of a similar age to the others playing, so they just avoided any balls that were thrown or simply laughed it off if they did get caught by one. They stayed in this area for a good half an hour, so whilst it wasn't ideal for Riley, it was very enjoyable for them.

There was however, plenty of other areas for Riley to play, so my husband and I set about trying to encourage him to go down the slides. Riley soon agreed that if I went down the slides first then he would have a go too. It sounded like the perfect deal to me, so I shuffled into my bag and set off down to the bottom of the slide. After a few minutes of doubt, Riley finally agreed and once he had gone down the slide for the first time, there was absolutely no stopping him as he then went on the slides over and over again.


One thing that I particularly liked about the Treetop Nets was the Under 7's Chill Out Zone, so if it did ever seem too busy, or if your little one simply needs a break, then you can head there for some quieter time and play. There was plenty of space and it also had its own slide, so we did utilise this area on a couple of occasions especially at the beginning of our session when Riley was still building his confidence.

My only disappointment with the whole attraction, was how quick the two hour session seemed to pass! None of my children wanted to leave and before we had even walked out of the Treetop Net area, they were already asking when we could do it again. I enjoyed it just as much as the kids and it was nice to be able to take part in the activity with them, as opposed to just supervising.

Overall we had an absolutely fantastic time at the Treetop Nets and it is somewhere that we will definitely be visiting again. I thought the layout was great and I also liked the fact that there were picnic benches underneath the nets, so you could take a break when you needed to, or enjoy a snack and a drink. It didn't feel crowded at all at any point and because the ball zone seemed to be the most popular area, there were times where it felt like we had the remainder of the nets to ourselves which was great. The slides were really fun and fast and most importantly everything felt really safe. At no point did I feel worried or nervous about the nets being suspended in the air and seeing numerous staff members walking around and supervising was also very reassuring. Ultimately we had a brilliant time and my children have already requested a return visit in the summer holidays, which I have happily agreed to. The Treetop Nets are a fun experience for the whole family and we cannot wait to go back!

To find out more about Treetop Nets or to book tickets, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - https://www.treetoptrek.co.uk
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TreetopLakeDistrict
Twitter - https://twitter.com/TreetopTrekUK
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/treetoplakedistrict/

Address: Treetop Nets, Brockhole Visitor Centre, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LJ
Cost: £20 per adult/child over 5 / £13 for supervisors and under 5's


*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary 2 hour session for the purpose of writing an honest review of the attraction and our experience. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Details provided are believed to be correct at the time of writing, but information such as admission prices or opening hours are subject to change. I would therefore always recommend visiting the attractions own website prior to visiting in order to obtain the most up to date information.

Sunday 30 July 2017

A Day at Old Hall Farm - The Lake District

The weather wasn't too kind to us during our recent visit to the Lake District, but we managed to fit in a day out to Old Hall Farm in Ulverston on one of the dry days. The attraction was approximately half an hour away from our accommodation in Carnforth and is signposted from the main road as a Vintage Ice Cream Farm so keep an eye out for the signs! The Sat Nav wanted to send us a different way, but as we knew we were going to be heading up country lanes we decided that it would probably be a better idea to follow the signs instead.

We made our way along numerous winding lanes and through a little village before finding the Old Hall Farm attraction on the right hand side. We pulled into the car park that had plenty of parking available and then made our way over to the entrance with us all very excited to return after our previous visit back in May 2016.

Old Hall Farm is an historic working farm that uses vintage machinery and 19th century methods to grow its crops and harvest the land. Guests to the attraction are able to view some of the machinery and take part in activities throughout the day that help you learn more about working on a farm and the techniques used to do certain farm jobs. In addition to vintage tractors, many jobs are also carried out with the assistance of horse power and the farm is home to some absolutely stunning horses who help with the work.

As we entered the attraction through the shop we were greeted by a lovely gentleman called David. He provided us with some leaflets, told us where everything was and explained where the activities board was displayed so that we could see what was on offer to join in with that day. On our previous visit the children had helped to collect manure from the field and load it into a trailer and loved it (though I don't know why) and so they were a little disappointed to find that this wasn't taking place during our visit on this occasion. However there was still plenty for them to do and shortly after arriving they were introduced to a lovely shire horse and began to learn more about how he came to be on the farm, where he was from and what he was currently learning to do. We were led to an outdoor paddock where two horses were paired together and were being taught how to walk together. They were both learning and still getting used to the heavy equipment that they needed to wear and so it took a few goes to get the timing just right. The owner Charlotte was on hand to answer any questions the children had and spoke very clearly so that everyone could hear the information she was providing.


After the horse demonstration we made our way around the farm to see some of the animals. We saw some shetland ponies, pigs (and piglets), ducks, chickens, a donkey and a cow. There isn't as many animals as we have seen at other farms, however I believe that Old Hall Farm is more about the experience the children have in joining in with the activities and so this doesn't really bother us. Once we had a look around the buildings and the machinery, my children were invited to come and help groom the shetland ponies and the donkey. Both Riley and Ben really enjoyed this and both took their time to brush the animals carefully and follow the instructions they were given.


Following this they went for a play in the barn which was full of hay bales and a swing rope. Really simple, but the kids absolutely loved it. There was also some seating for parents to have a rest or to give you somewhere undercover to sit and eat your ice creams or snacks.

Once the kids had finished playing they went into the gift shop to purchase some ice cream. I am reliably informed that this was the nicest ice cream they have ever tasted! We sat outside on the picnic benches whilst they finished them and all the kids then ran off in various directions to enjoy the toys which were available outside including pedal tractors and go karts. We were going to purchase some hot dogs for lunch which was reasonably priced on the children's menu in the Chicken Shed tea room at £2.50 each but unfortunately they had none left and the kids decided they didn't want anything else and so decided to eat later once we had finished at the attraction.


Whilst the children were playing on the outdoor toys, one of the staff members came round to tell us that they were about to start a butter making demonstration. This was a fun hands on activity for the kids where they could each have a turn at churning the butter and then patting it down into shape. We learnt all about how butter is made and how it is separated into curds and whey during the churning process. This was quite interesting as we have butter on our toast & sandwiches but have never really given it much thought as to how it is made, so this was a fun thing to do and be involved with.


Before we left we had another look around the sheds. Some of the machinery had been well maintained and was in great condition, but others were in need of a bit of TLC. The information displays and movies that were available to view in the sheds were very informative and gave an insight into farm life. Overall we had a very enjoyable visit and I think that the entry price of £27 for a family of 5 was very reasonable.



Important information:

Address - Old Hall Farm, Bouth, Nr Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8JA

Telephone - 01229 861993

Website - www.oldhallfarmbouth.com/

Twitter - @OldHallFarm1

Facebook - Old Hall Farm Facebook Page

Opening times - 10am til 5pm, 7 days a week, 3rd April to 3rd November 2017.

Entry Prices - Adult £8.25, Children £5.75, Family £27 (2 adults & 3 children), Seniors £6.50

Disclaimer - Attraction information is correct at time of writing but is subject to change, so I would always recommend visiting the attractions own website prior to visiting for the most up to date information. Opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.




Saturday 29 July 2017

Our Visit to the Lakeland Motor Museum - The Lake District

Following our day out with Windermere Lake Cruises, we had originally planned to take a boat over to the Lakeland Motor Museum after our cruise to Ambleside, but with Riley getting quite tired we decided to drive there the next day instead.

The Lakeland Motor Museum is housed in a converted mill and is nicely presented from the outside. It boasts a large collection of over 30,000 exhibits that cover all kinds of transportation from the twentieth century including cars, bicycles, motorbikes and even a jet ski! In addition to vehicle exhibits there is also a wide range of local history displays and recreations of old shop fronts.

The attraction was very easy to find and well sign posted from the main road. There was plenty of parking which was free of charge to museum visitors and Cafe Ambio customers. We were greeted on arrival by two lovely ladies who welcomed us to the attraction and provided the children with a quiz that they needed to find the answers to whilst exploring the museum. My children enjoy anything that involves a bit of competitiveness and so the challenge was soon on to see who could find all the answers first. We were given information on which way to work our way through the museum and we were also informed that there was an additional exhibit on The Bluebird based in another building adjacent to the main museum. With my children and their quizzes ready to go we entered the museum ready to learn more about the history of vehicles and ready to compare them to the modern cars of today.

The exhibits began with vehicles dating from pre 1930's and there were some very luxurious cars on display that had clearly been well cared for over the years. My children found the first answers to their quiz and my husband enjoyed looking around and inside the cars to see just how different they were back then. The next range of vehicles were from the 1940's to the 1950's and included both luxury and performance vehicles, which was then followed by some iconic and unusual cars from the 50's and 60's.



Adjacent to this was a recreated street scene which featured various stores including a toy shop and confectioners. My son Riley loved the old model toy shop and looking through the windows. He has a huge car collection at home but soon realised that one of the shops collections was a little bigger than his!


On the opposite side of the 50's & 60's collection were two displays that provided information on some of the industries that used to be in the area, along with a women's Land Army display which looked into the roles that women played during the world wars. Emma and Ben will be learning about World War II when they return to school in September so they enjoyed reading some of the information that was provided here.


As we made our way around the museum we then came across a selection of family classics from the 1970's. My children liked this area as they recognised a couple of the vehicles here including a Mini and Ford Fiesta. There were then some steps to the rear of this display which took us upstairs to learn more about bicycles and motorcycles. The added addition of some vintage motor themed arcade machines soon caught my children's attention and they each spent a few 20ps playing some of the games. Riley also really enjoyed the large pedal car collection which was upstairs and looked lots of fun! Ben also liked looking at some of the old bicycles and comparing how different they were to his own.


On our return back down the stairs we then explored the vehicles from the 1990's which featured some very recognisable vehicles, but also some unusual ones. Once we had spent some time looking at these and the children had completed their quiz questions for this part of the museum we exited via the shop and walked across the courtyard to the Bluebird exhibit.




This is housed in a separate building and contains a tribute to the record breaking Campbell family and their collection of record breaking vehicles. This display contains full sized replicas along with ample written information and an informative film that you can sit and watch. My children finished off their quiz booklet and we returned back to the museum entrance to hand them in and claim their medals. Whilst on the way back we also noticed a couple of old caravans which were open and so we had a little look inside those too. We used to own a static caravan and my kids were shocked at just how different it was inside compared to how ours was. However I would imagine that in it's time it would probably have been the height of luxury!



Once my kids had returned their quizzes we had a little look around the shop. Some items were quite pricey, but there were a few pocket money priced items and Riley also bought a Car & Caravan toy for £5.99 which I thought was quite reasonable.

Before returning back to our accommodation we visited Cafe Ambio for some drinks. I had stopped here about 18 months ago and had enjoyed a delicious cappuchino by the riverside and so I was really looking forward to doing that again. The cafe was reasonably priced and had a nice selection of food but as we were due to be dining out that evening we just purchased some drinks and enjoyed a nice little rest by the river.

Overall we had a lovely afternoon out and all of us enjoyed the museum. I feel that it offered something for all ages and the added addition of the quiz made it even more enjoyable for children, espeically with the reward of a medal at the end. We were here around two hours, so if wanting to make a full day of it, then I would recommend purchasing a combination ticket that will allow you to combine your visit to the museum with a lake cruise or steam train ride.

Important information:

Address - Lakeland Motor Museum Ltd, Old Blue Mill, Backbarrow, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8TA

Telephone - 01539 530400

Ticket prices -  Tickets can be purchased online for a discounted rate, or can be purchased on arrival at the museum.

Adult 16+ On the day price £8.50
Adult 16+ Advance online price £7.70
Child 5-15 years On the day price £5.00
Child 5-15 years Advance online price £4.50
Child under 5 years - Free
Family (2 adults and up to 3 children) On the day price £24.00
Family Advance online price £21.60

It is also possible to buy combination tickets which combine the attraction with a cruise on Windermere or a trip on a Steam Railway. Please visit the website here for more details on these offers: https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/getting-here/combined-boat-train-bus

Opening times - The museum is open between 9:30am to 5:30pm daily apart from Christmas Day.

Website - www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/

Twitter - @LakeMotorMuseum

Instagram - @lakelandmotor

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LakelandMotorMuseum/


Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary family ticket for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience in the attraction. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated. Attraction information was correct at time of writing but is subject to change, therefore please always check the most up to date information on the attractions own website before visiting.


Wednesday 26 July 2017

A Day Out with Windermere Lake Cruises - The Lake District

After a couple of days of heavy rain, we were delighted to be able to get out and about and enjoy the sunshine on Monday 24th July. We decided to travel half an hour down the road from our accommodation in Carnforth and head to Bowness-on-Windermere for the day and see what Windermere Lake Cruises could offer for a family adventure both on and around the lake.

We arrived in Bowness-on-Windermere at 10:30am and to our surprise we managed to park quite easily in the car park near The World of Beatrix Potter attraction which cost £7 for the day. We purposely chose to park here so that we could enjoy a walk through the town on the way down to the lake and also to pick up some sandwiches that we could take with us for a picnic. Once we reached the lakeside we saw the sign for Windermere Lake Cruises and picked up a leaflet which featured all of the cruise routes and timetables. The leaflet also provided information on the ticket prices for the different routes and we spent a few minutes deciding where we were going to visit for the day.

We had a Freedom of the Lake ticket which meant that we could travel on a continuous round the lake cruise (approximately 3 hours long) or we could travel on any of the cruises listed in the Summer 2017 timetable apart from the evening cruise. This meant that we could stop and start our journey around the lake in whichever way we would like and take in the various stops that were available.


Last year we had visited a place called Brockhole and noticed that there was a stop here on the red route. My children had loved their visit previously and so we thought that it would be a nice idea to travel from Bowness to Brockhole for a picnic and then catch a further boat from Brockhole to Ambleside before making the return journey back to Bowness. 

Once we had decided on our route I visited the kiosk where I was greeted by a friendly and helpful gentleman who was able to answer some questions that I had about the cruise. He informed me of the next sailing time which was at 11:20am and so we joined the small queue that was forming to board the boat.

All guests were welcomed onto the boat by a member of the crew and I noticed a couple of guests with mobility issues being helped down the steps and being offered assistance. There was a choice of seating downstairs on long seats with tables in between, or upstairs where you could enjoy the fresh air. As it was still a little chilly in the breeze we opted to sit downstairs on this journey and my children enjoyed looking out of the window at the passing boats. Our boat on this sailing was only half full and so there was plenty of room for everyone, but as the day progressed and the sun came out, the boats certainly got much busier. Therefore if you want to avoid the crowds then I would definitely recommend one of the earlier sailings.



Once our journey commenced we were surprised to find that it was actually very smooth. I'm not sure why but we had expected it to be a little bumpy, but it was very steady and we enjoyed a pleasant cruise to our first stop of Brockhole. At various points along the lake we were also provided with information from the crew through the tannoy about any particular points of interest that we passed.

After a short while we arrived at Brockhole where we disembarked. We enjoyed a short walk to the picnic area which was based alongside a large adventure playground, where you could also see the Treetop Nets and Zip Lines from the Treetop Trek which was a payable attraction sited within Brockhole. My children enjoyed a good half an hour play on the park before we walked over to the lakeside to enjoy a game of crazy golf. The golf cost £10 for a family of five which I felt was cheap in comparison to some places we have visited. The course wasn't too busy, so we didn't have to wait too long at each hole and likewise we didn't have to worry about keeping people waiting behind us either. The mini golf was lots of fun although some of the holes were very tricky!




Once we had finished our game we sat near the lake where you could hire rowing boats and enjoy some time out on the lake. We opted not to do this and when the kids were ready we returned to the Windermere Lake Cruises pontoon to catch the next boat to Ambleside which was the 1:45pm sailing. When the boat pulled in we were a little worried to see that it was completely full and only six people disembarked so we didn't think we were going to be able to travel to our next stop of Ambleside. However, we were pleased to find that Windermere Lake Cruises clearly think ahead for this kind of situation and had a smaller boat on standby to take everyone to Ambleside where they could either disembark or join the other boat.



The boat we travelled on was much smaller than the others, but very enjoyable all the same. We sat in the open front and being quite low down we did get ever so slightly wet but the kids loved this and said it just added to the fun. The journey from Brockhole to Ambleside took approximately fifteen minutes and when we arrived we decided to stay for a while and enjoy an ice cream before catching our return boat back to Bowness. The town of Ambleside is actually just under a mile away from where the boat docks, but if you don't fancy the walk then we noticed that there was a shuttle bus that ran to take passengers into town. We decided not to do this and instead stayed by the Pierhead cafe and enjoyed a drink and ice cream on the waterfront. The sun was shining brightly by this point and we had a really nice time just relaxing by the water. The cafe menu had some nice dishes and there was also a kiosk selling drinks and ice creams as well as a chip shop just across the road if you wanted to have a bite to eat elsewhere.


As it reached closer to our departure time to return to Bowness we noticed that a very large queue was beginning to form. As the children had already requested that we sat upstairs on the return journey, we decided to join the queue to make sure we had good seats. When the boat arrived we found it was much larger than the other two we had travelled on and was absolutely jam packed with passengers. We waited around 15 minutes for everyone to disembark before we could board and made our way to the top deck. My children were able to select where we sat and there was still plenty of room for everyone to have a comfortable journey back.




Our return journey was the favourite part of our day out as it was a nice pleasant cruise of around 35 minutes and the kids enjoyed waving to everyone on other water craft as they passed the boat. It was nice to see so many people wave back to them and it became a bit of a challenge to see if they could get everyone to wave. (Only one boat didn't!) As we had a Freedom of the Lake ticket we had originally planned to take another cruise to the Lakeland Motor Museum however Riley was beginning to get really tired after a busy day and so we decided to end our Windermere Lake Cruise experience on our arrival back in Bowness.

Overall we had a fantastic time with Windermere Lake Cruises and look forward to trying another route with them in the future when we return to the Lake District.

Top Tips!

* If you are wanting to make full use of the different cruises then purchase a Freedom of the Lake ticket which will allow you to travel on all routes over a 24 hour period.

* If you want to avoid the busier periods then catch one of the earlier sailings.

* If there is a bit of a breeze then you may want to sit downstairs otherwise it can get a bit windy on the top deck.

* If you aren't sure about any of the stops or need help with the timetable, then just ask one of the crew or a staff member in the ticket office. All of the staff we came across were more than happy to answer any questions I had and help us with any queries we had.

* Children under 5 travel for free, so make sure you take this into consideration when purchasing your tickets.

Important Information:

Telephone - 01593 443360

Ticket prices - There are a wide range of different ticket choices and prices. You can purchase cruise only tickets or also combine these with some lakeside attractions. For the most up to date information then please visit the Lake Windermere Cruises website at www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk or their social media accounts which are:

Twitter - @Windermereboats





*Disclaimer - We were provided with a press pass which we exchanged for a Freedom of the Lake ticket for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated. Information provided is correct at time of writing, but is subject to change, so would always recommend visiting the attractions own website for the most up to date information.