A haven for those who love nature and being active, Keswick and the surrounding area has plenty going on to keep the whole family entertained.
Set in the beautiful scenery of the Lake District, Keswick is the perfect destination for families with plenty of things to both outdoors and in. A haven for those who love nature and being active, Keswick and the surrounding area has plenty going on to keep the whole family entertained. With plenty of hotels in Keswick to choose from, there’s no better place for a family getaway in the Lake District. If you’re thinking of planning your own break to the area, here’s a taste of some of the family-friendly activities and things to do in Keswick and the surrounding area.
Go Ape! Whinlatter
A short 13-minute drive away from Keswick, the Whinlatter Go Ape! centre is the perfect family-friendly activity if you have children or teenagers with some excess energy to burn off. For little monkeys and wannabe Tarzans, there’s the tree top adventure hidden 14 metres up in the forest canopy. Here you’ll navigate the rope course by zipping, diving, and swinging your way through various obstacles and challenges. If you would prefer to keep your feet firmly on the ground, then there is also the forest Segway course where you can explore the beautiful scenery on all-terrain Segways, doing away with the usual complaints of sore feet or tired legs that usually accompany family walks.
The Puzzling Place
Located in the centre of Keswick, the Puzzling Place is a fun day out for the entire family come rain or shine. Step into the free puzzle area where you can all put your brains to work trying to solve different brain teasers and puzzles, designed to be entertaining and frustrating in equal measure. For the full experience, enter the Puzzling Palace’s ‘World of Illusions’ (for an entry fee), where the line between what’s real and what is an illusion begins to blur. Here you can expect to find mind-boggling illusions like the gravity room and the hologram gallery, both of which will be sure to delight adults and children alike.
Lake District Wildlife Park
Featuring over 100 different species of both wild and domestic animals, the Lake District Wildlife Park also holds a range of daily presentations, offering some unique learning opportunities for the kids (and the grown-ups might learn a thing or two too!). Home to mammals, birds, and reptiles, some of the local residents at the wildlife park include lemurs, meerkats, American bald eagles, owls, boas, pythons, and tortoises. For a truly unique experience, the park has a number of different wildlife encounters available to purchase like a hawk walk and a lemur encounter.
Alpacaly Ever After
Located a short drive away from the centre of Keswick, Alpacaly Ever After offers a fun twist on the traditional Lakeland walk. Here, you have the pleasure of spending some time with a furry companion on your walk in the form of the charming and friendly alpacas. Alpacaly Ever After offers both mixed walking groups and private walks around the Lingholm Estate. The activity is child-friendly and children under 10 can take part for free, although they will not be able to lead their own alpaca and will instead have to share with one of the adults accompanying them. This is a fantastic way of getting the entire family outdoors and active, while introducing children to a new animal that they wouldn’t normally get a chance to interact with.
Derwent Pencil Museum
At a certain age, children are curious about absolutely everything in the world from why the sky is blue to how everyday things function. Take a trip to the Derwent Pencil Museum where they will surely be fascinated to learn all about how pencils are made along with the history of graphite in the local area from its humble beginnings centuries ago to how pencils are made in the modern age. The museum is also home to the world’s largest colour pencils, measuring almost 8 feet tall!
