The Lake District is an incredibly popular tourist attraction in the North West of England, and it draws thousands of hikers, walkers, and nature lovers of all ages to it every summer. The slower pace of life in the park lends itself to the more relaxed state that most grandparents are looking for, but what do you do when the grandkids come to visit you in your holiday home?
To answer your question, here is our guide to the best nature walks in the Lake District that will suit both you and your grandkids and provide outstanding experiences in some of the most beautiful natural beauty in the world.
Ambleside: Elterwater – Easy Difficulty
Elterwater provides an amazingly convenient and concise sample of everything that makes the Lake District so popular for staycations. This easy route sits next to Loughrigg Fell and is only a 15-minute drive from the more well-known town of Ambleside. Many national park visitors will pass through this area on the way to places like Rydal and Grasmere, but for a serene, flat nature walk that just exudes a calm feeling to its visitors, Elterwater is the place to be.
The lake and rivers provide a straightforward and partially circular space alongside these natural features, with parking and dining available at each end. With the Britannia Inn as the standout eating establishment in Elterwater village itself and Chester’s Coffee Shop and Restaurant at the other end by Skelwith Force, you and your grandkids will have convenient access to food and toilets during your day out.
The lush natural landscape suggests an almost unearthly experience as you are surrounded by various other fells similar to Loughrigg and guided by a calm river that flows through a shining lake. The walk is consistently flat between both destinations and is perfect for walkers with any ability, even pushchairs. There are options for more challenging walks surrounding the river, but as they are in the tree line, we highly recommend taking your grandkids this way to get the most spectacular views with minimal effort.
Penrith: Aira Force – Moderate Difficulty
Aira Force is an outstanding tourist attraction hidden in the North Lakes by Ullswater. Apart from being the subject of several local folk tales and legends, this impressive collection of waterfalls provides an unforgettable experience as your group climbs the dictated walks. Unlike other waterfall experiences, this one feels more intimate as the further you get from the car park, the more the trees begin to hang over the paths and falls until you reach the top and have miles of raw nature revealed to you.
This walk has the advantage of being circular, as once you reach the top, it’s easy to cross the thin stream that is the origin of the waterfalls and journey back down on the other side. However, watching the weather forecast is essential when planning to bring your grandkids here, as rain will make the natural stone steps a slip hazard.
The National Trust owns this developed attraction and has a large car park, café and walking guide information point. This presence makes it an excellent choice for grandparents and their grandkids. This outstanding piece of natural beauty is highly maintained for safety and is surrounded by fencing to prevent young visitors from getting lost.
Keswick: Cat Bells – Challenging Difficulty
Specific areas of the Lake District draw tourists from all over the country because they offer so much to visitors, and Keswick in the North Lakes is one of those areas. This market town is perfectly situated for both casual and active walkers, with many convenient places to walk around the town and Derwent Water. One of these popular walks is the iconic triple peak hill range called Cat Bells. If you have been embracing your luxurious retirement in a North West holiday home for a while and are looking for an active challenge, Cat Bells is a great choice.
This hill range sits on the edge of the lake and is immediately visible from the town, which is why it’s one of Keswick’s most popular destinations for hill walkers. This walk is classed as moderately difficult due to the incline of the hill itself up the 451 metres to its peak, but unlike other potential walks, this one is adaptable.
The full extent of visiting Cat Bells could consist of walking from Keswick town around the lake perimeter before even finding the bottom of the hills themselves. This optional and taxing addition to your day out could be a problem for retired people or impulsive grandkids. Fortunately, there is some car parking at the base of the hill that will get you and your loved ones to this walk easily. Cat Bells is made up of three peaks that increase in height, which provides the opportunity to tailor your walk to suit your energy levels without having to commit to the full hike.
With both circular and quick walks available and maintained by the national park teams, Cat Bells may be one of the more challenging walks on this list, but you will be rewarded with one of the more memorable moments when taking in the view of Derwent Water, the surrounding hills and beyond with your grandkids.
Convenient Lake District Access with Old Hall Caravan Park
Our serene caravan park near Morecambe is perfectly placed within a short driving distance of the bottom of the national park. We pride ourselves on providing a reliably enjoyable park experience that gives our guests and residents access to all the walks listed above and the entire national park as a whole. Explore our range of static caravan holiday homes for sale in Lancashire online and discover the benefits of investing long-term in a holiday home so close to the Lake District today.
