South Lakes – new things to see and do in 2010

The South Lakes is enticing groups to visit its beautiful area in 2010 with a variety of offers, new things-to-do and suggestions that will not only get the party started, but make it wish the experience or trip would never end.

New facets have been added to the area’s already superb scenic, cultural, food, family-focused and outdoor activities offer, making a visit in 2010 a real must-do for many groups.

The new things that the area can boast include:

• New K Village, The Lakes Outlet opening on June 25 2010, comprising over 30 premium factory outlets, a new K Heritage Centre and five restaurants/cafés to create a unique, state-of-the-art destination shopping and leisure complex.
• New Garden Café at Beetham Nurseries which features home cooked ‘real’ food, produced to high standards with locally sourced ingredients.
• New ‘Full Steam Ahead: Quakers and Railways’ feature at the award-winning attraction, The Quaker Tapestry, Kendal, exploring the relationship between engineer, George Stephenson, and Edward Pease – a Quaker coal owner and merchant, who shared the dream to build a public railway line from Stockton to Darlington. The new Quaker Tapestry display features a working model railway.
• New ‘Keeping House With Mrs Tittlemouse’ exhibition at the Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead – celebrating 100 years of Mrs Tittlemouse and with a children’s activity sheet to bring the exhibition to life.
• New children’s garden trail during school holidays at Hill Top, Near Sawrey.
• Spectacular new bulb displays for Spring 2010 at Sizergh Castle and Garden thanks to the planting of 7000 bulbs in November, these being 3000 red, cream and yellow tulips in the herbaceous border, 1500 white tulips in the Hot Border and 200 mixed, coloured tulips and Dutch iris in the Kitchen Garden.
• New booking arrangement for groups and school parties visiting Grasmere Gingerbread, plus refreshments and sampling for pre-booked groups.
• New Lakeland Motor Museum opening soon.

Within a relatively compact geographical area, The South Lakes continues to have a concentration of top quality attractions that are the envy of other destinations. Major attractions include:

• The World of Beatrix Potter, Bowness
• Lakes Aquarium, Lakeside
• Windermere Lake Cruises
• The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Lakeside
• Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Milnthorpe
• The Lakeland Maize Maze, Sedgwick near Milnthorpe
• The Quaker Tapestry, Kendal
• Kendal Museum, Kendal
• The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
• Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
• The Museum of Lakeland Life, Kendal
• Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum & Art Gallery, Grasmere
• Rydal Mount, Rydal
• Sizergh Castle and Gardens, Sizergh, near Kendal
• Hill Top, Near Sawrey, Hawkshead
• Townend, Troutbeck
• The Beatrix Pottery Gallery, Hawkshead
• Blackwell – The Arts and Crafts House
• Go Ape, Grizedale
• Levens Hall & Gardens, Levens

Just a short drive away are the attractions of Coniston, including Brantwood, Steam Yacht Gondola, The Ruskin Museum, the Coniston Launch and the Coniston Boating Centre.

Also close at hand are Holker Hall & Gardens and the coastal area of Grange-over-Sands, Arnside and Silverdale.

Outdoor activities can be arranged with a wide variety of providers, or easily booked, even last-minute, through Destination Cumbria. Activities for families wishing to engage in some woodland exploration can be booked through Playdays in the Woods.

Those wishing to enjoy a brew with a view have a plethora of cafés, restaurants, hotels and other stop-offs to head to, the journey made all the easier by the special ‘Brew With A View’ booklet from South Lakeland District Council.

This publication highlights coach and mini-bus friendly stop-offs and the ‘view’ that can be enjoyed whilst drinking in the landscape or eating the wonderful local produce.

Real foodies can tuck in to the special culinary courses provided by LucyCooks in Staveley, try a regional speciality at Grasmere Gingerbread, or visit the Country Fest show, which includes the former Westmorland Food Lovers Festival.

With a highly attractive and packed events calendar, there are frequent opportunities to build a group itinerary around a specific festival or day out, whether this is Damson Day, Country Fest, The Westmorland County Show, Mintfest, Lakes Alive events, Lake District Summer Music, the Great North Swim, Kendal Torchlight Carnival, the English Stone Skimming Championships, or country events such as Grasmere and Ambleside Sports, or the Rydal or Ings Sheepdog Trials.

The South Lakes has everything to get the party started, thoroughly entertained, thrilled and delighted, and back on the coach or mini-bus with a mass of memories to last a lifetime.

For more information on the South Lakes visit www.southlakeland.gov.uk/tourism.

Tags: Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Beatrix Potter Gallery, Beetham Nurseries, Blackwell, Bowness, Brewery Arts Centre, Coniston, Go Ape Grizedale Forest Park, Grasmere, Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, Hawkshead, Hill Top, K Village, Kendal Attractions, Kendal Museum, Kendal Shopping, Lakeland Maize Maze, Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Lakes Aquarium, Lakeside And Haverthwaite Railway, Levens Hall, Museum Of Lakeland Life, Sizergh Castle, Windermere Lake Cruises, World Of Beatrix Potter