After weeks of planning, hoping and waiting for official confirmation, it’s going to be possible to come and stay in the Lakes from July 4.
Hotels, guest houses and holiday cottages will be opening, though many will not be fully open immediately.
So if you’ve been longing to have a holiday and love the Lakes, what can you expect to find as lockdown eases?
Most of the car parks are now open, but there’s an alert scheme to let you know when they’re too busy: https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/car-park-status
You can check on this site to find out which public toilets are open, too. Remember that some attractions which are opening their gardens and outdoor spaces might not have loos available yet.
The biggest attraction in the South Lakes, Windermere Cruises, will have self drive boats available, and is making plans for how and when to start operating cruises.
Grasmere’s Heaton Cooper Studio and Gallery will be opening during the week beginning July 6. This is the leading gallery of landscape art in the Lake District, showing the work of generations of the same family of artists along with visiting exhibitors. https://www.heatoncooper.co.uk/
The gardens at Muncaster Castle are open daily, but tickets must be bought online in advance and numbers will be limited.
Likewise at Rydal Mount, where the house and tea-room remain closed, but the gardens are open: https://rydalmount.wordpress.com/2020/06/11/wordsworths-gardens-are-open/
Gardens at Rydal Mount
Zeffirellis café and restaurant in Ambleside is opening , along with two of their five cinema screens. Seating will be limited, with spaces between seats and staggered patterns of seating so that there will be no one directly in front or behind another. https://www.zeffirellis.com/
The National Trust has opened the gardens at Sizergh Castle and Fell Foot, along with the car park at Aira Force near Ullswater. Parking needs to be booked in advance. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/days-out/regionnorthwest/lake-district
Beatrix Potter’s house at Hill Top is closed. Likewise, for this month at least, the World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness. Ullswater Steamers is hoping to re-open July 6.
Hayes Garden World is open weekdays only, 10-4, with a very strict safety social distancing and queuing regime.
It seems sad that we should have to remind visitors to the Lakes to respect the Countryside Code, to take their litter home, and not to light barbecues or fires. The responsibility lies with everyone to plan ahead and make the correct preparations to support safe, considerate tourism.
Businesses and organisations like the Lake District National Park Authority, Cumbria Police, Cumbria County Council and other local authorities are working hard behind the scenes to put in place all the necessary measures to enable visitors to enjoy safe and responsible visits to the county.
Here’s a further list of some attractions you might want to visit.
- Go Ape, Grizedale: https://goape.co.uk/locations/grizedale Opening on 4th July, advance booking essential.
- World of Beatrix Potter: https://www.hop-skip-jump.com Opening on 1st August
- Brantwood: (home of John Ruskin) http://www.brantwood.org.uk Gardens, accommodation and the Terrace coffee house (outside seating) open from Monday 27thJuly
- Ruskin Museum: http://www.ruskinmuseum.com Planning to open on 4th July
- Dove Cottage, Grasmere: https://wordsworth.org.uk Opening mid-August at the earliest
- Hill Top: (Beatrix Potter house) https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top Not open yet
- Townend: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/townend Garden open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10 am – 5pm
- Windermere Cruises: https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk Awaiting government advice for cruises to re-open. Individual boat hire is available by booking online
- Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam & Stories: https://windermerejetty.org Opening information not available.
- Holker Hall: https://www.holker.co.uk Gardens are open with advance booking recommended. The Hall remains closed until further notice
- Honister Slate Mine & Via Ferrata: https://honister.com Slate mine will be open from 1st July with capacity restrictions in place. Via Ferrata and Infinity Bridge open for private trips of up to 5 people.
- Muncaster Castle: https://www.muncaster.co.uk Gardens are open daily from 10.30 – 5pm. Book online prior to arrival, limited numbers are available
- Sizergh Castle: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sizergh Garden and parkland are open, advance booking is essential.
- Coniston Launch: https://www.conistonlaunch.co.uk Closed until further notice
- Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway: https://ravenglass-railway.co.uk Closed until mid-July at the earliest. All tickets must be booked in advance although sales are not yet open.
- Lakeside & Haverthwaite Steam Railway: https://www.lakesiderailway.co.uk Closed until further notice
- Stagshaw Garden: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ambleside/features/escape-to-stagshaw-gardens Open, pre-booking is essential
- Laurel & Hardy Museum: http://www.laurel-and-hardy.co.uk Closed for the foreseeable future
- Lakes Aquarium: https://lakesaquarium.co.uk Opening information not available
- Quaker Tapestry Museum: https://www.quaker-tapestry.co.uk Opening date not yet known
- Pencil Museum: https://www.derwentart.com/en-gb/c/about/company/derwent-pencil-museum Opening date not yet known
- Levens Hall: https://www.levenshall.co.uk Gardens are open, pre-booking is advisable. House and plant centre closed until further notice.
- Wildlife Park: https://www.lakedistrictwildlifepark.co.uk Open with social distancing in place, numbers may be limited. Play areas remain closed.
- Holehird Gardens: http://holehirdgardens.org.uk Closed until further notice
Further information:
https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/information/stay-safe-in-the-lakes-information-for-visitors
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