Kentmere Farm Pods

South Lakes has a huge amount on offer and you will find the site is close to the majority of the attractions and activities. If you are into water sports, you will find courses in sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and paddle boarding on Windermere (6 miles), Coniston (16 miles) and Ullswater (17 miles). You can also catch a cruise if you just want to relax and admire the view. The Coniston Steamer can drop you at Brantwood where you will find a great cafe - the Spinning Jenny, with lovely views over the lake in summer and a toasty woodturner inside when its cold. Wild swimmers will enjoy dips in Rydale and Coniston or Ghyll scrambling in Longsleddale.

There are an abundance of footpaths in South Lakes for walkers, from gentle lowland ambles to strenuous mountain hikes. Try some of the great routes straight from the farm, including Wainwright's favourite: the Kentmere Horse Shoe. The site also provides a great base for mountain biking with some challenging and technical routes to more relaxed pathways on old bridleways. If you are heading further afield in your car, the best plan is to work in somewhere tasty to stop for lunch. There are lots of great pubs and cafes or buy some local specialities and enjoy a picnic. Cyclists who prefer sticking to roads will also find some good routes but if you are daunted by the hills there are e-bike rentals that make life easier!

If climbing is your bag, there is some great bouldering in the our valley at Badger Rock, just beyond the village of Kentmere. For trad climbing head out to Humphrey head near Coniston or further afield in the Langdales. You can also climb indoors at the Climbing wall in Kendal (20 minutes) which has an amazing bouldering & hall; as well as some impressive top rope climbs.

Brockhole , beyond Windermere (7miles) offers zip wires and a high wire course, archery, laser clay shooting, mini golf and a woodland play area.

Grizedale Forrest (17 miles) offers Go Ape, a more challenging hire wire course, some great mountain bike trails through the forrest (and bike hire), a sculpture trail and a large outdoor play area.

Young kids (and older enthusiasts!) will love the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness where you can meet models and vignettes of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and all the best loved characters from her books (7 miles). The Lakeside Aquarium is a further 8 miles from here or the Haverthwaite railway where you can ride on a 1950's steam train.

There are plenty of National Trust properties nearby, including Hill Top, the home of Beatrix Potter (10 miles), Townend in Troutbeck, a traditional Lakeland Farmhouse (7 miles) and Sizergh Castle and gardens (10 miles). You may like to visit Dove Cottage, home to William and Dorothy Wordsworth in Grasmere (13 miles) or Brantwood in Coniston, home of John Ruskin, art critic and romantic poet (17 miles).

Levens Hall, a privately owned Elizabethan house has the worlds oldest and most eccentric Topiary garden (10 miles). The garden alone is well worth a visit. There is also a great cafe and you can walk for free in the deer park. Holehird garden near Windermere is another interesting garden; 10 acres managed solely by volunteers and home of the Lakeland Horticulture society (6 miles).

If you would like to see a beautifully restored Arts and Crafts house, visit Blackwell, near Windermere. It also has small exhibitions within some of the rooms as well as an art/craft gift shop and cafe (8 miles). For art exhibitions, check out Abbot Hall Gallery in Kendal (6 miles). It shows a variety of well known contemporary artists. The Quaker Tapestry in Kendal is also popular and has some interactive exhibits for younger children.

For cinemas try the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal and Zephirellis in Ambleside, showing mainstream films and some art house films.