Hartsop Fold - Fun Days Out

Dove Cottage is the whitewashed Lakeland house on the edge of Grasmere where William Wordsworth lived with his sister Dorothy. It is a Grade I listed building that remains largely unchanged from Wordsworth's day. Visits begin with an introductory tour led by a member of the team, taking you through rooms with slate floors and oak panelling.

Outside, you can explore the garden and orchard the Wordsworths loved, along with the woodland around the cottage. There is also an interactive museum with hands-on activities, a special exhibition gallery and a viewing platform with views across the vale of Grasmere. The site has a café, and the Wordsworth Trust looks after a Designated collection of Romantic manuscripts and art. Family tickets are available.

Tip: Entry to the cottage is at timed slots, so book ahead online to secure your tour.

Wray Castle is a Victorian neo-gothic building on the west shore of Windermere, looked after by the National Trust. The parkland has waymarked trails that start at the front of the castle, and the lakeshore has a shingle beach with easy access to the water. You can also see a Gothic Revival boathouse with a miniature harbour, and an arboretum of giant exotic firs, sequoias, cedar and veteran oaks.

The castle has a literary link: Beatrix Potter stayed here on a family holiday in 1882, and it helped spark her love of the Lake District. There is an independently run café, Joey's, for coffee, baked goods and snacks. It suits walkers, families and anyone who likes lake views and a gentler day by the water. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds and café.

Tip: You can arrive without a car: the Windermere Lake Cruises Green Cruise calls at Wray jetty from Ambleside, and it is a short walk up to the castle and café.

Lakes Aquarium sits in the village of Lakeside on the southern shore of Windermere. It opened in 1997 and is now themed around the lakes of the world, with both freshwater and salt water animals. Displays cover the Lake District, Asia, Africa, the Americas, marine life and Morecambe Bay.

Animals include oriental small-clawed otters, red-bellied piranhas, axolotls, common seahorses, thornback rays and Eurasian harvest mice. The Lake District area covers native and non-native wildlife, plus a conservation project breeding endangered white-clawed crayfish. There is also a Virtual Diving Bell, which shows underwater scenes on three semi-spherical screens. It is one of the docking points for Windermere Lake Cruises and sits at one end of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, so it fits easily into a day of exploring.

Tip: The Windermere Lake Cruises dock and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway are both here, so you can arrive by boat or steam train.

Lowther Castle is a ruined country house near Penrith, built in the early 19th century and left as a dramatic shell after the roof was removed and the building demolished in the 1950s. You can explore the ruins, then wander the 130 acres of gardens, which include the Parterre, the Garden-in-the-Ruins, the Rose Garden, wildflower meadows and rambling woodland. The gardens are being restored to a masterplan by designer Dan Pearson.

Inside, the Story of Lowther exhibition tells the history of the family and the estate through its houses, people, horses and treasures. Children can head for the lost castle, one of the UK's largest adventure playgrounds. There is a café and a takeaway for food, and bikes can be hired to explore the wider park. Dogs on leads are welcome. It suits families, garden lovers and anyone who likes a ruin with a story.

Tip: Walk out to the Western Terrace for a spectacular view over the Lowther Valley to the Lake District mountains, and dress for all weathers.

Hill Top is the 17th-century Lakeland farmhouse in Near Sawrey that Beatrix Potter bought in 1905 as her artistic retreat, and later left to the National Trust. Inside, it is shown as she would have known it. You can visit every room, from the stone-flagged entrance hall and parlour to the upstairs treasure room, where a dolls' house holds the ham from The Tale of Two Bad Mice.

Many of the furnishings and views appear in her little books, so fans enjoy spotting the scenes for themselves. The informal cottage garden, planted with flowers and vegetables, is in keeping with her illustrations. There is also a small shop, a second-hand book nook and an independently run café in the orchard. On selected dates, the Dixon family lead farm tours where you can meet Herdwick sheep descended from Potter's own flock. It suits families and anyone who loves her stories.

Tip: Book your ticket in advance if arriving by car, as the small car park is for pre-booked visitors only. Afternoons after 2.30 tend to be quieter.

Castlerigg is a Neolithic stone circle on a prominent hill east of Keswick, in the Lake District National Park. English Heritage calls it one of the most atmospheric and dramatically sited of all British stone circles. The stones are glacial boulders of volcanic rock, set in a flattened ring with an unusual rectangle of extra stones inside it. Estimates of the age and the number of stones vary, but it dates from the late Neolithic and is thousands of years old.

The setting is the main draw. The circle sits on a plateau at the centre of a natural amphitheatre of fells, and from inside you can pick out peaks such as Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Blencathra. It is the most visited stone circle in Cumbria. It suits anyone who likes ancient sites and big views. Dogs on leads are welcome, but the site is grazed by sheep.

Tip: Parking at the site is limited. Walking from the centre of Keswick takes about 30 minutes, so consider that or public transport.

Sizergh is a Grade I listed castle and stately home about 4 miles south of Kendal, in the Lake District National Park. The oldest part is a tower from the fourteenth or fifteenth century. Inside, you'll find oak-panelled rooms, including the Inlaid Chamber, plus Strickland family portraits and paintings linked to the Stuart court in exile. The Strickland family owned the estate for centuries, and the Hornyold-Strickland family still lives here.

Outside, the garden has a lake, a kitchen garden and the largest limestone rock garden owned by the National Trust, home to part of the National Collection of ferns. The wider estate covers 647 hectares of parkland, with a wild play trail for children aged three and up. Birdwatchers may spot hawfinches near the main car park in spring. There is a café serving food made with produce from the garden, and a shop in the Visitor Centre.

Tip: Dogs are welcome on the wider estate, but only assistance dogs are allowed in the gardens, so plan your route accordingly.

Brougham Castle is a red-sandstone castle standing near the site of a Roman fort, guarding a river crossing south-east of Penrith. It was founded in the early 13th century by Robert de Vieuxpont, and his great keep still dominates the site. The powerful Clifford family later added more buildings, including an unusual double gatehouse and the Tower of League.

There is a lot to explore. Climb the spiral stairs to the top of the keep for panoramic views over the Eden Valley. Inside, an exhibition tells the story of Lady Anne Clifford, who restored the castle after it fell into decay, and her Countess Pillar stands nearby. Children can follow a legendary trail and build their own legend, one of four World Builder Challenge trails at English Heritage sites.

Tip: Head up the spiral stairs to the top of the keep for panoramic views over the Eden Valley.