Boathouse On The Lake - Fun Days Out

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.

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.

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.

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.

Brantwood is a Grade II* listed house on the eastern shore of Coniston Water, once the home of the Victorian writer, artist and social reformer John Ruskin. Today it is a museum about his life and work. You can see rooms including his study, the drawing room and the turret bedroom, along with displays of his drawings and his mineral collection. There is also a lithophone, "The Musical Stones", which visitors may play.

Outside, the 250-acre estate includes eight gardens created by Ruskin, his cousin Joan Severn and head gardener Sally Beamish, plus woodland trails and views across the water to the fells. It is an RHS partner garden and holds a National Plant Collection of wisteria. The Terrace Cafe has one of the finest café views in the Lakes. Dogs are welcome on a lead in the gardens and the cafe.

Tip: The gardens and woodland are steep in places, so wear footwear suited to a countryside walk. The lower gardens are suitable for all.

The Ruskin Museum sits in the heart of Coniston village and tells the story of the area, from Stone Age axe-makers to the speed record era of the 1950s and 60s. It was founded in 1901 as a memorial to John Ruskin, and his collection is still housed here.

Inside, the Coniston Gallery covers copper mining, slate quarrying, 500 million year old rocks, Herdwick sheep farming and pioneering rock climbers. You'll also find the sailing dinghy Mavis, linked to Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, and the world's largest collection of Ruskin Lace. The Bluebird Wing is home to Donald Campbell's hydroplane Bluebird K7. Outside, the grounds hold Riverdale, a collection of over sixty miniature houses, bridges and farm buildings.

It suits anyone curious about Lake District history, Campbell's record attempts or Ruskin's work.

Tip: The museum marks the start of the Coniston Coppermines Trail, so you can pair a visit with a walk.

This family-run heritage railway is a former Furness Railway branch line, about 3 miles long. Steam engines haul traditional 1950s carriages through the countryside of the Leven Valley, from Haverthwaite via Newby Bridge to Lakeside, at the southern end of Windermere.

At Haverthwaite, the Victorian station is worth lingering at. You'll find a tea room in the original waiting room, a gift shop, an engine shed, and a woodland playground and walk. Lakeside station is the end of the line, where you can connect with Windermere Lake Cruises, so the train can be one part of a longer day on the water. The station also welcomes dogs.

Tip: The railway runs as a seasonal steam operation, so check the timetable on the railway's website before you set off.

Blackwell is a Grade I listed house above Windermere, designed by architect M H Baillie Scott as a holiday home. It keeps almost all of its original features, from the fireplace tiles, carved stone and wood panelling to stained glass, mosaic floors and the plasterwork of the White Drawing Room. The rooms hold furniture, metalwork and ceramics by leading Arts & Crafts makers, including Morris & Co., Ernest Gimson, W A S Benson and Pilkingtons.

Outside, Thomas Mawson's terraced gardens look across the lake to the Coniston Fells, with flower beds along the York stone terrace and a sweeping lawn. The house also hosts changing contemporary craft exhibitions. The tea room, set in the old kitchen and scullery, serves lunches, sandwiches and homemade cakes, with an outdoor terrace overlooking the lake. It will appeal to anyone interested in architecture, design and history, and it's a pleasant stop for garden and view lovers too.

Tip: The tea room stops serving main meals at 3pm, so plan lunch accordingly.