Brockhole on Windermere

Brockhole on Windermere is another family-friendly destination in The Lake District that we love to visit. Visiting here is one of my favourite things to do with children in the Lake District. This tourist attraction is a great place to take the kids and it’s right on the shores of lake Windermere. Find more Family days out North West England here.

Is Brockhole on Windermere free?

You might be wondering how much it costs to visit Brockhole on Windermere. The cost of your visit can vary depending on how you arrive and what activities you do.

Entry is free if you arrive via one of the Windermere lake boats. If you arrive by car there is a pay-on-exit car park. Some activities are charged but the adventure play area is free as well as walking around the gorgeous grounds and some of the other activities detailed below are free.

Brockhole adventure playground

There is a huge adventure playground at Brockhole which is completely free and has equipment suited to all ages. My children have loved this park from when they were toddlers and still do with my eldest being almost 10 years old.

There is an area for younger children with a play boat, a small hut and other play equipment. It’s great to see little ones burning off energy and using their imaginations

For older children, there are lots of bigger equipment including a large climbing structure with lots of towers, climbing areas and slides too. It’s definitely one of the best playgrounds in the Lakes!

Treetop Nets

This is an activity that you do need to pay for and booking in advance is advisable too. We reviewed this activity a few years back when our youngest was just 3 years old. Both children loved it! Find out more here – Treetop Nets Windermere review

There are 1500 meters of bouncy nets suspended in the trees. There are slides and large balls up in the nets to make it even more fun.

You can book here – Treetop Nets Windermere

Treetop Trek

This is another paid activity that you can book in advance. This is a high ropes adventure with an incredible zip wire. On the full trek, there are 32 obstacles in the trees. There is also a mini trek for children over 5 (the minimum age is 7 for the full trek). The mini trek is at a lower level and there are 16 obstacles.

Find full details and book here – Full Trek Windermere

Other activities at Brockhole on Windermere

There are a wide range of activities to choose from at Brockholes.

Brave the cave – This is a fun activity for children over 5. It is a paid activity and it isn’t open daily in the winter season so please check before travelling. Cavers will be set a series of challenges within the cave each time they enter, ranging from finding ancient cave paintings to retrieving hidden creepy creatures, to navigating the cave in complete darkness. Kids will love wearing the hard hat with a head torch on it.

Boat hire – you can hire boats to use on lake Windermere including motor boats, open canoes, kayaks and rowing boats. It’s also possible to book a kayak tour from Brockhole.

Mini golf – There is a small additional fee per person for this 9 hole course.

Other fun activities include mini tractors (perfect for little ones, additional fee applies and this is a seasonal activity), archery (additional fees, seasonal), krazy carts (additional fees, seasonal activity) and orienteering trails (several different trails can be purchased including a Beatrix Potter trail).

Brockhole visitor centre

There is a Lake District visitor centre near the car park and Brockhole house. Here you will find a gift shop, brave the cave and a Lake District story exhibition (free). In this exhibition, you’ll learn how the Lake District was formed and the people who shaped it as well as how it became a UNESCO world heritage centre.

Woodland faerie trail

This is a seasonal trail (closed over the winter) and you do need to pay a small fee too. Do you believe in fairies? If so you’ll love the enchanted woodland walk with lots of fairy doors, houses and so much more.

Places to eat at Brockhole

There are plenty of places to eat at Brockhole on Windermere as well as plenty of places for a picnic around the grounds.

Brockhole cafe serves brunch, lunch and snacks using local food. There is indoor and outdoor seating in this cafe which is by the visitor centre.

Lakeshore cafe is down by the lake and is open in school holidays offering takeaways and there is some outdoor seating too.

There is a fish and chip van down by the lakeshore.

Garden Shed serves English Lakes Ice Cream, a selection of sandwiches, cakes, hot drinks and plenty more to take away. It is located by the adventure playground.

Next to the garden shed, you’ll find the BBQ grill selling classic BBQ food.

Gaddum restaurant at Brockhole house is the place to go for afternoon tea, a Sunday roast or a special lunch. Cumbrian cooking using local food creates an exquisite menu. I have to admit, we’ve not taken our young children here but it looks amazing for couples.

Brockhole house and gardens

Brockhole house is the former home to the Gaddum family for over 40 years. It is now where you’ll find the visitor centre, Brockhole cafe and Gaddum’s restaurant.

You can walk around and explore the extensive gardens up by the house on your visit including the kitchen gardens. It’s a great place for walking with young children including those in a pram or pushchair. Find more Pram friendly walks Lake District here.

The Gaddum gallery is located on the first floor of Brockhole house. You can enjoy stunning views from the balcony up here as well as enjoy the art exhibitions that change frequently.

Arriving by Boat

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, you can arrive on a boat as part of a green cruise from Windermere Lake Cruises. The green cruise also allows you to get off at Wray castle if you want to. Find out more here – Windermere Lake Cruises.

Events and kid’s activities

You’ll often find events and activities in the school holidays. They put on one of the biggest Halloween events in the Lake District too.

Find full details and more about all the activities, facilities and events at Brockhole on Windermere here – Brockhole on Windermere | Lake District visitor centre

Where to next?

• Find loads more Things to do in Lake District with toddlers here.
• Find more fantastic Family walks Lake District here.
• Here is another great family walk – Elterwater to Skelwith bridge walk.
• Find loads more Things to do in Windermere with kids here.
• Another great place for family walks nearby is Grizedale forest walks.
• Some parts of Brockhole on Windermere are great for wet days. Find more ideas for things to do in the lake district when it rains here.

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