The Lake District

Friday, midday

Check into The Swan Hotel (double rooms from £130, www.swanhotel. com) on the southern fringes of Windermere, the largest lake in England.

12:30pm

Head out for lunch at the acclaimed Mason’s Arms (www. masonsarmsstrawberrybank.co.uk/ masons), which has stood on this prime spot since the 16th century. Enjoy the views and a local butcher’s steak culled from the Fells.

3pm

Work off lunch by hiking up Gummer’s How. Park up and you can be on the 321m top in half an hour, savouring sweeping views over the Lake District and out over Morecambe Bay to the Irish Sea.

4:30pm

For a taste of the sort of pretty towns and villages that dot the Lakes, try Ulverston, 8 miles north-east of Barrow-in-furness. Look out for specialist independent shops or snare a glorious pork pie from Irvings.

7pm

Dine in at the Swan on pub classics. If you’re lucky with the weather sit on a bench right down by the river watching the swans, ducks and sailors.

Saturday, 9:30am

Take to the trees at Go Ape (www. goape.co.uk) in the Grizedale Forest. This adrenaline pumping high wires adventure course lets you enjoy the local flora and fauna as you tackle the various challenges. Great fun in the forest for all ages.

Midday

Enjoy lunch at the Forestry Commission café (www.forestry.gov. uk/grizedale) in Grizedale with a view out to the woodland.

1pm

Embark on a deeply scenic Windermere Lake Cruises (www. windermere-lakecruises.co.uk) steamer sail from Lakeside up to Bowness, slipping in a circular Islands Cruise from Bowness if you want to delve deeper.

8pm

Back on dry land, savour Richard Booth’s creative tasting menu down by the water’s side by the steamer pier at the Lakeside Hotel (www. lakesidehotel.co.uk).

Sunday, 9am

Either relax in the hotel pool, or pop to the nearby Lakeland Motor Museum (www. lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk) to enjoy an automotive extravaganza. ■

Robin Mckelvie

Virgin West Coast run trains to Penrith (www.virgintrains.co.uk), but

you’ll need your own car. Holiday Autos (www.holidayautos.com) can organise.