Muncaster Castle
A lived-in castle above the Esk with a Hawk and Owl Centre whose flying displays are the real event, gardens to roam and a healthy line in ghost stories for the brave. Far, but it earns the drive.
Days out with the kids in Ravenglass
2 places in Ravenglass, Cumbria. Everything below is within easy reach if you live locally.
2 in Ravenglass
Ravenglass is where the Lakes meet the sea: a terrace of cottages on an estuary, a ruined Roman bath house at the end of a lane, and two proper attractions for somewhere with barely a shop. The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, La'al Ratty to everyone, runs miniature steam trains seven miles up the valley to Dalegarth, and the journey is the attraction rather than the means to one.
Muncaster Castle is the other half: gardens, ghost stories pitched at exactly the right level of silly, and a hawk and owl centre whose flying displays are what children replay in the car. It is a long way from everywhere, well over an hour from the M6, so make it a full day or an overnight rather than a detour. A small place with two big days in it and no padding.
Places in Ravenglass
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
Miniature steam engines - properly miniature, knee-high to a real train - hauling open carriages seven miles into the fells. Forty minutes of pure delight each way; combine with Muncaster next door.
What’s on in Ravenglass
6 dated events coming up, 2 of them this weekend.
Halloween Family Festival at Muncaster Castle
Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass
until 1 Nov. Daily, 24 October to 1 November
Muncaster's big Halloween week, themed Zombies and Boggles this year: a scary maze, pumpkin patch (free pumpkin for the first 2,500 child tickets), a Halloween trail in the gardens, parades, a haunted castle, bird of prey displays and a torchlight march. The indoor Castle Show is an upgrade at £17 adult and £13 child on top.
Written by us
Halloween half term on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass
until 1 Nov. Daily through half term, 24 October to 1 November
Stations and cafes get ghoulish decorations, the railway museum at Ravenglass puts on children's activities, and selected trains run as double-headers with two steam engines up the Eskdale valley. Full details were still to come when we checked, so budget for a normal train fare.
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Santa Express on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass to Dalegarth
21 Nov to 24 Dec. 21, 22, 28 and 29 November, weekends in December, then daily 19 to 24 December
Elf-led storytelling in the railway museum at Ravenglass, then 40 minutes up the Eskdale valley by steam to meet Santa in the Dalegarth grotto, with a gift for each child. Food is pre-ordered, from £4 for a sausage roll: add it to the basket when you book, or ring at least 10 days ahead if you have already booked.
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Santa's Little Helper Express at Ravenglass
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
4 Dec to 11 Dec. Friday 4 and Friday 11 December
A shorter Santa Express for families with pre-school children, on two Fridays: the same 40 minute steam trip up the valley to meet Santa at Dalegarth, with a gift for each child and a drink at your table, but without the museum storytelling and the magician.
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Christmas at Muncaster Castle
Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass
5 Dec to 22 Dec. 5 and 6, 12 and 13, then 19 to 22 December
The castle decorated, festive gardens with lights and live music, a clue trail with a small prize at the end, the owl display at 1.30pm and Father Christmas in a grotto with an early present. The Santa visit is a separate £3 timed ticket for each child on top of entry, adults do not need one. Under 3s get in free.
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Winter Warmer Trains
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass
28 Dec to 3 Jan. Daily, 28 December to 3 January
Winter warmer trains on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway between Christmas and New Year, with the stations still decorated and a mince pie for full fare passengers.
Written by us
Also worth the drive
Not in Ravenglass, but close enough for a day out.
Windermere Lake Cruises
England's biggest lake from the deck of a proper boat, on colour-coded routes from the 45-minute Islands cruise out of Bowness to the Yellow run down to Lakeside. Combo tickets pair it with the aquarium, the steam railway or the motor museum.
Brockhole on Windermere
The old national park visitor centre on the Windermere shore, now run by BeWILDerwood and still mid-makeover. The grounds are free to wander; Minty Land indoor play, Zip World's treetop courses, Wild Bounce and the lake cruises are the paid extras.
The World of Beatrix Potter
Peter Rabbit's world recreated in walk-through scenes, ending in the garden with Mr McGregor's vegetables. Squarely for the under-8s; it is small, sweet and unashamed of it.
Lakes Aquarium
A small, well-done aquarium at the quiet end of Windermere with an underwater tunnel walk beneath the lake's own fish, plus otters and rays. Pairs naturally with the steam railway next door.
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
A short, perfectly-formed steam line through the Leven valley that connects with the Windermere boats at Lakeside. Do train plus cruise and you have built the classic Lakes day without a single car park argument.
Lakeland Motor Museum
Thousands of vehicles and period pieces packed into a riverside mill, with the Campbell Bluebird story told properly in its own gallery. One for kids who like machines; a surprisingly good wet-weather card.
Whinlatter Forest
England's only true mountain forest: the Room on the Broom trail, Gruffalo orienteering, the WildPlay trail, red squirrels if you are lucky, and Go Ape for older kids. Views over Derwentwater thrown in.
The Puzzling Place
An anti-gravity room where water appears to run uphill, a hologram gallery and a room that shrinks the grown-ups. Cheap, indoor, and exactly the right length for the age group.
What’s on near you, every Friday
One email a week: what is on this weekend within a sensible drive, and the places worth booking before they go.