Whinlatter Forest
England's only true mountain forest: Gruffalo sculptures on the trail, the WildPlay adventure area, red squirrels if you are lucky, and Go Ape for older kids. Views over Derwentwater thrown in.
Go Ape Whinlatter
Keswick, Cumbria
Whinlatter is the only genuine mountain forest in England, which sounds like a tourist board line and turns out to be a real distinction. Go Ape has strung two courses through it above Braithwaite, a few minutes west of Keswick.
Treetop Adventure is the entry-level route: wobbly bridges, crossings and a zip wire finish, about an hour, minimum height one metre. Treetop Adventure Plus takes it higher, up to a twelve metre platform, three sections and a 130 metre zip back to the ground, for children aged six and over who measure 1.2m.
Prices start at 20.95 and 25.95 respectively. Both need an hour and a half or so once you count check-in, harnessing and the safety briefing, which is worth knowing if someone has booked lunch. Forestry England also lists a Forest Segway here at 38.95 with a 45kg minimum weight, which suits teenagers more than primary-age children. Book ahead.
One adult aged 18 or over can supervise up to eight children aged 6 to 15 on Adventure Plus, either from the ground or on the course. That is a generous ratio and it means a birthday group does not need an adult each.
The site around it does the heavy lifting on a family day. Forestry England's visitor centre has a cafe doing hot food, accessible toilets, baby changing, an osprey nestcam and nine waymarked trails, plus bike hire. Two things to plan for: the car park is Forestry England's and charges apply, and Go Ape runs Whinlatter daily from February to October, then weekends only or closed until mid February.
Know before you go
- Height is the gate, not age. Treetop Adventure needs one metre, which a tall four-year-old can hit; Adventure Plus needs 1.2m and a sixth birthday. Measure at home.
- One adult aged 18 or over can supervise up to eight children aged 6 to 15 on Adventure Plus, from the ground or on the course, so you do not need an adult each.
- It runs daily from February to October. Mid November to mid February it drops to weekends or shuts, so check the booking calendar if you are going out of season.
- The forest car park is Forestry England's and charges on top of your ticket, so a Go Ape booking does not cover it.
Seasonal: Daily February to October, then weekends only. Check before travelling.
Looking for more adventure & rides near Keswick?
Also in Keswick
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.
Honister Slate Mine
A working slate mine at the top of Honister Pass with guided tours deep into the mountain, and via ferrata routes up the crag for the brave. Tours take all ages; the climbing starts at ten.
Lake District Wildlife Park
A proper zoo day near Bassenthwaite: birds of prey flying displays, meerkats, animal feed for a pound, and indoor soft play for when the Lakes weather does its thing. No booking needed.
Derwent Pencil Museum
Keswick made the world's first pencils and the museum sits on the works. About an hour indoors: secret wartime pencils with maps hidden inside, and a coloured pencil close to eight metres long.