Mirehouse & Gardens

Mirehouse is a historic manor house still lived in by the Spedding family, set between Bassenthwaite Lake and Dodd Wood. For families the draw is the grounds: several wooded adventure playgrounds sit among the trees, with a walled bee garden, a heather maze and a terraced Poetry Walk to wander between play sessions. A family nature trail and lakeside paths give younger children plenty to spot and older ones room to roam. The house holds manuscripts and portraits linked to Tennyson, Wordsworth and Southey, and visitors are welcomed into the rooms on set afternoons with live piano music on open days. Dogs on leads are allowed in the grounds, though not in the playgrounds. A tearoom by the car park serves refreshments, and the estate suits a relaxed, unhurried day out in the Lake District.