Hutton-in-the-Forest

Hutton-in-the-Forest is a country house on the north-eastern edge of the Lake District, still lived in by the same family for centuries. Families can walk the gardens, which include a walled garden, yew topiary terraces, a lake and cascade, and a wildflower meadow. The Woodland Walk leads through mixed woodland to a 17th-century dovecote, a good stretch of fresh air for children who like to explore. The house has rooms of portraits, furniture, tapestries and china, and the layers of building from medieval pele tower onwards give older children plenty to look at. A tearoom serves light lunches and teas, and there is a plant sales area. The estate also runs school visits that can be built around topics such as the Victorians, architecture, wildlife and sketching trails.