Top Family Friendly things to do in Grasmere

The Lake District is a great place for families and children, and Grasmere is no exception. Here are some of the best things to do in Grasmere as a family… 

  • Camping 

Grasmere offers a small selection of family friendly campsites with plenty of space for kids to enjoy ball games and a night under the stars… 

  • YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe 

Camping and Landpods: £15 per night, private room: £29 per night, bed in a shared room: £13 per night. 

The YHA Grasmere is situated at Butharlyp Howe in a pretty, traditional, stone built building surrounded by woodland and is a perfect base for exploring Grasmere and the nearby walks and activities. The YHA offers traditional tent camping in a secluded corner of the hostel greenland, ‘Landpods’, Tipis and private and shared rooms inside the hostel. ‘Landpods’ sleep up to four people, making them a great, cheap option for smaller families.

  • BaysBrown Farm 

First come first served, £10 per person, per night 

BaysBrown is a casual working sheep farm and family site suitable for both tents and campervans situated in the village of Chapel Stile around 15 minutes drive away from Grasmere. The Wainwright Inn pub is a 10-minute walk from the campsite and offers a variety of kid’s meals. 

  • Little walks for little legs

When hiking with kids, you want to choose an easy, accessible walk with lots of exciting features. Here’s a few family walks from Grasmere to start with… 

- Wordsworths Woodland Walks, Lancrigg grounds 

On the doorstep of the Lancrigg hotel in Grasmere lays historic woodland and famous gardens to explore. Lancrigg woods was a favoured area of William Wordsworth and his family and the hotel now runs Wordsworth Woodland Walking tours to teach groups about the history behind the woods. You can also choose to explore the woodland yourself too and set your kids the challenge of spotting the Dorothy Wordsworth memorial! The woodland is also popular amongst walkers heading up to Helm Crag, which is a great addition to the hike for families with older children. 

- High Close Garden

A short walk from the busy Grasmere village lies High Close Garden. The 11-acre gardens are tranquil and peaceful, offering an ideal place for a family picnic, with plenty of woodland and gardens for kids to explore. Walking the gardens in their entirely is around 4 miles; the woodland walk is enchanting an filled with stone ‘Courting seats’ set into the walls. At the bottom of the woodland path, there is space for a picnic overlooking Loughrigg Tarn and Elterwater. 

- Grasmere Lakeshore

The walk around Grasmere lake is approximately 3 miles and starts from Grasmere village. Midway through the walk, the footpath on the eastern side of the lake joins with the busy A591 road; this may concern some parents with small children so you can choose to explore smaller sections of the lake such as the western shoreline. The lakeshore paths are well maintained and have great spots for little, supervised swims too!

  • Allan Bank

Allan Bank in Grasmere is a large house, which was once home to William Wordsworth. Once the poet and his wife Mary had their three children, the couple moved to Allan Bank from Dove Cottage in 1808 seeking a larger space for the growing family. The house itself is perched on a rocky hillside above Grasmere village and is a Grade II listed building now owned by the National Trust. The houses exterior is quite plain, painted in white and resembles the Italianate style of architecture. However, the buildings surroundings are anything but plain, boasting stunning woodland and gardens, which are renowned for their rare red squirrel population. The house and grounds are open for the public to explore, providing plenty of stunning walks and picnic spots! Challenge your kids to a game of hide and seek in the gardens, or see who can spot the first red squirrel! 

  • The Storyteller’s Garden 

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Grasmere when Taffy Thomas is performing, take a trip with your children over to Grasmere’s unique Story Tellers Garden, which is situated just opposite the famous Grasmere Gingerbread shop. The garden is owned by the National Trust and hosts ‘Tales in Trust’, showcasing storytelling and performances across the north of England. Local MBE award-winning storyteller, Taffy Thomas takes part in storytelling days and loves telling tales and riddles! On special occasions throughout the year, performances such as juggling, dancing and live music take place in the garden.