Top Family Friendly things to do in Penrith

Cumbria is a great place for families and children, and Penrith is no exception. From boat trips, to little hikes and museum visits, here are some of the best things to do in and around Penrith as a family…

  • Camping

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

  • Crossfells Campsite

Tents: £6 per person, per night, Caravans and motorhomes: £20 including electric hook-up

Crossfells campsite is a small, quiet site less than 3 miles away from Penrith, with easy access to the Eden Valley, Ullswater Lake and Steamers and provides beautiful views of the Pennines. The campsite is ideal for nearby walks, bike rides and access to Penrith town centre and provides pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes.

  • Camp Eden 

Open July & August only, prices vary

Camp Eden is a rustic, family-friendly campsite and ideal base for exploring the Lowther Estate, Eden Valley and is 20 minutes away from Ullswater. The large site is set on the grounds of Lowther Castle and includes pitches for tents, campervans and glamping options providing basic and luxury bell tents. On a night, the campsite provides homemade woodfire pizzas, craft ales and ‘smores’ around a warming campfire!

  • Cross Dormont Camping and Caravans  

Tents: £15 per tent, per night (prices may vary depending on tent size) Caravans and motorhomes: £20

Situated around 15 minutes away from Penrith town centre, Cross Dormont is a lakeside campsite set on the southern shores of Ullswater. The family run site is a relaxed, working farm welcoming tents, campervans and caravans and is within walking distance of Pooley Bridge. The lakeside location is ideal for swimming and watersports as well as cycling and hill-walking.

  • Little Walks for Little Legs

Penrith and the surrounding area is an ideal place to walk with kids; from lakeside strolls to adventurous woodland trails, these routes have all you need to your little ones occupied and interested along the way!

  • Aira Force Waterfall

An easily accessible walk with a close by car park, Aira Force is ideal for a family hike with a rewarding waterfall at the end! You can start the walk from Aira Force National Trust car park, or, to make the day even more exciting for little ones, you can start the route from Glenridding and catch the Ullswater Steamer over the lake to the starting point. The footpath from the car park passes through woodland, continuing on through the Victorian arboretum and finishing at the viewing platform at the base of Aira Force. The waterfall is seen from its best here, however you can hike up to the bridge crossing over the top of the waterfall by continuing over the viewing platform where a steep climb will lead you to the upper arch bridge.

  • Brougham Castle

An interesting hike for both children and parents, a relaxing river walk up to Brougham Castle explores the River Eamont, the 14th century Brougham Hall and the ruins of Brougham Castle. There is a parking area opposite the entrance to Brougham Castle which can be used a starting point. The hike exploring the whole area is around 3 miles and could take up to 3 hours; luckily there are plenty of countryside spots for a break and a picnic! Alternatively, Brougham Hall has a café, which is open 10am-4pm.

  • ‘Tale Trails’

Created by local author Anja Phoenix, ‘Tale Trails’ are fun, local walks around Ullswater and the Eden Valley based around one of Anja’s exciting children’s stories along with a hand drawn map. Each Tale Trail has a colourful, cartoon map on one side and a story on the other which links to features on the map. These hikes are an ideal way to get kids outside in a fun way, allowing them to follow the map themselves and spot clues in the story along the way! An example of a Tale Trail is ‘The Grumletog of Cilburn Moss’ which maps a 1km walk around Cilburn Moss Nature Reserve. There a many more walks in the area available on the Tale Trails website.

  • Crafty Monkeys

A children’s arts & crafts studio based in Penrith, Crafty Monkeys is a fun, artistic day out where kids can create a Lake District keepsake in the form of making and painting pottery and models, hand and foot paint prints, creating mosaic pictures or simply exploring with paper based crafts. The activities are suited for children aged 3 and over, however there is a soft play area for babies and younger kids. The centre has a café providing light refreshments to relax with after a long day of crafting!

  •   Upfront Puppet Theatre

A funny day out for adults and children, Penrith’s Puppet Theatre is one of only four dedicated puppet theatres in England, showcasing family friendly productions using Stan Parker’s collection of world famous puppets! Past performances include classic tales such as Jack in the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. The theatre provides a café, gallery and gift shop and has future plans to create a permanent exhibition of the history of puppetry.