Spring is here!
We are spring lambs!
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THEY'RE BACK!
The ospreys are back at Bassenthwaite after a winter spent apart in Africa. However, they have decided to nest this year on the opposite side of the lake, leaving last year's nest available for a second pair of birds to settle in the area. The experts think that three eggs have been laid.
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Prince Charles often visits Cumbria in springtime, staying in a local farm for B & B.
He mixes official engagements with pleasure as he enjoys walking in the Lakes area.
This year he read Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit story to children in Borrowdale School.
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The endangered dormouse is making a comeback in Grizedale Forest
The dormouse is now a legally protected species.
The Forestry Commission has installed specially designed nesting boxes to give the mice warmth and shelter. Dormice are nocturnal and rarely come down to the ground. Three young and two adult creatures have been seen this year.
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The A591 road environment between Windermere and Keswick has undergone a transformation at Thirlmere. The non native trees have taken a designed tumble and the views of the lake have been opened up for the first time in a hundred years.
Get around Cumbria for less!
The goldrider ticket allows 7 days unlimited travel in Cumbria by bus for £23. Tickets may be bought from the driver of Stagecoach buses.
Concessionary Bus Travel
From April 2008 people aged 60 and over and disabled people in England will get free off-peak travel on all local buses anywhere in England (rather than just within their local authority area of residence)
What does it mean?
Free local bus travel for those eligible from 9.30am until 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, across England. Local authorities may choose to offer additional local concessions.
You should bring your bus card with you on holiday.
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Whilst in the area, don't forget to visit the little house over the stream in Ambleside. Entry is free!
This property is maintained by the National Trust.
The National Trust, through dedicated tenant farmers and estate workers, manages thousands of acres and innumerable buildings in Cumbria, on behalf of the nation.
You and your family are the nation.
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Did you know?
In the mid 19th century a dairy cow gave around 4 litres of milk per day. By 1950 this had risen to 10 litres. Today, the average dairy cow yields 20 litres of milk per day!
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Mucky puddles have a fascination for cygnets!
VisitBritain 2008
VisitEngland 2008
VisitCumbria 2008
VisitTreetops 2008!
To enquire, please click here
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Have you considered coming by train?
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SAVE OUR RED SQUIRRELS!
There is a new Red Squirrel Experience at Whinlatter Forest.
Carefully placed feeders encourage the squirrels to feed at specific points near a trail. Information boards and a red squirrel exhibition at the visitors' centre help to explain the plight of the UK's native red species.
The squirrels will be pleased that the ospreys only eat fish!
A new Go Ape high wire forest adventure course has just opened at Whinlatter.
To see what's causing the bubbles, click here
A selection of Cumbrian events you may enjoy in 2008
May 3-18 Ulverston Flag Festival
May 7-11 Keswick Jazz Festival
May 8-11 Ambleside Charity Folk Festival
May 10 Keswick to Barrow Walk
May 10 Steamer, Dale and Fell
May 10-18 Ullswater Walking Festival
May 11 Explore Fusedale Valley
May 11 Kirkstone Descent
May 11 Explore Two Hill Top Farms and a Craggy Wood
May 11 Children's Pathfinder
May 12 Glenamara Afternoon
May 12 Angle Tarn via Boredale Hause
May 12 Arthur's Pike via Heughscar Hill
May 13 Grisedale and its Tarns
May 13 High above Glencoyne
May 13 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
May 14-18 Keswick Mountain Festival
May 14 Ullswater Cruise and Hike
May 14 Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
May 14 Swallows and Amazons Cruise
May 14 Askham and Lowther Park
May 14 Cruise on Coniston Water and Guided Walk of Monk Coniston
May 15 Steamer, Dale and Fell
May 15 Red Tarn via Glenridding Beck
May 15 Dacre and Dalemain
May 15 The Secret Valley of the Bluebells
May 16 Map and Compass Workshop
May 16 Mines and Mountains
May 16 Walla Crag via Ashness Bridge
May 17 Langwathby May Day
May 17 Sedbergh Gala
May 17 Around Grasmere and Rydal
May 17 Mountain Passes and High Tarns
May 18 Brathay Windermere Marathon
May 18 Map and Compass Workshop
May 10-18 Ullswater Walking Festival
May 18 Brathay Hall Open Day
May 14-18 Keswick Mountain Festival
May 18 Carriage Driving Championship
May 18 Brathay Windermere Marathon
May 18 Red Tarn via Glenridding Beck
May 18 Hallin Fell Circuit
May 18 Latrigg Summit
May 21 Walk with the Gardener
May 22 Dalemain from Dacre Church
May 24 Cartmel Races
May 24 Afternoon Potter Cruise
May 24 High above Glencoyne
May 24 Dales Way from Staveley to Windermere
May 25 A Coniston Classic
May 25 Shetland Pony Grand National
May 25 Elterwater's Heritage - from Slate to Gunpowder
May 25 I Spy Birds at Brockhole
May 26 Spring Bank Holiday
May 26 Cartmel Races
May 26 Up the Gill and over Hawkrigg
May 26 A Sparkling, Picturesque Tarn with Spectacular Views
May 27 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
May 27 Walla Crag via Ashness Bridge
May 28 Cartmel Races
May 28 Spring into Brockhole
May 30 - Jun 1 Holker Festival
May 30-Jun 1 Lakeland Trails Festival
May 30 Beatrix Potter Country Walk
May 31 Over Lingmoor into Little Langdale
Jun 1 Map and Compass Day at Grasmere
Jun 4 Loughrigg Fell and Elterwater
Jun 4 Threlkeld Riverside Ramble
Jun 4-11 Appleby Horse Fair
Jun 5 Wild about Walls
Jun 6 Walk with Head Gardener at Brockhole
Jun 6-8 Windermere Open Sailing Regatta
Jun 6-8 Windermere on Water Festival (WOW)
Jun 7 Lake Discovery Cruise
Jun 7 Watery Fun at Brockhole
Jun 7 Family Stroll to a Working Farm
Jun 7-8 Barrow Festival of the Sea
Jun 8 Kentmere Reservoir Ramble
Jun 10 Coniston Old Man and Swirl How
Jun 10 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
Jun 10 Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
Jun 11 Carron Crag and the Forest of Grizedale
Jun 14 Grange Edwardian Festival
Jun 14 Mere, Tarn and Water
Jun 15 Map and Compass Day at Grasmere
Jun 17 A Gentle walk up the Scandale Valley
Jun 18 Evening Food Cruise on Ullswater
Jun 19 Over Lingmoor into Little Langdale
Jun 20 Beatrix Potter Country Walk
Jun 20-21 Kendal Book Fair
Jun 21 Scafell Pike and the Brown Tonge Bypass
Jun 22 -26 Cumbria Life & Dalemain Festival
Jun 24 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
Jun 24 Dacre and Dalemain
Jun 24 Ullswater Evening Cruise with a Ranger
Jun 27-29 Dent Folk Festival
Jun 28 Barrow Carnival
Jun 29 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
Jun 29 Waterfalls, Tarns and Gills
Jul 1 Music for a Summer Evening
Jul 2 Over Latterbarrow to Wray Castle
Jul 2 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 4 Walk with the Head Gardener at Brockhole
Jul 5 Helvellyn by the Edges
Jul 5 Ambleside Rushbearing
Jul 5 Ulverston Carnival Day
Jul 5 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 6 Walney Island Carnival
Jul 6 A Coniston Classic
Jul 6 Walk with the Romans
Jul 8 Map and Compass Day at Coniston
Jul 8 Ullswater Evening Cruise with a Ranger
Jul 8 Music for a Summer Evening
Jul 9 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 9 Evening food Cruise on Ullswater
Jul 9 Swallows and Amazons Cruise
Jul 11 Beatrix Potter Country Walk
Jul 11-12 Coniston Water Festival
Jul 11-13 Dalemain Food and Craft Fare
Jul 11-13 Staveley Carnival
Jul 13 Furness Tradition Festival weekend
Jul 12 Grasmere Rushbearing
Jul 12 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 12-Aug1 Keswick Convention
Jul 12-13 Lakeland Rose Show
Jul 12-13 Langwathby Scarecrow Festival
Jul 13 Appleby Carnival
Jul 13 Map and Compass Day at Grasmere
Jul 13 High Pike
Jul 17 Cartmel Races
Jul 19 Cumberland Show
Jul 19 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 20 Coniston Country Fair
Jul 23 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 24-27 Festival of Ideas
Jul 26-27 Windermere Air Show
Jul 26-27 Cumbria Steam Gathering
Jul 26 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 30 North Lonsdale Agricultural Show
Jul 30 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Jul 31 Ambleside Traditional Lakeland Sports
Aug 1-17 Lake District Summer Music Festival
Aug 1-3 Ambleside Flower Show
Aug 2 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 6 Cartmel Agricultural Show
Aug 6 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 7 Lake District Sheep Dog Trials
Aug 8-10 Lowther Driving Trials and Country Fair
Aug 9 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 10 Lakes Historic Vehicles Run
Aug 13 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 14 Rydal Sheep Dog Trials
Aug 16 Rusland Valley Horticultural show
Aug 16 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 17 Lakeland Country fair
Aug 19 Hawkshead Agricultural Show
Aug 20 Classic Car Show
Aug 20 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 23 Cartmel Races
Aug 23-Sep 7 Sedbergh Festival of Books and Drama
Aug 23 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 24 Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show
Aug 25 Cartmel Races
Aug 27 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Aug 29 Mintfest Kendal International Street Arts Festival
Aug 30 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Sep3 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Sep 5-7 Lakeland Trails Festival
Sep 6 Windermere Jazz & Buffet Cruise
Sep 7 Helvellyn Triathlon
Sep 6-7 Kirkby Lonsdale Victorian Fair
Sep 11 Westmorland County Show
Sep 13 Kendal Torchlight Carnival
Sep 6-20 Ulverston Charter Festival
Sep 14 Great Langdale Marathon
Sep 20 Ulverston Lantern Procession
Oct 11 Wasdale Head Shepherds' Meet & Show
Oct 19 Coffins, Caves and Crags
Oct 19 Walk with the Romans
Oct 21 Tarn Hows, Holme Fell and Black Crag
Oct 24 Beatrix Potter Country Walk
Oct 25 Around Grasmere and Rydal
Oct 26 I Spy Birds at Brockhole
Oct 26 Hawkshead - a Tale of Vikings and Monks
Oct 27 Over Latterbarrow to Wray Castle
Oct 27-31 Creepy Critters
Oct 28 Around Coppermines Valley
Oct 31 Halloween Happening
Nov 2 Coffins, Caves and Crags
Nov 3-7 Powerboat Speed Record Attempts
Nov 6 Mere, Tarn and Water
Nov 8-16 Kendal Mountain Festival
Nov 9 Dales Way from Staveley to Windermere
Nov 15 A Sparkling, Picturesque Tarn with Spectacular Views
Nov 20 Explore Two Hill Top Tarns and a Craggy Wood
Nov 22 Father Christmas Cruise
Nov 22 Ambleside Lantern Procession and Fireworks
Nov 22-23 Darkest Muncaster
Nov 29 Windermere Winter Masked Parade
Nov 29-30 Grasmere Festival of Stars
Nov 29-30 Darkest Muncaster
Nov 29-30 Ulverston Dickensian Festival
Dec 6-7 Darkest Muncaster
Dec 7 Keswick Traditional Christmas Fayre
Dec 13-14 Great Langdale Christmas Pudding
Dec 13-14 Darkest Muncaster
Dec 13-14 Santa Cruise
Dec 20-21 Darkest Muncaster
Dec 24 Christingle Service
Dec 26 Woods, Tarns and Gills
Dec 26-30 Darkest Muncaster