THE LAKE DISTRICT - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 627

Ullswater watersports opportunities include the Glenridding Sailing Centre
( & 01768/482541; www.glenriddingsailingcentre.co.uk), which offers sailing,
kayaking and canoeing tuition and boat hire. Eden Adventure ( & 07525/653099;
www.edenoutdooradventures.com) also offers canoeing, along with organized hikes,
rock climbing, and other outdoor activities. While using this area as a base for outdoor
activities, you can also easily explore the many places of historic significance, from
the times of the ancient Celts right through to modern day. One noteworthy site is
Long Meg and Her Daughters, an ancient stone circle near Penrith.
Rheged is an all-weather entertainment venue, with a 3-D cinema, kids' craft
centers, a soft play area, and an outdoor wooden “Roman” fort, as well as regular art
exhibitions.
The Dalemain Estate HISTORIC SITE Despite the Georgian facade that
greets visitors as they arrive at the estate, the first building here was a Saxon tower.
This is long gone, but the 14th-century Old Hall and the Elizabethan wings remain,
including the kitchen, which transformed it into a manor house. Tours pass through
Tudor passages, Clifford family portraits and knick-knacks, and grand Georgian
rooms. Set on a large estate, Dalemain has a deer park and extensive gardens that are
most beautiful when the spring buds bloom.
On the A592, 2 miles north of Ullswater. & 01768/486450. Admission house and garden £9 adults;
£8.50 seniors; free for children 15 and under; garden only £6 adults and seniors. Late Mar-late Oct
Sun-Thurs tearooms, garden, and gift shop 10:30am-5pm; house 11:30am-4pm. Late Oct-mid-Dec
tearoom and gardens only Sun-Thurs 11am-4pm; house closed Nov-late Mar; gardens & tearooms
closed mid-Dec-late Mar.
Penrith Castle CASTLE The ruined castle dates back to 1399, its construction
ordered by William Strickland, then Bishop of Canterbury. For the next 70 years, the
castle continued to grow in size and strength until it finally became the royal castle
and frequent residence for Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
Across from the train station along Ullswater Rd. www.culture24.org.uk or www.english-heritage.org.uk.
Free admission. Daily 24 hr.
Penrith & Eden Museum MUSEUM Originally constructed in the 1500s, the
museum building was turned into a poor girls' school in 1670. Today, the museum
surveys the history, archeology, and geology of Penrith and the Eden Valley, which was
a desert millions of years ago. Recently refurbished, it now has the addition of a short
film about prehistoric Lakeland stone.
Robinson's School, Middlegate. & 01768/212228. Free admission. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (also Sun
Apr-Oct 1-4:45pm).
Ullswater Steamers CRUISE The best way to take in the mountain
scenery around Ullswater is on the water. Steamers operate between Pooley Bridge in
the north, Howtown on the east, and Glenridding in the south. You can take a 1-hour
cruise, a round-trip, or buy a one-way ticket and walk back along the east side of the
lake.
The Pier House, Glenridding and Pooley Bridge. & 01768/482229. www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk.
Round-trip tickets £9.30-£13 adults; £4.65-£6.35 children 5-15, £25-£31 family ticket. The lower prices
are for trips to Howtown. Glenridding is on the A592 at the southern end of Ullswater. Pooley Bridge is
5 miles from the M6 junction 40 to Penrith.

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