The Lake District is packed full of beautiful wildlife. Whether you choose to go hiking in the hills and mountains or take a stroll around a lake, there are so many creatures and critters to look out for, like the elusive red squirrel or the majestic deer.
If you’re planning a trip to the Lakes this summer and want to do some wildlife spotting, here are some of the places guaranteed not to disappoint.
Grizedale forest can be found in the heart of the Lake District; it is an expansive woodland that stretches between Coniston Water and Lake Windermere, providing you with abundant wildlife. It is a popular spot for outdoor pursuits, with a Go Ape high ropes course and eight walking routes ranging in difficulty levels from easy to hard. Mountain bikes can be hired locally at the visitor centre so you can take in the full breadth of wildlife while on the go or admire some of the Grizedale Sculptures that sit in the forest.
Grizedale is known for having a wide variety of animals. It is home to England’s only indigenous red deer herd that can be sported throughout the year – though their beautiful red coat turns grey outside the summer months. If you’re lucky, you may also spot the elusive red squirrel or the majestic red kite soaring above you in the skies.
Buttermere is a village that lies between the lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water. Surrounded by beautiful fells, the lake is a popular spot for visitors, offering one of the best round-the-lake walks in the Lake District. Spring is an incredible time to explore this part of the Lakes, as nesting birds are active, providing food to their young. Sandpipers lay their speckled eggs onto the lakeshore, making them vulnerable to humans and dogs, so the footpath will be restricted during this time of year.
The water is home to the arctic char and brown trout, and if you’re lucky, you may even spot some otters returning to the area. In the surrounding fells, you are liable to see a flock of Herdwick sheep with their distinctive brown coats.
KeswickKeswick is a popular place to visit due to its proximity to Derwentwater and some of the Lake’s best fells, making it a great starting point for fell walkers. With a tiny population of just 5,000, the town is a major centre to tourism with the fells as a significant draw, though the town has its own attractions like the Keswick Museum & Art Gallery, Theatre by the Lake and Friars Crag.
Due to its close proximity to fells and other villages, it is the perfect place to visit to search for wildlife. Red and roe deer can be found in the woods by the village of Threkeld, and Derwentwater is home to a healthy population of otters that can be seen playing in the rivers that feed the lake. As for birds, you can spot osprey in the woodland close to Keswick.
Windermere Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere are urban settlements on the edge of Lake Windermere. This town is one of the Lake’s most popular tourist destinations thanks to its high-profile attractions like the ferry rides and the World of Beatrix Potter. It is a great destination all year round, and with the lake so close, you are never far from fantastic scenery or stunning wildlife.
During winter, you can catch birds like the goldeneye and tufted duck. The lake is also home to the largest range of aquatic plants in the Lake District, such as the six-stamened waterwort and white water lily. You can spot huge crops of daffodils in the spring on the grass verges and any green spaces. If you keep an eye out, you may also spot a red squirrel in the woods around Windermere.
UllswaterUllswater is a lake close to towns like Penrith; it is incredibly accessible and a popular spot for tourists. It is also close to Aira Force, a popular waterfall in a Victorian park full of streams, towering trees and magnificent woodland glades. Ullswater is a great place to hunt for wildlife, with its hay meadows, mossy woodlands and the surrounding fells and crags.
Aira Force is a great place for red squirrel spotting, with feeders placed throughout the woodland to encourage them out. A herd of red deer can also be found on the southeast shore of Ullswater on Martindale. They can be found at any time of year, but especially in autumn when the stags’ calls echo over the valleys. For birds, you can spot pied flycatchers and redstarts in the spring around the edge of Ullswater, having made the journey from West Africa.
Zoos and Wildlife Sanctuaries If you want guaranteed wildlife without having to break out the binoculars, there are plenty of zoos and wildlife sanctuaries dotted throughout and close by the Lake District for the whole family to enjoy, including:
For your next luxury holiday cottage in the Lake District, Lake District golf break or dog friendly cottages in the Lake district keep an eye out and see just how many species of birds, flowers, trees and animals there are to see. If you’re looking for group accommodation in the Lake District or cottages with hot tubs, browse our luxury cottages today.
This year, a lot more people will be taking trips to luxury holiday cottages in the Lake District and UK as foreign travel is still limited. If you’ve never been to a holiday cottage before, you might be wondering what it entails. One of the benefits of a holiday cottage is that so much is included in your stay, like all the kitchen gadgets you could need to have home cooked meals and all the bedding supplies you need for a good night’s sleep.
But there are a few bits that you will need to bring with you aside from the obvious things like clothes and personal toiletries like skincare products and makeup. So here’s a list of some additional items you can bring with you to your holiday cottage that will make your holiday as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Food and Condiments While your holiday cottage will be fully stocked with cutlery, plates and cups etc., you will need to bring your own food and condiment supplies. Booking a holiday cottage gives you the best of both worlds, so you can eat out at restaurants and enjoy the local cuisine while also kicking back in your accommodation for a wonderful homecooked meal, depending on when the mood strikes. It also makes an ideal choice for families with children with severe allergies or restrictive diets that can’t always be catered to in restaurants.
It’s a great idea to do a food shop after you arrive, but don’t forget to pack those extra things you won’t want to buy full containers or bottles of, like tea and coffee, sugar, sweeteners, ketchup, salt and pepper etc.
A good tip is to pre-plan meals and prepare condiments/herbs/spices in advances. So if you have a tried and tested meal that your family loves, put all the necessary herbs and spices for the dish into a container or Ziploc bag for easy transport. So now when you arrive at your holiday cottage, you only need to buy the necessary vegetables, grains and meat to cook as you’ll have all the required seasoning prepacked and ready to use.
Household SuppliesMake sure you pack a few essential household items that will not be included with your holiday home – you can contact your holiday home company like Mill House Cottages for a comprehensive list of what’s included. Examples include:
You can always pick these things up from a shop when you arrive, but if you don’t want to spend money stocking an entire kitchen, pack whatever you think you might need for the week.
Board GamesFor those rainy nights in, don’t forget to pack some entertainment in the form of board games so the whole family can get involved. Whether it’s a pack of cards, UNO or a good old-fashioned game of Trivia, board games are the perfect way to spend an evening with the whole family in your holiday home that gets the kids away from their screens.
DVDsAt Mill House Cottages, our accommodation includes TV sets in the living area and DVD players. So make sure you pack a few of your family’s favourite DVDs to keep you entertained during those days when you feel like staying in or when the weather has rained off a planned hike. You can get a compact travel case to carry many discs altogether, so you don’t need to bring a pile of DVD boxes.
Device Chargers It’s vital to remember phone chargers and camera battery chargers. Mobiles are ideal for emergencies or to call up your holiday home company if there are any problems with your accommodation. Bring your camera battery charger so you can take as many photos as you want on your holiday. Also, bring any other chargers for the likes of tablets, portable games consoles or other electronic items.
Travel First Aid KitHopefully you won’t need to use it, but you should bring a travel first aid kit with you, especially if you plan on hiking in nature. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a holiday where you may encounter scraped knees or insect bites. It’s also the ideal place to store any medications that anyone in your family takes regularly.
Dressing GownsWhile your accommodation will include the likes of towels, you may want to bring dressing gowns with you for those evenings snuggled up on the sofa after a long day of exploring. They are the perfect way to make you feel more at home in your holiday cottage and ideal for use after getting out of the hot tub if your accommodation includes one.
Maps and DocumentsWhen holidaying in the UK you won’t need as many documents as you would while going abroad. However, you should still be careful to bring everything with you, such as the documentation about your holiday home booking, identification or any tickets to events/resorts that you’re visiting on your holiday.
Don’t forget to pack any maps to the local area if you plan on hiking and your phone runs out of battery, or the GPS signal becomes lost.
We hope this list will better prepare you for your first stay in a holiday home. If you have any questions about what you need to bring or what’s included in your booking, you can contact your holiday home company. At Mill House Cottages, we specialise in luxury holiday cottages in the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales including pet friendly holiday cottages in Scotland, Yorkshire dales luxury cottages and more. Contact us today for information about any of our accommodation or bookings.
