Particularly good family outings if the weather is fine are trips to see the animals at Trotters and Friends in Bassenthwaite or at the Owl Sanctuary at Muncaster Castle, or taking steam-railway rides at Lakeside or on La'al Ratty at Eskdale.
You can ride the steam-railway at Eskdale or Lakeside.
Originally separate settlements, these two towns have now merged to the point that visitors can't tell where one starts and the other finishes.