Cumbria’s Living Heritage Easter Events

Now that spring has sprung it is time to come out of hibernation, get inspired and discover what’s on at Cumbria’s Living Heritage over the coming weeks and Easter holiday. Out and about on your own or with family and friends we are sure you will find something to delight.

Our exhibition of the month has to be Incandescence: Turner in Venice, the first ever public exhibition at Brantwood devoted to JMW Turner, one of the great shaping forces of Ruskin’s life. It showcases Turner’s magnificent Venice: The Piazetta with the Ceremony of the Doge Marrying the Sea, together with a suite of watercolours from Turner’s visit in 1840. In Venice Turner expressed the many elements of his artistic inspiration in the all-consuming energy of light. On until the 4 August it has to be a ‘must-see’ date for your diary.

Celebration of Ruskin at 200 continues at The Ruskin Museum, Coniston and The Armitt Museum, Ambleside houses extensive collections relating to life and work of local writers and artists including John Ruskin.

From the sublime to the… adventurous. And there is lots of it over the Easter holidays – that and chocolate!!

Birdoswald Roman Fort invites you to join a legendary Easter Adventure Quest and the hunt for dragon eggs. Crack the clues as you follow the trail through the Roman ruins. Successful adventurers will be rewarded with chocolate treats and a certificate to prove it! No need to book just join in the quest, every day until 28 April.

What are forests for if not for adventure? At Whinlatter a printed guide takes you orienteering on a moderate 1.4km course on an Eggciting Easter Fun Competition! You’ll be challenged to answer all the Easter questions, highest score wins, and you’ll be the champions? Guide maps are available until 22 April.

The National Trust have joined with Cadbury to bring you the Annual Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt. Many will be offering games and craft activities galore, so you can stay for a whole day of fun. Check in with Allan Bank, Sizergh Castle, Hill Top and The Beatrix Potter Gallery. Your hunting will be supporting vital conservation work and helping the Trust to protect them for everyone to enjoy.

And remember, ‘Teddies Go Free’ at Muncaster Castle & Gardens. Free entry for every child with a teddy over the Easter weekend 19 – 22 April.With lots of Easter activities and Chocolate Egg Hunts to join in with.

And for some chocolate free fresh air…

The ever-popular Holker Hall Plant Fair & Holker Food Market returns to provide a lovely treat for Easter Sunday. We can’t promise complete chocolate free (sorry!) but there will be lots of seasonal scents and flavours to enjoy.

On the shores of Windermere, Brockhole is the perfect place to enjoy an Easter family adventure. Join them for some action and adventure in the great outdoors! New for 2019: CraziBugz. This all-electric off-road experience on a specially designed environmentally friendly track gives a great a sense of freedom.

The grounds at Mirehouse are home to the challenging Forest Hazard Course – just one of four woodland playgrounds. A mini assault course awaits you with never tiring series of beck crossings, including by air! The possibility of the odd slip into the beck adds to the frisson of the challenge.

Walk in the footsteps of Dorothy Wordsworth – the perfect opportunity to experience Ullswater, home to the daffodils that inspired ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’ in 1802. This free walk on 22 April at 10.40am is organised and led by the Lake District National Park in partnership with the Wordsworth Trust. It is suitable for the whole family – including well-behaved dogs. You will need weather-appropriate clothing and footwear, and don’t forget your camera!

The Holehird Garden Visitor Reception is open again for the season. You can talk to the volunteer gardeners on duty for information about the gardens and the Lakeland Horticultural Society, now celebrating our 50th anniversary. They will also help you with plant sales, all cultivated at the garden, and advise you on what will suit your own garden.

They have been cleaned, polished and buffed and now it’s time to shine. We have two great car events this month.

Join lots of proud classic vehicle owners as they bring their classic cars, trucks, vans and motorbikes, as well as more recent hot hatches to display at the Classic Drive and Ride in Day at Lakeland Motor Museum on 14 April. No need to book. Owners can display their pride and joy and participating drivers, and their passengers, will receive discounted admission to the museum.

And Cumbria Classic Car’s Drive it Day is back! at Dalemain on Sunday 28 April, 11am until 2pm. It’s a completely informal gathering so you can come and go as you please. Parking will take place on the field in front of Dalemain Mansion, which offers wonderful views of the surrounding fells as well as a stunning backdrop.

You don’t have to own a classic vehicle to attend either event, just simply come along and join in the fun.

We can’t leave you without a reminder that some of Cumbria’s best tea rooms, cafes and restaurants are in our historic Houses and Museums. So, if you are just out enjoying the spring air pop in for a nice cuppa or something more filling!! On our ‘specials board’ today are: Askham Hall Garden Cafe, Levens Kitchen, The Barn Café at Swarthmoor Hall and Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts Tea Room. All have great outdoor terraces and gardens to enjoy the spring weather from and cosy indoor rooms when its chilly.

Happy Easter from all the great houses, gardens, castle, museums and cultural attractions offering you great days out in and around the Lake District.

Enjoy your days out in a World Heritage Site recognised for its cultural landscape.