• Alston
• Allonby And Aspatria
• Ambleside And Troutbeck
• Appleby In Westmoreland
• Askam In Furness
• Barrow In Furness
• Bassenthwaite
• Borrowdale
• Bowness On Windermere
• Brough
• Buttermere
• Brampton
• Broughton In Furness
• Carlisle
• Cartmel
• Cleator Moor
• Cockermouth
• Coniston
• Dalston
• Dalton In Furness
• Dent
• Grange Over Sands
• Grasmere
• Greenodd
• Grizedale
• Hawkshead
• Kendal
• Keswick
• Kirkby Lonsdale
• Wasdale And Gosforth
• Kirkby Stephen
• Longtown
• Loweswater
• Maryport
• Melmerby
• Milnthorpe
• Nenthead
• Newby Bridge
• Orton
• Penrith
• Pooley Bridge
• Ravenglass And Eskdale
• Sedbergh
• Seascale
• Shap
• Silloth And Solway
• St Bees
• Skiddaw
• Staveley
• Tebay
• The Duddon Valley
• Threlkeld
• Ulverston
• Vale Of Lorton
• Wasdale
• Wetheral
• Whitehaven
• Wigton
• Windermere
• Workington
• Spa Hotels In Windermere The Lake District
• Hotels With Hot Tubs In Windermere
• Hot Tub Hotels In Windermere And The Lake District
• Romantic Breaks In Windermere And The Lake District
• Themed Hotels In Windermere And The Lake District
• Weekend Breaks In Windermere
• Windermere Attractions And Boat Trips
• Boutique Hotels And Accommodation In Windermere And The Lake District
• Windermere In The Rain
• One Way Ticket To Windermere Por Favor
• Horse Riding In The Lake District
• Walks In The Lake District
• Windermere Boutique Hotel Bedrooms
• Holiday Accommodation Wanted In The Lake District

Bassenthwaite the Lake District

Bassenthwaite is a peaceful village in the Lake District which is situated in a quiet valley at the north end of the lake.To the south is Mirehouse, an 18th Century house and garden with links to Tennyson, Coleridge and Wordsworth, and opposite is the incredible Dodd Wood with its Osprey viewpoint. There is a new wetland nature reserve at Dubwath Silver Meadows, and Trotter´s World of Animals is just around the corner. You can stroll around the lake or take the Osprey Bus which stops off at most points of interest.

Wildlife at Bassenthwaite Lake

Bassenthwaite Lake is home to an amazing variety of wildlife and rare fish, including the vendace, which is a relic fish from the ice age. Ospreys nest around the shores of the lake amongst the reed swamps and wet grasslands. In the 1990´s it was discovered that pollution was having a bad effect on the wildlife at Bassenthwaite, and the spawning grounds of the rare vendace were being threatened, as the water quality of the lake was deteriorating.
The Bassenthwaite Lake Restoration programme was set up to address the problem, and the natural environment of the lake has been improved.

The Osprey Project Bassenthwaite

In 2001, the Osprey Project succeeded in persuading ospreys to return to the Lake District, after an absence of 170 years, and ever since, these incredible birds have reared their young on a specially built nesting platform in Wythop Woods, overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake. Enjoy fabulous views of the ospreys from a viewpoint in nearby Dodd Wood, where you will find telescopes and informative staff on hand to give you more information.
The viewpoint is a 10 minute walk uphill from the car park at Mirehouse, or visitors can view a video of the birds at Whinlatter Visitor Centre.

Bassenthwaite Walks

There is an accessible footpath along the western shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, but the eastern shore is only partly accessible. The Allerdale Ramble footpath to the north also runs close to the Bassenthwaite Lake shore. The Cumbria Way winds around the back of Skiddaw, and through Park Wood, before heading north towards Caldbeck. If you are feeling fit and adventurous, you may enjoy the Allerdale Ramble, which is a 54-mile walk, starting at Seathwaite in Borrowdale to Silloth. The route passes though Dodd Wood to Cockermouth.

Another popular walk is St Bega´s Way, which is 36 miles long, and stretches from the Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega at St Bees to the Church of St Bega, on the shores of the lake. Places of interest to visit in and around Bassenthwaite include:

Mirehouse

The historic house and gardens on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake offer attractions for all the family. Mirehouse has lakeside walks, woodland playgrounds and a heather maze. The house was built in 1666, and has been sold only once since then. The Spedding family have been resident at Mirehouse since 1802, and the house has strong literary links with Tennyson, Southey and Wordsworth. Parking is available in the Dodd Wood car park, just ten minutes walk from Mirehouse.

St Bega´s Church Bassenthwaite

St Bega´s Church is situated on the lakeshore at Bassenthwaite and dates back to 950 AD. Extensively renovated in 1874, the church can be accessed from Mirehouse or from other minor roads in the area. Whichever way you travel to the church, both routes will involve a 10-15 minute walk across fields.

The Thornthwaite Galleries Keswick the Lake District

Over 140 local exhibitors from Cumbria and the northwest of England are represented in the rural gallery of Thornthwaite, and exhibits include: paintings, sculptures, wood carvings and jewellery. Exhibitions change regularly and there is a tearoom and café at the gallery. If you are looking for pubs, restaurants and accomodation in Bassenthwaite, the Lake District, you will find hotels, guest houses and campsites close by.

Trotters World of Animals Bassenthwaite the Lake District

Trotters World of Animals in Bassenthwaite, the Lake District, is an award-winning wildlife park set amid spectacular scenery in the north Lakeland fells. Here you will meet exotic animals from all over the world, including monkeys, and an amazing array of birds of prey and reptiles. Flying displays, feeding demonstrations and the chance to handle some of the animals makes Trotters World the perfect family day out. Pony rides and tractor trailer rides around the park are also popular, along with a children´s play area, tearoom and shop.

Dubwath Silver Meadows

Dubwath Silver Meadows is a wetland reserve, situated at the north end of Bassenthwaite Lake. New paths and boardwalks are suitable for wheelchairs, and you can take a circular tail around the reserve. Bird hides are situated at key viewing points along the route.

If you are planning to visit the Lake District for the first time, or you are a regular visitor, take the time to explore the lakes with the aid of a Lake District map. You can find some fabulous boutique hotels in Windermere, themed hotels at Bowness and some of the best Lake District accommodation in Bassenthwaite, Grasmere, Coniston, Keswick and Penrith. If you are looking for good restaurants and pubs in the Lake District, explore Windermere, Bowness, and the small outlying villages, to find some real hidden gems.

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