10 cool things to do when it’s hot in the Lake District

The Lake District has been enjoying some unusually hot weather lately, and it looks set to continue for the foreseeable future. Sometimes when it’s this warm, a walk on the fells can be sapping on your energy levels. Luckily, one of the magic things about the Lakes is the sheer variety of things to see and do. Here are 10 cool ideas for those days when it’s baking hot, that you can easily do from our luxury riverside apartment at Kendal Holiday Cottages.

1. Go wild swimming

Wild swimming has enjoyed a surge in interest in the last 10 years, and where better to try it than in the Lake District? It’s enjoyed all year round in the Lakes, but is perhaps most refreshing in the Summer months. Plunging into cold, crystal-clear lake water can be a little bracing at first but there’s said to be lots of associated health benefits.

A popular spot to dip your toes is at Millerground on the shores of Windermere, just a 15-minute drive from Kendal. The site consists of an accessible gravel beach with shallow entry points and, best of all, fabulous views of the Langdale Pikes.

2. Take a boat trip

If wild swimming doesn’t appeal, but you like the idea of being at one with nature, then why not enjoy the Lakes from a boat trip? Each of the lakes has very different boat trips available to the public – cruises on Windermere (Windermere Lake Cruises), traditional wooden launches on Coniston (Coniston Launch) or steam yacht gondolas on Ullswater (Ullswater Steamers).

Taking a boat trip is a fabulous way to marvel at the Cumbria landscape and the cool breeze will ensure you don’t feel too hot and bothered.

3. Visit a cave

Beneath the rolling green hills and rugged peaks lies a fascinating underground world waiting to be explored. The Lake District has a rich mining history. Places like Rydal Cave, a massive man-made cavern on the slopes of Loughrigg Fell, offer a dramatic, slightly eerie atmosphere with stepping stones leading over a shallow pool inside the entrance.

Equally breathtaking is Cathedral Cave in Little Langdale, a colossal former slate quarry dominated by a towering central rock pillar, where dramatic shafts of natural light pierce the darkness of its cavernous chamber. Usually these are perfect spots to escape a downpour of rain but right now they also serve ideal spots to escape the heat.

4. Tour a stately home

Cumbria and the Lake District is home to multiple spectacular houses. These grand homes are not only a haven of local history, but they can also be a refreshing way to escape the midday sun. Pay a visit to Sizergh Castle on the outskirts of Kendal, for example.

This beautiful medieval house features has been home to the Strickland family for over 750 years and its cool interior includes exquisite oak-carved furniture and Elizabethan paneling.

5. Go paddleboarding

If you’ve not been paddleboarding before, it’s a great way to cool down on a warm Summer’s day, not least because inexperienced paddleboarders are likely to fall off from time to time! Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) has taken the Lake District by storm, and it’s easy to see why.

Boards can be hired at various lakeside locations, including at the Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre run by BETTER at Millerground (the same location that I mentioned for wild swimming).

6. Visit Honister Slate Mine

I’ve already mentioned the area’s mining history and a great way to learn more about this is through a visit to the Honister Slate Mine at the top of the Honister Pass. It’s the last working slate mine in England and is where a beautiful green slate is quarried.

Their underground tour will allow you to explore the heart of the mountain, away from the sun’s rays. Less sheltered is their Via Ferrata, if you’re feeling brave.

7. Go for a walk in the woods

Another way to keep cool is through a woodland walk rather than the exposed fell tops where there’s little shade to be found. The Lake District is of course home to many ancient woodlands where you can take shelter under dense canopies of oak, birch, and hazel, to name just a few.

Serpentine Woods, on the edge of Kendal, is a great place to wander with little ones as it also has a fun alphabet trail that they can follow.

8. Visit the Grotto at Rydal Hall

Tucked away in the formal gardens of Rydal Hall is a tiny, hidden gem built in 1668 called The Grotto. Originally built as a cosy viewing station for artists and writers to contemplate nature, this stone structure frames a perfect, picturesque view of Rydal Falls.

Sitting inside and listening to the thunderous roar of the waterfall through the arched window is not just cooling, but it’s incredibly therapeutic. It’s easy to see why William Wordsworth loved to write poetry here.

9. Eat English Lakes ice cream

What better way to cool off than an ice cream? A scoop or two of the locally-made English Lakes ice cream is avaialble at retailers across the county. They have a great selection of flavours.

You can grab a cone of classic Double Jersey, try their indulgent Thunder & Lightning (double cream with honeycomb and chocolate spiral), or go for refreshing Plum & Damson. (The Lyth Valley is famous for its damsons.)

10. Go stargazing at night

What better way to avoid the heat of the day than to go out at night? We’re lucky in the Lakes in that we have relatively low levels of light pollution compared to most other parts of the UK. At this time of year, the sun doesn’t set until just before 10pm but, once night does fall, the temperature falls also, even if it’s only by a little bit.

Head out on a clear night to somewhere like Grizedale Forest or the shores of Buttermere or Ennerdale Water, where light pollution is even lower, and you can see countless constellations shining brightly above the dark silhouettes of the mountains, and you might even spot the Milky Way stretching across the sky.