Family-friendly things to do at Wray

Child playing in grounds at Wray Castle Cumbria — Child playing in the grounds at Wray Castle, Cumbria | © ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

There are plenty of options for families to create fun memories at Wray. Find out what's on offer and all the details you need to plan your visit.

Family-friendly things to do inside the Castle

Wray is a welcoming space for children both inside and out. With no historic furniture or content, simply gallery space with interactive elements, you can relax and enjoy your time taking in the latest exhibition.

Nestled among the gallery space is the Music room, open for families with young children. Climb Mount Wray – a traverse climbing wall installed for little climbers – or play the 3D Everest game and see who can race to the top first. It is a place to play and explore, imagine and have fun.

Bring the whole family. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome inside the castle too!

Family-friendly things to do in the grounds

The woodlands are perfect for exploring at this time of year. We have way-marked trails to follow through the estate which are just right for family strolls.

Summer of Play
Outdoors in the grounds and parkland Wray offers unrivalled access to the shingle shores of Windermere. Having enjoyed the Other Everests exhibition inside the castle, this Summer holiday, families can head outside and train for scaling Mount Everest with fun activities around the grounds that will get heart rates pumping, test teamwork, and improve balance. Imagine you’re preparing for an adventure of a lifetime. Carriers better than pushchairs for non-walkers.

Geocaching

Join the world’s largest Treasure hunt Geocaching at Wray! There are eight medium-sized caches (a small waterproof treasure box) in the grounds to find. Inside the box, you can leave a message in the logbook and there are trinkets you can swap with. Download the app (available from Geocaching.com) which will show you the geocaches hidden nearby.

Visitors arriving by boat to Wray Castle in Ambleside, Cumbria, beside Lake Windermere — Visitors enjoying a boat ride across Lake Windermere | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

Don't miss the boat

Leave the car at home and catch Windermere Lake Cruises' Green Cruise from Ambleside for a sail across Lake Windermere taking in the magnificent views.

The gothic boathouse and hidden jetty make the perfect arrival point at Wray Castle. Then it's just a short walk up to the castle.

Boats run throughout the day from Waterhead Pier in Ambleside.

For further information visit www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk.

‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’

There are a variety of items you can tick off your '50 things' list at Wray Castle this summer. Try a few of our suggestions to ge you started:

No. 5 Skim a stone: Head down to the shingle beach for a family stone-skimming contest
No. 6 Go welly wandering: Put on your wellies and zoom around in puddles
No. 20 Go paddling: Have a paddle in the water of England’s largest lake.