Lake District Family Christmas with Heart of the Lakes

Cosy Logs, in the picturesque village of Staveley, have been supplying Christmas trees for over 25 years and are the very best in the Lake District. From tall-as-can-be ones to plump little bushy ones; traditional Spruces or Nordmann fir non-drop, there’s a lovely range and they are all grown locally, right here in Cumbria. 

Don’t worry if your Christmas cottage break is a little last minute because Cosy Logs take away any festive stress with their Christmas packages, delivery and flexible opening times. They are open 7-days a week and you can choose a tree right up until Christmas eve. If you’re considering large houses to rent for Christmas 2019 then a grand Christmas tree is a must! Cosy logs can supply large 10ft Christmas trees, but they are limited and so worthwhile getting in touch as early as you can. 

Cosy Logs do deliver and have a great Christmas bundle including your tree, firewood, firelighters and kindling. But, if you have kids, we’d recommend visiting as there are two resident reindeer at Cosy Logs and a wander around the tree shed is a Narnia of Christmas trees! Jam-packed with beautiful trees and filled with the smell of pine - picking out your Christmas tree is one Christmas memory that always sticks.

Fell Foot Park, on the southern tip of Lake Windermere, is ideal for sledging with little people. It has gentle slopes going down to the lakeshore that is ideal for a first-time sledging. It is a small park and National Trust owned, so members can park for free and it is just a short toddle - or ride on the sledge - to the snow-covered grass where the real fun can begin. 

There is also a lovely little cafe, the Boathouse Cafe, for a sweet hot chocolate to warm little hands up and perhaps a sticky cake treat too? 

Just outside Ambleside, on the way to Coniston, is the picturesque Tarn Hows, which is a great sledging spot for anyone looking for a bit more of a thrill. The grassy slope leading down to the tarn is steeper than at Fell Foot, so this would be the best sledging place for families with older adventurers. This spot is also National Trust owned, and so the car park is free for members. You’ll find sledging within minutes of the car park. Plus, the footpath is pram-friendly and so easy to drag sledges along as well. Bring a flask of something hot and some lovely cakes to enjoy as you enjoy a festive frolic in this idyllic snow landscape. The walk around Tarn Hows is less than 2-miles itself and is one of the best winter walks in the Lakes. In winter the still tarn is breathtakingly tranquil and calming. It is surrounded by an impressive collection of Larch and Norway Spruces - the most magical natural winter wonderland ever. These spots are also both dog-friendly and so great for if you’re booking Christmas holiday cottages that are dog-friendly.

It is finally here, hot chocolate season! Whilst we can find a good excuse for a hot chocolate all year round, warming our hands on a mug of melted rich sticky chocolate is the very best after a cold wintry walk. And the best place to head to is ChoccoBar in the heart of Bowness-on-Windermere. Whatever your hot chocolate tastes are they have it all, which makes this a great spot for all of the family. Plus, whilst you can get a latte or pot of tea here, we love that the guys at ChoccoBar specialise in hot chocolate so each drink has been lovingly crafted. The team behind the bar are always coming up with new fusions and we’re looking forward to the Chocolate Pudding one this year. Inside, the cafe bar is everything you’d expect from an artisan coffee house, with newspapers, chilled tunes and a relaxed atmosphere. There’s a well-used outside area, complete with cosy blankets. 

Combine the ChoccoBar with a ‘48 Hour Freedom of the Lake’ ticket with Windermere Lake Cruises for 48 hours of winter wonderland exploration. Take thermos flasks to ChoccBar and they will fill them with hot chocolate delight for your adventures too.

A long hot chocolate with all the trimmings like marshmallows, cream and sprinkles, or a sophisticated shot of melted chilli chocolate - what’s your favourite hot chocolate for the winter season?

Christmas would not be Christmas without delicious sweet and spicy treats like mince pies, stollen, gingerbread, chocolate rolls, panettone, mulled wine and port. And Hawkshead Christmas Fair has to be the best in the Lake District for these festive treats. The pretty village of Hawkshead was at the heart of the Lake District’s wealthy spice trade and so is a hotbed for tasty treats, such as the world-famous Hawkshead Relish. Grasmere Gingerbread and Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding are other local sweet treats that came out of the region’s love of all things sweet, spicy and sticky.  Hawkshead Christmas Fair is one of the best in the Lake District. The remote location means that after dusk all that illuminates this little village are the twinkling Christmas lights and beautiful stars. The village is car-free and wandering the stalls of this petite little market is idyllic. Over the weekend of the 7th and 8th December, the fair includes a beautiful paper lantern parade and carol singing, as well as the lovely market stalls offering artisan gifts as well as tasty treats. The village shops are open during the fair, so you can nip into The Honeypot or Poppi Red cafe for a sit-down and some festive spiced fruit cake and a visit to the famous Hawkshead Relish shop is a must for both savoury and sweet palettes. They have some great Christmas hampers that are sure to tempt you. 

Windermere Christmas Celebration takes place this year on Saturday 30th November and is the best family Christmas lights in the region. The whole family join Santa on a festive parade from Windermere train station at 4:45 pm, through Windermere turning Christmas street, shop and tree lights on along the way.  There’s the added bonus of a fireworks display at 6:30 pm, bringing the light procession to an impressive close. This is a volunteer-run event where the whole community get together to adorn the town with as many twinkling bulbs as possible.

Lingmoor Fell is a short hike, less than half the size of Scafell Pike, right here in the heart of the Lakes. The fell stands isolated and so rewards walkers with stunning views for little hard work; including Bowfell and the Langdale Pikes. Even on a snowy day, the less than 2-mile ascent has good walking conditions. The paths are easy to follow so you and the family can enjoy, weather permitting, a wonderful snowy wonderland.  Start from the National Trust car park in the hamlet of Elterwater, just outside Ambleside. A mountain walk is actually a pretty good idea on a cold, snowy day. Start off with lots of layers on and as you climb the hats and gloves will likely come off, except for during snowball fights and snowman building, of course. There are lots of points of interest for little walkers too along this hike, including the quarry remains, tarns and huge scattered boulders.