Road trip from Poole to lake district then on to London

We stayed in the most charming costal resort last summer that is really geared towards families. It’s called Knoll House Hotel. When you disembark your ferry in Poole you can head to Sandbanks and the chain ferry to Studland or drive up and around to Studland. We’ve never seen so many multi generational groups having fun playing on the lawns, nearby beach, tennis, golf, pool and hiking the Costal Path to the stunning stacks nearby called Old Harry Rocks. It’s an old fashioned, charming hotel that really caters to families. From this stay you could make your way further west and do some coastal fossil hunting and castle exploring before you turn north towards the Lake District. I highly recommend this coastal hotel and all of its activities for families. We booked dinners there too and really enjoyed the food.

EDIT: scroll through some pictures as the first picture on their website doesn’t convey the beauty of the hotel and looking out towards the coast.

What sort of activities are you looking for the kids?

Where are you arriving in England and how many days are you planning on spending to get to the Lake District?

last year we did a similar trip Poole-->Longleat-->Bath-->Worcestershire-->London

How did you like Longleat? I've been considering trekking over there after seeing the tv show about the animals there.

I'd worry about my wipers.

Was it too kiddo focussed?

Hi All,

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

We are arriving at the Poole ferry terminal from Jersey. activities wise and anything to be honest, from swimming, theme parks, anything 4 /8 yrs would enjoy.

Longleat was OK - I wouldn't hurry to go back, to be honest. it was a hot day, and all the animals were either sheltering or sleeping. Also massive queues before going in and out of enclosures. monkey drive was fun, would see them climbing onto your cars etc.

Thanks
Sarm

For the Lake District you may find this useful-
https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/family-children-activities

(pretty much the kind of list I'd have put together-I would add the South Lakes Safari Zoo at Dalton in Furness on the southern edge of the Lake District, and the Beacon Museum at Whitehaven on the western edge- it's a Museum but great activities for kids while the adults learn about the history of the tow which was once the 3rd largest port in the UK- these aren't on that list as they are outside the National Park boundaries. Whitehaven is on your way to Ravenglass which is on the list).

I don't know how long you plan to stay in the Lake District, or what your budget is, but we do have a Center Parc at Whinfell Forest.

It's just outside Penrith, 10 minutes from the M6, 1/2 an hour from Keswick, an hour from Windermere via Ullswater.

On Cumbrian local foods - get a good Cumberland Sausage- the real ones are wound in spirals, quite spicy- a straight sausage is not Cumberland whatever it says on the label, Rum Butter and Rum Nicky, Grasmere Gingerbread from Sarah Nelson's at Grasmere (always long lines outside, it's not gingerbread as most people know it. more a biscuit, some people say shortbread), Kendal Mint Cake, Sticky Toffee Pudding (must be Cartmel STP), try a good Tattie Pot (a stew). There are lots of good local cheesemakers and local micro-brewers. You will see English Lakes Ice Cream everywhere in the area- which is great but if you end up at Buttermere try the made on the farm ice cream parlour there. The spices and rum date from Whitehaven's trading days with the West Indies.
If you get the chance you must try the Herdwick Lamb- it's a very unique flavour of lamb, from a breed of sheep native to Cumbria- a great place to try that is Yew Tree Farm, Borrowdale- which Prince (now King) Charles often went to.
At Bassenthwaite (just west of Keswick) there is also a distillery. If you go there you must also go to the cafe at the former Bassenthwaite Lake Station. I'd go there rather than the Bistro at the Distillery. It's in the carriages from the remake of Murder on the Orient Express. Really good food, especially their afternoon tea.

I meant to say that in Keswick, Kendal, Windermere and Penrith there are branches of a Lancashire supermarket chain called Booths.
They really specialise in local Lancashire and Cumbrian foods and are a good place to stock up on those, to take home.

Booths = excellent quality and service. Sometimes referred to as Waitrose of the North. No relationship between the two.

Thank you, guys, isn31c, Nigel, Mona, Wasel, - Lots of information.
let me make a plan based on what you guys told me and will post it here, and see you what you guys think.

Thanks again
Sarm