Oak Cottage

Lakes Aquarium sits in the village of Lakeside on the southern shore of Windermere. It opened in 1997 and is now themed around the lakes of the world, with both freshwater and salt water animals. Displays cover the Lake District, Asia, Africa, the Americas, marine life and Morecambe Bay.

Tip: The Windermere Lake Cruises dock and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway are both here, so you can arrive by boat or steam train.

Holker Hall is a privately owned country house near Cartmel, still the home of the Cavendish family. The Hall's west wing was rebuilt by the architects Paley and Austin after a major fire in 1871, and you can walk through its rooms, many of them furnished with paintings and furniture brought from Chatsworth. Wheelchair access to the Hall is limited to the ground floor.

Tip: Dogs are welcome everywhere except inside the Hall, on leads. Parking is free, and you can buy tickets at the kiosk on arrival.

This family-run heritage railway is a former Furness Railway branch line, about 3 miles long. Steam engines haul traditional 1950s carriages through the countryside of the Leven Valley, from Haverthwaite via Newby Bridge to Lakeside, at the southern end of Windermere.

Tip: The railway runs as a seasonal steam operation, so check the timetable on the railway's website before you set off.

Lakeland Motor Museum in Backbarrow, Cumbria, traces the story of road transport through the twentieth century. Its collection of more than 30,000 exhibits takes in classic cars, motorbikes, cycles and a large amount of motoring memorabilia, including a Bentley once owned by Donald Campbell and a World War II Willys Jeep.

Tip: Combined tickets with Windermere Lake Cruises let you do a cruise and the museum within 5 days of each other.

Hill Top is the 17th-century Lakeland farmhouse in Near Sawrey that Beatrix Potter bought in 1905 as her artistic retreat, and later left to the National Trust. Inside, it is shown as she would have known it.

Tip: Book your ticket in advance if arriving by car, as the small car park is for pre-booked visitors only. Afternoons after 2.30 tend to be quieter.

Sizergh is a Grade I listed castle and stately home about 4 miles south of Kendal, in the Lake District National Park. The oldest part is a tower from the fourteenth or fifteenth century. Inside, you'll find oak-panelled rooms, including the Inlaid Chamber, plus Strickland family portraits and paintings linked to the Stuart court in exile.

Tip: Dogs are welcome on the wider estate, but only assistance dogs are allowed in the gardens, so plan your route accordingly.

Levens Hall is a privately owned house and garden five miles south of Kendal, at the gateway to the Lake District National Park. It grew from a medieval pele tower into an Elizabethan family home, with fine panelling and plasterwork in the main rooms. It also has links to the Duke of Wellington.

Tip: Tickets can be bought online in advance or on arrival at the entrance kiosk, and online tickets aren't tied to a date or time.

Blackwell is a Grade I listed house above Windermere, designed by architect M H Baillie Scott as a holiday home. It keeps almost all of its original features, from the fireplace tiles, carved stone and wood panelling to stained glass, mosaic floors and the plasterwork of the White Drawing Room.

Tip: The tea room stops serving main meals at 3pm, so plan lunch accordingly.