Oakdene Country House

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.

The Forbidden Corner is a folly garden in the Tupgill Park Estate at Coverham in Coverdale, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Built in the 1980s as a private pleasure garden, it opened to the public in 1997. The Folly Fellowship voted it the best European folly of the 20th century.

Tip: Check the official website before you go to see how tickets are booked.

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.

Brough Castle is a ruined English Heritage castle on a ridge overlooking the Stainmore Pass, built within the walls of an old Roman fort. Its towering keep dates from about 1200, and the site was a frequent target of Scots raids. The Clifford family later added more comfortable living quarters, which were accidentally burnt after a great Christmas party in 1521.

Tip: Parking is limited in the village, so don't use Brough Castle Farm. Farm livestock may be present and the ground is uneven, especially the gatehouse cobbles.

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.

Lancaster Castle is a Grade I listed medieval castle and former prison on a hilltop in the city centre, standing on the site of three successive Roman forts. English Heritage has called it the North-West's most important historic and archaeological monument. It served as a prison for centuries, and part of it still hosts Crown Court sittings.

Tip: There's no on-site car park and on-street spaces are limited to 2 hours, so use one of Lancaster's larger car parks or the park and ride.

Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle in Wensleydale, built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard, 1st Baron Scrope. Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner here for six months, and an audio app has a recording for each room of the castle, covering her captivity, how Lord Scrope's army prepared for war and how the servants kept the household running.

Tip: Catch the bird of prey display and the boar feeding, and use the audio app to hear the story of each room.

Lowther Castle is a ruined country house near Penrith, built in the early 19th century and left as a dramatic shell after the roof was removed and the building demolished in the 1950s. You can explore the ruins, then wander the 130 acres of gardens, which include the Parterre, the Garden-in-the-Ruins, the Rose Garden, wildflower meadows and rambling woodland.

Tip: Walk out to the Western Terrace for a spectacular view over the Lowther Valley to the Lake District mountains, and dress for all weathers.