England Guide
Cumbria and the Lakes
Grizedale Forest
Grizedale Forest extends over the fells separating Coniston Water and Hawkshead from Windermere. The best starting point is the Grizedale Forest Centre (daily 10/11am–4/5pm; free, parking fee charged; 
01229/860010, 
www.forestry.gov.uk/grizedale ), three miles southwest of Hawkshead; the Cross-Lakes Shuttle (from Bowness via Hawskhead) runs here in the morning, picking up return visitors later in the day. There's a good café, craft shop, and activity areas at the centre.
Grizedale Mountain Bikes (9am–4.30/5pm; 01229/860369, www.grizedalemountainbikes.co.uk ) has bikes available to explore the waymarked trails through the forest.
More adventurous still is the forest high-ropes course known as Go Ape (Feb– Oct daily, Nov weekends only, closed Dec & Jan; advance bookings required on 0870/444 5562, www.goape.co.uk ; £25; minimum age 10), which has you frolicking in the tree canopy for a couple of hours – fantastic fun involving zip-wires, Tarzan-swings, tree platforms and other aerial manoeuvres.