Whinlatter is a beautiful place to explore with its array of mountain trails to wander and cycle tracks to get your heart racing. It also has an Osprey discovery centre with live video feed to the local nesting Ospreys. Dodd Wood is home to these fascinating birds where you can watch them from the viewing platform in all their glory. Exploring around Bassenthwaite Lake is a beautiful way to spend your day whether it’s in the many nature trails, at a visitor attraction or just soaking up the views at a beer garden!

Dodd Wood, the Ospreys & Mirehouse

Ospreys are a majestic bird of prey, they had not bred in England for more than 150 years but in 2001 a nesting pair of Ospreys came to Bassenthwaite and raised their chick. They have returned every year since. Their nest is at Dodd Wood, follow the woodland trails to the viewpoints and spy on them as they sore across the valley and hunt in Bassenthwaite Lake.

Whinlatter

Whinlatter Forest Park is England’s only mountain forest and because of this, you get superb views of surrounding fells and lakes. It’s a beautiful destination for relaxing forest trails and a general wind down. But also world class for mountain biking between trees!

Start your routes from Cyclewise bike hire, they can also advise of suitable routes and

provide maps.

Follow the red routes for the Altura trail which prides itself as the trail that “puts the mountain back into biking”. Alternatively, the blue marked route, Quercus trail is better suited to those wanting to develop their basic off road skills but still enough rolling jumps and gentle berms to get your heart racing!

Off the bike, the Siskins cafe provides you with a great view of Grisedale Pike, towering in the background as well as sumptuous food and refreshments. The café has an alpine style and feel, with indoor and outdoor eating areas the cafe is a great place to relax and reflect on the 2-wheel adventures and maybe prepare for another lap.

The Forest Park also has an excellent visitor centre with gift shop for those momentos.

As well as a superb educational area it also has a live video feed to Bassenthwaite’s nesting Ospreys, with expert volunteers on hand to tell you more.

Because of the varied habitats around Whinlatter, you can enjoy watching a wealth of varied wildlife. Rare red squirrels and Roe deer enjoy the shelter of the woodland; whilst Osprey’s bask above Bassenthwaite Lake and feed on fresh fish. The dramatic fells provide wonderful hunting grounds for other marvellous

birds such as Buzzards.

Whinlatter and Dodd Wood