How to Have Fun with Your Teenagers on Your Cottage Holiday to the Lake District

Teenagers can be a challenge to entertain at the best of times as any parent will tell you. When you hit the road for a well-earned holiday, it’s important to have a game plan that takes them away from playing on their phones all day and ensures they have at least a little bit of fun.

The good news is, when you book a cottage holiday in the Lake District, there’s plenty to do and see, especially if you focus on an area like Coniston. This iconic body of water is one of the most popular locations for holidaying families, not least because it has everything from adventure activities and boat trips to caving and gorge scrambling.

The Old Man of Coniston

While your teenagers may grumble at the prospect of physical activity, one thing the Lake District and Coniston are not short of is hikes and climbs. One of the most spectacular is the Old Man of Coniston which gets you up to a height of around 2,600 feet with some amazing views of the surrounding countryside, with a summit selfie for their social media making the perfect incentive for reluctant teenagers.

You can choose either to go off on your own or book a guided walk where you can learn a lot more about the local area, its role in the industry of the area over many centuries as well as finding out a bit more about all the brilliant wildlife. One of the most spectacular places to climb up is the footpath through the old quarry, giving you a view of the water below and a cascading waterfall in the distance.

In addition to long hikes, there are a wealth of shorter walks around many of the tarns or lakes in the area or plenty of bike trails if you fancy something a little more challenging.

Scrambling Up a Gorge

Gorge scrambling has become a lot more popular over the last few years and it gives your teens the chance to try something exciting and rewarding at the same time.

It’s just a short trip from Coniston Water up to the gorge and soon you’ll find yourself traversing the river, tackling rocky beds and scrambling up the sides of the gorge. Once you get to the top, you can try canyoning, which is where you jump off the ledge into the water below – not everyone’s cup of tea but something that many teens are certainly going to love.

Adventure Activities

There are lots of other adventure activities that you and the family can take part in, from sailing and canoeing on Coniston Water to the more genteel paddleboarding. Head over the Lake District to Windermere and nearby Brockhole and you’ll find Tree Top Trek where you and the kids can get high up above the ground and even descend on the zip wire for a bit of extra fun.

Places like Grizedale have amazing forests and bike as well as exhilarating zip lines and high ropes courses – offering ample opportunities for teenagers to have outdoor adventures –  which they can, of course, go on to share online to show what an amazing time they are having in the Lakes!

Coniston Boat Trips

It doesn’t have to be all adventure and challenging for the teens in your life. If you fancy something more sedate, a picnic and a boat ride on Lake Coniston are perfect for a summer’s day. Boats stop at places like Peel Island (better known as Wildcat Island in Swallows and Amazons) and Brantwood, home of John Ruskin, where there’s a chance to visit the local café and enjoy the view.

On top of that, if you’ve booked a holiday cottage in the Lake District, there’s always the chance to settle down in your home from home and just enjoy the peace.