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Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle

Companionship careCumbria

Days out in Cumbria for an older parent

Seven places in Cumbria that make a good day out for an older parent, from Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery to Lakeland Motor Museum. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated September 2026

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery. Photo: Ian Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0

Seven days out across seven towns

The best places to take an older parent in Cumbria

Three of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for six describes a step-free route, and four confirm an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle

Photo: Ian Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Carlisle

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery

Tullie House sits opposite Carlisle Castle and covers Roman Carlisle, Hadrian's Wall, the Border Reivers and the city's history, alongside fine art in the Jacobean Old Tullie House. It has gardens, a shop and Café Tullie.

All spaces in the main museum are level or reached by lifts and ramps, there is an accessible toilet near the entrance, and wheelchairs can be borrowed from the welcome desk.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Carlisle

The Dock Museum, Barrow in Furness

Photo: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Barrow in Furness

The Dock Museum

The Dock Museum is built over a Victorian dry dock in Barrow and tells the story of the town's shipbuilding and submarine industry, with ship models, local history and art. Outside there is a waterside walk and a playground, and inside the Bridge Café.

There is step-free access to the main entrance, accessible toilets on the ground floor, and free wheelchairs and lightweight portable chairs to borrow while going round.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Barrow in Furness

Brockhole on Windermere, Windermere

Photo: Mark Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Windermere

Brockhole on Windermere

Brockhole is the Lake District National Park's visitor centre, an Edwardian house in gardens that slope down to the shore of Windermere between Windermere town and Ambleside. There are formal gardens, lakeside lawns, a café and displays about the national park.

The café and house are near the car park and there are lawns and benches with lake views, so a carer can keep the walk short and avoid the steeper paths down to the shore.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Windermere

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass

Photo: Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Heritage railway · Ravenglass

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway running seven miles from the coast at Ravenglass up into Eskdale, below England's highest fells. There is a museum and the Turntable Café at Ravenglass and another café at Dalegarth station at the top of the line.

At Ravenglass the public areas are level with accessible parking outside the booking office and an accessible toilet, carers of passengers with access needs travel free on standard fares, and an all-terrain Tramper scooter can be hired.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Carers travel free on standard fares

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens, Grange over Sands

Photo: JThomas, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Grange over Sands

Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens

Grange-over-Sands is an Edwardian resort on Morecambe Bay with a long seafront promenade and ornamental gardens with a duck pond near the station. The promenade looks out over the salt marshes and sands of the bay towards the Lakeland hills.

The promenade is described as suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs and is flat along its length, so a carer can choose a short stretch from the gardens and turn back when their parent is ready.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Grange over Sands

Keswick Museum, Keswick

Photo: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Keswick

Keswick Museum

Keswick Museum on the edge of Fitz Park covers the town's history, the Lake District poets, mountaineering and local mining, and is home to the musical stones of Skiddaw. Café West is inside the museum.

There are three Blue Badge bays right outside the entrance, wheelchair access throughout the public areas and an accessible toilet, and registered carers go in free.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Carers free when accompanying

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Lakeland Motor Museum, Ulverston

Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Ulverston

Lakeland Motor Museum

The Lakeland Motor Museum at Backbarrow, near Newby Bridge, holds a large collection of cars, motorbikes and everyday motoring memorabilia, along with a Campbell Bluebird exhibition. It sits by the River Leven with a riverside café.

There are Blue Badge bays less than 40 metres from reception, step-free level access at the entrance, a lift to the first floor and a wheelchair to borrow.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Ulverston

Regular groups and events in Cumbria

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Cumbria.

  • Music · KendalLake District Music summer festivalA classical festival that has brought chamber musicians to lakeland venues each summer for around forty years, with programmes ranging from string quartets to jazz and baroque. A carer can book aisle seats, handle parking and travel, and choose a shorter afternoon or early evening concert.Details
  • Dancing · KendalCrook Folk Dance GroupEnglish traditional country dancing every Thursday evening at Crook Memorial Hall between Kendal and Bowness, including Playford and square dances, with no partner needed. A carer can drive there and back, stay for the evening, and sit out the faster dances alongside the person they support.Details
  • Photography · CarlisleCarlisle Camera ClubA long running camera club in Carlisle with regular meetings, talks and competitions for members of all standards. A carer can help with lifts to evening meetings and with getting images ready to show.Details
  • Reading · KeswickWords by the WaterAn annual festival of words and ideas held each March at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, with author talks and discussions across several days. A carer can pick one or two daytime events, book seats together and manage the travel and parking.Details
  • Sports · GrasmereGrasmere Lakeland Sports and ShowA traditional sports day held at Grasmere since the nineteenth century, with Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, fell races and hound trails. A carer can bring folding chairs, arrange drop off near the field and plan breaks away from the crowds.Details
  • Volunteering · KendalCumbria Wildlife Trust volunteeringThe county wildlife trust lists volunteer roles across Cumbria, including reserve work, events and wellbeing groups. A carer can help with the application, provide transport to sessions and stay alongside for the first few visits.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Cumbria

At a glance

The seven places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Tullie House Museum and Art GalleryCarlislehalf a dayPaid entryYesYesYes
The Dock MuseumBarrow in Furnessan hour or twoFreeYesYesYes
Brockhole on WindermereWindermerehalf a dayFreeAskAskAsk
Ravenglass and Eskdale RailwayRavenglasshalf a dayPaid entryYesYesYes
Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardensGrange over Sandsan hour or twoFreeYesAskAsk
Keswick MuseumKeswickan hour or twoPaid entryYesYesYes
Lakeland Motor MuseumUlverstonhalf a dayPaid entryYesAskYes

Where the places are in Cumbria

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

AlstonMaryportSedberghLongtownAppleby in WestmorlandEgremontWigton1234567
  1. 1Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle
  2. 2The Dock Museum, Barrow in Furness
  3. 3Brockhole on Windermere, Windermere
  4. 4Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass
  5. 5Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens, Grange over Sands
  6. 6Keswick Museum, Keswick
  7. 7Lakeland Motor Museum, Ulverston

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Cumbria

Carers in Cumbria charge £20 to £24 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £21, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £84 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Cumbria has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Cumbria

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle, The Dock Museum in Barrow in Furness, Brockhole on Windermere in Windermere, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in Ravenglass, Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens in Grange over Sands, Keswick Museum in Keswick and Lakeland Motor Museum in Ulverston. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, The Dock Museum, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens, Keswick Museum and Lakeland Motor Museum describes a step-free route. Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, The Dock Museum, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and Keswick Museum have an accessible toilet. Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery and Lakeland Motor Museum lend wheelchairs. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

The Dock Museum, Brockhole on Windermere and Grange-over-Sands promenade and ornamental gardens. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 8 of the carers with a rate near Cumbria drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £21 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Cumbria shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based within about 45 minutes of Cumbria

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around Cumbria

Days out in the areas around Cumbria

Companionship care by town in Cumbria

Each town page shows the carers who list it as home, with their rates and reviews.

Find a carer who could take them out in Cumbria

See carers near Cumbria who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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