The Lake District Wildlife Park near Bassenthwaite offers a fantastic family day out, home to over 100 species of wild and domestic animals. Featuring engaging daily keeper talks, massive outdoor adventure playgrounds, and a cozy indoor soft play area, it stands as an essential stop for families exploring the northern Lake District.

Last Friday, Marcus and I spent a wonderful mother-son day together visiting the Lake District Wildlife Park. We hadn’t been before, even though it is only a 45-minute drive from our house, so we definitely needed to fix that!

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Skiddaw massif, this lovely park spans 24 acres of beautiful Cumbrian parkland. Originally established over twenty years ago as a humble farm attraction known locally as Trotters World of Animals, it has since evolved into a fantastic, modern wildlife haven. Today, it is home to over 100 species of wild and domestic animals, but conservation sits at the heart of what they do. As members of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the park actively participates in six global endangered species breeding programmes, supports multiple wildlife charities, and even jointly manages two protected Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) right on the edge of Bassenthwaite Lake.

We arrived just as the park opened and headed straight for the large wooden outdoor playground. In his excitement, Marcus was running, tripped, and grazed his hand and elbow. We had to pop back and ask the lovely lady at the entrance for some plasters, but fortunately, it was nothing serious and he had mostly just hurt his pride. Once he was patched up, he bravely went right back to the playground before we moved on to the feeding area. There, we were able to feed the sheep, cows, donkeys, and alpacas.

By then, it was time to attend the animal encounter presentation, where we got to see some snakes and a large lizard. After a quick stop at the indoor soft play area, we continued our walk toward the flamingos and zebras. An old safari jeep was parked right by the zebra fence, which kept Marcus entertained for quite a while as he pretended he was driving me around.

Walking back toward the main area of the park, we spotted the lemurs and monkeys. We made sure to stop and see one of the park’s most famous residents: Brian, the cheeky Lar Gibbon, who is celebrated as one of the oldest gibbons in the whole of Europe! Finally, we ended our visit by watching the birds, including some impressive ones like the eagle and vulture.

It took us around three hours to explore the park, though we didn’t manage to catch all the scheduled presentations. The birds of prey display looked fantastic, so we’ll have to save that for next time. After our visit, I decided to treat him to a late lunch inside the train at Bassenthwaite Lake Station, which he absolutely loved. I had a very happy, and very tired, little man by the end of the day.

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Planning Your Visit

• 📍 Location & Parking: Use CA12 4RD to reach the park near Bassenthwaite. Parking is completely free with an ample, dedicated on-site car park
• 🎫Entrance: Standard paid admission applies.
• 🍴 Food: On-site café serving a range of hot meals, sandwiches, kids’ lunchboxes, and freshly baked cakes. Visitors are welcome to bring food and eat in the outdoor picnic area.
• 🚽 Facilities: Public restrooms, fully accessible toilets, and baby-changing facilities are located right beyond the park entrance and gift shop
• ⏰ Opening Times: Open daily from 10:00 am to 04:00 pm (winter) / 05:00 pm (summer)
• 👶 Child Friendliness: Exceptionally family-friendly. Large, timber-built outdoor adventure playground and an indoor soft play area for rainy days. Main visitor pathways are pushchair-friendly, though some trails consist of natural stone and gravel paths.
• 🐾 Dog Friendliness: Not allowed
• 🌐 Official Website: Check the official website for more information

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Extend Your Adventure: Make a Day of It

If you have more time to explore the area, I highly recommend a lovely walk along the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, or a peaceful stroll through the Dubwath Nature Reserve. For a fantastic food stop, both the unique Bassenthwaite Lake Station and the Embleton Wheatsheaf gastropub offer absolutely delicious meals.

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Final Thoughts

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