Future of the Lake District Visitor Centre
Last updated: 22 July 2010
We are planning to develop the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole into a world-class visitor attraction.
High Ropes in 2011
We have appointed a partnership of Ropes Course Development Ltd and Powerfan Ltd to design, build and operate a high ropes course at Brockhole. The course is aimed at the dabbler/novice market. During our consultation, one in ten people asked for some sort of high ropes course.
Planning permission will be sought over the summer and construction to begin during the winter. We hope it will be up and running from Easter 2011.
Future plans
What will the new Lake District Visitor Centre contain?
- An indoor interactive visitor attraction to inspire visitors about the special qualities of the national park whilst entertaining and surprising them.
- A large new cafe facility
- Cumbrian retail facility including farm shop
- 21st century interpretive areas telling the World Heritage Story of the importance and special qualities of the Lake District, its geology, culture and the interaction between man and the environment. This will make the link between the Lake District, the writers, poets and artists it inspired and the modern conservation and sustainability movements that grew from their influence.
- A “taster” indoor climbing wall and indoor and outdoor adventure play
Improved transport and access
We want to improve the transport and access by:
- Building a new lakeside ferry hub to allow the large ferries to dock and allow for a local waterbus stop
- Improving access off the A591
- Increase car-parking with park and ride facilities and provide coach and scheduled bus provision on site
- Improve foot and cycle paths connections into the site
New water sports centre
We will build a water sports centre targeted at the taster market – focusing on canoeing, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing.
Restored gardens and grounds
We will restore the Grade II listed Thomas Mawson designed gardens including:
- Interpretation
- New arrival facilities at the jetty
- Use of the meadow as a large outdoor event spaces capable of taking crowds of 3,000-5,000 people
New woodland-based activities
We will build a treeline walkway and high ropes taster facility
Brockhole House
We will restore the exterior of Brockhole House and commercially let the building using the annual income to assist with the ongoing maintenance and adaption of the garden.
What's happened so far?
- We have added new entrance signs and orientation signs and maps.
- We have removed old signage, improving accessibility.
- Windermere Lake Cruises have introduced Brockhole as a request stop from Bowness, in addition to the regular service from Waterhead. From Easter there will be a waterbus service to and from Brockhole. This allows you to get to or from Brockhole to Bowness or Waterhead in 10 minutes.
- The café has a new 'cook to order' menu with local and homemade produce which is already proving a success
- We have already hosted the Midsummer canoe festival and will do so again this June.
- We have run a north-west cyclocross event with over 140 competitors and hope to announce a Grand Prix event for November 2010.
- We are renewing the indoor exhibitions by July 2010. We have moved our education and bookable rooms to upstairs in the main house with interactive whiteboards and wonderful views of the gardens and lake.
- We will be increasing the tables on the terrace and adding linked umbrellas to shelter visitors from the sun (and occasional moisture!).
What's next?
- We have put out tenders for a water sports operator to start operating from this April 2010.
- We have put out a tender for a high ropes operator. We hope this will be up and running by October 2010.
- We have put out a tender for an operator to run a temporary zip wire and climbing wall from April 2010.
- We will be applying for planning permission for new jetties able to take the largest of lake craft to be operational from January 2011.
- We are bidding for funding from the North West Development Agency, Europe and the Heritage Lottery Fund and hope to hear about the bids from April through to August 2010.
- We are currently recruiting a commercial manager to run Brockhole and help develop it. This will include utilising it as a venue for meetings, events and conferences, developing the large event market and looking at partnerships with other organisations.
