Kendal Museum

Kendal Museum sits bang in the heart of town, and it's the sort of place that rewards a couple of hours on a wet afternoon - which, let's be honest, you'll get plenty of in Cumbria. The collection covers local archaeology, natural history, and the area's industrial past, with a decent focus on the Lake District's geology and the folk who've lived here over the centuries.

It's genuinely worth a visit if you're into local history or geology. The exhibits aren't flashy, but they're well-curated and tell a proper story about how this part of the world shaped itself. Families with kids aged eight and up will find plenty to engage with; younger ones might lose interest after forty minutes or so.

The museum works brilliantly as a rainy-day stop when you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Kendal Camping and Caravanning Club Site is barely over a mile away, and The Ashes is just three miles out. If you're staying at Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site or Lakeland Glamping, it's a quick drive into town and makes sense to combine with a proper explore of Kendal's high street and independent shops.

Check opening hours before you go - they're seasonal - and budget a good two hours if you're the type to actually read the information boards. Admission is reasonable, and there's usually space to park nearby. It's not a headline attraction, but it beats sitting in a caravan when the weather turns.