At Calvert Lakes, we see the person, not  the disability.

All ages welcome...

Helping all of us access the benefit of outdoor activity

Breaking down perceived barriers and exceeding expectations

We recognise and welcome both visible, and invisible, disabilities

Our Activities

Taking advantage of the amazing Lake District landscape, we run as many of our activities as we can away from the Centre, with all groups enjoying a variety of single and multiple instructor led activities. Each Activity Group has a dedicated instructor with them for the duration of their stay, allowing our staff to get to know every individual and helping you make the most of your stay.

Activities on our multi-activity programmes are designed by our expert instructors and take all levels of disability into account, with courses including a selection listed below.

Wheelchair Challenge Course

Up the hill via our wheelchair accessible path you will find our wheelchair assault course. Faced with narrow bridges, see-saws, tunnels, wobbly paths and much more our course is designed to test out even the best wheelchair user (or their carer) to the limit! Once attached to the course there are many obstacles to overcome and once you get to the end you can face it all over again!

Sailing

Sailing takes place at Windermere or at our boathouse on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake. We have a range of sailing boats available, from our Access Dinghies, Longboats and Windriders.

Many of our sailing activities are based at our boathouse, a short minibus ride away from our main centre. Group sailing utilises either our Longboats or trimaran Windriders, on which you’ll find a range of seating options can be fitted for those who require extra support or hoisting.

Residents can take a packed lunch for a full day out on our fully accessible catamaran which is sailed on Windermere, with a lunch stop at a venue with accessible toilets.

Canoeing

Canoeing takes place at our newly refurbished boat house, which has changing facilities, toilets and even a small kitchen. Starting on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, venture out onto the water in either rafted canoes (two canoes tied together which makes them much more stable), solo canoes or canoes with outriggers attached depending on your group’s needs.

We have a range of seating from fully supportive whole body, to beanbag and just a little back support. We also offer a range of paddles, grip aids and cushions, so we can ensure everyone can participate in comfort, whether they need hoisting onto the boat, a little support or are fully independent.

Handbiking and cycling

Taking place at a local nature reserve and on relatively flat ground, our specially adapted bikes allow all participants to enjoy this popular activity.

Ghyll Scrambling

For more ambulant groups, this offers a great opportunity to see the beauty of the Lake District while enjoying a challenging activity and developing teamwork.

Zip Wire

To the rear of the main centre you can find our zip wire hidden in the trees. Make your way to the top platform via our wheelchair accessible path, it’s a bit of a hill, but well worth the effort! Whizz down our zip line in either our full body harness (suitable for those ambulant participants) or one of our access harnesses (suitable for all users).

High Ropes Course

To the rear of the main centre you can find our high ropes course hidden in the trees. Attached to a safety line the entire course spans between trees in our woodland. There are 2 courses, the first being a low-level short course, but having completed that, are you brave enough to take on our more challenging long course? The course is suitable for those who are ambulant, or partially ambulant or who can walk with assistance.

Bushcraft

Build fires to roast marshmallows, or construct woodland bivouacs, this activity takes place in and around the centre and is a great team bonding exercise.

Trapeze and Swing

Accessible to all and taking place in our indoor sports centre, this always generates squeals of delight and helps people overcome fears of the new.

Rock and Rope

Adaptable to all levels of ability with on and off-site options possible dependent on the group, this classic activity always develops participants’ self-belief.

Orienteering

Learning to navigate and read maps on our trails around the centre is a great way develop teamwork while learning new life-skills.

Lakeland Push & Walk

Using various routes all over the local Lake District area, with your help, we explore the most appropriate trails and tracks for your group. We can even minibus a group uphill and do a downhill walk/push!

Some of the more common walks are;

West shore of Derwentwater
Surprise View (Borrowdale Valley)
Whinlatter Forest
Friar’s Crag (Derwentwater)
Dodd Wood (including the osprey viewpoint)
Rydal Cave (Rydal Water)
Keswick to Threlkeld Railway
Milligan Dalton’s Cave (Borrowdale Valley)

The Nightline

This brand-new activity is performed blindfolded and involves following a rope course through a series of obstacles and problems with the help of your team.

Archery

Archery is back by popular demand from a new location, indoors in Keswick. We’re so pleased to have this back on the agenda as it has proved very popular in the past with both instructors and participants.

Swimming

Our newly refurbished Water Centre is a wonderfully relaxing spot to while away an hour or two. The changing rooms have been upgraded and an amazing new light and projector system has been installed to enhance guests’ experience.

Meet the Ponies

Spend some time with wonderful ponies at the stables. It has become well-established that simply being in the company of horses is a rewarding experience providing a boost to emotional well-being and mental health.

Did you know, we also partner with…

Theatre by the Lake

Our friends at Theatre by the Lake in nearby Keswick offer year-round, award-winning theatre. With regular accessible performances plus the option of drama workshops tailored to your group’s requirements, this is a lovely addition to a stay with us.

Lake District Wildlife Park

Did you know that just down the road from Calvert Trust, you’ll find the Lake District Wildlife Park? Spend a couple of hours or a full day down there visiting furry, fluffy, feathered and scaled residents. Why not ask us about adding on a bespoke Wildlife Encounter for your group?

Accessible Adventure Explained

Find out how we make outdoor adventure activities open to all in our series of short films...

Watch now

Your stay, your way

If you are an extended family or a group of up to 12 friends and family, then why not consider a bespoke stay? We can create a visit just for you – you’ll have dedicated instructors with you for the duration and we’ll do our best to create an itinerary that includes as many of your preferred activities as we can accommodate. Sound good?

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Financial support

We understand that a visit to Calvert Lakes comes with a cost that must be covered. That's why a key part of our fundraising effort is around securing bursary funding to help offset some of the costs of a residential stay with us. Thanks to the hard work of our fundraising team, we have regular releases of bursary funding that can further help support your residential stay with us. Obviously you'll need to meet some criteria so read on for an overview - or why not just give us a call and let's find out if you qualify.

Do you qualify?

How do I qualify for Bursary Funding?

Criteria vary by funder e.g. by geographic location, age, disability, disadvantage
The maximum bursary funding available on any booking is 25% of the total price
We prioritise bursary for groups, families or individuals staying outside of the peak summer months
During term time, bursary is prioritised for groups, families or individuals on weekend stays
Should you qualify for a bursary, we need to provide the funder with feedback. This could take the form of an informal in-stay chat or feedback/information about your visit or a post-visit feedback form, supplying or us taking photos/video of your stay and/or a quote. Rest assured, all feedback will only be used for the funders internal use only, unless otherwise advised.

At Calvert Lakes, we see the person, not  the disability.

All ages welcome...

Helping all of us access the benefit of outdoor activity

Breaking down perceived barriers and exceeding expectations

We recognise and welcome both visible, and invisible, disabilities