Create memories to last a lifetime in the beautiful Lake District
Set in a stunning location overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake, our main centre is fully accessible throughout, with us also having our own stables and boathouse at separate nearby locations. We endeavour to run as many activities as possible out in the wider Lake District so that our residents also get to explore one of the most beautiful parts of the UK.
Join other adults with similar abilities and enjoy challenging adventures and exciting activities at our special centre.
Bring the whole family and take part in fun activities alongside other families of similar ages and abilities.
Celebrate achievement with your school, charity or club on a group stay here in the breathtaking Lake District.
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Challenging disability through outdoor adventure is at the heart of what we do. Guests are invited to try new activities, meet new people and push boundaries to experience ambition and achievement. Building confidence, resilience and independence occurs naturally here as we encourage people to challenge themselves in a safe and supportive environment.
Our magical centre is a home-from-home during your stay. We cater to even the most complex needs and our entire centre, from accommodation to facilities, are accessible and inclusive. Participate in everyday tasks and try adventurous activities that build confidence and encourage teamwork in a safe and supportive environment.
Our adventure activity breaks encourage guests to try all sorts of new things during their stay. From climbing in the sports hall and high ropes in the trees to water sports and ghyll scrambling, we offer challenging activities, both indoors and outdoors, led by expert instructors for all ages and abilities. So come and get stuck in!
Nestled in the heart of the Lake District National Park, overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake, Calvert Lakes is a fully accessible and inclusive activity centre in a truly breathtaking location. Explore adventurous activities in the great outdoors and experience the magic of this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We are inspired by the astounding people who stay with us. Hear their stories
Calvert Lakes is nestled below Dodd Wood, overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake to the forested mountains beyond. Just a few miles north of Keswick, our fully accessible and inclusive activity centre is a warm and welcoming place where people with disabilities can truly thrive.
Onsite we have two accommodation buildings, a large, well-equipped dining hall, several communal spaces, including a games room with tuck shop, as well as a hydrotherapy swimming pool and sensory room. The dining room looks out onto the lovely sensory garden and the views from the pool are simply sensational.
Many of our awesome activities are run right here onsite, although we do try and spend as much time in the wider national park as possible. Behind the centre, you’ll find an archery range, high ropes course, wheelchair challenge course, zip wire and bushcraft shelter. Our sports hall sees plenty of rock and rope action, with a wheelchair abseil slab right outside. And a short walk or drive down to the lake is the boathouse, where we keep our fleet of boats and assorted kit.
We’re committed to making our activity breaks accessible to as many people as possible, which is why limited bursary funding is available to help reduce the cost. Because our funding is often restricted, we prioritise those who’d most benefit from financial assistance. While we cannot guarantee support for every enquiry, we encourage anyone facing financial barriers to get in touch. Our team is here to guide you through the process and help you explore the options available.
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At Calvert Lakes we have three main accommodation areas housed in two separate buildings – the Farmhouse and the Byres. With 60 beds across 26 accessible twin, triple and quad rooms, we can cater to a wide range of needs. All rooms have an ensuite bathroom or wetroom facilities, and profiling or raisable beds, shower tables and chairs, interconnecting rooms and bed sides are all available. Even better, some of our rooms have ceiling tracking hoists! We also have portable hoists, medical fridges, alarms, monitors and other special equipment for guest use.
Downstairs in the main Farmhouse building is our modern, spacious dining room. This is the beating heart of the centre and a place to rest, recover and rejuvenate over a delicious home-cooked meal. Food is served by our friendly chefs buffet style at the pass and the menu is displayed each day. With hearty breakfasts, tasty lunches and a 3-course dinner, you won’t go hungry. We can cater to most dietary requirements, with notice, and offer a range of blended options. Whole centre bookings can also choose the menus for their stay. Tea, coffee, water and squash are available all day long and we’ll always do our best to accommodate requests where possible.
In addition to the large dining room, we have a small library, a TV room, large games room and a meeting room available for guest use. The games room is a particular highlight. Here we have a large screen TV, pool table, tuck shop (open in the evenings only), dressing up box, craft materials and lots of games. We hold regular discos in here and with ramp access and plenty of space, it is wheelchair accessible too.
Guests seeking quieter spaces have a variety of options, including our sensory garden which has both covered seating and lawn tables.
The Burgess Room is our onsite meeting room and classroom. With seating for 12-16 and sockets for everyone, this room has a large screen, projector, HDMI cables for presentations and fast fibre Wi-Fi. Ideal for curriculum-based activities during educational stays or presentations, icebreakers or debriefs.
Get in touch with our reception team to book the room for use during your stay.
Attached to our Farmhouse building, and accessible via lift access from the dining room, is our gorgeous hydrotherapy swimming pool. The water centre has two family changing rooms, two communal changing rooms and two poolside accessible changing rooms with ceiling hoists and shower trays/changing tables. Inside the pool area are sensory pool features including a fountain, bubble mat and jacuzzi area as well as a warming sauna. With stunning views across the lakes and mountains, lighting and music can be controlled by a poolside tablet and the whole pool floor can be raised to accommodate guests with limited mobility.
Upstairs in the water centre, above the pool and accessible by both lift and stairs, is our sensory room. Packed with soft surfaces, light tubes, bubble machines, tactile toys and dim lighting, this is a safe and calming space. Guests, visitors and locals can visit the sensory room and it’s bookable by the hour.
Wonderful for all ages from babies to adults, our sensory features provide immersive controlled stimulation that is soothing and engaging. Interactive toys help focus, relieve anxiety and promote relaxation in a comfortable environment that is useful for people with learning or sensory disabilities, or those with autism.
At the southern end of our site is our fantastic sports hall. Here you’ll find mobile climbing walls, a ceiling swing, abseil window and basketball court. We can offer climbing, bouldering, swinging, basketball, curling, boccia ball, ice breaker activities and all sorts of other fun with our well-equipped sports hall.
Complete with adaptive hoists, harnesses, helmets and a spectator’s gallery, guests can challenge themselves as much or as little as they like in our safe but stimulating space.
A short walk from the main centre overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake is our fantastic boathouse. Here we keep our fleet of dinghies, canoes, kayaks and safety equipment. Watersports are a highlight for most visitors, and our stunning natural surroundings don’t disappoint! The jetty has a hoist for getting less ambulant people into and out of boats and we have tons of buoyancy aids and life jackets for all shapes and sizes. Whether you fancy getting wet or not, not Calvert stay is complete without a visit to the boathouse and a play on the water.