Until the middle of the last century Mirehouse was lived in by one large household. Now the house and surrounding buildings have been adapted for several households, therefore remaining home to a substantial number of people. The Earl of Derby built the present house in 1666 and only sold it once, parting with it in 1688 to Roger Gregg. Since then it has passed through inheritance only. This beautiful family run historic house benefits from gardens, lakeshore and woodland playgrounds, and is open for visitors to enjoy whatever the weather. Besides an interesting collection of furniture and portraits within the house, there is a very unusual display of manuscripts. These include James Spedding's collection of Francis Bacon's works as well as letters from Wordsworth, Tennyson, Southey, Thomas Carlyle and John Constable (all friends of the family). The present owner's father arrived there in 1961 and found the house in poor condition. Since then many repairs have been made to both contents and structure, including tackling two severe outbreaks of dry rot. In 1981 the decision was made to open the ground floor of the house to the public.

With the backdrop of Skiddaw, journey on foot around the 24 acres of parkland visiting over 100 species of wild and domestic animals cared for in this beautiful setting by their qualified and highly motivated keepers. A range of engaging presentations take place daily bringing you closer to many of the park’s favourites. Conservation and development projects of farmland and woodland on the 350 acre Armathwaite Hall Estate, where the park resides, are underway constantly. The estate comprises of over 200 Hectares of farmland, open parkland, ancient woodland, lake shore and riverbank, and is managed to enhance biodiversity using low input farming and forestry practices to create a mosaic of habitats.

Home to stunning views, fantastic walks, exhilarating mountain biking, rare wildlife and adventure play. Set within the Lake Districts World Heritage Site, Whinlatter has unrivalled views across Bassenthwaite Lake, Derwentwater and Keswick. It is also home to the longest purpose built mountain bike trails in the area. The Lakes are a dramatic and unique landscape which has been formed through man’s activities, such as forestry and land management. This landscape has inspired many of the world’s greatest artists, writers and thinkers.