Make your mum a lady for the day

Whisking her away to the countryside could well make her beam, but if you also wish to surprise her with a treat to look forward to over the coming weeks, Sizergh Castle has some appealing options.
On March 10, she could join the Sizergh Estate team on a two-hour walk focusing on plant and wildlife at this time of year. On April 21, it could be the woodland she explores, again on a two-hour walk. Returning to the café for lunch, both these experiences cost just £16.50.
On March 19, Mum could walk with the gardening team, discovering the past and present of gardening at Sizergh. This walk highlights the beauty characterising each season, whilst inviting participants to spot wildlife and learn how the gardeners are meeting the challenge of climate change. It costs just £3 for adults, £1.50 for children, plus garden admission. An optional lunch is priced at £7 for an adult and £4 for a child.
If your Mum prefers to put pen to paper, to express her creative side, Monday, April 28’s ‘A Sense of Place’ event could be right up her street. Well-known Cumbrian author, Freda Lightfoot, will be explaining how she researches characters and settings for her Lakeland sagas, to help encourage others to pursue their own creative instincts. This hour-long talk costs just £5.
But, even if you love her heaps, your Mum might just come across as being a bit batty at times. If this is the case, the May 9 Bat Walk could be just the ticket, at a cost of just £10 for an adult and £6 for any children who want to accompany their granny!
Your Mum’s nocturnal wanderings may never be the same again, but seeing her walking the garden path, torch in hand, will be sufficient reward for having introduced her to a whole new world to be discovered during the wee small hours when sleep seems an impossibility!
The venue for all of these options is the superb new eaterie in the grounds of the castle, located south of Kendal, abut ten minutes from junction 36 of the M6.
For more information, visit Nationaltrust.org.uk.