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If you’re planning a springtime holiday with the family, the Lake District is home to an Easter Eggs-travaganza that simply should not be missed. We’re sure that children of all ages will relish the opportunity to join in with the biggest Easter Egg Hunt in the North of England. With 100 unique Peter Rabbit eggs hidden across Cumbria, your search could well draw you into Mr McGregor’s garden but never fear, there’s safety in numbers so bring the whole family and enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

The wonderful backdrop of the Lake District provides the perfect setting; birthplace of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and all of the other charming characters brought to life by Beatrix Potter. Follow in their pawprints as you adventure all over the Lakes, thanks to The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere.

Peter Rabbit’s Easter Egg Hunt gets underway at 10.00am on 31st March 2010, when the Go Lakes website will unveil the map that shows the location of all 100 eggs. There will be clues to their location too but the searching is down to you. So, savour the fabulous spring countryside and get the whole family working together. The eggs could be hidden anywhere in the Lake District; in picturesque villages, gorgeous spring gardens, beside beautiful lakes or even on the top of some of the Lake District’s majestic, rolling hills. Wherever they are, they’ll be hidden in plain sight so you don’t have to worry about your little bunnies getting their paws dirty.

Every one of the 100 eggs in The Great Peter Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt has been specially designed by local potter, Sue Dunne. Each is an extremely limited edition collector’s item for you to keep as a momento of your adventure. Not only that though, for everyone that finds an one of these fabulous eggs there is a free trip for two adults and two children to the wonderful World of Beatrix Potter Attraction and one of the first copies of a new Peter Rabbit tale, The Peter Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt, published by F Warne & Co. Just bring your egg to The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in order to claim your reward. However, out of those 100 hidden eggs, there are ten which entitle the lucky hunter to an even more amazing prize! The top prize is a two night break for a family of four at the Low Wood Hotel, on the stunning shores of magnificent Lake Windermere.

You can keep up with the progress of the Great Peter Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt by revisiting the map page on the Go Lakes website or by following peterrabbiteggs on twitter.

The Lake District is proud to have inspired Beatrix Potter’s wonderful stories and enchanting characters, like Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. These charming creations are loved by children from all over the world but have a special place in their Cumbrian playground. Potter first visited the Lake District in 1882 while on holiday with her own family and like many others before and after, was captivated by the inspiring scenery. She has drawn families to the area ever since.The Lake District was to be a defining influence on Beatrix Potter for more than sixty years, first as inspiration for her wonderful children’s stories and later, moving her to take on pioneering conservation work to protect the Lake District’s beautiful scenery and wildlife for future generations.

Bring your family and stir their imaginations in the same setting that gave generations of delighted children their fondest memories. Stay in the Edwardian villas and ancient farmhouses that were once owned by Beatrix Potter herself, now turned into hotels and guest houses where you can follow in Beatrix Potter’s footsteps and fall asleep in the rooms where once your favourite childhood characters were dreamed up.

As the dusting of snow atop the majestic peaks and splendid fells of the Lake District begins to recede and reveal the delicate new shoots and snowdrops in its place. The gradual thawing and softening of the Cumbrian countryside is underway in earnest during March.

Easter is an ideal time to visit the area; bring the young ones during their school holidays, to hop in the footsteps of Peter Rabbit, around Beatrix Potter’s Lakeland home. Enjoy the whole range of fabulous activities and amenities that Cumbria has to offer. Another Easter staple is the traditional Workington’s “Uppies and Downies” match. This is a real rough and tumble, medieval ancestor to modern football which is played between the colliers and the sailors. There are essentially no rules and the goals are about half a mile apart. So, brute force more than skill will tend to win through on the day but this only serves to add to the spectacle.

By May the beautiful Eskdale valley is in full bloom, carpeted in the gentle hue of new bluebells. Although very few things could satisfactorily sum up the boundless natural beauty of the Lake District, Wordsworth’s famous poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” comes close as he describes the nodding daffodils along the shores of Ullswater. Ever since, Wordsworth’s time staying at Dove Cottage in Grasmere has flavoured cultural perceptions of the Lake District in the same way as the breathtaking natural beauty seeped into his Romantic poetry. A visit to Wordsworth’s house is an absolute must for those who have also been somehow inspired by this fabulous scenery.

It’s not just the flora that signals spring in the Lake District though. For instance, any trip to Cockermouth should be accompanied by a visit to the Lakeland Sheep & Wool Centre to see the adorable spring lambs.

The arrival of spring proves to be the ideal time of year to explore and adventure in the Cumbrian countryside. For full details of the wide range of outdoor pursuits that the Lake District has to offer, visit the Go Lakes website. There are activities to suit all levels of ability – and inclination.

Looking ahead to 2010, it’s plain to see that there is quite simply never a dull moment in the Lake District. We have managed to narrow down the selection to just one unmissable event from the multitude of fabulous activities that are scheduled to take place in the Lake District, each and every month in 2010. For full details of all of the great things that are happening in Cumbria over the next year, visit www.golakes.co.uk. To get you started, here are our monthly highlights.

From the 22nd to the 24th of January, the Arts and Book Festival at Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum is an absolute must. Guest speakers will include the Romantic biographer Richard Holmes, playwright Lee Hall (writer of Billy Elliot), Richard Bronk on The Romantic Economist, Cecilia Powell and Stephen Hebron on Discovering the Lake District, Charles Jencks on Land Art, Claire Harman on How Jane Austen Took Over the World and Sarah Hall and Adam Foulds talking about new novels with artistic themes. Visit the website for more information. www.wordsworth.org.uk

As a bit of an alternative to the same-old Valentine’s weekend agenda, the 14th of February will see the Lakes host the World’s Original Marmalade Festival in Dalemain Historic House, Penrith. Top producers and home cooks from all over the world come to Penrith to compete for the title of World’s Best Marmalade and in the process, help to raise money for Hospice at Home. This citrus celebration features celebrity cookery demonstrations, fabulous food tents and stalls, lectures and of course, marmalade. www.marmaladefestival.com

The Helly Hanson Adventure Challenge takes place in Grizedale on the 21st of March and what better way to celebrate the start of spring than with some fresh air and plenty of exercise. This is a highly energetic adventure challenge through the picturesque Grizedale Forest Park and is for teams of three people who enjoy the rigors of off-road running, mountain biking and canoeing. Along the way, there’ll be some extra-special challenges thrown in for good measure.  It’s an ideal way to get the pulse going after your winter hibernation. www.trailplus.com

The 17th of April is traditionally Damson Day in the Lyth Valley. Not only is it a means of paying tribute to this ancient fruit, it’s a way of encouraging others to join in the fun, have a day out in the country and meet the local producers.  It’s a celebration of the many foods and drinks that are created from the humble damson, as well as local arts and crafts. There’ll be music and entertainment, from Morris Dancing to wandering fiddlers and the Hawkshead Wind Band.  So, nab one of their hay bale seats and toast the day with a little damson gin. www.lythdamsons.org.uk

From the 15th to the 23rd of May, right across Cumbria, the Cumbrian Fishing Festival offers a wide range of angling events for beginners, families and experts alike. There are over 50 separate events at more than 20 different venues. Beginners can try their hand at fishing for the first time and lifelong enthusiasts can pick up the latest tips and techniques from top class instructors and angling celebrities. Younger anglers can take advantage of special weekend events, giving everyone the chance to have a go at catching their first fish.  It’s the ideal week for a fishing break in Cumbria. www.gofishinglakedistrict.co.uk

Between the 25th and the 27th of June, Sedbergh is home to the Sedbergh Folkfest. This three day musical extravaganza is a celebration of all things folky in the Lake District, offering a fantastic programme, crammed full of live performances from the finest folk musicians; not to mention dancing, storytelling, lively street theatre and a great range of workshops. www.sedberghfolkfest.co.uk

Carrying on the musical theme, the Maryport Blues Festival takes place from the 23rd to the 25th of July and is the UK’s premier blues festival. The festival has built up an incredibly strong reputation and in the past, has featured countless high-profile performers, like Van Morrison, Chuck Berry and Jools Holland. The centre of the action takes place in a 2000 capacity marquee with a further 40 acts playing in venues throughout the town of Maryport.  For the 2010 line-up, keep an eye on the website – www.maryportblues.com

The Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show take place in Grasmere on the 29th August and have done for the last 160 years! Grasmere Sports maintains the traditions established by its founders and features fell running, Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling and hound trailing. However, the programme has grown to include things like mountain biking, paragliding and dog shows and a family tug of war. There’s also a fabulous range of the finest Cumbrian food and crafts. www.grasmeresportsandshow.co.uk

Between the 2nd and 5th of September, the coolest place to be is Mintfest, Kendal. This international festival of street arts delivers the very best in outdoor performance from all over the world. Over 200 performers will gather together to put on shows you will never have seen before and are not likely to ever see again. The shows take full advantage of their unique location and bring the parks and streets of Kendal alive with their unique, exciting brand of street theatre. www.lakesalive.org

From the 23rd to the 31st of October, the spirit of Halloween takes over the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton-in-Furness. The renowned South Lakes Wild Animal Park pulls out all the stops for their annual Zoo Boo.  Kids in fancy dress get in free and everyone is welcome to join in the Halloween parade and trick or treat the keepers.  As well as hand-feeding the giraffes and penguins, there’s also spooky skating and pumpkin carving. www.wildanimalpark.co.uk

The Winter Market at Holker Hall and Gardens, Cark-in-Cartmel, starts on the 6th and 7th of November and takes place each weekend in the run up to Christmas. Visitors are assured of a wonderfully warm welcome at Holker Hall, with magical decorations, twinkling illuminations in the beautiful winter gardens and seasonal food in their café.  There’ll also be warming braziers in the courtyard and a fabulous barbeque of the finest Holker produce, not to mention roast chestnuts, live music and carol singing, special Christmas hampers in the food hall and a huge range of fun festivities for children. www.holker.co.uk

The Christmas Markets in Carlisle City Centre take place throughout December and this is when the pretty city of Carlisle really comes alive. In addition to the beautiful array of twinkling lights, the city also boasts a number of festive Christmas markets which each offer the finest in local produce and crafts, as well as international offerings. How better to embrace the season of giving than with some yuletide retail therapy.  Not to mention the carol singing, brass bands and mulled wine, making for a perfect winter’s day out. www.historic-carlisle.org.uk