FANCY having a go at kayaking, then there are a number of places around the lakes where you can try it out: Windermere, Ullswater, Derwent Water and Coniston Water . Kayaking is paddling a solo kayak with a double ended paddle, everyone can enjoy it from tentative beginnings to expert racers and river runners, but if you just like messing about on the water then that’s great, too. For beginners there are training courses, so if this is something you might like to do then go to www.adventuremakers.co.uk/. Here you will find everything you need to know about the sport and just what it entails.

THE Wasdale Head Show & Shepherd’s Meet takes place on Saturday (October 8), the show has been held annually for the last 100 years and it isn’t just a simple gathering of farmers as it once was - the tips (rams) were walked over to Wasdale Head by farmers from adjoining valleys of Ennerdale, Buttermere, Borrowdale and Eskdale, to sell, swap or hire them - but has evolved over the years into a great family day out. Expect to see Herdwick Sheep (of course!), hound trails, fell race, children’s sports, terrier racing, Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling, vintage machinery, craft barn, produce stands, dogs, catering and even more. The judging starts at 10am ending with the Puppy Maiden Trail at 4.45pm. The location is the Showfield (CA20 1EX); there’s a separate field for parking (signposted). www.wasdaleheadshow.co.uk/

Entrance: Adults £4; children free.

LAKES in a Day is a 50 mile Ultra Run with a 4,000 metre ascent – a journey on foot from the very top of the Lake District at Caldbeck to the very bottom, at Cartmel, via the stunning Helvellyn Ridge and the western shoreline of Windermere. Start point is Oddfellows Arms, Caldbeck at 8am and finishing at Cartmel School. The run takes place on Saturday (October 8) and is not for the faint-hearted. You need to go to the website www.lakesinaday.co.uk/ to find out about registering/locations, and other information, a coach is laid on to take you up to Caldbeck.

Runners £70; coach fare £10.

IF YOU are a lover of animals and appreciate seeing them in the wild then the RSPB Red Deer Cruise at Ullswater Steamers will be a real treat. This escorted, private cruise takes you from Glenridding to Howtown, then transfers to Martindale, via coach, followed by a short walk (with moderate uphill climb) to witness natures spectacle of the Red Deer Rut. This is one of the most popular events of the year so booking is required. The Red Deer Rut runs from today (Thursday) to Sunday (September 6-9), and the steamer departs Glenridding Pier at 10.30am and returns at around 3.30pm. Take packed lunch. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the event no dogs are allowed.

Fare: Non-RSPB members £15; members £13; children (5-15yrs) half price and proceeds to RSPB.

SOMETHING now for the young theatre-goer (7+yrs) – I Got Superpowers for My Birthday by award-winning writer Katie Douglas is a delightful play about Ethan, William and Fiona – they are as different as three almost-teens could possibly be. The only thing they have in common is that tomorrow is their birthday … and, they’ve just discovered they have superpowers. Which is lucky since someone needs to protect the world from The Darkness, which happens to be an evil overlord with plans to turn everything to ice (eek!).

You can join the three daredevils on an epic quest to save earth. This fast moving and energetic show is performed by Paines Plough Theatre and plays on Saturday and Sunday (October 8 & 9) at 2pm, in the Roundabout Dome located at Abbot Hall, Kendal.

Box office 01539-725133. Family tickets: £32 (2 adults/2 children) or £30 (1 adult/3 children).

A NEW exhibition of work opens at Brantwood, Coniston, on Wednesday (October 12). This unique, solo exhibition aptly titled ‘One to One’ by R.S. (Steve) Mitchell allows visitors to study just one single painting. This large-scale oil painting is on show in the Blue Gallery, a setting designed to concentrate our focus upon it and to spend an extended period of time with it.

Steve Mitchell has for the most part of his career worked as a Scenic Artist, working for the BBC, literally working behind the scenes on hundreds of ads, TV programmes as well as feature films, including Batman, Saving Private Ryan, 101 Dalmatians and Harry Potter, to name but a few.

Although Steve continues to work selectively on films, he works mainly in his studio creating large-scale oil paintings. The exhibition continues at Brantwood until November 28. Open 10am-5pm daily.

For details on this and other exhibitions on show visit www.brantwood.org.uk.

Admission to house/garden: Adult £7.50; child free (5-16yrs); student £6.