The National Trust’s Children’s Book Festival is returning to Wray Castle by popular demand.

Best-selling children's authors, illustrators and characters will be heading for the west shore of Windermere on Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5, to meet fans young and old.

Among the literary guests will be Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler, Philip Ardagh, Gill Lewis, Ed Vere’s Max and Steve Coles’ young James Bond.

Book-themed activities will take place throughout the weekend, such as a magical Harry Potter event, with prizes for the best fancy dress; a book launch and signing by Philip Ardagh of his new series The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge, Medieval Knight in Training; and a competition to name your own medieval knight.

The festival shop will be selling mementoes and books by the visiting authors, and you can also bring along your World Book Day £1 token to choose your free World Book Day book.

A specially chartered 'book boat' will be sailing from Bowness Bay to the castle at 9am on both mornings, returning at 4.30pm.

Wray Castle manager, Jon O’Donoghue said “We’re so excited to be hosting the festival here for a second year. It’s a huge honour that names like Axel Scheffler and Philip Ardagh wanted to come back again and it’s just brilliant to have an event like this taking place in the heart of the Lake District.”

All festival sessions are £5 and day passes must be bought in advance, as there will be no tickets on sale on the day at the castle. For festival passes and boat tickets, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wray-castle