A large complex with lots of facilities including a passable climbing wall.read more

Good choice of exercise classes which are reasonably priced. The gym is a lot cheaper than…read moreelsewhere. I take my kids to gymnastics classes here, which they really enjoy. The cafe backs on to a small playground next to the river Eden. The cafe staff are not terribly helpful, but the food is ok. The Sands Centre puts on some good concerts, pop, tribute, retro and classical, but it's not a theatre, just a glorified indoor sports hall. Still, it's all we've got. The soft play area for kids is really squashed, there are better ones around Carlisle. The climbing wall is popular.

By far the best soft play area in the town. It is very cheap and is huge. The soft play equipment…read moreused to be Puddle Lane on Botchergate but they relocated it to Denton Holme with a new name, so it has been around for years and is very well loved by myself and my daughter. You can have a children's patrty here which is great value for money and the kids just love it. There is a seating area for the parent's to sit and have a natter and a cuppa and they also sell decent snacks for the children. If your child is younger you have to go in the soft play aswell to look after them which is fab although you are not allowed to bounce on the bouncy castle but you can go down the slides and things. All in all a great place on a wet day or as a special treat.

One of the oldest, but for my money, one of the best soft play areas in Carlisle. The staff are…read morefriendly, and there's a spacious area for parents. The food and drinks are reasonably priced. it has the usual slides, and swings, but has a massive bouncy castle. They do children's parties. Only minor drawback is that if you are driving, it's disc parking roundabout so you could be limited by that.

This faculty overall is quite good. The staff are friendly and helpful. I can comment on thé…read morefollowing: *children's soft play area - this was great. £3 each and the kids can play until they are exhausted or hungry. Since I was there when no one else was, my kids took me up to the top and we went down the slide together. I can say from personal experience that it is a fun place to play. Note that it can get loud when a group exercise class is in session next door. *kiddie small pool - this is a nice pool that is shallow enough to suit most younger kids. It is warm and there is a box of pool toys, including pool noodles. There is a lifeguard on duty though children must also be accompanied by an adult. My kids enjoyed this several times over the last few weeks. *larger lap pool - this pool is also great. It is kept at a perfect temperature that doesn't shock the system when you get in but isn't too warm if you are doing laps. Lane swim times can get crowded on occasion, so reserve your spot by calling or fumbling through the awkward website. *bouldering climbing area - this is alas the one downside to the whole facility. As someone who boulders at a bouldering gym several times a week I have to say that this is not a bouldering wall. It is an area with some holds screwed into wall completely higgly-piggly by someone with no experience setting climbing routes. There are no set routes. The colors mean nothing, the holds are not set appropriately to climb from floor to ceiling in any fashion, and you can't climb the overhang ceiling section at all as the holds are incorrect for that type of slope. I also feel that the mat underfoot is too hard to appropriately break a fall from the top of the walls. I strongly recommend to the staff of the facility to invite a bouldering route setter in to re-do the walls with coherent routes that abide by climbing conventions for route colors.

Lots of nice facilities, but fairly expensive.read more

New Eldon Leisure is underway!…read more The gym has gotten a huge update. It's about 4 times the size and growing. A massive free weights room. A functional training rack with battle ropes and boxing! Many more machines and cardio equipment. Really a great gym in the city centre. They also have 10 pin bowling! About 8 lanes and a full stocked and licensed bar with food! I personally think it's a good deal price wise. About £5 to bowl £3 a beer. They have a coffee breakfast combo. I M yet to eat here. There is also a new rock climbing and kids soft play. I have never used either. I did however use the old bouldering gym and for a novice like me I found it really good! Worth checking out!

From the owner: At the heart of the city, Eldon Leisure in Eldon Square, Newcastle is a hidden treasure. With a…read morehuge new (2015) fitness gym and a great choice of classes, squash, badminton and climbing, there's plenty to keep you fit and active. There's also a fantastic 8-lane tenpin bowling area with fully licenced restaurant, superb soft play for under 8s and Vertigo Adventure Climbing for all the family.

This is a review of the Via Ferrata Xtreme climb which is based at Honister Slate Mine…read more(http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk/via_ferrata_at_honister.asp). After an induction in the equipment room, the climbing instructor provides everyone with a harness and helmet before the group (maximum of 12 people) walks up part of the miners' track to start the guided ascent. Via Ferrata means 'Iron Way' and you'll soon see why as there are iron rungs, supports and a continuous metal cable all the way along the route. It's certainly not for the faint-hearted as you are high up on a cliff face but it's extremely safe as you have two carabiners (strong metal clips) on your harness and you keep one locked to the cable at all times as you move carefully along. You climb independently and aren't attached to anyone else. The whole experience will take 2.5 to 3 hours and it's a combination of short walks through pitch-black mine shafts, cliff edge ladders, vertical climbs, a Burma Bridge (hanging wire bridge) and cargo net crossing. It's quite tough-going but you can take your time and the instructor was really encouraging of everyone, we had a great laugh with her the whole way. Our group had a big age and ability range. After all this, the summit of Fleetwith Pike awaits (it's over 2,000 feet high) and the views of the magnificent Lake District are breathtaking. Thankfully you don't have to go back the way you came (!!) and there's a walking track all the way down to the centre. You will feel fantastic (albeit knackered) after you complete this, so go for it! Tip: no cameras or phones are permitted on the climb for safety reasons, but the instructor will take photos of everyone with their camera at key stages on the route. You can buy the CD of the photos for £15.

What a great visitor attraction this is, perched on the crest of Honister Pass. There is no museum…read moreas such but you can take 1 of 3 different mine tours lasting about an hour. You get the chance to go deep inside Honister Crag. Make sure you have a coat/fleece as it tends to get rather chilly inside. Kids love it. The more adventurous can do a Farrata track accent with a guide. If you are in the north lakes give it a look, we enjoyed the experience.