Pick of the Week

ACTIVITIES:

- GO WILD at Brockhole's Really Wild Weekend (Sunday and Monday, 10am). As part of the Lake District Visitor Centre's special bank holiday event, join the RSPB team for a day of family fun activities. Take a closer look at the birds on your doorstep and discover more on a series of guided-walks and entertaining events, including pond-dipping and otter searching. For more details, call Brockhole on 015394-46601.

- ENJOY the fells in safety by getting down to the map and compass day at Grasmere on Sunday (10am). Suitable for all abilities, the course is tailored to individual needs and is suitable for 12 years plus. Meet at Grasmere Information Centre. Booking is essential, call 015394-35245.

- UNCOVER creatures from the deep while pond-dipping at the Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre next Tuesday (11am & 1.30pm), suitable for 7-12 years. Dress for mess. Booking is essential call 015394-46601.

ENTERTAINMENT:

- THE Brewery Arts Centre's Barrel of Laughs Comedy Club returns tonight (Friday, 8pm) with three of the country's finest stand-ups. The event sees Ray Peacock, one of the major breakthrough acts of the Edinburgh Festival 2002; Michael Tombs, west country comic who has toured with the likes of Mark Lamarr and Phil Jupitus, and, finally, New Zealand improviser Al Pitcher. For tickets, call the box office on 01539-725133.

EVENTS:

- THE Grizedale Arts' Roadshow kicks off today (Friday). The three-day event includes newly-commissioned artworks, music, live performance, film and video screenings - all at Grizedale Forest Park. Children's activities include badge and fanzine-making, writing and recording music with the chance to showcase their work on the main stage.

EXHIBITIONS:

- CROQUE Morte, 2000, the work of former Turner Prize winner Douglas Gordon, goes up at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, on Sunday. The exhibition is a series of close-up colour photographs of a baby biting her toes. Glaswegian-born Gordon has won a string of artistic accolades including the Turner Prize in 1996 and the Hugo Boss prize in 1998. Croque Mort, 2000 is on display until July 6.

GARDENS:

- MEET one of the Brockhole gardeners for an informal look at the visitor centre's historic gardens next Wednesday (11am).

MUSIC:

- TOMORROW (Saturday) at 8.30pm sees rhythm and blues act Dr Feelgood take to the Brewery Arts Centre stage. The band, who have had a string of hit singles including Milk and Alcohol and Roxette, are drummer Kevin Morris, lead guitarist Steve Walwyn, bass Phil Mitchell and vocalist formerly of The Animals Robert Kane. To book tickets, call the box office on 01539-725133.

- ENJOY songs and music from 1960-1990 courtesy of Lynsay at the Royal British Legion Club, Grange, tomorrow (Saturday) night (8.30pm).

- LONG MEG are putting on a family ceilidh at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, on Tuesday night (May 27, 8pm). For tickets, call the box office on 01539-725133.

- FRESH from a UK and European tour, J. Swinscoe and band present their latest ground-breaking musical offering a live score to classic silent flick Man With a Movie Camera. The event takes place at Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre next Wednesday (8.30pm). The creation comes after Swinscoe was asked by the organisers of the Porto film festival to score a soundtrack to the Soviet Union silent classic. For more details, call the box office on the above number.

SPORT:

- NETHERFIELD Cricket Club host the derby match with Kendal in the Northern Premier League on Bank Holiday Monday (wickets pitched 1pm). Netherfield are also at home in the league on Saturday when St Annes visit, while Kendal travel down the M6 to Preston.

- CARTMEL steeplechases' three-day Bank Holiday meeting on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday is a big attraction.

THEATRE:

- ALAN Ayckbourn play Season's Greetings is showing at the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick. Get in the festive mood early and join hosts Belinda and Neville for a traditional family Christmas. The play runs from tonight (Friday) until May 31. For details, call box office on 017687-74411.

WALKS:

- TAKE a short and scenic walk through Craggy Woods and out on to the fells to visit Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubbs today (Friday) at 11am. The six-mile walk will be led by a Lake District National Park voluntary warden and sets off from Wilf's Caf, Staveley.

- JOIN a sunset stroll to Orrest Head tomorrow (Saturday) at 7pm. The three-mile wander will climb through woodland to the summit that inspired Wainwright. Meet at Windermere Tourist Information Centre.

- ENJOY the stunning views during an afternoon walk over Latterbarrow on Sunday (2pm). The four-mile walk sets off from Hawkshead Tourist Information Centre.

- TAKE a family stroll to a working farm on Monday (11am). Join a LDNPA voluntary warden on the 2.5 mile stroll that takes in a spectacular waterfall and on to a traditional Lakeland farm for tea and cake. There will be a chance to ask questions about farm life before heading back to Ambleside. Meet at Market Cross Information Centre, Ambleside.

- PICNIC and walk in a beautiful stroll from Tarn Hows to Black Crag on Monday (10.30am). The four-mile walk sets off from Tarn Hows national Trust car park, near Hawkshead.

- DISCOVER Wordsworth's Grasmere and join local writer John Nettleton for a gentle walk past three of the poet's homes next Thursday afternoon (1.30pm). Meet at Grasmere Information Centre.

- TAKE a leisurely and informative walk through the grounds of Brockhole on Tuesday (11am). A LDNPA voluntary warden will highlight the story of the house and explain why the site was chosen as the first National Park Visitor Centre.

- EXPERIENCE the sights and sounds of Damson country on a five-mile walk through the Lyth Valley on Thursday (10.15am). The scenic stroll ends at a local pub. Meet at the Brown Horse Inn, Winster.

May 22, 2003 10:30