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The handsome Georgian town of Cockermouth is the gateway to the western Lake District. A busy schedule of events keeps the town buzzing throughout the year (highlights include the Taste food festival and the Northbound music festival), but it’s the location that makes it a great place to stay: 20 minutes out of town and you’re by the shores of a lake, sitting on a beach or walking up a fell.
The town is also home to the renowned Jennings Brewery, while it is also the proud birthplace of William and Dorothy Wordsworth; Wordsworth House offers a fascinating insight into the poet’s early life but also gives modern visitors a glimpse of how people lived in the 18th century. Other famous children of Cockermouth include astronomer Fearon Fallows, scientist John Dalton and Fletcher Christian of Mutiny on the Bounty fame.
Cockermouth has a tasty selection of places to eat and drink. It’s a place that can cater for every appetite, and every craving.
It’s home to a wealth of cafes and traditional tea shops, perfect for breakfast or a light lunch, as well as pubs serving up the heartiest of local fare, and contemporary restaurants with an international flavour.
If it’s just a drink you’re after, a pint of Jennings ale will always go down well – and it’s brewed in the heart of the town. It doesn’t get more local than that…
Cockermouth and its surrounding villages are gaining a reputation as a foodie paradise. You’ll find some great places to eat in town – tucked down a side street or in full view in the main shopping areas – while the surrounding countryside has some wonderful inns and pubs that serve up gorgeous views along with a delicious meal. Every kind of cuisine is catered to, from classic English to modern European and more. Whatever you’re in the mood for, be sure to try local specialties of meat reared in the fields just outside of town and seafood caught fresh off the West Cumbrian coast.
There’s a fine selection of friendly teashops and cafes, where the emphasis is on local ingredients and old-fashioned home cooking. Some of these even come with their own bakeries, so the cakes and breads you eat are usually fresh out of the oven. Come in the evening and you can enjoy a bistro night along with live entertainment.
Don’t miss the pubs either – the majority of which are dog-friendly. From the liveliest of nights out, to a quiet pint, Cockermouth has a great range, many of them serving food too. Their menus range from bar snacks or proper hearty pub grub, to something more contemporary. The one thing they all have in common is a great range of beers, many of them brewed locally in Cumbria, including of course those brewed by Jennings, right here in town.
If you’d rather eat at home, there’s a good range of takeaways, or head to the town’s brilliant butchers, fishmonger, grocers or delis to find the perfect ingredients.
And, for the perfect foodie treat, head to Cockermouth in the last weekend of September for the annual Taste Cumbria food festival. It attracted an estimated 40,000 people in 2015, all eager to eat, drink and graze their way around the stalls, eat at Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan’s pop-up restaurant, and learn from some culinary masters.
There’s history, literature, culture, shopping and more in Cockermouth. With family friendly places to visit, everything within an easy walk, and plenty to catch your eye around town, it’s a great place to visit.
It’s also the perfect gateway to the Western Lake District and the Solway coast, so it’s worth planning your trip so you’ve got time to head out of town too. You’ve got fells, lakes, forests and beaches on your doorstep if you choose to stay in Cockermouth.
Cockermouth is the birthplace of the poet William Wordsworth, so you’ll see his face around town, not least at the National Trust-owned Wordsworth House and Garden. If you like history, seek out the mini museum in Banks Hardware store in Market Place or take the Civic Trust’s town trail. For more recent history, look for the flood markers on the town centre businesses which show how high the waters reached when the Rivers Cocker and Derwent burst their banks in 2009.
Tours are also on offer at Jennings Brewery, and they finish with samples of their ales. Or head out of town to the Lakes Distillery, a short drive away, and find out how whisky is being made here for the first time in hundreds of years.
Cockermouth Castle is owned by Lord and Lady Egremont and is usually closed to visitors, but this historic building is open on a handful of days around the time of Georgian Fair and the Midsummer Festival. They are two events not to be missed, as is September’s Taste Cumbria Festival which is a foodie paradise with celebrity chefs, cookery demonstrations and a wealth of stalls; and Woolfest, which attracts international visitors who love crafts and this most natural of products.
There’s always something going on in Cockermouth. The town’s arts venue is the Kirkgate Centre, with its mix of music, comedy, theatre and exhibitions. Its Monday night cinema shows everything from subtitled arts films to recent blockbusters, while its Film Club has themed seasons. Many of the Main Street pubs have live music at weekends, and you get ad hoc events in some of the cafes, bistros and at Wordsworth House and Garden. There are lots of creative places to browse, and high-end art is on show at Castlegate Gallery, which has a national reputation.
While you’re in the area, explore the coast – there are fabulous beaches, lovely harbours and loads of history, or head inland to the amazing valleys of Buttermere and Ennerdale. Nearby Whinlatter Forest Park has Go Ape aerial assault course and a brilliant adventure playground trail, as well as great mountain biking and walks.
In busy Cockermouth you’ll find a full range of shops, many of them independently owned and all proud of their friendly service. There are butchers and bakers (no candlestick maker, alas), toyshops and bookshops, antiquarians and homewares. Supplies for your pet? They’ve got you covered.
There are card shops, furniture stores, national supermarket chains and car retailers, as well as historic hardware shops, interesting curios, pharmacies, banks and some luxury shops with lovely clothes, shoes and lingerie.
The town centre is pretty compact (no long walks required) and the bulk of the shopping is divided between three areas: tree-lined Main Street, pretty Market Place and bustling Station Street. There are pop-up vintage, antique and country food and plant markets on Main Street on a weekly basis – look for the signs to tell you they’re open.
It’s worth visiting Cockermouth before Christmas too. The shopkeepers light their doorways with candles, the fairy lights are magical, and there’s even late night shopping, with mulled wine to keep away the chill.
Don’t forget to try your luck on Shop 10, the town’s loyalty scheme and prize draw – available in almost all independent shops. Fill your Shop 10 card with stamps and put it in the box at Meglans IT shop at number 10 Station Street and you could win a £10 voucher for a participating retailer.
Reconnect with nature, reconnect with yourself. Lakeland Wellbeing offers a range of relaxing and…
Visit Wordsworth House and Garden free of charge and listen to a special talk to celebrate Heritage…
After exploring the house and getting into the spirit of a Georgian All Hallows Eve, get creative…
Leisure at the Castle Inn offers a great range of facilities available to our Members and guests…
Eco cottages, built and furnished to the highest standards, in 'one of the most beautiful places…
Come along to Wordsworth House and Garden and get crafty and creative in the Discovery Room. Be…
The award-winning Lakes Distillery Company opened in December 2014 in The Lake District National…
Our cycling holidays are a unique way to discover Cumbria. Designed with the thoughtful traveller…
The Lambfoot Loop is an accurately measured and certified 10km road race. The race starts and…
Unspoiled traditional inn with every modern comfort in understated luxury.
Step back in time to the 1770s and experience William and Dorothy Wordsworth’s childhood home.…
It’s a date fixed in every food lover’s calendar – the flagship Taste Cumbria festival is back in…
Enjoy delicious meals and afternoon teas in our restaurant, The Conservatory at the Melbreak. Open…
AN INTIMATE ACOUSTIC TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL.. PRESENTED BY 5 PIECE BAND 'THIS FLIGHT…
Connoisseurs of fine cuisine will find much to appreciate at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel…
A range of engaging presentations take place daily bringing you closer to many of your favourite…
Bassenthwaite Lake, owned by the National Park Authority, is 4 miles long and 3/4 mile wide, and…
Nestled in a wooded valley in the far west of the Lake District, in the Vale of Lorton, Loweswater…
The award-winning Lakes Distillery Company opened in December 2014 in The Lake District National…
Visit William and Dorothy Wordsworth's childhood home and enjoy some much-loved poems around the…
Based at the head of England's best trail centre, the Altura trail in Whinlatter Forest, Keswick. A…
From the moment you pull onto the sprawling driveway and capture your first glimpse of the…
Situated on what was once the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line, Bassenthwaite Lake…
The ONE 10 is an accurately measured and certified 10 mile road race. The race is sponsored by the…
You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.
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, currently showing 1 to 20.
Braithwaite, Keswick
Reconnect with nature, reconnect with yourself. Lakeland Wellbeing offers a range of relaxing and mindful activities & retreats to connect you with nature and our beautiful and ancient Lakeland Landscape. Forest bathing, mindfulness, foraging, full…
Cockermouth
Visit Wordsworth House and Garden free of charge and listen to a special talk to celebrate Heritage Open Day.
Explore the childhood home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth and wonder at the striking wildlife of the British Isles in this year's…
Cockermouth
After exploring the house and getting into the spirit of a Georgian All Hallows Eve, get creative by making yourself something scary to wear or decorate the house!
Join us in the discovery room where you will find everything you need for a spooky…
Cockermouth
Get in to the festive spirit with Taste Cumbria Christmas in Cockermouth on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December 2024.
Keswick
Leisure at the Castle Inn offers a great range of facilities available to our Members and guests staying at the hotel, included heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym. Set beneath some of England's highest fells and overlooking Bassenthwaite…
Cockermouth
Eco cottages, built and furnished to the highest standards, in 'one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen'. The cottages have used green design and technologies with ground and air source heat pumps to power the under-floor heating beneath the…
Cockermouth
Come along to Wordsworth House and Garden and get crafty and creative in the Discovery Room. Be inspired by our exhibition on British wildlife and make yourself something to take home.
Nr Bassenthwaite Lake
The award-winning Lakes Distillery Company opened in December 2014 in The Lake District National Park with the vision of producing a world class single malt whisky and a global brand that is recognised and respected around the world
Various locations in Cumbria
Our cycling holidays are a unique way to discover Cumbria. Designed with the thoughtful traveller in mind, we aim to show you the hidden gems of the Lake District and also offer the option of electric bikes.
Cockermouth
The Lambfoot Loop is an accurately measured and certified 10km road race. The race starts and finishes at Cockermouth School. The course is run over undulating semi-rural roads. Enter online in advance to avoid disappointment!
Cockermouth
Unspoiled traditional inn with every modern comfort in understated luxury.
Cockermouth
Step back in time to the 1770s and experience William and Dorothy Wordsworth’s childhood home. Whether you meet the maid-of-all-work or a knowledgeable 21st-century guide, you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
Cockermouth
It’s a date fixed in every food lover’s calendar – the flagship Taste Cumbria festival is back in Cockermouth on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September 2024.
Great Clifton, Workington
Enjoy delicious meals and afternoon teas in our restaurant, The Conservatory at the Melbreak.
Open between 12pm - 2pm, 5pm – 9pm Monday to Friday, and 12pm – 9pm Saturday and Sunday.
Afternoon Teas served between 2:30pm and 4:30pm daily –…
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
128 reviewsKirkgate, Cockermouth
AN INTIMATE ACOUSTIC TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL.. PRESENTED BY 5 PIECE BAND 'THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT'
Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite
Connoisseurs of fine cuisine will find much to appreciate at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa.
Bassenthwaite
A range of engaging presentations take place daily bringing you closer to many of your favourite animals. Watch exhilarating Bird of Prey displays, educational Reptile talks and fun and interesting Lemur, Otter and Red Panda talks.
Bassenthwaite Lake, owned by the National Park Authority, is 4 miles long and 3/4 mile wide, and 70ft deep and home to the rare vendace fish species.
Nestled in a wooded valley in the far west of the Lake District, in the Vale of Lorton, Loweswater is a peaceful lake that is often bypassed.
Nr Bassenthwaite Lake
The award-winning Lakes Distillery Company opened in December 2014 in The Lake District National Park with the vision of producing a world class single malt whisky and a global brand that is recognised and respected around the world
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