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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 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.
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.
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.
The Lakes Distillery is just a short drive away and offers you the opportunity to find out how whisky is made here.
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.
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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.
Cockermouth
A 16thC inn situated at the foot of Melbreak and between Loweswater lake and Crummock Water. Roaring log fires, home-cooked meals with a local emphasis and high-quality real ales on offer.
Keswick
Sally's Cottages is an award-winning, local, family run holiday cottage letting agency in Keswick with 500 self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District and Cumbria, including over 270 dog-friendly cottages.
Bassenthwaite
The ultimate animal experience for anyone over the age of 8 years that you will never forget! This experience is the perfect way to meet our Tapirs, Meerkats, and Ring-Tailed Lemurs!
Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite
Connoisseurs of fine cuisine will find much to appreciate at Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa. Chef takes full advantage of a wealth of local seasonal produce and Cumbrian specialities to create a variety of gastronomic delights.
Various locations in Cumbria
Tailor made self guided, walking, cycling and touring holidays with luxury and classic accommodation showing you the hidden gems of the area.
Cockermouth
Located in the picturesque Lorton Valley, Hundith Hill offers stunning views of the Cumbrian countryside. With 25 rooms, function suites, restaurant, bar & lounge, Hundith Hill is the perfect venue for country escapes.
Braithwaite, Keswick
We are a relaxed, gourmet getaway nestled in Whinlatter Forest, the only true mountain forest in England, with nine contemporary rooms offering woodland or garden views, it’s a haven of tranquillity and relaxation.
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 –…
Cockermouth
Book your place on a beginners half day fusing course at the RD Glass studio. Learn a new skill and have fun being creative with hands on instruction and the freedom to choose what you make. Create pieces such as freestanding waves or curves, wall…
Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite
The privately owned, four star 17th century former stately home, has 42 individually designed bedrooms, wood panelled public rooms, real log fire, Lake View Restaurant, six conference rooms, croquet lawn, tennis courts and spa facility.
Cockermouth
Book your place on a fused glass taster session at the RD Glass studio. Learn a new skill and have fun being creative with hands on instruction and the freedom to choose what you make.
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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.
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
Go wild & experience a world of wildlife! There's over 100 species from Anaconda to Zebra. Rare and endangered species like Gibbons and Asian Fishing Cats, plus family favourites like lemurs and Meerkats. A great day out for all the family.
Cockermouth
Unspoiled traditional inn with every modern comfort in understated luxury.
Braithwaite, Keswick
The autumn 24/25 series of canicross races has now launched! Held in England's only mountain forest, Dodd Wood & Grizedale Forest. The perfect location for you to enjoy stunning scenery and a fully marked course on forest roads and trails.
This…
Cockermouth
Situated on what was once the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line, Bassenthwaite Lake Station offers a unique place to enjoy breakfast, brunch and lunch aboard the replica Orient Express train, right here in the Lake District.
Loweswater
Discover the peace and quiet of Holme Wood, a mixed woodland of alder, oak, lime, chestnut, ash and sycamore.
Embleton
The 15 stones, of which the tallest is just under one metre, form an almost perfect circle some 40 metres in diameter. Only 15 stones of the original 30 remain.
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