12 award-winning places to visit in Cumbria

This stylish hotel brings the great outdoors inside with a riverside spa overlooking surrounding fells and an award-winning restaurant overlooking two acres of gardens. Exceptional customer service from the hotel’s small team creates a lovely ambiance, matched by an exceptional dining experience, stunning spa and beautiful gardens. Guests are guaranteed an enjoyable and relaxing stay.

A gateway to the Lake District, this elegant yet unpretentious hotel has dog-friendly doubles, four-poster suites, and family rooms as well as an open fire grill in the on-site restaurant.

Lindeth Fell began life as a Georgian country house and is now one of the best spots for a rural getaway that's in easy reach of some of the National Park's most famous sites.

This B&B arguably has the best garden in Britain; it backs onto the dramatic fells of Easedale. Wake up in a king-sized ensuite complete with super-fast WiFi and then enjoy breakfast in the great outdoors.

Want all the luxuries of a hotel but with added privacy and space? Luxury lodges in the heart of Cumbria have the answer. From traditional cottages to luxury apartments, Whitbarrow Village makes the perfect base for exploring the Lake District.

This beautifully-preserved Edwardian mansion makes for an ideal retreat for groups and families. Enjoy meals in the garden during summer and when it's nippy, take in panoramic views of some of the Lake District's most outstanding peaks from one of many elegant rooms.

Call a hobbit hole home for the weekend or timber camping pod, and wake up to some of the best views in England. The Quiet Site’s well-planned pitches are located near Ullswater, with fells, lakes and cycle tracks right on the camp's doorstep.

Find out more about everyone's favourite ancient civilisation and exactly what they did for us at this fascinating museum built next to a Roman fort on the dramatic Solway Firth coastline near the Scottish border.

With dramatic ruins, gorgeous gardens and a huge adventure playground, it's hard to believe this 19th-century castle was once abandoned. Explore the ruins to find out more about the icon's epic history or venture into ancient woodlands on an estate trail. 

Built in the 1400s, this charming pub brews its own ales and has a food menu packed with local produce. Although it sits in the heart of the Lake District's biggest town it has a distinct countryside feel with it's rustic décor and flagstone fireplace.

Treat yourself to a meal you'll salivate over for years to come in a sophisticated yet easy going setting. The menu at this stand-out hotel in Windermere is crafted using fresh seasonal ingredients from their land or hand-picked local suppliers.

Puppets aren't the first thing to come to mind when you think of The Lake District but the Upfront Gallery in Penrith adds a sprinkle of magic to the area. With an events program that covers everything fairytale puppet shows to world music performances (plus a great veggie cafe), this is the perfect spot for a rainy day.