Places to visit on a foodie break in Cumbria

Welcome to Cartmel, one of England’s finest foodie breaks. But before you get stuck into its puddings and gin, follow the hiking trails up to Hampsfell Hospice, a hilltop shelter for long-distance walkers. It’s a lovely leisurely walk (3 miles/4.8km, with a gentle climb), with views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District from the top. 

The sticky toffee pudding from Cartmel Village Shop is the stuff of legend. Made to a heirloom family recipe and sold from the shop for more than 30 years, its dark sponge and buttery sauce have been praised by the likes of Nigella Lawson and Rick Stein. So it’s high time you tried them for yourself!

You’re on holiday, so you’re perfectly permitted to get stuck into the G&Ts this afternoon on a distillery tour of Shed One Distillery. Guided by owners Zoe and Andy, you’ll learn how gin is distilled and what makes the perfect botanical blend – with the chance to try five different gins, and enjoy two longer tipples. Non-alcoholic options are available too. Tours start at 3pm.

You have two options for dinner in Cartmel tonight – both of them Michelin starred and helmed by Simon Rogan, a pioneer of farm-to-fork dining. L’Enclume is the ritzier of the two, lauded by Michelin (it has three stars) for its ‘culinary alchemy’. As well as a dining area, it has a chef’s table – Aulis – for a front-row view of its kitchen wizards in action. 

Option two for this evening is Rogan & Co, which has a more laid-back atmosphere than its three Michelin-starred sister restaurant L’Enclume, but still with a Michelin star. It’s superb value, with three courses priced £95 per person, which includes extra appetisers, a pre-dessert and petit fours. Expect the freshest local produce, and everything from coriander to blackberries grown on the group’s own farm. It also has accommodation throughout the village. 

This morning, the woodland around Lake Windermere is your pantry, on a foraging brunch adventure with Green Man Survival. They’ll teach you how to purify water to make tea, build a campfire, and forage for breakfast goodies like wild mushrooms. With a few extra ingredients of their own (think sausages and home-made dough), you’ll enjoy an epic campfire-cooked fry-up. It starts at 9am.

The tiny village of Grasmere isn’t just a Lake District charmer – it’s also home to the “world’s best gingerbread”. An ambitious statement, yes, but just wait till you try the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop’s chewy, cakey confection: sweet and buttery, with just enough spice to make your tongue tingle. A joy to nibble on as you explore its craft shops and Dove Cottage – which was William Wordsworth’s home, now a museum dedicated to the great poet. 

Option two will get you hands-on with the Lake District’s mighty scenery – literally. A former quarry, Honister Slate Mine has reinvented itself as an activity hotspot, featuring via ferratas, an infinity bridge and high ropes course. All designed to test your mettle! For rainy-day fun, its Climb the Mine experience includes underground ladders, zip lines, tunnels, a via ferrata and more. 

Whether it’s served in the elegant dining room or out on the mountain-view terrace, dinner at Langdale Chase always features seasonal Cumbrian ingredients – such as Holker estate cheese, Morecambe shrimps and local Dexter beef. You’ll see why it’s been awarded two AA Rosettes, making it one of the best restaurants in the Lake District. There are 30 guestrooms upstairs, many with Lake Windermere views – so it’s only a few steps to bed.

Set the sat nav to Keswick this morning, for a foodie forage in its many delis, stalls and stores. Keswick Cheese Deli stocks Cumbria’s finest fromages, while Keswick Brewery is the spot for artisan ales and local small-batch spirits. On Thursdays and Saturdays, the market comes to town: look out for home-made jams and pickles from Wild & Fruitful, and limoncello from Wild Sheep Distillery. 

Time to work off some of that cheese, with a countryside walk from Keswick to Castlerigg Stone Circle. It’s a 4-mile (6.4km) circular loop, leaving the town on a former railway path and heading up to the Neolithic monument which dates back around 5,000 years. There are 38 stones in total, some up to 7ft high (2.3 metres) – like a mini Stonehenge. 

Fans of Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express (which starred Judi Dench and Penélope Cruz) might recognise the steam-train carriage that now serves as Bassenthwaite Lake Station’s quirky cafe. It was built especially for the film, a little wider than a regular train in order to squeeze in the cast and crew. A fabulous setting for afternoon tea, served between 11am and 3pm. 

Hand-dived British scallops, lamb from the Cumbrian fells, wines from regenerative vineyards: it’s all on the menu at The Cottage In The Wood. This Michelin-starred restaurant champions the best of British, and is tucked away in the peaceful Whinlatter Forest. There’s a handful of mountain-view guestrooms upstairs, or check out the glamping pods at nearby Castlerigg Hall.

With rambling woodlands and more than 200 rose varieties, Dalemain Mansion is a gorgeous spot for a morning walk – followed by the world’s greatest marmalade on toast in its tearoom. How do we know it’s the best? Because every year, Dalemain hosts the World Marmalade Awards, entered by makers from all over the globe. The winning recipes are sold in its shop and tearoom, and Piccadilly’s Fortnum & Mason.

Next stop, Carlisle, for a gourmet spree in its shops and delis. Think hefty sausage rolls from Cranstons, Cumbrian- coffee from John Watt & Son, and ready-to-scoff bakes from Pie Demand. While you’re in town, visit roasted the permanent Roman Frontier exhibition at Tullie, a museum, art gallery and community hub, to learn all about Cumbria’s section of Hadrian’s Wall.

With your shopping bags bursting and your head full of 2,000-year-old history, head to Birdoswald Roman Fort: it’s home to the longest continual section of Hadrian’s Wall, plus the ruins of a fort, turret and milecastle (small fort). After a yomp in warriors’ footsteps, unfurl your picnic blanket beside the legendary stones: it’s time to devour this morning’s foodie haul. 

When you book tonight’s self-catering accommodation at Netherby Hall, don’t forget to pre-order a bottle of its very own gin. Infused with lemon verbena and rose petals from its walled garden, this classic dry tipple is best enjoyed in a G&T while exploring the grounds, which date back to the Roman era. Choose from apartments and cottages in the stables and gardens. 

Your carriage awaits! Leave the car at Netherby Hall, and take its horse-drawn cart to supper instead. As the sun sets, you’ll trot through the estate’s 15 hectares (36 acres) of pristine parkland, before taking your seat at the Michelin-starred Pentonbridge Inn. The menu changes daily, with many of its herbs and veggies grown in Netherby’s garden, plus meat and fish from top-rated local producers.