Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Think of Cumbria and what springs to mind? A rural retreat complete with hearty hikes and snug pubs? If these are the images scudding across your mind’s eye, you’d not be wrong. Yet there are more things to do in Cumbria than its outdoor image might suggest. Tourism actually began here back in the 1700s, when clergyman Thomas West published a Guide to the Lakes. It banished forever the idea that Cumbria was wild and inhospitable. It’s thanks to West that when we think of the Lake District, we think of a chocolate-box landscape. Yet the ideal of the ‘picturesque’ is both a blessing and a curse: good for tourism, yet occasionally overshadowing the contemporary art that is made, performed and shown here year-round.
Cumbria is full of artists, from those taking part in the C-Art fest to those exhibiting at Blackwell and Abbot Hall; for them, the landscape’s ability to turn in a moment from benign beauty to lowering skies continues to inspire. It is this that has piqued our interest – and will, we hope, keep yours.
Elisabeth Frink: Fragility and Power at Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Featuring a number of pieces which have never been seen before in public, ‘Elisabeth Frink: Fragility and Power’ at Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal delves into the life and work of one of the most widely-loved, exciting and individual sculptors of the 20th century.
Rails at Theatre by the Lake
Shortlisted for the 2015 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, Rails is a play about loneliness, dreaming and trying to hope in a town that doesn’t seem to want you to.
Roundabout at Brewery Arts Centre
A unique, intimate and magical pop-up theatre, Roundabout promises top-class writing and an unforgettable theatrical experience.
The Winter Droving in Penrith
An incredible one day wonderland of outdoor arts, masquerade and pint carrying competitions in Penrith.
Female Trouble at Cross Lane Projects
Featuring 21 prints by Dame Paula Rego and 20 new paintings by Rebecca Scott, ‘Female Trouble’ is the inaugural exhibition at Cross Lane Projects, a new contemporary gallery and artist studio housed in a former Kendal Mint Cake factory in Cumbria.
Edge by Frances Winder at Brewery Arts Centre
Edge is a new contemporary art exhibition by Frances Winder at Brewery Arts Centre in Cumbria which will include some large abstract beach pieces.
Rodin: rethinking the fragment at Abbot Hall
The Thinker – one of Auguste Rodin’s most famous works – will go on show at Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Cumbria this summer as part of a wider exhibition exploring the great artist’s life and work.
Places to go / stay / shop / eat / drink
Cumbria Visitor Guides
Restaurants in Cumbria
Cumbria is far from short of good places to eat – here’s our guide to restaurants to put on your map of the area.
Art Galleries in Cumbria
Ranging from impressive, nationally-significant collections in Grade listed buildings, to historic houses that now have a particular focus on local, contemporary artists, here’s our guide to Cumbria’s collection of art galleries.
Museums in Cumbria
Cumbria is studded with fantastic museums – read our picks of the best here.
Theatres in Cumbria
For striking performances in the truly beautiful setting of the Lake District – check out our pick of theatres in Cumbria.
Music Venues in Cumbria
When the sun goes down and you’ve had your fair share of Cumbria’s great outdoors, head to the area’s music venues to catch folk and jazz sessions, as well as regular performances by touring musicians. We recommend some of our favourites.
Literary places in Cumbria
If it was good enough for Wordsworth and Wainwright, then Cumbria surely has much to offer the literature lover who strayed off the M6. From Kendal in the south to Carlisle in the north, we sniff out the best bookish shenanigans.
Cumbria District Guides
South Lakes, Cumbria
No trip to Cumbria is complete without a visit to its best-loved places, Coniston and…
Penrith, Cumbria
Located in the Lake District’s Eden Valley, the market town of Penrith is a jumping-off…
Kendal and Sedbergh, Cumbria
The South Lakes are where it’s at for most visitors, and usually has the tailbacks…
Eden Valley, Cumbria
Sustainability is a theme that resonates throughout the Eden Valley, which stretches from Sedbergh to…
Cockermouth and West Cumbria
Once known for its industry, West Cumbria has an independent, industrial streak that sets it…
Carlisle and Keswick, Cumbria
Carlisle is a city framed by its famous castle and still showing the battle scars…
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