Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Seasonal Guides
The South Lakes are where it’s at for most visitors, and usually has the tailbacks to prove it. But make time for Kendal, a pretty market town that happens to be a hub of artistic activity. Here, Abbot Hall Art Gallery illustrates just how much the local landscape has influenced generations of artists, with its fine display of 18th and 19th century landscapes, works by the likes of Turner and Constable, and a strong 20th-century collection. The nearby Brewery Arts Centre also hosts everything from cinema and dance to comedy and art, while Kendal Mountain Festival (Nov) majors in mountain-themed literature, cinema, art and talks of the heroic man vs. nature variety.
Head East across the M6 to the sleepy town of Sedbergh: nestled within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, it’s is as stunning as its Lakeland neighbours, but far quieter. In 2003, Sedbergh became England’s ‘Book Town’, with bookshops and an annual festival. It is also home to Farfield Mill, a series of studios and a gallery that show some of the best historic and contemporary textiles in the North West (it’s a good place to stop off for a bite to eat, too).
No trip to Cumbria is complete without a visit to its best-loved places, Coniston and…
Located in the Lake District’s Eden Valley, the market town of Penrith is a jumping-off…
Sustainability is a theme that resonates throughout the Eden Valley, which stretches from Sedbergh to…
Once known for its industry, West Cumbria has an independent, industrial streak that sets it…
Carlisle is a city framed by its famous castle and still showing the battle scars…