At the far end of Cockermouth, on Castlegate, is the Quince & Medlar. This is a relatively rare (for Cumbria) vegetarian restaurant, and one with a national reputation, having twice won the Vegetarian Society’s “restaurant of the year” award. In a listed Georgian building, it serves organic wines and beers alongside its excellent veggie and vegan menu.
Step into the majestic Blackpool Tower Ballroom for an experience like no other. With stunning architecture, live music and treats galore, Afternoon Tea here is highly recommended.
From £60.00
The White Hotel’s Blackpool takeover places The Caretaker, Blackhaine and A Guy Called Gerald inside the town’s most iconic spaces.
From £150.00
Come face to face with SEA LIFE Blackpool’s hungriest resident. This unique experience gives you the chance to feed Phoenix the green sea turtle and learn about this endangered species.
From £75.00
Bringing music, laughter and a welcome dose of festive cheer, a brand-new adaptation of the Dickensian classic is the perfect festive treat for families this Christmas.
From £15.00
Three sisters, one bitter-sweet reunion – grief, whisky and buried truths collide in a sharply funny Northern family reckoning.
From £15.00
Mrs Claus needs your help with a festive Bake-Off like no other in this interactive children’s theatre show at The Octagon.
From £11.00
A heartwarming festive treat for all ages, this brand-new musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol brings Bolton’s stage to life with music, magic and Dickensian spirit.
From £15.00
The guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse and state-of-the-art packaging plant, giving visitors a full sense of what “real Yorkshire beer” means today.
From £15.00
Privately-owned Cockermouth Castle dates back to Norman times and is occasionally open to the public.
A luxury B&B in the Georgian heart of Cockermouth
A snazzy wine and food joint, with a lovely terraced beer garden.
Percy House Gallery in Cumbria is a contemporary art gallery which majors in painting, photography, and craft from local Cumbrian artists and makers.
Castlegate House Gallery in Cockermouth offers a changing programme of temporary exhibitions.
A theatre-cum cinema in Cockermouth offering a wide programme of touring theatre, music, independent film and events to townsfolk and visitors.
Independent hotel in an idyllic setting.
An historic and atmospheric country house complete with roaring fires and wood panelling and set in its own grounds.
Dramatic landscapes and beautiful wilderness surround this Michelin awarded restaurant and hotel.
A beautiful boutique hotel in the Lake District, near some of the region’s most stunning lakes and mountains.
Pastoral fine-dining in the Lake District at this Michelin-starred restaurant
Interactive optical illusion, for each visitor to immerse themselves in. This specialty museum in Keswick will baffle, surprise and amuse.
Manchester’s closing out the year – and looking to the new one – with a run of gigs from some of the country’s best underground exports.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
Winter brings a huge haul of seasonal shows, as well as productions that resolutely veer away from the fairy lights.
This season, exhibitions across the North West feel attuned to the world beneath the world – the forces and stories shaping how we see, feel and imagine.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.
Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
