You will find this little bakery at the very point where the lush and open Eden Valley suddenly ends, meets the Pennines and veers upwards (and out of Cumbria) over the notorious Hartside Pass, a dreaded moment of reckoning on the sea to sea cycle. Thankfully the Village Bakery is there to fortify those in need – with fresh breads and good food – and you don’t have to cycle there to try it.
Rose Condo is a multi-award-winning poet and spoken word artist, who carefully blends poetry and prose to create live shows she performs with aplomb.
From £11.00
This spring, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art presents Ali Cherri’s first institutional exhibition in the UK.
Free entry
Our Tourist Telescope is set on the coast – more specifically, Morecambe Poetry Festival, back for a fourth year with an impressive line-up now spread over two venues: the wonderful
From £65.00
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
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
Expect a jam-packed day of outdoor performance, live music, family fun – plus Preston’s iconic Torchlight Procession and fireworks finale.
Free entry
Blackburn’s Confessional Festival turns ten, celebrating with two days of live music set beneath the stained glass and vaulted stonework of Holy Trinity Church.
From £20
Take in the expansive views of the moorland as you explore four large-scale artworks, accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack created by Opera North.
Free entry
Long Meg and Her Daughters is one of the finest and most prominent stone circles in the North of England, with myth and enigma at its core.
Lacy’s Caves are fascinating structures in an area marked with the indelible pick-axe of history, and they just so happen to be in a spot made for wild swimmers.
Close to the centre of Penrith, Bank House is a stylish family-run bed and breakfast, in a Victorian house with a traditional garden.
A few miles north of Penrith, Hutton-in-the-Forest is an exquisite country house, described by Simon Jenkins as “one of Britain’s top 100”.
A gallery and studio space displaying works by local artists – including paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, jewellery and textiles, as well as gift items.
A blend of historic and contemporary gives Penrith its edge, ancient tradition sitting side-by-side with trendy wine bars, hipster cafes and fine dining.
An independent cinema in the heart of town, the Lonsdale Alhambra is, for many locals, a treasure of Penrith.
Boasting an array of hot and cold food including homemade cakes, The Yard Kitchen is a café with a distinctly quirky feel.
Rich soups, salads, hearty meals and homemade cakes are freshly made using seasonal and organic incgredients whereever possible from this vegetarian takeaway bistro.
Upfront Puppet Theatre is located near Penrith, Cumbria and is one of only four authentic working puppet theatres in England.
Thacka Beck Nature Reserve is within easy walking distance of Penrith town centre, offering a quick retreat for local residents.
Galleries around the North are gearing up for a new season of exhibitions - from iconic art prizes to smaller, artist-led gems.
This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.
This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.
From corrupted shoegaze to experimental electronica, post-hardcore to Indian classical, these are the shows that should be on your radar.
"Tours, tours, tours!" If this month's Tours and Activities guide were a sentient speaking person, this is what it would say.
Take some eating-out tips from our August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
September and beyond brings culture, theatre, disgusting history and loads of fun.
