What makes Cartmel and the Lake District the perfect Christmas Destination
If you can tear yourself away from the cosy garden room with the wood burner and view at Pembroke Cottage, the village of Cartmel and the wider Lake District provide the perfect backdrop for a festive getaway.
Few things say Christmas more than meandering round the picturesque streets of a beautiful but bustling Lake District village, and Cartmel fits this bill perfectly. Wandering round the narrow streets and cobbled alleys, feast your eyes on warm welcoming Georgian shop fronts with their festive displays, pretty cottages decorated for the season and the beautiful medieval Priory. Feast your tastebuds in Cartmel’s wide variety of café’s, pubs and restaurants.
Pickup a stylish gift at Perfect English, the Larch Tree or Hales Priory Shoppe, or grab a bargain present at Cartmel Village Vintage. Simon Rogan’s Home shop on the square offers Christmas Treats from gourmet food deliveries to stylish toiletries. Pop across the road to Cartmel Village Shop, home of the famous Sticky Toffee Pudding where you can get a Cartmel Christmas Pudding and a range of other gifts and goodies from their deli selection. For your festive turkey and pigs in blankets head over the hill to Grange to visit the renowned Higginsons butchers. If you’re in town on a Saturday nip into Kerr & Sons Antiquarian booksellers in the Gatehouse Bookshop, they’ve been buying and selling top quality books since 1933.
For a real sense of Christmas wow, our inside tip is to pop over to neighbouring Cark to see the amazing Christmas Lights at Trevenna, a private farm house on Rosthwaite, that puts on an outstanding festive display and has become quite the media sensation. Take a drive by, be amazed and make a donation to their chosen charity.
A little further afield, take a drive out to beautiful Hawkshead village who are hosting their annual Christmas Fair 7-8th December. Browse the many stalls and pop into dozens of local shops and eateries for a thoroughly atmospheric Lakeland Christmas.
For an authentic taste of Scrooge this Christmas visit the Ulverston Dickensian Festival taking place 23rd - 24th November 2024. The festival includes performances from brass bands, singers, magicians, fire eaters, jugglers, stilt walkers, and much more and is provided absolutely free of charge. This popular festival features multiple performance stages, street performers, fairground rides, mulled wine, a town-full of festival stalls and costume parades. Many visitors join in and dress up too to create an amazing friendly atmosphere.
For Christmas on the move the Lake District has options aplenty, jump on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway which operates an annual Santa Express from late November through to the end of December. Closer to Cartmel the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, also delivers festive Tinsel Trains with elves and Father Christmas himself along for the ride. Saturday 16th November sees the annual Windermere Santa Cruise, riding the misty waters of the lake to find Father Christmas with the aid of his little helpers.
If you don’t fancy such an organised Christmas the Lake District offers the perfect place for a magical Christmas. What could be better than seeing snow on the mountains and taking gentle walks by the lakes and through pristine pine forests, followed by a steaming hot chocolate and some Grasmere gingerbread. When you’ve had your fill of festive adventure all you need to do is retire to the comfort of Pembroke Cottage and put some logs on your own festive winter fire.