Cumbrian Cuisine

Enjoy the culinary delights of Cumbria on this food and drink tour of the Lake District.

The wonderful Cumbrian landscapes of lakes, fells and mountains don’t just make for stunning views, although these are not in short supply, they also produce the very best English food and drink. The Lake District is home to many wonderful restaurants and hotels producing the highest quality food. These establishments range from small independent cafés, to homely English pubs and luxury fine-dining restaurants and most pride themselves on using fresh local produce wherever possible.

See the stunning scenery of the Lake District while you enjoy fantastic food and drink in true Cumbrian comfort and style.

Tour highlights can include:

Luxury lakeside hotels and restaurants
Brewery and distillery tours
Historic Cumbrian houses
The Lake District’s best traditional pubs

What's included...

Day 1 - Ullswater 1

For the first two days of our tour we will be based around the beautiful lake of Ullswater and the nearby Cumbrian market town, Penrith. We will be staying at the Sharrow Bay hotel, a fantastic 19th century country house hotel which will transport you to a bygone era of decadence. Their fine-dining restaurant serves award-winning cuisine with stunning Lakeside views. Today we will also visit Dalemain Mansion and Gardens, a spectacular country estate where, besides exploring the wonderful house and grounds, you can take afternoon tea in the remarkable medieval tea room. The Dalemain estate includes an ancient deer park which is home to the oldest native red deer heard in England.

Day 2 - Ullswater 2

On our second day at Ullswater, after a leisurely stroll around the lake in the morning, we will head to a unique café in Penrith called The Watermill. This charmingly quaint and traditional café is famous for its delicious home-made baking using flour from their own mill. You can even have a fascinating tour of the working mill and see the great waterwheels in action turning half-tonne millstones. This evening we will dine at the George and Dragon where most of the ingredients are grown by the owners at their gardens at the nearby Askham Hall, or bought from local suppliers and farmers, many of whom are on their family estate.

Day 3 - Bassenthwaite 1

The next destination in our itinerary is Bassenthwaite, another of the area’s stunning lakes. While exploring the food and drink delights of this part of the Lake District we will be staying at the Cockermouth Trout hotel. The Trout is a luxuriously furnished riverside hotel in the picturesque town of Cockermouth with a fantastic kitchen producing exquisite dining experiences using fantastic local ingredients. As well as enjoying the Cockermouth Trout’s culinary delights we will also sample the local spirits of the Lakes Distillery with an exclusive tour and tasting session.

Day 4 - Bassenthwaite 2

While the Lakes Distillery now produces delicious and unique spirits, the Cumbrian people still love a good pint! Today we will take a guided tour of Jennings Brewery, a traditional brewery which uses pure Lakeland water drawn from their own well to brew delightful ales. After this we will dine at another of Cumbria’s most popular traditional pubs, the Pheasant Inn. The Pheasant exudes local charm and character, with a head chef of over 20 years creating exceptional food in beautiful surroundings.

Day 5 - Windermere 1

The final two days of our culinary journey will centre around Windermere, the largest natural lake in all of England. While here we will stay at Gilpin Lodge, an exceptional luxury hotel located in idyllic Lakeland surroundings which, of course, boasts a fantastic fine-dining restaurant where we will dine on our first evening. This morning we will take in the natural beauty of Windermere with a gentle scenic walk before taking lunch at The Mason’s Arms. This pub is a great favourite with locals and visitors alike, serving wonderful hearty dishes, which are almost entirely locally sourced, with an equally wonderful selection of beers and wines.

Day 6 - Windermere 2

Today we will take the short drive from Windermere to Coniston Water to visit one of the Lake District’s real hidden gems. On the shores of Coniston Water is Brantwood House, former home of the eminent Victorian artist and critic, John Ruskin. The house is now a wonderful museum containing many delightful pieces of art and a visit here is topped off by a guided tour of the estate’s beautiful gardens. The Drunken Duck Inn, perhaps the Lake District’s most renowned public house, lies on our route back to Windermere and Gilpin Lodge. On the final day of our Cumbrian culinary adventure there is no better place for a last supper than in this beautifully situated establishment which epitomises everything that is excellent in Cumbrian cuisine.