The Pastures

Whether you’re into activities or attractions, there’s much to see and do crammed into this area: stick to the local villages and walking routes, explore the Lake District, take to the water for sailing and surfing, cruise around the coast or stride around the Yorkshire Dales (and bring your camera; these are all sites of spectacular scenery). Cartmel village is popular with visitors of all ilks too: the 12th-century Priory Church of St Mary and St. Michael founded by Augustine monks is its most popular attraction, has regular events and concerts and sees over 60,000 visitors a year (there’s also a monthly food market in its grounds selling fresh local produce and goods). Cartmel Racecourse also pulls in big crowds for its size on its May and August bank holiday meets – and you do know that Cartmel is the place to pick up (lots of) sticky toffee pudding…? As well as Cartmel, those who want to leave the car behind will find enough in the area to do: famous Holker Hall and Gardens once belonged to Cartmel’s Priory and is one of the best-known historic houses in Cumbria. It’s within walking distance and there are more walks around its gorgeous gardens (the Cavendish Walk to the Sunken Garden is suitable for wheelchairs and prams). The holiday resort Grange-over-Sands is three miles away, as are the seven islands of Morecambe Bay, including the nature haven Walney Island which has a bird observatory, two nature reserves and two sandy beaches to rockpool at. If you’re more driven, a car ride of five miles or so will land you at Backbarrow for the Lakeland Motor Museum and Campbell Legend Bluebird Exhibition and around 30,000 exhibits assembled over five decades. Ulverston, a market town with local produce on sale twice weekly, is also about five miles away.