GARDEN VIEW: THE SURROUNDING AREA

Cockermouth is the birthplace of William Wordsworth and blends history with modern living. William Wordsworth's home is worth a visit, as is Jennings Brewery and Museum. There are plenty of antique shops and cafes, including Merienda which holds the occasional Jazz evening. There are a variety of pubs and smaller shops (butchers, bakers etc) as well as a Sainsburys.

Wordsworth's Home

For more information about Cockermouth, please click here.

Cockermouth the perfect starting place to explore the northern Lake District and all it has to offer. Loweswater & Buttermere are just 7 miles away, Ennerdale is 10 miles and Keswick with Derwentwater Lake is a 13 mile drive.

Ennerdale Lake

Ennerdale

Ennerdale is famed for being the Lake District's wild lake. You can walk round the bottom of it or venture up on the high fells around it. There is a forest there too which has bike trails through it. Bikes can be hired from the Shepherd's Arms pub in Ennerdale.

Horse Riding on Cold Fell

Just beyond Ennerdale, on Cold Fell, is Murthwaite Farm which has pony trekking on the fell. Driving along the fell road and coming across the ponies apparently roaming wild is quite a sight to see.

Loweswater, Crummock Water & Buttermere

Loweswater is a peaceful lake which has a lakeside path through deciduous woods with the Kirkstile Inn at one end - a pub famed for good food.

At Crummock Water are the Rannerdale bluebells. Depending on the weather, early May is the best time of year to pay a visit here and it will create a lasting impression - I've never seen anything quite like it. Take a picnic and just spend some time among the bluebells.

The Proprietor of Buttermere Ayrshire Ice Cream

At Buttermere is a farm cafe which sells delicious ice-creams and is well worth a visit.

Keswick

Having visited Loweswater, Crummock Water and Buttermere, drive through the Newlands Valley, over Whinlatter Forest Pass to Braithwaite and then Keswick beyond. It's a lovely drive and Keswick is a busy market town (market day is Thursday and Saturday) with lots going on. There is a theatre here, climbing wall, puzzling place, bike hire, boat hire and cinema (which also shows World Cinema films on a Sunday afternoon throughout winter).

Mirehouse, near Keswick

Mirehouse is a large manor house a couple of miles outside Keswick with gardens which include four woodland playgrounds, a heather maze and a rhododendron tunnel.

Cumbria's coastline

Cockermouth often gets the better weather being fairly close to the coast. Silloth (about 17 miles away) is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town was planned in the 1850s with a large seafront green and wide tree-lined avenues. The sunsets are fabulous.

The coastal town of Maryport is about 6 miles away and has an aquarium which children love. A blues festival is held in Maryport each year in July and attracts big names such as Van Morrison and Gary Moore.

Golf

Golf Courses in Cumbria provides a list of courses. Fairly close are:

• Cockermouth Golf Club
• Silloth Golf Club (17 miles from Cockermouth)
• Keswick (Threlkeld) Golf Club (17 miles from Cockermouth)
• Penrith Golf Club (31 miles from Cockermouth)
• Workington Golf Course (8 miles from Cockermouth)
• St Bees Golf Course (17miles from Cockermouth)
• Seascale Golf Course (24 miles from Cockermouth)
• Eskdale Golf Club (29 miles from Cockermouth)

Back to top of page