Content Team
04 March 2021
Picking your own fruit is a great way to spend the day outdoors with the family. As well as learning where our food comes from, it's one of the best ways of sourcing fresh, organic fruit and veg sustainably whilst avoiding supermarket plastic. There's also something quite rewarding about taking home fruit you've picked yourself and turning it into a tasty jam or pie!
The Lake District is a fabulous place to head outdoors to get your hands dirty, so grab a trug and take a look at our selection of pick-your-own sites in and around the Lake District!
Rowley's Raspberries, Glassonby, Near Penrith
Rowley's Raspberries is a family-run farm that has been traditionally rearing raspberries for over forty years. From July, visitors can come and pick their own fresh raspberries or buy their own ready-picked.
Located in Glassonby near Penrith, Rowley’s is nestled between the Lake District and the scenic Eden Valley. There are some great walks nearby, such as along the Eden River between Little Salkeld and Lacy's Caves, down to Daleraven Bridge and through Long Meg and Her Daughters stone circle. The farm is also located on the coast to coast route, making it the perfect pit-stop for a picnic!
There’s plenty of walks and things to do in the Eden Valley ; have a look at our selection of cottages in the area.
Kirklinton Hall and Gardens, Near Carlisle
Kirklinton Hall and Gardens is a Jacobean mansion near the city of Carlisle. Set on 14 acres of land amongst a lovely part-walled garden, visitors are invited to come and pick their own seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs for £10 a trug. There's a variety of fresh produce to choose from including potatoes, radishes, gooseberries, currants and strawberries!
Entry is free to the pick-your-own garden area, but the hall and grounds are well worth exploring for a small fee (£4 for adult, £1 for children over 2 and under 16). There is lots to see, including a Faerie Glen woodland walk, scented rose maze, duck palace and pigs. At the end of your visit, you might like to try a homemade cake or scone with a cup of tea or even a beer in the tea room. Just leave space for those berries later!
If you’d like to stay near the lively Cumbrian city of Carlisle, take a look at our cottages in the northeast of the county.
Leapers Rock Orchard, Over Kellet Village, Near Carnforth
Set in the small village of Over Kellet near Carnforth, and just a fifteen-minute drive from Kendal is the Leapers Rock Orchard. This family-run business has lots of fresh produce perfect for fans of baking. Take your pick from delicious fruits including cooking apples and pears as well as cherries, damsons and berries. Helpfully, some of the strawberries are actually grown on tabletops, so you can give your back a rest from bending down!
The orchard is open from June and entry is free, with the fruit weighed and priced up as you leave. This is a good one to visit if you’re staying in the South Lakes and, with its close proximity to the M6, it’s a sweet alternative to a service station for the long journey home!
If you like the combination of bustling market towns with great walks, have a look at our cottages in the Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale area.
Greenbank Farm, Over Kellet Village, Near Carnforth
Just down the road from Leaper’s Rock Orchard is Greenbank Farm. Here, you can pick a variety of delicious fresh fruit and vegetables including rhubarb, jostaberries and plums, as well as being able to buy frozen blackcurrants and redcurrants.
In addition to the tearoom and snack bar, there’s an outside picnic area where you can enjoy your picked fruits whilst taking in the surrounding scenery. The farm is open from the end of June for around 7 weeks, so be quick!
Stay at one of our self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District
Before you set off and go touring this vast and beautiful region of England, take a look at our range of self-catering holiday cottages throughout the Lake District. Find the perfect holiday property to provide the right backdrop for your Ambleside adventure, whether you plan to go boating, hiking or mountain climbing. Search our collection today.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.