Cartmel

Located on the edge of the Lake District National Park, just a stone’s throw from Morecambe Bay, Cartmel is a pretty village with a vibrant feel. Known for its fantastic food and drink (it’s home to two Michelin starred restaurants as well as plenty more great places to eat and drink), it’s the perfect place to get a taste of Cumbria and soak up the atmosphere with a coffee or glass of wine.

With a rich heritage dating back to Medieval times, Cartmel boasts a fascinating history which blends in seamlessly with its modern feel. At the heart of the village is the striking Cartmel Priory, dating back to the 12th century and still an active place of worship today. Explore picture perfect streets, lined with a fantastic variety of independent shops, country pubs and inns, cafes, and restaurants. Cartmel is also home to the iconic Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding: made just miles away in Flookburgh, originating and sold at Cartmel Village Shop.

The village is also known for its racecourse, with race events taking place throughout the summer months, giving a festival atmosphere to the whole village over four weekends each year.

We recently visited Cartmel to spend an afternoon exploring the Cumbrian village with four Michelin stars, alongside a whole host of things to see and do. Read more about our experience in Cartmel here.

Food & Drink

Cartmel is famous for its food and drink, and its reputation as a foodie destination is well deserved. The village is home to not one, but two Michelin starred restaurants, including L’Enclume - the only restaurant to hold three Michelin stars outside of London and the South-East. There are also relaxed bistros, cosy country pubs, and friendly cafes like Coffee & Stays at Cartmel Square serving up specialty coffees.

During the warmer months, the village comes alive with al fresco drinking and dining. There are plenty of places to sit out and enjoy the sun, whether you’re catching up with friends over a coffee or enjoying a G&T come evening. Relax and watch the world go by, or enjoy live music and a vibrant atmosphere.

Looking for something to take away? This is the home of Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, as well as some fantastic shops offering locally made produce from artisan cheeses to meats and chutneys.

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What To See & Do in Cartmel

As well as sampling the village’s world-class food and drink scene, there is plenty to see and do in Cartmel. 

The village boasts a rich history, and reminders of its Medieval heritage can be seen throughout. The impressive 12th century Cartmel Priory has been an active place of worship for 800 years; while opposite the village square you’ll find a monastic gatehouse. 

Cartmel Racecourse plays host to race days throughout the summer, lending a festival atmosphere with resident DJ, funfair and easy access to the village for a day spent exploring. 

Nearby, attractions like Holker Hall & Gardens make for a great day out.

There are several walking routes to be enjoyed from Cartmel - not the mention the abundance of hiking opportunities in the nearby Lake District National Park. From Cartmel itself, walk to Hampsfell Hospice with its panoramic views across Morecambe Bay and the Lakes; or set off along the Cumbrian Cistercian Way, a 25-mile route to Piel Castle in Barrow-in-Furness.

Cartmel is also located along the Morecambe Bay Cycleway: a long distance cycle route across the southern coast of Cumbria.

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History

Around 678 AD, the Cartmel peninsula was granted to St Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, by King Egfrith of Northumberland for the establishment of a monastery. An early church dedicated to St Cuthbert was built at Kirkhead near Allithwaite, although nothing now remains of the structure. It was not until 1189 that an enduring ecclesiastical presence was established with the founding of Cartmel Priory next to the River Eea (pronounced ‘Ay’).

Locals made a living with farming and fishing, with the monks lending a helping hand. Limestone was crushed and burned to produce quicklime for spreading on the fields to ‘sweeten’ the grass, woods provided coppice timber for agricultural implements and for charcoal burning, oats were grown, and the sea and rivers yielded good supplies of fish. The monks stored their grain at nearby Grange (from the French word ‘graunge’ meaning ‘granary’) and may have had a small harbour here.
 
The famous Cartmel Races are said to date back to monastic times, as part of the Whitsuntide celebrations. The priory was at the heart of community life, until it was largely destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1536. An appeal by the villagers to keep the church as a place of worship for the parish was granted, thus saving this impressive church (and the gatehouse) for posterity.

Up to the mid-19th century, the only viable link between the peninsula and the rest of the country was over the sands of Morecambe Bay at low tide. Individuals on foot or travelling by horse and cart would regularly make the perilous journey, fraught with danger from swift incoming tides, unsuspected quicksands or changing river currents. A guide appointed by the abbot of Cartmel Priory would conduct travellers from Kents Bank to Hest Bank near Bolton-le-Sands (9 miles/14.5 km).

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Surrounding Areas

Grange-over-Sands - the coastal town of Grange-Over-Sands retains much elegance from its Edwardian heyday, with ornamental gardens, independent shopping, and a sea-front promenade for relaxing walks.

Flookburgh - Flookburgh, to the west, was once an important fishing and market centre. Fishermen still go out to fish for cockled and shrimps (Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps are a local delicacy).

Meathop - Further east is the isolated hamlet of Meathop established around one of the first sanatoriums in the country.

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Did you know?

CARTMEL PRIORY

Founded in 1189 by Augustinian canons as the priory church and threatened with destruction after the Dissolution of the Monasteries Act in 1536, the church survived to become the parish church and still serves as a place of worship. The internal soaring proportions of the church house a 14th-century tomb to Lord Harrington and intricately carved choir stalls and misericords. Look out for the nail-studded door into the south aisle, pitted with bullet holes from when villagers fired on Cromwellian troops causing havoc in the church. The tower is unusual, being set crossways to its base, and believed to be unique in England.

HAMPSFELL

The limestone plateau of Hampsfell is one of the highest points on the Cartmel peninsula at 727 ft (221 m) high and commands extensive sea and fell views in all directions. At the top is the Hospice, built in 1835 by George Remington (vicar of Cartmel) as a refuge for weary travellers – now a wonderful place for a picnic. The outcropping limestone pavement shelters an assortment of ferns and lime-loving plants in the deep fissures.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Cartmel has become synonymous with Sticky Toffee Pudding, with the delicious dessert sold at the village shop alongside a whole host of food and drink products.

HOLKER HALL

This family seat of the Cavendish family can be dated to the early 16th century. In 1871 a devastating fire destroyed the west wing, subsequently rebuilt in red sandstone. Today, the whole of this wing is open for visitors to wander around at will. Here can be found the magnificent library, fine linenfold panelling and an impressive cantilevered staircase.

CARTMEL PRIORY GATEHOUSE

Built in the early 14th century as the gateway to the priory precinct, this medieval building has been variously used as a courthouse, grammar school and museum. It overlooks Cartmel’s village square and  is currently owned by the National Trust.

MICHELIN STARS

It may be small, but Cartmel packs a punch when it comes to food and drink. The village is home to not one, but two Michelin starred restaurants: Rogan & Co, and L’Enclume – which is also the only three Michelin starred restaurant outside of London and the south east.