Hidden Treasures of Cumbria & the Lake District

Check in to the North Lakes Hotel & Spa in the afternoon. Later, we enjoy a welcome drink reception hosted by our tour manager.

Explore the border city’s turbulent past on a guided tour of Carlisle Castle, a red-sandstone fortress that has guarded the Anglo-Scottish frontier for more than 900 years. Walk the battlements and storied courtyards before stepping into Carlisle Cathedral, famed for medieval architecture and richly coloured glass .

Hear tales of sieges and royal intrigue, then admire the cathedral’s carved choir stalls and soaring nave. The visit paints a vivid picture of frontier history where faith and fortifications shaped a proud northern city, with a light buffet lunch included during your time in Carlisle .

Discover Dalemain Mansion, its salmon-pink Georgian facade opening onto a labyrinth of eras. Trace the evolution from a 12th-century pele tower and Elizabethan manor to stately Georgian rooms filled with Chippendale furniture and oil portraits .

As you wander, look for secret passages, spiral staircases and a priest’s hiding hole that hint at centuries of devotion and defence. The house balances grandeur with intimacy, offering a window onto Cumbrian life from the reign of Henry II to the elegance of the 18th century .

Step inside Blackwell, a masterpiece of the Arts and Crafts movement by architect M. H. Baillie Scott. Join a guided tour through handcrafted fireplaces, leaded windows and bespoke woodwork, all set to uplifting views across Lake Windermere .

Learn how designers championed honest materials and vernacular craft at the turn of the 20th century. Blackwell’s serene rooms and lake-facing garden terrace embody a philosophy where beauty, function and landscape are inseparable .

Cruise Lake Windermere from Bowness to Lakeside, gliding past wooded shores, rolling hills and distant fells. Settle on deck or by the window as ever-changing light plays across England’s largest lake and the silhouettes of classic Lakeland steamers come and go .

Hear snippets about boatbuilding, lakeside settlements and the poets who found inspiration here. The journey’s unhurried pace invites quiet reflection and ever-changing views that capture the district’s softly dramatic character .

Visit Levens Hall, an Elizabethan gem celebrated for the world’s oldest topiary garden. Wander clipped yews shaped into fantastical forms and stroll formal parterres scented with herbs before stepping inside atmospheric panelled rooms .

Garden history comes alive among centuries-old designs influenced by European fashions and Cumbrian climate. Time here typically includes a soup and sandwich lunch with tea or coffee, a simple pause that suits the hall’s country-house setting .

Explore Hutton-in-the-Forest, a captivating blend of medieval tower house, Jacobean additions and 19th-century style. A specialist William Morris interiors tour reveals Arts and Crafts wallpapers, textiles and craftsmanship layered within this long-inhabited home .

Move from great hall to intimate chambers to appreciate how tastes evolved across four centuries. The house’s continuity of ownership lends a lived-in warmth, with guided insights connecting architecture, design and family stories across time .

Enjoy a guided tour of Mirehouse, a welcoming family home set among tranquil gardens on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake. Explore elegant rooms and leafy walks that open to water and fell views .

Literary connections thread through the visit, with stories of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Beatrix Potter among those who found inspiration here. The lakeside setting and quietly curated interiors create an intimate portrait of Cumbrian life and culture .

Meet your fellow travellers at a relaxed welcome drink reception in Penrith and meet your Tour Manager for an informal overview of the days ahead. Enjoy a convivial start to your holiday with time to ask questions, pick up local tips and settle into the rhythm of the Lake District escape .

Gain a sense of place as your host highlights the region’s villages, lakes and fells that inspired centuries of writers and artists. This friendly gathering sets the tone for a journey focused on hidden treasures and quietly spectacular scenery.