WELCOME TO THE NIGHT

IT MIGHT NOT BE JUMPING WITH TRENDY CLUBS AND BARS, BUT CUMBRIA AND THE LAKE DISTRICT HAS A SPECTACULAR NIGHTLIFE ALL OF ITS OWN

Cumbria and the Lake District may be famed for their tranquillity, but it’s not just the glorious scenery that’ll get your pulse racing. Nightlife comes in many forms across the county. There are quaint village pubs, pioneering local theatres and, in the city of Carlisle, top-notch nightlife that’ll keep you entertained ’til dawn.

Live Music

Oh, and if you get the chance to check out the region’s music acts, please do – there’s an abundance of talent here. Your day needn’t end when the sun goes down. Head to Cumbria’s top towns and get your fill of live music and theatrical delights alike.

Carlisle, the only city in the county, is your go-to for good times. The Sands Centre is the big boy of the bunch, a giant event venue with a stellar roster of stand-up acts, international orchestras and musical tributes. It attracts over 750,000 culture-hungry visitors a year. If you visit towards the end of the year, don’t miss the Christmas panto!

During the summer, Carlisle’s Racecourse turns into an outdoor music venue, setting the stage for big-name acts from around the world. Past performers have included Will Young and Paloma Faith.

A more intimate show can be enjoyed in Carlisle’s smaller arts venues. The Brickyard is a cracking music venue housed in a 100-year-old church hall. Go for great vibes and decent beer. More history-infused high jinks await at the Old Fire Station, which is known for its diverse programme of music, comedy and theatre.

Bop along to local bands (and the occasional touring act) for just a few quid at The Source Collective. On English Street, Open Mind is a bar first and foremost. However, its open-mic nights are an excellent opportunity to sink a couple of cocktails to an acoustic backdrop.

Carlisle Green Room Club is a volunteer-run playhouse with real soul. Started by a group of friends in 1952, today the 142-seat space hosts up to seven plays a year. No pretension – just pure enthusiasm and pizzazz. A crowdpleasing programme of music, theatre and children’s events can be found at The Forum, Barrow-in-Furness’ premier nightlife venue.

A mere 20 minutes up the Furness Peninsula is the rural town of Ulverston and The Coro, a community venue that transforms into a showstopper at night. Sit beneath the 20th-century proscenium arch and feast your eyes on ballet, opera, comedy and live music. Remember to wave hello to the Laurel and Hardy statue on your way out!

Cultural Hub

Creativity and bucketloads of beer combine at Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. Inside this cultural hub are two cinemas, art galleries and performance spaces. Music and film lead the line-up, but in all honesty there’s tonnes to look forward to. ‘The Brewery’ has been the life and soul of Kendal for over 40 years and shows no signs of slowing down. And it serves pizza. Win-win!

Brewery Arts Centre also hosts a handful of festivals each year. If you can only fit one in your diary, make it Kendal Mountain Festival. This four-day event is an all-out celebration of the great outdoors and pulls in adventureloving punters from miles around. After days spent exploring the globe through films and talks, stick around for late-night parties with great company.

The buzzy market town of Cockermouth, located on the north-western edge of Lake District National Park, has everything you need for a top night out. As well as restaurants and bars galore (this is the home of Jennings Brewery, after all), there’s also the excellent Kirkgate Arts and Heritage. As the town’s main after-hours venue, it’s a melting pot of spoken word, live music and theatrical events. A true community enterprise.

It’s not just the rich industrial heritage that puts Workington on the map. No, this west Cumbrian town also boasts a belting music scene thanks to Carnegie Theatre & Arts Centre, which stages everything from sing-along musicals to rock ’n’ roll tributes. The stunning 306-seat Edwardian theatre is the setting for the main acts, but don’t neglect little Carnegie Bar which often moonlights as a live music venue in the evening.

Top ales, foot-stomping tunes and the latest silver-screen releases – there are plenty of opportunities to let your hair down in Cumbria and the Lake District.

Entertainment isn’t restricted to the big stage in Cumbria. Many pubs in the region become music venues after dark. Your starters for ten are The Piel Castle in Ulverston, The Meeting Place in Barrow-in-Furness, The Lily and the Ambleside Tap Yard in Ambleside and the excellentlynamed Crafty Baa in Windermere and Keswick. All are great places to sample locally brewed bevvies and set your toes a-tapping to live bands.

The Druids Arms is one of the oldest Pubs in Penrith and well-known for its gigs – rock nights in particular.

And if you arrive between sets, don’t worry, there’s a jukebox with your name on it! The Warehouse, meanwhile, features five bars and, if the music leaves you feeling inspired, karaoke pods too. Just outside Penrith in the village of Greystoke, The Boot & Shoe hosts low-key but lively music nights, with folk, rock and jazz bands a speciality.

On a weekend, The Hope and Anchor in Ulverston springs to life with musical performances. When the weather’s on your side, it’s home to one of the best beer gardens in the area too.

Regional Ales

For many visitors to the Lake District, a rip-roaring night out is more about supping regional ales in front of the fire than tearing up the dancefloor. Luckily, this region is blessed with olde-worlde drinking dens. The 400-year-old Black Bull Inn in Coniston is a great place to start, with its own microbrewery churning out 1,600 gallons of beer a week. Set at the top of Eskdale Valley the historic Woolpack Inn is a great place to soak up some friendly vibes and hearty food before (or after) heading out along the steep Hardknott Pass.

Wasdale Head Inn sits in the shadow of Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain. It’s the ultimate pitstop after a long day’s hike. Surrounded by nothing but rolling Lakeland views, it’s understandably popular with outdoor enthusiasts and serves hearty food to match. Plus, it’s right around the corner from St Olaf’s – the smallest parish church in England.

Another contender for ‘best pub with a view’ is The Mortal Man in Windermere. Grab a bench in the beer garden or settle into the Garden Room to admire panoramic vistas along the Troutbeck Valley.

More stonking views can be found at The Masons Arms near Newby Bridge. This is real middle-of-nowhere territory, so you’re likely to share the spectacular Lyth Valley setting with only other in-the-know punters.

Finally, for a special-occasion pub, the Drunken Duck Inn hits the nail on the head. Perched in the hills between Ambleside and Hawkshead, this is one of the best-known pubs in the Lake District. The cosy oak-beamed bar belies a surprisingly contemporary menu filled with imaginative takes on pub classics. Go hungry!

If you’re on the lookout for a good old knees-up, Carlisle is the city you seek. Botchergate, a main thoroughfare stumbling distance from Carlisle railway station, has the highest density of pubs and bars.

A right turn out of the station leads you to The Griffin Pub (great for live sports) and Bar Solo – a cracking little venue with views of the station’s Grade 2-listed architecture. Further along the street, you have your pick of cocktail bars, chain pubs and a few late-night takeaways. Don’t knock ‘em, they may look rather tempting by the end of the evening!

BOOZY GEMS

Lonsdale Street, the Historic Quarter and Devonshire Street also throw up a few boozy gems. The latter in particular has earned a reputation for trendier bars. Enjoy a pleasant evening sampling creative cocktails and hip decor in The Thin White Duke, Yellowjacket and Felson’s, where you can play a game of pool or shuffleboard as you sip on your colourful, creative drinks.

For a slightly more sedentary night out, Cumbria and the Lake District’s cinemas leave film fans spoilt for choice. There are Vue cinemas in Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, plus an epic 3D screen at Rheged near Penrith.

In Penrith proper is the dinky Lonsdale Alhambra cinema, where two screens attract new releases and live screenings. It’s a similar set-up at Keswick’s Alhambra Cinema, an Edwardian picture house that delivers old-school movie-going at its finest.

A relatively recent addition to Workington is The Ritz Cinema, a family-run theatre with three screens. There is also the Parkway Cinema located in Workington’s Dunmail Park Shopping Centre.

Royalty Cinema in Bowness-on-Windermere also has three screens, but the real draw is its Art Deco interior and working Wurlitzer organ. If you’re lucky, they’ll play it during the interval.

Alternately, snap up screenings for a fiver at Whitehaven’s Gaiety Cinema or make the most of the ice cream interval at Roxy Cinema in Ulverston.

Perhaps the Lake District’s most memorable cinema is Zeffirellis in Ambleside. Part-independent cinema, part-pizzeria, part-jazz bar, this unique joint is chock-full of character. Fridays and Saturdays feature live music too, so your evening out doesn’t have to end when the credits roll.

Make sure you save a little energy after roaming the spectacular fells, fields and market towns of Cumbria and the Lake District. From thriving local theatres to pubs nestled in picture-perfect surrounds, you’re guaranteed a night out to remember.