The top 3 reasons why people love Autumn in the Lake District;

• Getting outdoors for the walking and for the photography, (there’s a long-standing joke that this is when landscape photographers come out of hibernation after the Summer).
• The wildlife, Cumbria has a great diversity of wildlife living on its mountains and coastline, including migratory species either departing or arriving.
• The seasonal food, both wild game, and orchard fruits such as the native damson, and wild funghi.

Autumn is know for the quality of the light – pin sharp clarity contrasting with misty mornings and big sunsets. It’s a landscape photographers dream come true. As the lakes are still warmer than the air, morning mists are almost guaranteed, looking magically ethereal over mirror calm lakes. These same mists when viewed from a summit as the sun rises are strikingly dramatic. Ullswater ‘Steamers’ are running a Dawn Photography Cruise from 6.15am on Thursday the 9th November. The pre-dawn drive over Kirkstone Pass will no doubt provide some spectacular views and photo opportunities alone!

Autumn is when the wild Red Deer start courting – the stags roaring is an unearthly sound echoing around the mountain tops. The fells to the East of Kirkstone Pass, stretching to Ullswater are where the old native herds dwell, (along with a semi feral herd of native Fell Ponies). It’s also the season the Grey Seals on our coastline take over the beaches at South Walney, to give birth and rear their pups. Check Cumbria Wildlife Trust for special seasonal events they are leading, that will get you up close to our wildlife – you can even volunteer to go wild flower planting with them, useful if you’re planning to give up on maintaining a manicured lawn and want to learn more about establishing wild flowers instead.

Seasonal food – Autumn is a foodie highlight in the annual calendar. Our abundant sustainable grazing and expanses of ancient natural woodland pay dividends now. As Cumbria has the most Michelin Star restaurants after London, you can be sure you’re in the right place to experience some of the best seasonal dining  in the world. Local seasonal produce is on our menus at Storrs Hall – and mid September we will be opening our new informal restaurant, The Bistro. Most of the dishes feature local produce, such as Morecambe Bay Shrimps, Cumbrian beef and Herdwick Lamb, (dry aged in our kitchens for extra tastiness), and Autumnal Blackberries in a cheesecake.

Book your Autumn Break now, and join us when we launch our new dining space The Bistro.

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