06 March 2020 16:57
Things to do Mother’s Day 2020 in Cumbria
Already meticulously planned how you’re going to spoil the mothers in your life this year? Excellent news! Forgot that there was a Mother’s Day this year until now? That’s OK too, there’s still time to get something sorted.
Mothering Sunday began in the 16th century as a Christian celebration, originally for people to visit the church at which they were baptised (their ‘mother’ church) and nothing at all to do with anyone’s actual biological mother. So if you do forget to plan anything for your mum or get her a card, maybe you can say you’re a purist observing the original meaning of the day. Bound to go down well, right?
It takes place annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks before Easter Sunday. Though the origins of the celebration are in the church, over the years it has become more for the appreciation of the wonderful mums in our lives.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor to Cumbria and the Lake District, there’s plenty to choose from to show your mum (or partner on behalf of your children) how much they are appreciated, from the unorthodox to more traditional.
An ideal way to get out into nature and spend some restorative time with lovely animals. Alpacaly Ever After offers something out of the ordinary and allows you to support a good cause at the same time. The social enterprise focuses on providing a comfortable and loving life for unwanted alpacas and llamas from all over the country.
There’s a range of alpaca activities to delight, from simply meeting the alpacas and llamas or walking with them at one of several idyllic locations.
You can meet alpacas and llamas from as little as £12, the full range of activities and prices can be viewed here including more extensive treks with the animals (children are welcome too!).
Fell Foot is a country park owned by the National Trust on the shores of Windermere, which was formerly the grounds of a Victorian estate.
This year at Fell Foot Park, you can enjoy Mother’s Day and Windermere from the novelty of a paddleboat. For £33 per person, you can treat your mother to an experience on one of England’s most scenic lakes, as well as a special hamper from the Fell Foot cafe. You can book on the National Trust website.
Brockhole is one of the Lake District National Park’s most extensive visitor centres, with a plethora of things to do and see.
The centre’s grounds extend right down to the shore of Windermere and feature historical gardens with exceptional views of nearby fells, ideal for a leisurely Mother’s Day walk.
If you want more, Brockhole’s Gaddum restaurant is putting on a special Mother’s Day lunch and afternoon tea. As well as this, there’s the option to combine your afternoon tea with a crafting workshop in the cleverly dubbed Crafternoon Tea, making Brockhole something of a one-stop-shop for Mother’s Day activities.
More information and pricing can be found on Brockhole’s site.
If you do want a more conventional Mother’s Day, Cumbria is awash with hotels, cafes and restaurants that offer afternoon tea for Mothering Sunday.
Here’s a selection of some around the county - Mother’s Day is a busy time of year, so it’s best to book soon to avoid disappointment:
House in a beautiful Edwardian former post office building, The Halston and Penny Blue offers a cosmopolitan dining experience in Cumbria’s only city. There’s the option to liven up your afternoon tea with prosecco and champagne.
A luxury option in one of Bowness’ trendiest establishments. Enjoy your afternoon tea in a sleek, modern setting only a stone’s throw away from England’s most famous lake.
This secluded, luxury hotel nestled away on the eastern shore of Ullswater is maybe the epitome of Lake District afternoon tea - a decadent, yet quaint setting that’s just remote enough, overlooking England’s most beautiful lake. It’s also the birthplace of sticky toffee pudding, so if you’re a fan, maybe a pilgrimage is in order.
Armathwaite Hall offers traditional afternoon tea in an opulent setting, surrounded by a deer park and woodland near Bassenthwaite Lake. The hotel is also home to a spa if you want to make Mother’s Day even more luxurious.
Just a few miles outside of Carlisle in Warwick Bridge Sally’s has slightly less spectacular surroundings than other places on the list, which is to be expected when the rest are in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Despite this, Sally’s was named number 1 for afternoon tea in the county by local paper The News and Star. Worth a visit to see if they’re right, no?
Fancy a pint of craft beer when you’ve done with afternoon tea? Just outside the Lake District National Park’s western boundary, you’ll find the Ennerdale Brewery Tap, which as well as being a place to sample a range of excellent beer, also offers delicious afternoon tea.
If your mum prefers a pint over afternoon tea, then how fortunate that Mother’s Day coincides with the Hawkshead Spring Beer Festival weekend. With in excess of 60 beers from a wide range of breweries there’s plenty to try, as well as live music to delight.
The festival runs from 12pm Friday 20th March to 10pm on Mother’s Day - so there’s plenty of time to get the celebrations (and beers) in. Have a look at the Hawkshead Brewery site to find out more.
As you know, Cumbria is famed for its rugged outdoors and plentiful nature. If that’s what your mum’s into, why not cut the fuss down to a minimum and just head outside? Whether you want to tackle some Wainwrights or circumvent a lake, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of walks available in the county suitable for beginners and athletes alike. Who knows, maybe the weather will even be half decent by then?
For mums who fancy something a little less leisurely on their special day, the RUNMUMS Mother’s Day 5k in Bitts Park provides an ideal way to blow the cobwebs away.
A laidback and family-friendly fun run, this event gives the chance to get active without the pressure or competition of a race.
Entry fees go directly to the Eden Valley Hospice, so you can benefit from a warm fuzzy feeling inside even if you don’t manage to get a runner’s high.
Plus, if you manage to raise £25 or more in donations, you get free entry! You can find out more and register for the run here.
Unable to make it on the day? There’s the option to do the race virtually too. All you have to do is record a run of at least 5km using Strava (or any similar app) on or near Mother’s day and send proof, you even still get a medal. Full details of the virtual race can be found here.
Need somewhere to stay while you treat your mum to a Cumbrian or Lake District treat? Absolute Escapes has self-catering holiday cottage vacancies across the Lake District, Eden Valley and more.
What are you treating your mum to this Mother’s Day? Any exciting Mother’s Day goings-on in Cumbria we’ve missed?
