Throughout the Lake District are unspoilt villages which feel as if they’re from a different time. Away from the popular tourist destinations are locations where you won’t find crowds of visitors and the pace of life is a little slower.
The historic village of Askham is one of the national park’s sleepier villages. Five miles south of Penrith, and approximately two hours' drive away from Manchester, it has a population of around 350 people and just one village shop.
Askham is a designated conservation area and features rows of 17th, 18th and 19th century farmhouses, barns and cottages, some of them whitewashed, which overlook the village greens. Unlike other villages where buildings are clustered around narrow, winding streets, Askham is spacious and leafy.
READ MORE:
It has a distinctively pastoral feel to it with large, leafy trees and dry stone walls marking garden boundaries. The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside and overlooked by Askham Fell, while the River Lowther flows past nearby.
Askham may seem like a quiet village, but it is home to some hidden culinary gems. On the edge of the village is Askham Hall, a Grade I-listed four star hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, Allium.
The hall evolved from a 14th century pele tower which was enlarged in the 1570s and became the residence of the Lowther family in 1937 after the nearby Lowther Castle was abandoned. In 2012 it was converted into a hotel by the Countess of Lonsdale.
Today the hall offers guests a luxurious experience with elegant bedrooms, beautiful gardens and even an outdoor swimming pool. Meanwhile at the heart of the village is The Queen’s Head, a 17th century inn and restaurant, which was awarded an AA Rosette in 2022.
For a more rustic experience The Punchbowl Inn is housed in an 18th-century former farmhouse and it's been awarded both a four star AA rating and an AA dinner award. It’s full of charm and inside you’ll discover old wooden beams which have coins stuck in them - an old good-luck tradition.
Only a stone’s throw away from Askham is Lowther Castle and Gardens, a 130-acre estate which feels like it's from a fairytale. At the centre are the ‘ruins’ of the castle. It was commissioned by the 1st Earl of Lonsdale in 1806, while the original gardens were first laid out in the 17th century.
The castle was abandoned 130 years after it was built and in the 1950s the roof was removed, leaving only the facade behind. A restoration project was launched in 2008 and now visitors can explore the ruins and the castle’s stunning gardens for themselves. There’s also a castle-themed play area for kids too.
Five miles west of the village is Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District at 7.5 miles long. Catch a ride on one of the iconic Ullswater ‘Steamers’, where you can enjoy the views of the surrounding fells from the water.
For more of the latest What's On news, click here.
READ NEXT:
- The gorgeous fishing village with ‘world rated’ beach bar worth the drive from Greater Manchester
- Manchester Cocktail bar named in Top 50 across the UK - full list
- 'I stayed at the hotel 90 minutes from Greater Manchester that feels like you're in paradise'
- The gorgeous real-life Happy Valley village an hour away from Greater Manchester
- The "fabulous" artisan bakery in Altrincham named best in Britain
