Staying in Cumbria and shopping!
Shopping in the Lake District, like anywhere in the UK, takes on a different perspective as each season progresses. And with there being so many unique, owner-managed shops in Cumbria, you will have the option of four choices for unusual and different gifts throughout the year. For example, the vast range of seasonal Spring products on offer in garden centres will be vastly different to those on offer during Summer, Autumn and Winter. There are visitors who purposefully take late Autumn and early Winter breaks to make sure they are in the region for Christmas shopping to ensure their Christmas shopping list can produce something different for family and friends.
Gateshead Metro centre is just over an hour form Alston for the serious retailer holidaying in The North Pennines!
And with the longer nights drawing in, the emphasis in the Lake District shifts slightly away from the great outdoors to a more cultured and heritage-orientated outlook. There are a multitude of annual themed events and festivals held during the off-season months, varying from theatre and the arts, to food and drink. You have the total freedom to take part as much or as little as you wish.
But one thing that won’t change, irrespective of when you visit the Lake District, is the warm Cumbrian welcome you’ll receive.