Discover Cartmel: Priory, racecourse and local cuisine

Cartmel combines the Priory and its historic Gatehouse with the racecourse and a local culinary tradition centred on sticky toffee pudding. Narrow, cobbled streets, distinctive 18th-century houses, picturesque inns and independent shops characterise the village. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether history, horse racing or local cuisine will shape your stay.

Priory and Gatehouse

Cartmel Priory was founded in 1189 by William Marshal. The Gatehouse is the only surviving secular building of the Priory and was used as a school from 1624 to 1790. Today, the former Priory Gatehouse is an exhibition hall. Its founding, time as a school and current use as an exhibition hall provide different historical points of interest.

Most of Cartmel Priory is accessible to wheelchair users. If particular areas are important to you, check the visiting arrangements in advance. Since its launch in April 2018, visitors have been able to experience “The Young Martyr” VR experience at the Priory. Check before your trip whether the experience is available.

Cartmel Racecourse: history and race dates

The first Whit Monday race meeting at Cartmel Racecourse took place in 1856. The recurring National Hunt spring season runs for nine days, from the late-May bank holiday to the August bank holiday. If you want to plan your trip around a race, check the specific event dates before finalising your travel dates.

The track’s measurements also describe different sections: the main course is just over one mile and one furlong long; the run-in from the last obstacle to the finish line is just over four furlongs. The first figure refers to the main course, the second to the final stretch.

The easiest route to Cartmel Racecourse is via junction 36 of the M6 and the A590. The nearest railway station to the racecourse is Cark-in-Cartmel, two miles away. When planning your journey, you can therefore take into account both the road route and the station’s distance from the racecourse.

Local cuisine and activities

Cartmel sticky toffee pudding originated in the Village Shop’s back kitchen more than 30 years ago. The Cartmel Village Shop serves hot sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. Here, the dessert’s origin story meets a specific way of serving it.

Unsworth’s Yard Brewery offers free tastings every day and short, walk-in tours of the brewhouse. Lakeland Segway, meanwhile, offers a Cartmel tour along a scenic route passing the racecourse and Holker Estate. As well as history and cuisine, there are options to suit different interests, including tastings, a look inside the brewhouse and a guided tour.

If you’re looking for a hotel in Cartmel, the reason for your stay can be a helpful starting point. If you’re planning to visit the racecourse, check the specific event dates against your travel dates. For a history-focused stay, the Priory and Gatehouse are the main attractions; if you’re interested in food, the pudding and the brewery offer further points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Wheyrigg, Seascale, Great Asby, Beckermet, Newby Bridge, Stapleton, Aspatria, Silloth.

Return to the main travel overview: Cumbria.