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The tens of thousands of people who attended the Taste Cumbria Cockermouth Food Festival last weekend were left in little doubt that Cumbria has an outstanding food heritage. The county is home to the Cumberland Sausage, Grasmere Gingerbread, Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, and now it can add another accolade, being home to four Michelin starred restaurants. This is no mean feat when you consider that the county is the 3rd largest in England, but the second least densely populated.

This weekend sees the return of the Taste Cumbria food festival to the streets of Cockermouth. First held in 2010 in response to flooding in the area, this is the flagship event for the Taste Cumbria team, bringing around 40,000 visitors to this small town on the fringe of the western Lake District.

England’s largest festival of history and culture takes place this September. The festival, Heritage Open Days, sees hundreds of places of historical and cultural interest across the country open their doors for members of the public to explore for free. Many of these places are not normally open to the public, whilst others would normally charge an admission fee.

The OVO Energy Tour of Britain, Britain’s most prestigious cycling event, returns this September. Attracting cycling’s top talent, including Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, the race offers members of the public a chance to view the heroes of the sport up close and in action, for free! The race is an eight-day event with the aim to cover as much of Britain as possible during that time.

August is country fair season in Cumbria with over ten taking place across the county. The biggest show this month is happening this weekend at the Lowther Estate. The Lowther Show attracted around 60,000 visitors last year and despite being one of the youngest country shows in Cumbria, it is one of the highlights of the show calendar.

School's out for summer! If you haven’t already planned a Lake District trip for you and your family during the long summer break then it’s not too late, with plenty of hotels, campsites, and lodges still available for booking. However, they are likely to sell out pretty fast, so don’t delay booking much longer to avoid disappointment.

Here in the Lake District, we have had some fantastic weather. With the exception of one or two wet days, it’s generally been very dry. So dry in fact, that the lakes and rivers have started to shrink quite noticeably. There’s even been some sightings of the sun! As a result, it’s a perfect time to enjoy a Lake District picnic.

Last year, according to Cumbria Tourism, the Lake District and Cumbria received over 47 million visitors, which is more than the population of Spain. The peak tourist season is now upon us, and 2018 is already looking to be another record breaking year for tourist numbers to the area.

Most visitors flock to the well-known towns and lakes with Windermere, Keswick and Derwent Water, Grasmere, and Buttermere all being very popular. However, there are still plenty of places where you can go to escape the crowds and enjoy a bit of peace, providing you are willing to drive and walk a bit more.

May half term is a brilliant time to visit the Lake District with your children. Spring is fully in bloom and the area is brimming with wildflowers. The woodland canopy is rich with shades of green, but not so heavy that the sunlight is blocked out entirely. Lambs, foals, calves, and even crias (baby alpacas) can be seen in the farm fields. The Lake District is one giant adventure playground, and this half term, there is plenty to keep the family occupied.

With two bank holidays, half term, and increasingly warmer weather, May is the perfect time to book a break to the Lake District with your children. The fells, lakes, and woodlands are a delight this time of year, with lambs and spring flowers in abundance, all providing the perfect backdrop for a family stroll. Pack up a picnic, slather on the sun cream, and check out our top guided walks to do with the family this month.