New Year's Eve in the Lake District
New Years Eve, or Hogmanay as our friends across the border call it, is celebrated all over the world, marking the transition from one year to the next. Celebrations start in Samoa, Tonga, and other pacific islands, before moving through the time zones. Festivities vary, with some observing religious traditions, others quietly gathering with friends and family, and many joining together at large parties with impressive fireworks displays. In the UK, the most spectacular displays are to be found in London and Edinburgh, but many other towns and cities have their own delightful displays and events.
Where to Celebrate New Year's Eve in the Lake District
In the Lake District, New Year’s Eve is a quieter affair than what you might find in other areas in the UK with much larger populations. There are very few large nightclubs in the area, although you will find that several pubs and clubs in the larger towns hold events, usually ticketed. In addition, many hotels in the area offer their own private celebrations for hotel residents, rather than hosting public events. Below we have listed a selection of hotels and clubs that do hold private parties. It’s worth noting that many of these do tend to get booked up several months in advance.
Public New Year's Celebrations
As mentioned above, most events tend to be private affairs. However, there are a couple places where people gather publicly to celebrate. In Keswick, many people leave their respective pubs, restaurants, and parties to gather in front of clock tower in the town centre, and there is a countdown as the clock strikes midnight. In Bowness-On-Windermere, with a number of hotels on the shore doing their own fireworks displays, it has become custom for people to gather by the jetty on the lake shore to watch the various displays, as it has a great vantage point.
Private New Year's Celebrations
Here we list a selection of venues that hold private celebrations, either as part of a residential package in a hotel, or as a private party in a nightclub or pub. Prices will vary according to the package, and most require advanced booking, so do check in advance.
Carlisle
- Address: 7 Portland Place, Carlisle, CA1 1RL
- Venue Type: Comedy Club
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music
- Address: Rugby Ground, Warwick Road, Carlisle, CA1 1LW
- Venue Type: Sports Club
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music, Buffet
- Address: 20-34 Warwick Road, Carlisle, CA1 1DN
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Formal Dinner, Live Music
- Address: 5-10 Lowther Arcade, Carlisle, CA3 8LX
- Venue Type: Cocktail & Tapas Bar
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Informal Tapas
- Address: Richmond Hall, 14 Fisher St, Carlisle, CA3 8RN
- Venue Type: Night Club & Live Music Venue
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music
Penrith
- Address: Penrith, CA11 8RG
- Venue Type: Sports Club
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music, Buffet
- Address: Glenridding, Penrith, CA11 0PE
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: Devonshire St, Penrith, CA11 7SU
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: Great Salkeld, Penrith, CA11 9NA
- Venue Type: Pub
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Music, Food
- Address: Stainton, Dacre, Penrith, CA11 0EP
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music, Fireworks
Keswick
- Address: Market Square, Keswick, CA12 5JF
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, CA12 4RE
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music, Fireworks
- Address: Borrowdale, Keswick, CA12 5UX
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: 31 Main St, Keswick, CA12 5BN
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
Kendal
- Address: Milnthorpe Road, Kendal, LA9 5HP
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Gala Dinner, Live Music
- Address: 24 Finkle St, Kendal, LA9 4AB
- Venue Type: Night Club & Live Music Venue
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music
- Address: Pye Motors Stadium, Park Side Rd, Kendal, LA9 7BL
- Venue Type: Sports Club
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Live Music, Buffet
- Address: Castle Green Lane, Kendal, LA9 6RG
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: 19 Lowther St, Kendal, LA9 4DH
- Venue Type: Bar
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Music
Windermere & Bowness-On-Windermere
The Burn How Garden House Hotel
- Address: Back Belsfield Rd, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere, LA23 3HH
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: Ambleside Rd, Windermere, LA23 1LP
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal
South Lakeland
- Address: Newby Bridge, Ulverston, LA12 8AT
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
Ambleside
- Address: Lake Rd, Ambleside, LA22 0ER
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
- Address: Ambleside, LA22 9NJ
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
Glen Rothay Hotel
- Address: Rydal, Ambleside, LA22 9LR
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
Cockermouth
- Address: Embleton, Cockermouth, CA13 9YA
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
The Trout Hotel
- Address: 3 Crown St, Cockermouth, CA13 0EJ
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music
Fredericks Lounge Bar & Restaurant
- Address: Tithe House, 43 Station St, Cockermouth, CA13 9QW
- Venue Type: Bar
- Celebration Type: Ticketed Event, Music
Grange-over-Sands
- Address: Station Square, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6EJ
- Venue Type: Hotel
- Celebration Type: Residential Package, Formal Meal, Music