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Marion Ainge
Travel Writer
7:00 AM 7th February 2022
travel

The Western Lakes - A Tranquil Retreat Of Stunning Beauty

 
There's gallons of rum and whisky galore in the Western Lake District.

And on a rainy autumn day, a tot here and a dram there certainly keeps the spirits up!

Whisky is the way to go at The Lakes Distillery in Setmurthy, close to the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, where gin, vodka and liqueurs are also produced. On a short tour, I'm told every whisky uses the same process and starts with the same raw ingredients, but each distillery does it differently.

At The Lakes Distillery, oak casks seasoned with Oloroso sherry, imported from Seville, give a flavour base of dried fruit and ginger. Others, of American and French oak, produce a creamy, spicy flavour. So many blends and for a whisky novice, it's a lot to take in, so I quaff a proffered dram, then making an appreciative face, I come up with the words 'rounded' and 'warming'.

This state-of-the-art distillery was transformed, using Westmorland stone, slate and brick, from a 160 year-old, rundown dairy farm. The Bistro café offers delicious food, and a shop, where people are filling baskets with boxed bottles of single malt or blended whisky, Classic London and/or pink grapefruit gin, award-winning vodka and other items, probably for festive gifts.

The Western Lakes' region is quiet and tranquil with wonderful scenery and a glorious coastline, offering a relaxed alternative to the popular Lake District towns of Bowness and Windermere. The four main valleys are Ennerdale, Eskdale, Wasdale and Dunnerdale. Wasdale is the home of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike (3206 ft), and the deepest lake, Wastwater.

Our base is the black and white-painted Trout Hotel in the Georgian town of Cockermouth.
Trout Hotel, Cockermouth
Trout Hotel, Cockermouth
In 1964, Cockermouth was one of 51 British towns chosen by the Council for British Archaeology from 324 historic towns and cities, thought to be 'particularly splendid and precious'.

The independently-owned, AA 4 Silver Star hotel was a favourite of Hollywood legend and fishing enthusiast, Bing Crosby. The deep, wide window of our comfortable, tastefully-appointed bedroom affords peaceful views across the fast-flowing Derwent River. The elegant hotel interior fuses an eclectic blend of contemporary and traditional styles.

The chic Terrace Bistro opens to the walled Courtyard, a terrace with ultra-modern heaters and retractable roof. Staff are friendly and helpful, food is excellent and portions are huge. in the award-winning Derwent Restaurant, I tuck in to succulent Scottish salmon, spinach with crayfish cream sauce and griddled potatoes, but can't manage to eat it all.

A different fare was served at Wordsworth House and Garden, the childhood home of William and Dorothy. Their evening meal might have been 'pike boiled with a pudding in the belly' or 'calf's head surprise'.

At this grand-looking property in Cockermouth, situated next to The Trout Hotel, William learned to love nature and literature, which shaped the future for himself and that of his beloved sister. Their lawyer father was a tenant of the imposing, terracotta-limewashed, detached house. Now owned by the National Trust, it's presented in the style of 1770s living with real food on the table and a fire in the grate. Heritage apples and other fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers thrive in the walled, riverside garden where William and his four siblings used to play. He wrote of chasing butterflies in the garden with Dorothy.

Torrential rain presents a bit of challenge on our visit to the maritime port of Whitehaven, where we'd planned to stroll around the historic, 17th century harbour and marina, sometimes visited by tall sailing ships. The town’s prosperity was built on coal, developed by the wealthy Lowther family.

A visit to the iconic Beacon Museum, shaped like a lighthouse and overlooking the harbour, is a great option for rainy days. Explore four floors of interactive history, ranging from ancient Roman relics to the modern-day science of nuclear power generation.

In the centre of Whitehaven town, situated behind Jefferson's gift shop, in the original, dark cellars and warehouses of 1785, The Rum Story begins. Feel the humidity walking through a 'Caribbean rainforest'.
The Rum Story Rainforest
The Rum Story Rainforest
Hear tales of Blackbeard and piracy on the high seas, smugglers and Nelson's Navy. Discover the origins of Whitehaven's dark slave trade, from African villages to the sugar cane plantations on the island of Antigua.

Learn about Whitehaven's maritime fortunes and the Jefferson family's trading past. Jefferson's supplied rum to the White Star Line, the prominent British shipping company, most famous for its ill-fated luxury flagship, the Titanic.
The Rum Story
The Rum Story
Many of the Rum Story's authentic settings have featured in tv dramas and period films, such as Miss Potter. The original, enormous rum barrels, which because of their height, protrude from one floor up to the next via an opening in the ceiling, each hold 1,720 gallons.

Many varieties of rum are on sale in the shop. In the 1700s, believing it to stave off scurvy and boost morale, a daily ration of rum was given to sailors, in small measures, of course. Hence the name, Royal Navy rum.
Would I like to sample a tot? Oh, go on then.

www.visitlakedistrict.com
www.trouthotel.co.uk: Dinner B&B from £169 per night
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wordsworth-house-and-gardenWordsworth House
www.thebeacon-whitehaven.co.uk
www.rumstory.co.uk
www.lakesdistillery.com