Five Cumbrian attractions have been named among the best in England.
They are among 72 across the country handed accolades by VisitEngland for excellence. Seven were handed awards in the North West, with five Cumbrian winners.
The accolades were awarded based on scores attractions obtained following their annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment.
VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes said: “These accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink, from great storytelling to outstanding customer service.
“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time. From museums, gardens and nature reserves to farm attractions, estates and theme parks, these attractions go out of their way to make visits memorable.”
Cumbrian winners
- Levens Hall & Gardens – Quality food and drink
- Mountain Goat Tours & Holidays – Gold (tours)
- Lakes Distilery, Setmurthy, near Bassenthwaite – Gold
- Whinlatter Forest, near Keswick – Gold
- The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven – Quality food and drink
Sarah Burgess, whiskymaker at The Lakes Distillery, said: “We are delighted to receive this award and see our team recognised for the exceptional service they provide to our guests.
“England has some of the very best visitor attractions so to be named one of the finest is an honour. To be awarded Gold five times in the past six years is something that we are all immensely proud of.”
Sally Burchall, visit experience manager for Whinlatter and Grizedale Forests, said: “A massive congratulations to the whole Whinlatter team on receiving this accolade.
“This truly is a whole team effort. We need to score highly in all areas to even be nominated. We scored 95% for our assessment visit earlier in the summer.
“To put this award into perspective, there are only about 25 Gold accolades awarded each year across the country.”
Mark Holroyd, head of recreation and communications for North District, added: ‘”This prestigious national award celebrates the Whinlatter recreation team’s unwavering dedication over many years to delivering consistently exceptional experiences and facilities for all our visitors.
“Despite the challenges of managing a bustling visitor centre within a mountain forest—navigating plant health issues, storm damage, and ongoing forestry operations— the team has excelled.
“This accolade is a testament to the entire district and national team’s collaborative efforts, including our foresters, craftspeople, civil engineers, estates, finance, and business support colleagues, who together make Whinlatter an extraordinary place to visit.”
