After many months of talking about doing it, I finally headed up to Plumgarths Lakeland Food Park on Thursday last week, to take a look at the bakery and shop for Lovingly Artisan bakery. Nestled on a road just outside Kendal, there are several foodie business on this small and welcoming business park.
Lovingly Artisan bakery evolved from a bakery first started in the 1980s in Kendal when, after being introduced to slow-fermentation process, the founder Aidan and his partner Catherine, started Lovingly Artisan from their own home. The site at Plumgarths Lakeland Food Park was opened in 2010 as an expansion site and has been thriving ever since.
The entire ethos of Lovingly Artisan is based on ditching ultra-processed bread, using British grain (including rarer grains that you don’t see very often such as Emmer and Einkhorn), and keeping things organic wherever possible.
What struck me when I spoke to Catherine was the “soil to grain” commitment – looking for organic and regenerative farming practices which looks after the soil to ensure good quality crop, before the crop is milled by a local miller using a stone grinding process (which apparently retains better flavour than industrial milling processes), the leftover bran is then made into pellets which fires the ovens! I thought this was really great because I’m so passionate about sustainable practices and circular production methods. It is exactly what we need to be doing more of, and to find and support more small businesses making efforts to do this is uppermost in my mind.
The shop itself was delightful, and the smell of fresh baking was to die for… I honestly could have spent hours in there, even though it’s a relatively small shop. There were so many goodies, little bits to taste, and lots of accoutrements such as dipping oils, rock salt, and kitchen implements. I bought several items, including kalamata olive bread, focaccia, Danish rye bread, and a pain-aux-raisin. I’ve already eaten the pain-aux-raisin, and can’t wait to tuck into the rest.
I’ll be heading back up to Lakeland Food Park next week as they’re doing a Christmas Fair and Tasting event from the 4th – 6th December 2025! It’s definitely worth going if you’re a foodie in the region of the South/Central Lakes/North Lancs because I think it’s going to be delicious, and I’m excited to try all of the yummy goods!
I did a couple of articles back in the spring about Café Culture in Lancaster (Part One and Part Two) so now I’m widening the net, to look at some of the lovely cafes in the surrounding area. This is in no way exhaustive, it’s just a selection of ones that I have visited and enjoyed, and I will be continuing this list with many more little cafes that I frequent in my local area!
Blossom Bird in Silverdale
Blossom Bird is a lovely little café in the centre of Silverdale, and has been the topic of my weekly recommendation before because I am a HUGE fan of their blueberry and lemon cake. Genuinely one of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted, and it’s made in house by the lady who runs it. Dogs are welcome to sit in the courtyard outside the front of the café, and I imagine the only reason they’re discouraged (not banned) from inside because it’s a little bit tight for space! There’s also a long chatty table in the window, which is a lovely idea if people who are on their own or in small groups don’t mind talking to other patrons and having a bit of a chat.
The Striped Apple in Scorton
The Striped Apple is a large café/restaurant just outside of Scorton, in the grounds of Wyresdale Park, surrounded by forest and wildlife. Whenever I go up there, I love standing and just listening to the birds singing in the trees, even if it’s relatively busy, it sort of fades away into the sounds of the park. The café itself in a large greenhouse structure, with grapes growing across the roof. It’s very popular with walkers, and with those who come to paddleboard on the nearby lake. There’s often an array of specials on the menu, but I’m a big fan of the small breakfast that you can optimise to your own taste. They also offer lovely afternoon tea options (or afternoon… champagne?).
The café is dog friendly, and there is a large outside area to sit in the summer, as well as a small children’s play area. There are also a handful on independent shops behind the café that are open Thur-Sun, including a gin maker, an independent jeweller, and an upcycled outerwear shop (that will soon be offering repair services for outdoor wear).
The Old Bakehouse in Arnside
The Bakehouse in Arnside is a takeaway bakery and coffeeshop, with a small number of tables inside for those quick enough to get one! Their sausage rolls are delicious, and I’m a big fan of the takeaway pies for either dinner later that day, or to freeze for a later day. Sometimes I like to take a coffee to go and take a wander along the front, or up the pier to sit and watch the tide roll in or out.
Have you visited any of these places? Which is your favourite?
The winners of the 2025 Great British Food Awards will be announced in October, and I’m excited to see which Northern producers are featured and celebrated in the awards.
“The Great British Food Awards were launched in 2014 to celebrate the very best artisanal produce in the food and drink industry, from flavoured gins and high-quality sausages to artisan breads and undeniably good cheeses. We want to highlight the very best Great Britain has to offer and give producers the chance to stand out from the crowd.”
There are lots of different categories that producers can enter their products into:
Baked and Puddings: Bread, Desserts, Home Baking, Ready Meals, Savoury Bakes, Sweet Bakes.
Cheese and Dairy: Cheese, Dairy, Ice Cream.
Drinks (Alcohol): Any other Spirits, Beer & Lager, Cider, Gin, Liquers, Rum, Vodka, Whisky, Wine.
Speciality: Best British Speciality, Best Fruit & Veg, Christmas Dessert, Christmas Mains, Christmas Party, Delivery Boxes.
The categories are judged by a variety of specialists, but the judges include Raymond Blanc, Sally Abe, and Simon Rogan, among many others. You can find the whole list of judges here.
Which Northern Producers would you like to see in these categories? Who do you think deserves that recognition?
It’s official; you can smell it in the air, and feel it in the coolness we’ve had this past week, the blackberries have been ripe for a while (we got five freeze-able boxes last week!), and the trees are just beginning to show their golden glow…
I love this time of the year… the heat of the summer is coming to a close (and this year we have had eight official heatwaves… which is a whole ‘nother issue that I really don’t want to think about it!), although we do sometimes get an Indian summer in September, and that feels like the last burst of summer before autumn officially draws in. Side story, a couple of years ago I was in York for my 30th birthday, and the whole weekend it was 28-31 degrees in the second week of September… that was warm. It made for a wonderful weekend, but it was a little bit weird for it to be that temperature in northern England in September!
But with the start of Autumn, people start looking to the cooler months, Halloween (if you like to celebrate spooky season), cosy jumpers, and homemade hearty soups. I’m definitely looking forward to stews and casseroles cooked in the slow cooker again, which have just felt too hot and heavy to eat throughout the summer. And, with the end of summer, it’s not like we going to run out of stuff to do – the calendar is absolutely packed for September, with plenty more to look forward to in the month’s following. I’ll be doing calendars for October, November, and December as well, pulling out the best of what’s happening in the local area for the rest of the year. If you’d like to keep up with what’s happening, sign-up for free to receive a weekly newsletter.
This time of the year has always been important throughout history. In the Northern Hemisphere it’s the time of the harvest and preparation, and the time to give thanks (whatever that means for different cultures) for food and sustenance before the winter comes in. In Celtic culture deities such as Danu and Lugh were honoured at the time of the harvest, with even more celebrations towards the traditional festival of Samhain, which has a heavy focus on the cyclical nature of life and death, and the transitions between worlds in different religions and cultures. For the Romans, the beginning of Autumn and the harvest brought holidays and festivals honouring the goddess Ceres (Goddess of the harvest), and Pomona (Goddess of fruit trees), amongst others. At the end of the season, the Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia, honouring Saturn, the God of time and renewal.
As for me, I’m looking forward to cooler days spent by the sea in Arnside, Silverdale, or Grange-Over-Sands, breathing in the crisp Autumn air. I love getting my jackets back out of the wardrobe, to not worry about overheating in my jeans or my leather trousers, and being able to wear my boots again. Autumn hits different to winter in this respect, because I’m not a huge fan of having to bundle up every time I step outside, but we haven’t reached that point yet.
And yes, sure, it rains more in autumn than it does in the summer, especially in the North-West. It comes with the territory… there’s a saying in Manchester that “if you can’t see the Pennines, it’s raining; and if you can, it’s going to rain,” which definitely has more than a grain of truth to it! Aside from anything else, after the spring and summer we’ve just had, we need the rain – our reservoirs are seriously low, and farmers have been saying that they’re on track to lose about 30% of their vegetable crop due to lack of water. So, in that vein I’d like to invite people to enjoy the rain. Of course, too much rain can be catastrophic, that’s not what I’m saying or trying to invite, I’m just talking about your typical rainy day. Find a way to enjoy it. Remember what it was like when you were a child and you’d splash in puddles and catch raindrops on your tongue, find things to do that don’t require going outside (there’s plenty of them!), and if it’s really not your thing, think about how much cosier the inside of your house or room is when it’s raining outside… take that nap with zero guilt because you can’t go out anyway. Win, win as far as I’m concerned!
Photo by Brigette Tohm
What are you looking forward to the most as the cooler months roll in? Let me know, or come say hi on Instagram or TikTok (@thenorthishlass)! I’d love to hear from you…
Features: Outside seating, dog friendly, excellent for breakfast.
Price: ££
Address: Tithebarn Hill, Glasson Dock, Lancaster LA2 0BY
The Quayside at Glasson Dock is a charming little café on the side of the marina and lock at Glasson Dock. The café stands next to a little village shop and the famous Port of Lancaster Smokehouse Shop and has indoor and outdoor spaces to sit and eat. It is very popular on the weekend, especially with motorbike riders, cyclists, and other out-and-abouters. Once you get a load of the food you will understand why. Not only are the portion sizes for the breakfasts extremely generous, the food is also delicious. It’s all cooked from scratch (so at busier times it might take a little bit longer to get to you), but it’s well worth the wait.
My favourite is a Potato Cake Stack which is a potato pancake, black pudding (your choice whether you have this deep-fried or not, just to make it extra unhealthy!), poached egg, extra bacon if you want it, and another potato pancake on the bottom. This then comes with a little bit of sweet chilli jam, and hollandaise sauce (I choose to have it without the hollandaise as I’ve never really been a fan). It is delicious. I’ve had it so often in there that now when I sit down Nina (the owner) knows exactly what I want and how I like (right down to the crispy bacon (can’t be doing with flubby bacon – yuck!)). Mum sometimes has a Small Breakfast when we come down here, but often just has a very tasty (and very generous) bacon roll.
Subscribe below for more local recommendations, and exciting information about people and places across the North.
The café is dog friendly, both inside and out, so your pooches can come along for some breakfast or lunch with you. The café also does Fish & Chips on a Friday night which I am going to try sometime soon! The venue has also started branching out into one-off evenings (for example, they hosted an Indian Night in July), so keep an eye out for information about events and collaborations.
After you’ve finished breakfast, you can go for a wander down the quayside and have a look in the Lancaster Smokehouse shop, which as the name suggests has products from the actual smoke house found just down the road; everything from smoked haddock, to chicken, to cheese. There are also lots of other delicious things to be found in there like the famous Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimp in brown butter. I’m particularly partial to their conserves and jams, as well as their sweets and snack selection (they did some amazing salted caramel popcorn at Christmas last year that was soooo moreish – I had to stop myself from buying bags and bags of it! Luckily it was seasonal, so I can’t get hold of it at the moment…).
Every Lancastrian knows Brew. Or if they somehow don’t (there must be some very large rocks in the area if this is the case), they absolutely should. It’s the favourite coffee shop & café of at least one of your local friends, I can promise you that. As for myself, I can probably be found in Brew at least once a week, as I often use it as a meeting place, or as a place to work (in fact, I’m sitting in there right now as I write this… fittingly). The business opened in December 2018, and seemingly going from strength to strength, Brew has become a staple of local café culture.
Owned by Luiza Woods, you can find Brew at 18A Brock Street, nestled next to another female-owned independent business; the Northern Dye House (which encourages reusing clothing and giving pieces a new life), and opposite Arteria (a gallery and gift shop (also female owned)). From a personal perspective, one of the things that has always impressed me about Brew is the excellent service I have always had there – for example, the other day I was in with my mum and she wanted a shortbread of some kind, but it had been sitting next to a blondie with peanuts in it in the cabinet. My mum is allergic to peanuts; not to the point where if she breathes the same air a peanut has a wafted through it’ll be a problem, but if she eats one it definitely will be. Steven remembered this without me even thinking about it, and immediately found some of the shortbreads that had been in an airtight box and therefore not near the peanuts on display. It hadn’t even crossed my mind when I’d ordered it, but it had his, and he’d cared enough to do something about it. I was very impressed. It might only be something “small” but that sort of care makes a very positive impression.
Speaking to Luiza, she said that whilst Brew is thriving, running it hasn’t been without it’s difficulties to get it that way – within fifteen months of opening, the world went into lockdown with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fledgling business had to find (like so many others) new ways to reach customers, and to continue to offer their delicious products to Lancastrians who suddenly found their worlds an awful lot smaller, centered around their homes or essential places of work if they were still going out to. That was how Baked by Brew was born; with her mum, Luiza started making cakes and bakes so people could have delicious treats at home, or for special occasions, whilst unable to venture further afield to celebrate. It was the era of the viral cinnamon roll (ask anyone who lives on TikTok!), so the popularity of Baked by Brew soared as people sought tasty treats to enjoy.
The main café itself was also one of the first to open back up for coffee, as customers were able to queue whilst socially distancing outside and then take their coffees to Dalton Square, or to other public spaces, to enjoy it. This was a lucky draw due to the way Brew is laid out, with their coffee making/till facilities right near the door, so they were able to operate a sort of kiosk, without having customers enter the shop at a time when that was prohibited. This meant foot traffic to the café soared, as Lancastrians sought somewhere to go for a little change of scene, or that perk that had been part of daily life before lockdown changed everything.
Sadly, Baked by Brew ended as public offering in 2023 as more places opened back up and Luiza realised she wanted to concentrate more on the delicious food offering from the café itself, rather than stretching herself thin developing both. That’s not to say it disappeared entirely as the outfit still provides all the cakes for the café. The public facing side evolved, and Brew now offers catering for local businesses and bespoke events, baking and cooking at their offsite kitchen to provide tasty food (definitely not just cakes!) for lunches, conferences, and celebrations. This is definitely a growing side of the business, with new menus being introduced both in store, and for ordering, by chefs Maisie and Mark. On that note, an exciting new menu was launched on the 8th August 2025 which includes items such as Steak Eggs and Chimichurri, or the new Peach Pistachio Pavlova French Toast (sounds very yummy and I can’t wait to try!).
Other positive points about how Brew is run is they operate a “no managers” staff system. Yes, Luiza owns it, but you’ll see her putting in a shift in the kitchen/pot wash etc. as necessary, no one team member is set above the others, everyone has a role and responsibilities. As a result, they have a slow staff turnover, which is think is a positive marker of any business/team – do the staff actually like working there, and do they stay? They also serve North Star Coffee from Leeds, a brand that centres ethical sourcing and distribution of coffee beans as part of their business model (you can buy whole or ground coffee beans from Brew if you want their blend to make at home!).
After the new menu launch there will be more Coffee Events for people to attend in the evening, as well as workshops with local artisans (these are advertised in the shop or on their social media). As for me, I’ll be heading down again soon as it’s a place to have a great cup of coffee and some very tasty food…
If you liked this article and would like to receive more updates about local and regional happenings, please subscribe for free below to get weekly updates on fabulous things to do, people, places, events, and hidden secrets from around the North!
Brew have got a new French Toast on their specials menus and it’s seriously tasty! Apple and Sesame (although I had it without the Sesame Brittle as I can’t really eat that) French Toast. It wasn’t a problem to take that off and the remaining brioche with dried apple, toffee and apple sauce, and vanilla ice cream was DELICIOUS.
I should warn you though – get it before it’s gone as, speaking to the staff today, their words were “when it’s gone, it’s gone!” – and they expect that the special will be over after this weekend.
So get your runners on and get down to Brew to have a taste!
Did you know the North(Ish) Lass has Instagram? Well, I do!
If you have Instagram, give me a follow @thenorthishlass for lots of cool stories, photos of the beautiful north, and videos of things to do in Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, and Northumberland!
I also highlight lots of other Northern places, independent retailers, and events to check out.
Follow me @thenorthishlass on Instagram
Let me know your handle and I’ll check out your page!
Famous for it’s racecourse, fine dining, and of course, its Sticky Toffee Pudding, this little village on the edge of the Lake District is punching well above it’s weight when it comes to things to see and do, as well as being in a gorgeous natural location. I often like to go to Cartmel when I’ve been to Holker Hall (which is just down the road), to have a wander around the independent shops and cafes, or to have a moment’s quiet in the priory before enjoying an ice cream.
On a logistical note, when there race days are scheduled Cartmel gets very busy, and even on regular days parking is a bit of a struggle. If you’re very lucky, you might get parked in the middle of the village, but it is very limited. As a general rule, parking is on the racecourse, and visitors then walk into the village.
So, without further ado, here’s my things to do in Cartmel…
Visit The Priory
Cartmel Priory is over eight hundred years old. It was founded by William Marshal (sometimes known by the moniker of “The Greatest Knight”) in 1190 following his return from Crusade in the Holy Land. He gifted the land around the Priory to the monks situated there to provide for it’s upkeep.
One of the interesting things found in Cartmel Priory, despite them being installed at a later date, is some of the stained glass windows on the left hand side of the nave clearly make reference to Islamic style architecture, depicting a building akin to the Hagia Sofia. Whoever commissioned or made these windows must have either seen, or being inspired by, Near-Eastern architecture, as the image is unlike any building found in England at that time.
There are a couple of other curiosities to find in the Priory if you visit. Can you find them? Have a bit of a treasure hunt with the following list!
The gravestone with a “pirate ship-esque” skull-and-cross-bones inlaid on the surface.
The musket shot holes, in the outside of one of the doors, supposedly fired by angry Parliamentarians during the civil war of the 17th century, when they were denied entry to The Priory for provisions.
The knight’s tomb with the faded medieval image painted on the underside of the ceiling of the tomb (you have to crane your neck to see this one, this might give you a clue!).
The “Anglo-Saxon” cross in the graveyard, which is a monument to those who served during WW1.
The 16th century wooden misericords complete with 16th century graffiti carved in, assumedly left there by a bored choir boy centuries ago.
Have a pint in the Cavendish Arms
The Cavendish Arms sits next to the River Eea (how do you pronounce that? I tend to just go with “Uhhh” which is definitely not right!), and is a lovely spot to sit and have a drink on a warm summer’s day, and watch the water flow.
Personal aside – my grandfather had his retirement meal at the Cavendish Arms, back in the 1980s – as a joke his colleagues ordered him two of everything on the meat platter – two tomahawks, two racks of ribs, two sausages etc. etc. Not one to back down from a challenge, my grandad gamely ate it all. He thought it would be rude not too.
Now I wouldn’t try anything close to that, but the food at the pub is delicious, and a lovely place to sit and enjoy the day.
Check out the Independent Shops
Cartmel boasts several lovely independent shops, including a Vintage store (my favourite!), Unsworth Yard (a deli/wine shop/brewery), an antiquarian bookstore, and the Larch Tree (a gift/clothing/toy store).
I love going for a mooch around the Vintage store, because there’s some truly interesting things in there. It’s not just for vintage and preloved clothing, there’s also home goods, toys, antiques, and furniture, all higgledy-piggledy to have a rummage through and see what treasures can be found. In the past I’ve bought earrings and a 1940s dress from the store, and continue to love and use both!
Unsworth Yard deli does a lovely selection of local produce, including stocking all of the products of Cartmel Cheeses. Last time I was in there, a friend of mine bought some lovely relishes and sauces as a present.
Have an Ice Cream at Hales of Cartmel
Claiming to have the “largest selection of scooping ice creams,” Hales of Cartmel certainly has plenty of different flavours to choose from. Last time I went, I had a double scoop of salted caramel and peach melba… delicious!
However will you choose?!
You’ll notice – conspicuous by its absence – I haven’t mentioned L’Enclume or Rogan & Co. That isn’t for any reason other than that I’m going to do a separate post about the fine dining options in Cartmel.
What’s your favourite thing about Cartmel? Have you visited the beautiful village? What did you get up to?
If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more content like this, please subscribe below for a weekly email about exciting events and people across the region! Share this article with friends and family who also love our local area and the beauty of The North…
The Northish Lass: Building a Northern Network of great places, people, and products across the region. If you’d like to get in touch email bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk or follow/message on Instagram for more information!
Corbridge is a beautiful village just outside Hexham in Northumberland, that has been settled since the Roman period, and has impressive Roman ruins that can be explored (read Part Two for more information about the Roman History of the town). It’s also full of independent shops, and interesting historic buildings and architecture that I love to have a mooch around when I’m in the village.
My favourite way to a start a day in Corbridge is to have breakfast at Grant’s Bakery and Patisseriewhere you can get the most amazing cakes and pastries to either eat in or take away. Last time I was there, I had a croissant stuffed with ham and cheese with a béchamel sauce with a little bit of added Dijon mustard. It was seriously tasty. The parentals indulged in a Croque Monsieur each, and these weren’t the paltry portions you might get in a chain café somewhere – these were absolutely enormous and would definitely set you up for the the day to come! There is also a huge display cabinet of cakes and pastries, including the famous Northumberland Pasty! We bought three cakes to treat ourselves for later in the day, and these were beautifully wrapped up and boxed for us.
The only downside of the bakery and café is that there is no in-house toilet, but given there’s only about eight seats inside, perhaps they’re not required to provide them. Corbridge does have free public bathrooms just up the road from the bakery, but if you’re disabled it might be a bit of a trek to reach them.
Following breakfast, there’s some lovely independent shops to have a look around, include several fashion shops, a florist, and my personal two favourites – aVintage at the Tower, and Forum Books which conveniently are right next to each other. As someone who can’t have pierced ears, I love the vintage store, as they’re one of the only places I’ve found with a wide selection of clip-on earrings. I have bought many from their really cool vintage selection, from large costume jewellery designs, to more subtle goldwork. They also have preloved clothing along with vintage homewares, and other interesting assorted curiosities.
Just next door is my favourite shop in Corbridge – Forum Books. Inside a converted chapel building, it’s an independent bookstore that I just love to go and have a good browse whenever I’m in the town. The only thing that does sometimes get me is that they don’t separate by most genres through the fiction/non-fiction (there are some collections that are separate), but most are mixed together, organised by author. In a way, this is a clever way of doing things, because rather than being able to go straight for the history section, or just look at fantasy, you have to look through the whole shelf, potentially finding other authors and books that catch your eye along the way. It is a beautiful bookstore, and I love having a good mooch. If you need something specific, the friendly staff are incredibly helpful and will find out whether they have what you need, or order it in if they don’t. I have spent many a happy hour in there, browsing along the shelves. I got a book voucher for Christmas ’24 and literally started at one end of the shelves and made my way along them, looking for anything caught my eye. Since starting in Corbridge, Forum Books has expanded into two more locations – The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick, and the bound in Whitley Bay, so there’s other places to explore as well.
Stay tuned for Part Two of A Day Out in Corbridge where I look at all the amazing historical things there are to do in the town…
If you like this article and would like more information and articles about local events, small businesses, and other exciting things, SUBSCRIBE below for a free weekly email from The North(ish) Lass. Thank you!
