Ewan Wishart

The Daffodil Hotel & Spa in Grasmere has reported a surge in bookings ahead of the 2027 Tour de France, with only a few rooms remaining for the event weekend. The race’s second stage will pass directly outside the hotel on July 3 as it travels from Keswick through the Lake District to Liverpool. The hotel is offering a two-night package including breakfast, a dinner allowance and spa access, while road restrictions are expected during the event.

TripAdvisor reviews identify five highly rated pubs and pub-style bars in the Lake District: The Round and The Pheasant Inn in Keswick, Golden Rule in Ambleside, and Hole in t' Wall and Bowness Tap Rooms in Bowness-on-Windermere. The venues are praised for their welcoming staff, food, traditional character, real ales, craft beer and lively atmospheres, although The Round attracts some complaints about slower service during busy periods.

Two sisters from Windermere have launched The Sondering, the UK's first festival focused on death, dying and grief. The not‑for‑profit event will combine music, arts, talks and rituals, including coffin weaving, eulogy workshops and a re‑created coffin route walk from Rydal Farm to St Oswald’s church in Grasmere. Inspired in part by Camilla Minden’s experience with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the festival aims to make discussions of mortality more open and accessible. Running from September 18–21, it will include performances, workshops and outdoor activities, with capacity for 300 attendees.