Christmas Shopping in the Lake District

We think it's never too early to think about Christmas shopping in the Lakes. And we have the perfect solution here at the Cedar Manor for all those who dread the annual ritual. If it's become a necessary evil to traipse around a shopping mall, then please stop for a moment. Take up our invitation, come and stay here, in the most beautiful corner of England, and spend some time exploring our lovely local towns. Because the Lake District is more than just hills and water. It's the people who live and work here, making and selling beautiful art and crafts. It's the curious buildings which have been converted into shops. It's the local traditions that will lure you in for books or maps or gin or gingerbread. And it's the ideal way to do your Christmas shopping with real pleasure.

Windermere and Bowness

Windermere and Bowness

We start our round-up of Christmas shopping in the Lakes right here on our doorstep, in the neighbouring towns of Windermere and Bowness. No need to think about car parking; just set off on foot from our front gate. Windermere is reached first, and is more like a working town than a tourist attraction. And a local business, still based here, has become a famous global brand and might be the perfect first calling place to do some Christmas shopping.

Lakeland is the closest you'll get in the Lakes to a department store, with everything you could possibly need for the home. Including all those things you didn't know you needed until now. But at Christmas time, alongside a vast array of ideas for gifts, you'll find everything you need to bake and decorate the cake. Baking tins, icing and marzipan, sprinkles and glitter - it's all here under one roof. And if you've dragged along an unwilling partner, send them upstairs to the delightful cafe while you go on the spending spree.

But there's lots of small independent shops in Windermere and Bowness. We love the paintings by our friend Thuline who has a gallery here in the town, and also runs art workshops occasionally. You probably know her dramatic pictures of animals, particularly cattle, close up, but she also does highly distinctive portraits and landscapes.

For gifts, especially posters but also anything from jewellery to socks, pop into the Northern Line shop. This is the perfect place to find a present for someone who loves the Lakes...but also for those who love cycling and other sports, as well as music.

And for the little people in your life, head into Bowness to The World of Peter Rabbit attraction and shop. Whatever age you are, you'll be drawn inside to meet Beatrix Potter's characters in a really magical setting, and the shop has exquisitely tasteful gifts. This is a really unusual place, because it's in the same building as The Old Laundry Theatre, and there's a delightful overlap when shows are on, or events for youngsters. And remember that Beatrix Potter was a pioneer conservationist. Here you'll find lots of ideas about how we can all do our best to help save the planet.

Ambleside

Ambleside

Take the bus from outside our garden gate for your next stop on the Christmas shopping in the Lakes expedition. Remember it's still only £2 for a ticket, which is a lot less than you'll pay to park (although if you want to make a quick visit, Ambleside has a very sensible disc parking system which allows one hour free parking. You can pick up a disc at any of the shops in town.)

Three of our favourite independent shops are close together on the block opposite the famous Bridge House. And while Ambleside has been known as the anorak capital of the UK for many years, Stewart Cunningham's shop has been here just as long. It's a fascinating place, a warren of little rooms leading on to one another, and the very best quality outdoor equipment from top to toe, hats to shoes, and everything in between. Christmas gifts for the adventure seekers in your life can be found here, with all the latest camping equipment, torches, compasses, hiking poles and much more.

Just a little further along you'll come to the Rattle Ghyll Deli. This started life as a tiny cafe around the corner next to the ghyll itself, then Alec and Claire moved on to this larger site to create an Aladdin's cave of gorgeous foodie treats. It's stocked full of beautiful produce, hand picked items with environmentally conscious packaging, locally sourced where possible, and not to be found everywhere.

There's fresh bread baked locally, and for the Christmas shopper there's a booze selection including fine champagnes, gins and rare whiskies. Whole-bean coffee, locally roasted, and ground on demand if necessary, along with chutneys, jams, and LOTS of chocolate, means you can tick off your entire shopping list in one go.

But for the specialist gin connoisseur, just around the corner on Compston Road is Kindred Spirits. Not only gin, but rum and whisky, vodka and brandy too, in fabulous gift sets or in refillable bottles and pouches. They also have a lovely range of glassware.

Back on the main street in Central Buildings is our favourite bookshop, Fred's. It's been here since 1956, founded by Fred Holdsworth who's now 93 and occasionally pops in to say hello. Back in the early days they sold music LPs on the top floor, but that's now a cosy reading area with a great range of children's books. The shop may be small, but the stock is extensive and fascinating, and the staff are really well informed.

Grasmere

Grasmere

Next stop for your Christmas shopping in the Lakes is the pretty village of Grasmere, at the head of the beautiful lake of the same name. There are car parks at each end of the town, and very limited, time-restricted on-street parking, but the bus stops here too, of course. And it stops right outside the iconic Heaton Cooper Studio. It's possible to spend several hours here, browsing throught the range of wonderful fine art prints by members of the Heaton Cooper family, Alfred and William and Julian. There are original paintings as well, and a gallery with visiting exhibitions. Currently there's a show of work by Cumbrian artist Stefan Orlowski, whose work will surprise and astonish.

There's very tasteful gifts for the home, lots of decorative ideas, and a good range of books. And here too is the fabulous Mathildes cafe, serving Scandinavian-inspired food throughout the day. This week we tested their amazing beetroot and feta tart which, sadly, meant there was no room for cake, so we will have to go back. Very soon.

Across the village green you'll find one of the Herdy shops, a local business now very well established with several outlets and a good online store as well. It features the easily-identifiable Herdwick sheep character, and you can find his face on everything from household items, clothing, bags and accessories, and even pillows and mattresses. Really good quality items. And of course, a seasonal attraction with some lovely Christmas decorations.

And it wouldn't be Grasmere without a visit to Sarah Nelson's world famous Gingerbread shop. It was founded back in 1854 by creator and cook Sarah at her home in Church Cottage, which is now the tiny shop, just by the church gates. It's not only gingerbread these days, either. There are gift hampers including Rum Butter, and for this time of the year, Sarah Nelson's Christmas puddings.

Keswick

Keswick

And so to our most northerly stop for Christmas shopping in the Lakes. And once again, you can do this by bus, all the way from our gate, so you can turn this into a much greener shopping expedition and save yourself petrol and parking fees.

Keswick is full of life, and even more so on Thursdays and Saturdays when the town market is held. It takes over the entire main street below the Moot Hall, and alongside a wide range of locally produced food, including meat and fish, jams and chutneys, cakes and desserts, you can meet the producers at the heart of their community. You can admire, and buy, the work of talented artists – crafts, jewellery and other handmade gifts, and unusual clothing and accessories.

Not far away you'll find the Keswick Cheese Deli, a paradise for cheese lovers, and especially the range of Cumbrian offerings to be found here. This includes local cheese makers at Thornby Moor Farm in Wigton, award winning Appleby Creamery in The Eden Valley and The Lake District Cheese Company from Aspatria. The shop has wine and fine foods, gifts, and Cheese Gift Hampers.

But if you're looking for a gift that will last for ever, try the gorgeous Fulton's jewellers. They are independent handmade jewellery designers and experts in creating fine diamond set and gem set pieces. And there's an added novelty here; the Bench Cafe at the front of the jewellery works is named after the specially shaped bench a master jeweller uses to perfect your favourite pieces of fine jewellery. You can see the fascinating journey of their jewellery from start to finish on the cafe screens while you're drinking coffee and eating cake.

And finally, an iconic shop that's been on the main street in Keswick since 1927, Ye Olde Friars. This is the chocolate shop with a difference, with heritage chocolates, boxes for different seasons, all beautifully packed, and of course a fantastic range of Christmas chocolate boxes, hampers, sweets and advent calendars.

Next month we'll be looking at some of the special Christmas fairs and markets around the Lake District.