Happy New Year from the Lake District. 2019 is set to be a bumper year for tourism in the National Park with large crowds expected so perhaps consider booking a break for January this year. The first month of the year is typically one of the quietest in terms of numbers of visitors and it is also one of the cheapest times to visit, with many hotels offering significant discounts, especially when booked mid-week. Despite visitor numbers being low, however, there are still a good number of events taking place this month.

January At Lowther Castle, Penrith

January 2019 at Lowther Castle

This month there are several events taking place at Lowther Castle. Throughout the month, the castle will have Turner’s painting of Lowther Castle on display. The painting was created in 1809 during a visit by Turner to the area. The castle’s Winter Pom-Pom trail continues during January. Visitors are invited to find all ten pom-poms hidden in the castle’s grounds with a prize for those who complete the task.

On the 3rd of January, young scientists are invited to attend an interactive science workshop at the castle performed by the Science Booth. The 60-minute workshop is ideal for children aged 5 and up and costs £11, which includes entry to the castle. On the 4th of January, story-teller, Ian Douglas, will be enthralling visitors with special story-telling sessions with each session costing £2 in addition to your entry fee.

  • Date: Throughout January
  • Time: Winter opening hours are 10am to 4pm (last entry 3pm)
  • Cost: General Entry- Adults £9, Children 3-15 years £7, Children under 3 Free
  • Tickets / More Information: lowthercastle.org

January At Baha, Bowness-On-Windermere

January 2019 at Baha in Windermere

Baha is Bowness-On-Windermere’s newest music venue and combines live music with contemporary food and a chilled atmosphere. This month the venue has a number of events, starting on New Year’s Day with a performance by blues, folk, and rock artist Adrian Ventura.

There will be several live music nights throughout the month from rising and local stars. There will also be three DJ nights featuring celebrated DJs from across the region.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Forum, Barrow-In-Furness

Snow White at the Forum in Barrow

He’s behind you! January is of course panto season and at the Forum in Barrow-In-Furness you can see a hilarious re-telling of the classic tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starring Aleksandar Mileusnic from 2018’s Britain’s Got Talent as the Prince.

The North Lakes New Year Half Marathon, Lorton Valley

The North Lakes New Year Half Marathon in Lorton

After the popularity of the inaugural event last year, the North Lakes New Year Half Marathon returns once more to the picturesque Lorton Valley. Don’t let the Lake District location put you off, the course is generally quite gentle with no major hills.

The race begins and ends at Grayson's Guest House on the outskirts of Cockermouth and will take runners to the heart of the Lorton Valley near Crummock Water. This is a charity race that will raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Food and drink will be available to purchase after the race at Grayson's Guest House and every competitor will receive a memento.

  • Date: Sunday, 6th January, 2019
  • Time: Registration 8am to 9.30am; Race starts 10am
  • Cost: £20
  • Tickets / More Information: thenorthlakeshalfmarathon.co.uk

YHA Borrowdale King Of The Castle 2019, Near Keswick

YHA Borrowdale King of the Castle 2019

A few years ago staff at the Borrowdale Youth Hostel had a somewhat heated discussion about who could reach the summit of Castle Crag (the nearest hill to the hostel) the fastest. From that debate a new fell race was born, and the King of the Castle race is now widely considered the unofficial start to the fell racing season.

The event takes the form of a time trial with competitors lining up at the hostel and then leaving one at a time to reach the top. New for this year, the hostel have arranged live event timing with Fabian4. Competitors are rewarded with a healthy dose of cake at the end.

Sprit Of The Cracker Packers, The Old Fire Station, Carlisle

Sprit of the Cracker Packers at the Old Fire Station

Carlisle might be best known as the border town that was once at the forefront of battles between Scotland and England, but it also has a long history of biscuit and cracker making, being home to the McVities factory. A new statue was recently unveiled outside the factory celebrating the women who have worked there and this exhibition takes a closer look at the women who inspired the statue, providing an opportunity to learn more about what life was like inside the factory during the last century.

  • Date: 8th January to 27th January, 2019
  • Time: Open 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday & 12 to 4pm on Sundays
  • Cost: Free
  • Tickets / More Information: oldfirestation.carlisle.city

The Great Kirkgate Quiz, The Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth

Great Kirkgate Quiz in January 2019

The Kirkgate Centre is once more hosting its ever popular quiz night this January in order to raise funds to help restore the centre and support its ability to host fabulous arts events. The quiz will feature multiple rounds with multi-media input. The event is usually very popular so it’s best to book your tickets in advance.

  • Date: Friday, 11th January, 2019
  • Time: 8pm
  • Cost: £6
  • Tickets / More Information: kirkgatearts.org.uk

The Magic of Vienna - The Adam Summerhayes Orchestra with Ana Maria Rincon, Coronation Hall, Ulverston

Magic of Vienna in Ulverston January 2019

Start the new year in style with this fabulous performance of Viennese ballroom music performed by violinist Adam Summerhayes, accompanied by his orchestra and soprano singer, Ana Maria Rincon. The concert will feature performances of waltzes, such as the Blue Danube, the Skater’s Waltz and Waltz of the Flowers, along with other pieces such as Brahms’ Hungarian Dance and Strauss’ Radetzky March.

Further Explorations In The Prelude 1805, Wordsworth Museum, Grasmere

Prelude 1805

Leading expert on the Wordsworths and former president of the Wordsworth Trust, Pamela Woof, will be leading a series of classes in 2019 examining Wordsworth’s autobiographical masterpiece, The Prelude at the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere.

The classes will look at how Wordsworth changed from a young man of 22 who strove for action to make the world a better place, to the 34 year old who wrote The Prelude and who had settled on a life of poetry. The classes are suitable to anyone, including those who are new to the poem, with some copies available during the class. There is no requirement to attend all of the classes which take place at various times in 2019.

  • Date: Wednesday, 16th January, 2019
  • Time: 2.15pm to 4pm
  • Cost: £10
  • Tickets / More Information: wordsworth.org.uk

One Day I’ll Fly Away, Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven

One Day I'll Fly Away at Rosehill Theatre January 2019

Performed by the Rosehill Players, One Day I’ll Fly Away is a heart-warming tale of two women who seem to be on the surface fundamentally different, but who manage to forge a beautiful friendship. The play is set in a respite home and explores some of the issues that face so many of us, including loneliness, dementia, and drug addiction. Bittersweet, the play will have you bringing out the hankies with a smile.

  • Date: Wednesday, 16th January to Saturday, 19th January, 2019
  • Time: 7.30pm
  • Cost: Adults £10, Concessions £5
  • Tickets / More Information: rosehilltheatre.co.uk

A Design Lineage: The Rusland Movement, Blackwell The Arts & Crafts House, Bowness-On-Windermere

Design Lineage at Blackwell

The Rusland Movement are a present day group of craftsmen and women who draw inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement and from nature to create bespoke and beautiful items of furniture. The group are all based in Cumbria and during this exhibition many of their pieces will be placed around Blackwell House.

The exhibition will also explain how modern artists create such items that are destined to become family heirlooms. Some of the items on display will also be for sale, giving you the opportunity to produce a unique item of furniture to cherish for years to come.

  • Date: The exhibition starts on the 18th January, 2019 and runs until June 2019
  • Time: Winter opening hours are 10.30am to 4pm
  • Cost: Adults £8.80, Children 6-16 years by donation, Children under 5 go free
  • Tickets / More Information: blackwell.org.uk

Sport In Action Carlisle Resolution 5K & 10K, Carlisle Racecourse

Sport in Action at Carlisle Racecourse

Start your January fitness regime with a challenge and sign up for a 5K or 10K race beginning at Carlisle Racecourse this month. Favoured by many of the amateur running clubs in the area, this event is likely to book up quickly and advanced booking is highly recommended. The races take place on quiet roads with gentle inclines and declines and as well as a 5K and 10K race for adults there is a 5K race for juniors aged 11-15 years.

  • Date: Sunday, 20th January, 2019
  • Time: Registration 10am to 11.30am; Safety Briefing 11.35am; Race Start Times- Junior 5K 11.45am, 5K 11.55am, 10K 12pm
  • Cost: £7 to £15
  • Tickets / More Information: sportinaction.co.uk

Michael Portillo, Carnegie Theatre, Workington

Michael Portillo at Carnegie Theatre

Michael Portillo is a colourful character who is probably best remembered for dramatically losing a Conservative party “safe seat” during the 1997 election. Portillo, once a darling of the Conservative party, returned again to politics in 1999 before leaving all together in 2005. Since then he has reinvented himself as a journalist and broadcaster, using his passion for steam trains to create various documentaries exploring the railways of the world.

He is currently touring the UK and will be visiting Workington this January where the audience will be able to hear his story and ask him questions about his career. A book signing will follow the show. The price of the ticket includes a pre-show meal and a restoration levy for the historic theatre.

Songhoy Blues, The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

Songhoy Blues at the Brewery Arts Centre

Songhoy Blues are a band from Mali that create a fusion of blues, rock, and reggae to produce a powerful and inspiring sound. They are one of the biggest bands to come out of Africa and were formed in 2012 when three of the musicians met after fleeing Islamist violence in their home region where music was banned. Their second album is called Resistance in reference to their history as a band. They will be performing live in Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre this January.

Cinderella, Coronation Hall, Ulverston

Cinderella at Coronation Hall in Ulverston Jan 2019

Panto season continues this January at the Coronation Hall in Ulverston, where the Ulverston Pantomime Society will be performing their rendition of Cinderella. Will Cinders make it to the ball? And, will the Prince be able to see through the nefarious ways of the ugly sisters and find his one true love? Find out this month during this hilarious adaptation.

  • Date: 23rd to 26th January, 2019
  • Time: 7pm on 23rd – 25th January and 1.30pm and 4pm on the 26th January
  • Cost: Adults £12, Children £10, Family £40
  • Tickets / More Information: corohall.co.uk/ulverston-pantomime-cinderella

Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club Ft Smoove & Turrell, The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

 CraigCharles Funk & Soul Club Ft Smoove & Turrell

BBC Radio 6 Music DJ and former crew member of Red Dwarf, Craig Charles, is bringing his radio show, Funk and Soul, to the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal this January. The radio show is seen as the most important show for emerging artists in the funk and soul genre and for the night at the Brewery Centre Charles is teaming up with Newcastle based soul group Smoove & Turrell. It will be a night to remember.

  • Date: Friday, 25th January, 2019
  • Time: Doors open 8pm
  • Cost: £15.50 to £22.50
  • Tickets / More Information: breweryarts.co.uk

Burns Night Whisky Supper, The Lakes Distillery, Bassenthwaite

Burns Night Whisky Supper at the Lakes Distillery

Whisky is an essential element of any Burns Night celebration so what better place to celebrate Burns Night than in a whisky distillery? The Lakes Distillery is hosting a special Burns Night evening with supper and tutored whisky tastings. Advanced booking is essential with a deposit required.

Kendal Model Railway Exhibition, Kendal Leisure Centre

Kendal Model Railway Exhibition at the Kendal Leisure Centre

For over 50 years the Kendal Model Railway Club have been inviting enthusiasts of model railways to an exhibition in the town. This year, there will a dozen layouts inspired by real life railways, including those from Cumbria, Wales, Scotland, and several from around England.

There will also be several traders in attendance enabling visitors to add to their own personal collections and a number of model railway societies will also be present. This year, all visitors to the exhibition will receive a free pass to the leisure centre for the day.

  • Date: Saturday, 26th & Sunday, 27th January, 2019
  • Time: 10am to 5pm (4pm on Sunday)
  • Cost: Adults £6, Children 6-16 years £3, Children under 5 go free
  • Tickets / More Information: kendalmrc.org/exhibition.html

Cockermouth Harmonic Society’s Burns Night Concert, United Reform Church, Cockermouth

Cockermouth Harmonic Society: Burns Night Concert

Burns Night is widely celebrated in Cumbria where there are many people who have links to Scotland. This year marks 260 years since the birth of Robert Burns and to celebrate the Cockermouth Harmonic Society will be performing some musical settings of several of Burn’s poems. Afterwards there will be a traditional Burns Night supper, the cost of which is included in the ticket which must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased from Billy Bowman’s music shop in Cockermouth.

  • Date: Saturday, 26th January, 2019
  • Time: 7.30pm (4pm on Sunday)
  • Cost: £18
  • Tickets / More Information: cockermouthharmonic.org.uk

Wedding Fayre, North Lakes Hotel & Spa, Penrith

Wedding Fayre at the North Lakes Hotel & Spa in Jan 2019

Did you get engaged over the Christmas holidays? Looking for that perfect wedding venue? Why not pop along to the North Lakes Hotel in Penrith this January where, as part of their wedding fayre, the hotel will be fully dressed for a wedding. Thirty local suppliers specialising in those extra touches will be attending and there is a catwalk show where you can see some of the latest fashions in wedding attire. Admission is free and there is a complimentary drink on arrival.