From Britain with Love

Kendal is in south-west Cumbria, just a mile outside the Lake District National Park and within easy reach of the Yorkshire Dales National Park too.

Kendal has so much to offer... A bustling arts venue, leisurely walks by the river or on the surrounding fells, great bars, cafes and restaurants, historical sites such as Kendal Castle (once home to Henry VIII’s sixth wife Catherine Parr), museums, art galleries and more.

Perhaps most famously, the town is known for Kendal Mint Cake which accompanied explorers on the first successful ascent of Everest. The Farrer’s Coffee Shop is also a favourite with many visitors, as is The Famous 1657 Chocolate House (pictured). Kendal has lots of interesting shops from small, traditional retailers to high street names. Also, the K Village retail outlet on the edge of town re-opened in 2010 following a £100m investment into its redevelopment.

Kendal has a weekly market and a monthly farmers’ market. There are also some great farm shops in the area including Peter Gott’s Sillfield Farm Shop (Jamie Oliver has often sung the praises of his rare breed pigs), Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop (pictured) with its award-winning cheeses, and Plumgarths Farm Shop with rare breed Saddleback pigs and farm veal from Heaves. If dining out, head to the New Moon Restaurant, Bridge Street Restaurant or Déjà Vu, or if eating in we recommend cosying up with a bottle of wine and a takeaway from the excellent Chang Thai.

OK, so we’re a little biased but please take a look at KendalCottages.com. This new venture offers luxurious riverside apartment accommodation on a self-catering basis. We think you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better in the town centre - the view from the private balcony down the River Kent and to Kendal Castle beyond is superb.

We're also thrilled that the apartment recently fought off competition from more than 45,000 holiday homes across the world to be judged the Overall Winner in HolidayLettings.co.uk's 2011 Hall of Fame.

Wander up to Kendal Castle and enjoy the view of the town and the Lakeland fells beyond. Head for the Brewery Arts Centre and take in one of the events on offer there – there’s everything from comedy to music, and a lot more inbetween.

Kendal has a great programme of events. Time your visit to coincide with Mintfest and the Kendal Torchlight Carnival which both take place in September, the Kendal Festival of Food in October, or the Kendal Mountain Film Festival in November. If you’re staying at Kendal Cottages, consider going for Guy Fawkes or New Year and, weather permitting, you’ll be in for a treat with one of the best views of the fireworks displays over Kendal Castle.