Welcome to Orton in Cumbria
Orton Farmers Market in Cumbria is held in the centre of Orton village - a tranquil, attractive (and award winning) village that nestles in the heart of Eden.
Orton village won the Cumbria Countryside Award in 2003 and was named Cumbria's Village of the Year in 2004
Not bad for a village of 261 folk!
To find us:
Despite its remote location, Orton is easy to get to. It is only 2 miles off the M6 motorway (junction 38). 17 miles north of Kendal and only 40 minutes leisurely drive from Ullswater or Derwentwater in the heart of the Lake District. To view a map simply click here Map
The scenery is outstanding:
Orton lies at the foot of Orton Scar, which is one of the few remaining limestone plateaux in the country, and the Howgill Fells - a distinctive cluster of hills that marks the boundary between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. There is plenty to see and do in the village and surrounding area:
For food lovers:
As well as the monthly farmers market, Orton is the home of Kennedy's Fine Chocolates. (www.kennedys-chocolates.co.uk) You can watch the hand-made production; have coffee, cake and homemade ice cream in the coffee shop. And have your own chocolate selection made up into a presentation box to take home or send to a friend. Orton is also home to a traditional Village Tea Room .Listed in Les Routiers guide. Everything home made on the premises.
For walkers:
"The Howgill Fells are particularly distinctive. They are sleek and smooth, looking, at a distance, like velvet curtains in sunlight, like silken drapes at sunset; they are steep sided but gently domed, and beautiful in a way that few hilly areas are. Their soaring and sweeping lines are not interrupted by walls or fences, giving a splendid upland expanse of 'free range walking'" (A.W.Wainwright) You can buy your ordnance survey maps on-line from The Westmorland Gazette (www.shoppersworld.co.uk)
For families:
Eden Ostrich World, Rheged Discovery Centre, and a host of other family attractions are within 15-mile radius of Orton. For full details of things to see and do in the area visit the official Eden website or Cumbria Tourist Board (www.cumbria-the-lake-district.co.uk)
For Craftsmanship:
In Orton village you can visit Orton galleries where Peter and Andrew make hand-crafted musical instruments at Mad Monks Music.Throughout the Eden Valley you can find blacksmiths, wood turners, potters, watercolorists, and cabinet makers - workshops where traditional methods are valued and maintained. You can get more information from Cumbria Tourist Board.
For couch potatoes:
To enjoy the beauty of Orton from the comfort of your own sofa you can watch 'Orton - A Year in the Life of a Westmorland Community' A 60-minute video film on the beauty and life of the area. Available from Orton Stores and Post Office for £11 plus post and packing
Accommodation:
We have accommodation in the village to suit different tastes and pockets.
The Westmorland Hotel
Barn House bed and breakfast
Primrose Cottage bed and breakfast
Shap Wells Hotel
Orton Hall Holiday Apartments
The George Hotel
Chapelbeck self-catering cottage (with facilties for disabled visitors)
Or at nearby Maulds Meaburn, a real hidden gem of a village, you can have B&B or rent self-catering accommodation at Meaburn Hill Farmhouse.
Annie Kindleysides, the landlady, is the overall winnner of the top twenty AA Landlady of the Year competition 2004 - This coveted award is presented to an individual in recognition of the vital role played by landladies (and gentlemen) in the hospitality industry. It is awarded as a celebration of their hard work, good humour and dedication to making your stay both pleasant and memorable. Peter Birnie, Chief Hotel Inspector for the AA, says: "Annie is a caring and attentive host with great hospitality. She makes any guests feel extremely welcome and their stay very special. Wherever possible Annie uses local or home grown produce which is probably why she is known for cooking one of the best breakfasts in England."
17 miles away in Kendal, the Stonecross Manor Hotel will also delight supporters of locally-produced food. The owners, Anne MacLean and Philip Tamme, are determined to champion the local food cause and have drawn up an a la carte menu that draws inspiration from traditional Cumbrian recipes and from the county's speciality and seasonal ingredients.
And finally for those who just fall in love with the place and can't bear to leave On the rare occasion that houses are offered for sale in the village you can usually find them at PFK estate agency.
