With so much going on across the county, we have picked out 5 top things to do to help you celebrate the milestones of November.
1. Bonfires and fireworks
We are looking forward to celebrating bonfire night early this year, as we are attending a special Guy Fawkes Night at Beech Hill Hotel on the shores of Windermere on Saturday, 2 November. The evening begins with a cosy glass of mulled cider in from of the braziers before a three-course dinner in their Burlington’s Restaurant, a traditional bonfire fayre with a twist! and the evening is rounded off in bonfire night tradition with a grand firework display over the Lake. If you’d like to join us, check out the Beech Hill website
Lowther Castle – 2 & 3 November following the success of last year’s firework specacular, Lowther Castle have two nights of amazing pyrotechnics. This year, their event will feature fire displays throughout the garden and a showstopping routine of sky-high explosions as a climax to the evening. Fun for all members of the family.
Bitts Park – 2 November the traditional place to celebrate bonfire night in North Cumbria. This year’s Bitts Park Fireshow is set to be another sparkling Carlisle event not to be missed. Following a bonfire, more than 2,000 spectacular sparkling fireworks will light up the night sky. This will be the 32nd Fireshow event staged by Carlisle City Council. Pre-entertainment will start at 6.30pm and the Bitts Park bonfire lit at 7pm. A fairground will be open between 5pm and 9pm on Castle car park (formerly known as Devonshire Walk car park). Carlisle City Council expect more than 35,000 people are expected to attend this year!
2. Learn to bake brownies and be a barista – 9 November
Have you ever wondered how your barista makes those amazing images out of froth on your latte? Why doesn’t your coffee taste as good when you make it at home? And how do you bake the perfect brownie? Well now you can find out as the Ginfer Bakers and Rinaldo’s Coffee have joined forces to run a day-long workshop on Saturday, 9 November.
- Find out more on cumbria24
3. Christmas Carol opens the festive theatre season
The new cast is already in Cumbria rehearsing Theatre by the Lake’s festive production A Christmas Carol which will open at the theatre in Keswick on 22 November.
And at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, an alternative to the Dicken’s story – ‘Breaking with tradition – The Lock In Christmas Carol’ on November 22
Also at the Brewery, we are looking forward to reviewing Countydown’s Susie Dent’s show on bonfire night, 5 November, 8pm.
- For more information about Theatre by the Lake, productions visit their website
- For more information about Brewery Arts Centre visit their website
4. Take a drive back in time at Honister Slate Mines – 9 November
The oldest working slate mine is right here in Cumbria, in the heart of the Lake District at Honister. And for
- Find out more about the event taking place on Saturday, 9 November on cumbria24
5. Discover the dark skies of Cumbria – 23-30 November
You can become a volunteer and discover more about the dar skies above Cumbria this month. Friends of the Lake District is looking for volunteers to help find out how dark Cumbria’s skies are, and where they could be better, to determine where a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ could be created in Cumbria.
Cumbria has some of the darkest skies in the country, where people are still able to see the spectacular natural wonders of the stars above. Friends of the Lake District is leading work to gain internationally recognised Dark Skies Reserve status in Cumbria, to help protect this darkness.
Dark Skies officer Johanna Korndorfer says: “We want to ascertain just how good our dark skies are, as well as where they could be better. This will help determine where we can create a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ within Cumbria.
“Committed volunteers are needed to take dark sky meter readings in five different places around the county. We’ll pick areas closest to where you live and train you on how to use the meter readers and when to take the readings. The data will then be added to our evolving map of dark sky readings.
“Volunteers will go out and take meter readings in pairs, which is safer and more fun. The first round of readings will be taken between 23 – 30 November, when the skies are darkest at the time of no moonlight.”
- To volunteer, contact Johanna at info@fld.org.uk. Training will take place in mid-November.
- For more information about the Dark Skies Cumbria project, seewww.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/dark-skies
There are many more activities going on this November in Cumbria, and if you’d like us to share your event, please tag us into your social media posts and we will re-share. Also, we welcome previews and reviews of events – please email us your articles (original copy only for cumbria24).
