Cumbria Tourism is welcoming the return of England’s largest festival of history and culture this September, with dozens of free events taking place across the county as part of the annual ‘Heritage Open Days’ campaign. 


Heritage Open Days further delves into Cumbria’s cultural offering by opening up opportunities to highlight venues right across the county.  
Between September 6 and 15 visitors will be able to explore the wealth of arts, crafts, industry, and culture that have shaped and continue to influence Cumbrian communities today. 
Established in 1994 this year’s open days programme includes various guided tours taking participants behind the scenes of castles, churches, mills, mines, galleries and libraries.  
In addition to exploring indoor attractions, anyone can join a whole host of guided walks right across the county from the coastline to the fells, offering detail and insight into buildings, statues and artefacts that are passed en route.

Meanwhile, ranger walks will encourage and inspire visitors to be respectful and considerate of the precious ecosystem of Cumbria and the Lake District.
For many, a key highlight of the Heritage Open Days is the opportunity to explore some of the region’s most popular attractions for free. The National Trust, a key partner, offers complimentary entry into a host of its properties across Cumbria.

This also includes the opportunity to hop aboard the Steam Yacht Gondola on Coniston – a replica of a boat that has sailed on the Lake since 1860.

Certain events and attractions must be pre-booked.
Families are not forgotten either with an array of family friendly events including the likes of Tullie Mouse Garden Train, with free craft sessions and prizes on offer.
The campaign will further expand on existing work undertaken by Cumbria Tourism through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Westmorland & Furness Council to promote culture and heritage across the region.  
“Heritage Open Days shine a spotlight on the wonderfully varied history and culture of Cumbria,” said Gill Haigh, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, the county’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership. “Encouraging visitors to explore beyond the well-trodden paths is a key part of the Destination Management Plan and this festival provides many opportunities to do that.  
"Our separate Let’s Go Culture campaign has proved to be hugely important to the attraction economy for Westmorland & Furness, boosting tourism numbers by 15.84 per cent amongst participating venues in 2024 to date. The resulting media coverage has also provided a positive boost to the heritage and culture attractions with a reach of over eight million.”
Heritage Open Days listings can be found at www.heritageopendays.org.uk.

Bookings must be made ahead.

For further information on arts and culture events in Cumbria visit www.visitlakedistrict.com.