Hunters Kendal covers the whole Kendal area, and with us being just 8 miles from Windermere we also cover the Lake District National Park as far as Ambleside and Coniston. To the south we cover the towns of Milnthorpe, Storth, Sedbergh, Levens and as far as Grange over Sands.
Property Market
Property prices in the South Lakes area are amongst the highest in Cumbria, this is partly due to the excellent commuter links to the M6, the mainline Glasgow to London rail service network and because of its proximity to the Lake District National Park and the beautiful towns extending into the Furness Peninsula that ensures buyer demand is high.
Education
The area has a large number of successful state and independent schools such as Heron Hill Primary, Ghyllside Primary, Settlebeck School, Kirkby Stephen Grammar, Dallam School in Milnthorpe, Windermere School, and Sedbergh to name but a few. The Kendal area also provides excellent educational provision for pupils with additional needs at Sandgate School and The Appletree School.
Kendal College offers education opportunities from school leavers, apprenticeships, degree level courses and a range of adult education courses.
Restaurants, Bars and Cafes
Kendal has been voted one of the best places to live in the UK, and it is not difficult to see why. The local area has so much to offer with fine foods, indoor and outdoor activities, breath taking scenery, and plenty of places to kick back and enjoy yourself-it is hard to know where to begin!
The town could be easily classified as a ‘foodies paradise’ as there is so much variety to suit all palates. A good place to start would be to wander the streets taking in all the independent cafes and artisan bakers that offer the perfect stop for some local cakes, a cup of something hot, and a spot of people watching; ‘Ginger Bakers’ is a popular spot to enjoy a range of traditional ginger cakes and slices, along with a wide range of non-ginger products and a gluten free range, the ‘Lovingly Artisan’ bakery is also well worth a visit along with a trip to The Elephant Yard Shopping Centre for some legendary macrons from Al Strong. If something stronger is more your style, why not pop in to ‘The little Gin Shop’ that offers gins distilled in the Lake District alongside a good range from across the globe, why not also spend some time checking out the micro-breweries lovingly hand crafting beers at the Fell Brewery, Bowness Bay Brewing, and Chadwick’s Brewery.
The town and surrounding area have plenty of pubs that are family friendly or others suited to a more adult night out, ranging from old traditional country pubs to pubs offering jam nights, reggae nights, folk music, through to electronica, there is also a good selection of newer modern bars serving up the best cocktails the Lake District has to offer. The town also has a thriving live music scene with The Brewery Arts Centre serving up live music, theatre productions, film screenings, food and drink.
The Town
Kendal serves as one of the main shopping locations for the region, Wainwrights Yard is an award-winning custom-designed shopping area in the heart of Kendal, Westmoreland Shopping centre offers a modern ‘indoor’ shopping centre experience. A lovely little street just off the marketplace, New Shambles, is a hidden gem of locally owned, independent stores.
Kendal’s Cultural Quarter is located in the Kirkland and Highgate area, there are antique shops, a well-respected art shop, the parish church and a good selection of independent specialist shops.
Twice a week, Stramongate is host to a fruit and vegetable market offering excellent fresh produce.
Facilities
The town is served with great facilities at Kendal Leisure Centre, the complex includes a swimming pool, a state-of-the-art gym, a mixed-use sports hall, and a 900-seat theatre; so definitely something for everyone. The area also boasts three golf courses, including one with a dedicated driving range to perfect your swing.
The River Kent has an imposing presence through the town, and you can walk the riverbank paths from one end of the town to the other. Places to stop along the way are the Abbot Hall, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, and Abbot Hall Park (that were the original gardens for the hall), which are open to the public. Gooseholme Park is one of Kendal’s most popular green spaces along the riverbank, and is just a stones throw from the town centre across the bridge.
Attractions
Noble’s Rest and Maudes Meadow are extensive gardens near the centre of Kendal that date back to 1776 and are a popular lunchtime spot for the town’s workers, further afield in Levens, the Hall and Gardens is a wonderful example of Elizabethan life.
Bowling Fell is the site of Kendal’s first castle, and the remains of the motte and bailey (known as Castle Howe) make a great place to visit. An obelisk was placed on the site to commemorate the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and is well worth the short trek up to the monument as it offers spectacular views.
With so much going on, it is not surprising that so many people rely on Kendal mint cake to provide a boost!
The Quaker Tapestry museum displays an interesting look at the influence of the Quaker movement on the modern world through the medium of textiles, and the Kendal museum has plenty of exhibits to occupy the most inquisitive of minds, both venues are well worth a visit.
