Why go now: The Cumbria and Lake District Food and Drink Festival kicks off this weekend and runs until 8 May. Around 60 of the county's hotels, pubs, restaurants and farm shops will be putting on special events to promote local produce. For details of culinary events taking place, go to www.cumbriafoodfestival.net.

Where to stay: The Samling (Ambleside Road, 015394 31922; www.thesamling.com) on the north-eastern shore of Lake Windermere recently scooped the Best Hotel prize in the Enjoy England Excellence awards. With just 11 bedrooms, an outdoor hot tub and views of the lake, it's an intimate and luxurious retreat. Doubles from £175 per night.

Where to eat: The Samling's restaurant won its first Michelin star earlier this year for its contemporary cuisine and will be offering a special gourmand menu (seven courses for £60) every night throughout the festival using local produce such as Herdwick lamb from Borrowdale. For a more eclectic use of local ingredients in Windermere, check out Kwelas (015394 44954; www.kwelas.co.uk), a modern African restaurant, where you can sample main courses such as traditional South African bobotie (curried lamb mince served with egg custard, almonds and rice).

What to do: Once you've sampled the festival's brewery tours, bread-making demonstrations, food tastings and farmers' markets, you'll need a bracing walk to burn off some calories. Pick up a copy of the excellent A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. First published by the fellwalker and artist Alfred Wainwright in 1955, his series of guides has been reprinted in a special 50th anniversary edition with pages reproduced from the author's original handwritten pages and maps.

· They are published by Frances Lincoln for £11.99