If you're a regular around here, hopefully you've picked up on the fact that I love the outdoors, and exploring small towns in my region, but I still feel like I could be doing more to champion the North. We're known for cups of tea, Yorkshire puddings, farming, factories, and some of the best accents going. I'm making it my duty to see and share more of my part of the world; to tell you what's up. 

I'll start the series with the place I have known and loved the longest: Kendal, Cumbria. For a big chunk of my life, my parents owned a house in the town, with the dream of one day moving for good, so I feel like I was almost brought up here.

I have fond memories of buying mini bags of Butterkist popcorn and jelly monsters from the sweet stall on the outdoor market, of inspecting homemade mint jelly and local honey on the indoor. I remember spotting trout in the river, and crying when I ordered a teacake for breakfast in Bumble's tearoom. I had expected a sweet, marshmallow, Tunnock's teacake, not a bit of fruity bread!

Whilst the town is relatively small and quaint, it embraces modern changes and has some of the best shopping in The Lakes. It seems a bit naughty to talk about shops when Kendal is based in an area of breathtaking countryside, but it's handy to know that you can reward yourself with retail therapy after tackling a tough old trek. Clothes shops range from posh little boutiques to a big Topshop, and the streets are peppered with independent eateries and craft shops, so there's always something to fill your bag, tummy, and wardrobe.

If you do fancy broadening your horizons rather than narrowing your purse, head to Kendal Museum to see their famous dodo, take in a show at the Brewery Arts Centre, or drive a little out of town to Sizergh Castle and Sizergh Low Barn for woodland walks and farm shop treats. Drive twenty minutes over to Milnthorpe and you'll get to Beetham Nurseries, a garden centre with homewares, a restaurant, and a rather excellent selection of succulents. Nearby you'll find the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, a small but perfectly formed zoo with hands-on experiences and plenty of education- great for little ones, and rainy days!

Where to eat: 

- Pop into the Unitarian Chapel coffee mornings on a Saturday for maximum cuteness (and zero preaching)

- Visit Kendal's historic chocolate house

- BabaGanoush, and Relish, for hipster style deli eats
- when in Kendal, you must try Kendal mint cake! Available in grocery and corner shops.

What to do: 

- Potter down the cobbles of New Shambles to see a cute craft shop, beautiful bridal lounge, and the fanciest pen shop

- Walk along the river and see if you can spot a trout, or climb up to Kendal Castle
- Kendal Museum
- Watch performances and films at Brewery Arts Centre

- Sizergh Castle and Low Sizergh Barn

- Beetham Nurseries

- Lakeland Wildlife Oasis

Have you been to Kendal?

Fountains Abbey

Such is my love for this place, I have planned my imaginary wedding here! I think a lot of my love is tied to the memories of summer days I've spent exploring the Abbey. When I've visited with my parents we have always struck lucky with the weather, and once there was a rotisserie van serving potatoes, chicken, and salad. A simple meal, but eating it outdoors, after a long walk, was one of the most memorable meals of my life!

Dunham Massey

I've lost count of how many times we have walked the hallways of the house or pottered by the plants in the spectacular gardens here, and yet every time we visit there is something new to be discovered. The first time we visited Dunham was when we made the best discovery of all- it's home to hundreds of deer!

I have to give a special mention to the restaurant and cafe at Dunham, too, because the food is delicious and sourced as locally as their own garden when possible. You can really taste how fresh and clean the vegetables are, and everything tastes especially lovely after a biting winter walk.

Lyme Park

If Allan Bank is informal, Lyme Park is the complete opposite- it's no surprise that it was chosen for the backdrop for Pride and Prejudice! I had my own romantic moment there when I visited with my boyfriend and Lyme's very own costume queen kitted us out in period clothing. I felt like I was in a BBC drama!

I was lucky enough to win tickets to The Beatles Story, or, as I like to call it, The Fab Four Tour (hit me up, marketing department!) at CarnLIVal. They had very generously donated a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 children, but since I have no anklebiters I took my parents instead, and the friendly staff had no problem swapping. Phew!

Located on the lovely Albert Docks, you can really make a day of it, with cafés, bars, the wheel, and the Tate Modern all just an amble away. A secondary exhibit, The British Invasion, is a ten minute stroll over to Pier Head, and is included in the ticket price. I must warn you to take plenty of cash for parking at the docks though, as it's not cheap. If you want to get your money's worth you could wander further afield and call in at Liverpool One or Museum of Liverpool.

Back to the main point- The Beatles Story, a museum dedicated to one of the most famous bands the world has ever known, and certainly one of Liverpool's proudest productions. The visit began with multilingual headsets that added to the information all around us. Set out in chronological order, you can learn how they met and began, follow their struggles and wild successes, and explore what became of each member, all with audio and video files from the people who actually knew them.

Cynthia Lennon, John's first wife, had her own anecdotes to bring The Cavern section to life. I really got a sense of the electric atmosphere that the fans experienced each time The Beatles were on stage, and it wasn't hard to understand how Beatlemania was born. It would put Glastonbury to shame!

Each era of the story had sets, such as the Abbey Road Studios, that famous pelican crossing, and even a yellow submarine! I'm terrified of submarines so even standing in the replica got my heart racing. There was also a case with the fluorescent Sergeant Pepper suits, recognised the world over and perfectly suited to the psychedelic sixties.

In contrast, the story finished with a room splitting into four areas to represent what each of the men has gone onto achieve outside of The Beatles, ending with a room dedicated to John Lennon's solo, Imagine, where his favourite black velvet jacket hung and reflected the sombre, mature side of him. The lyrics always tug my heart strings, and to hear and see them is especially poignant in the world today.

A highlight for me wasn't actually a piece of memorabilia, an exhibit, or a set, but the reaction of the visitors. A suited man was singing along and plenty of people were moving to the music. I think that's exactly what The Beatles would want to see! Personally I would like to see even more interaction being encouraged, perhaps a drum set with prompts to play a basic beat, a mixing board to play on in the recording studio, or dressing up options for the younger visitors (who am I kidding- my 22 year old self would squeeze into a Sergeant Pepper suit!). I did think that the ticket prices were a little steep unless you are a super fan, and more hands on experiences would help to justify that. 

The Fab4 Cafe, on the other hand, is very reasonable, and offers a compact menu of home cooked food and chilled snacks. Music plays while you eat, and again, it was lovely to see people having a little boogie with their brews. As well as leaving with a full tummy you can also grab a memory of the day from the gift shop, with everything from Lego submarine sets to sweatshirts and silk ties. All of the clothing was really soft and obviously great quality, and there were so many prints to choose from!

If you know a fan then I'd highly recommend booking tickets for a special gift and making a day of it at the docks!

I love being a member of the National Trust. It makes me feel smug and swotty, as though it's up there with being fluent in 3 languages and a grade 6 on the cello. However, some of the properties have the same stuffy, formal feeling that a grade 6 cellist might. Not Allan Bank!

Peeping over the picturesque village of Grasmere, in The Lake District, Allan Bank is both wowing and welcoming. Just stepping into the entrance, you are met with a piano which (careful) visitors are invited to play, while staff encourage you to browse at leisure, and gently remind you of their whereabouts should you have any questions.

Looking around, it's hard not to notice that the grand staircase is rather different to the standard National Trust fare. Instead of artisan wallpaper and thick carpets, Allan Bank have kept the shabby chic look that came with the aftermath of a fire many years ago. Instead of being ominous, it's actually more beautiful to see it still standing strong.