The Lakes Distillery Tour

See behind the scenes of the heat, the smell and the buzz of the Lakes Distillery, England’s largest award-winning whisky distillery.

Hear the stories about how whisky, gin and vodka are all made here and why the place chosen for the Lakes Distillery is considered to be so special. Explore the magnificent stillroom and marvel at the tales retold by the expert and enthusiastic tour guides as you also discover the warehouse where the distillery’s sleeping casks lie.

Without leaving the building, let yourself be taken on a spectacular 25 mile journey from the source of the River Derwent to the distillery house to see these world class and lovingly created spirits as they are produced.

And to top it all off, taste the goodness for yourself in the tasting room where your tour ends with the opportunity to sample all three spirits distilled at the Lakes Distillery.

Upon booking you will receive an immediate confirmation of payment from VisitBritain. If your preferred date and time are available you will then receive a separate email from The Lakes Distillery within two working days confirming your tour.

Tour times

• Tours operate Monday - Saturday except Christmas Day and UK bank holidays
• First tour: 10am
• Last tour: 5pm
• Tour duration: 1 hour
• Tour maps are available in Dutch, French, German, Mandarin and Spanish

How to get there

• By bus: The Lakes Distillery has its own bus stop on the Stagecoach X4 route from Workington to Penrith, stopping every 2 hours. See the timetable here.
• By train: The nearest local train station is Aspatria. Penrith, from where visitors can take the connecting X4 bus route, is the nearest mainline train station.
  • Approximate journey time to Penrith from London is between 3 and 4 hours, from Birmingham between 2.5 hours and 3 hours and from Manchester between 1 and 2 hours
• By taxi: A number of local taxi companies can be booked by the Lakes Distillery tour team.

Tour restrictions

• Under 6s are not permitted to join the tour.
• Visitors under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. ID may be requested for all tour participants.

Accessibility

• Lift access is available for wheelchair users.
• Mobility scooters and power assisted wheelchairs are not permitted due to the volatile atmosphere in the distillery.
• Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow at the venue. 

Additional information

• There is a maximum of 15 people on the tour.
• The tour does not include food.

• Awarded the Gold accolade as part of the 2018 VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme!

Reviews

• A cracking day out!

“On a wet day in January what do you do in the northern Lakes? Well a visit to the Lakes Distillery is a great idea. We have visited various distilleries around the world but this tour was one of the best explained ever. We came out feeling that not only did we now know how to make a whiskey but also that the folk here are passionate about their product and their wish to share that passion with their guests” 16th January, Tripadvisor

• An amazing experience!

“As an almost non-drinker, I wasn’t that keen to visit the distillery but as everyone else in our retired group was going I went along. Well, I was amazed! It is a fascinating place and brilliantly put together as a vibrant business and a great tourist attraction. Our guide, Ruth, was inspirational, so full of enthusiasm and also knowledgeable. The introductory film was excellent though I am glad Ruth warned us about the swooping shots from the Helicopter! We then were taken through the distillery and the process was clearly explained and full of interesting. The ‘icing on the cake’ was the sampling session at the end where we were invited to sample whisky, gin and vodka! I tried it all and could almost be converted to a gin drinker! An amazing place!!” 2nd October 2017, Tripadvisor

• Excellent idea for a gift

“We travelled from Manchester specifically for this tour and felt the effort was well worth it, we both had a great time, should have left the car at the hotel first though so we could both have fully appreciated the sampling session! GREAT QUALITY AND VALUE - don’t miss out” 19th January 2018, Tripadvisor