breweries in cumbria...

If epic walks and local brews are your thing, then Cumbria will present you with the ideal holiday challenge. Put your boots on, stick a tent on your back, and have a real Lakeland round. There are currently 24 beer breweries and two cider makers, whose tasty tipple you could sample while covering the hills and vales on foot.

In the past ten years microbreweries have really exploded onto the Cumbrian landscape and many are set in truly stunning spots. One of them is the Great Gable Brewing Company at the Wasdale Head Inn.

It takes its water straight from the fells. It is naturally filtered by the fellside and then carried by pipe under Mosedale Beck straight into head brewer Giles Holiday's office, from here it enters the brewing process. This brewery is situated smack bang in the middle of what was recently voted Britain's best loved view by ITV viewers. Here is England's tallest mountain, deepest lake and smallest church. Incidentally, Giles Holiday got married in this church and on his wedding day he managed to drag the entire congregation back to the Inn. He persuaded the vicar to simultaneously bless the happy couple and open the new brewery. Great Gable Brewing Co's beers are named after the fells around it; Great Gable, Wasd'Ale, Wry'Nose and Scawfell.

The Cumbrian microbreweries all have their distinct personalities, both in terms of brewers and the beers they make. Over in Loweswater, head brewer Matt Webster at Loweswater Brewery adds his to the local beers: "When we set out to make a new beer, we start with a concept, where we have decided how strong it's going to be, what colour we want and what flavour," explains Matt. Matt's creations, also named after local fells, include Melbreak Bitter, Grasmoor and Rannerdale.

Like Great Gable Brewing Co and Loweswater Brewery, many of the local microbreweries are run at the back of pubs. Another one of these is Barngates Brewery at the Drunken Duck Inn near Ambleside, where all the beers, like Tag Lag and Chesters, are named after the pub's pets. Tag was a cunning dog, particularly apt at sneaking up to delivery vans and making off with a tasty morsel - in one instance a whole side of venison.

At Coniston Brewery behind the Black Bull in Coniston, proprietor Ian Bradley honours Donald Campbell with his Bluebird Bitter. In the village of Hesket Newmarket, the eponymous brewery at the Old Crown pub was set up by some of the villagers - a very tax efficient way to drink beer. The brewery has become known for beers like Blencathra Bitter and Catbells Pale Ale.

Hawkshead Brewery, owned and run by ex BBC correspondent Alex Brodie has moved to Mill Yard in Staveley, which has become something of a food and drink hotspot since its expansion in 2006. Above the brewery, Alex has set up a viewing gallery and a bar where you can sample all his brews. If you're peckish, it has the added bonus of being connected to Wilf's Café, so you can have a sandwich with that ale.

Bigger still is regional brewery Jennings in Cockermouth. Take one of their excellent tours and learn all about how beer is made. At the end of it you get to sample the brews.

There are many more Cumbrian brewers, with a passion for what they do, taking inspiration in the landscape around them. So if you're up for it, get walking and quaffing your way around the county and have that complete Lakeland round! Or just head to one on this list, and try out a lovely dark ruby Cumbrian bitter or a pale golden Lakeland ale.