Lake District local produce champion A Day’s Walk opens its second retail store

An innovative and thriving Cumbrian business that specialises in locally made produce, which was launched in May 2020 during the first lockdown, opens its second retail outlet and flagship store in the heart of the Lake District this week (Thursday, July 28).

A Day’s Walk, which operates an established weekly local produce delivery service throughout Cumbria and opened its first Lake District Farm Shop at Holker Hall in June 2021, is opening a second, larger shop on Church Street, Ambleside. The new venture has created two new jobs.

The family-run business also has plans to expand still further during the next two years.

A Day’s Walk is so named because every item of food and drink it stocks comes from a farmer, grower or producer within a day’s walk of its outlets. According to co-founder Colin Sneath the success of A Day’s Walk demonstrates the importance people place on traceability, provenance and supporting the local community.

“We’re delighted that we’ve been able to establish a delivery business for both residents and visitors who wish to enjoy the great local food and drink grown or made in Cumbria and our first farm shop at Holker Hall, selling 100 per cent Cumbrian produce, has surpassed expectations in its first year,” said Colin.

“It has always been our intention to expand and when the opportunity arose to open a flagship shop in Ambleside we jumped at the chance.”

Colin described the A Day’s Walk outlets as ‘farm shops for farms without farm shops’.

He added: “We support upwards of a dozen Cumbrian farms by selling their produce in our Lake District Farm Shops. In reality, most farms don’t have a suitable location, the expertise or finance to open retail premises on their farm.

“Our 100 per cent Cumbrian philosophy allows them to diversify and get their produce to market without the expense, stress or red tape opening their own shop can bring.

“We can even help advise on packaging and labelling to help farmers overcome some of the other hurdles they encounter and, in so doing, give the public access to some wonderful, genuinely local produce.”

The Lake District Farm Shop on Church Street in Ambleside stocks an extensive range of food and drink sourced from more than 40 Cumbrian producers. They include Furness Fish, Wild & Fruitful, Cakes from the Lakes, Wraysholme Creamery and Cumbrian Salami Company.

The Lake District Farm Shop is sandwiched between the Old Stamp House – Ryan Blackburn’s Michelin Star restaurant specialising in local produce fine dining – and the well-known bistro Lucy’s on a Plate.

“Church Street was already a destination street in Ambleside for foodies,” said Colin. “We hope our arrival helps to enhance its reputation and make it a ‘must visit’ area of the town for both residents and visitors wishing to enjoy genuinely local produce that is often seasonal, made in small batches and, crucially, is some of the finest available in the country!”

The Lake District Farm Shop is open seven days a week, from 9am to 6pm.