Workington

Workington sits where the River Derwent meets the Solway coast, a working Cumbrian town that has never much bothered with putting on airs for visitors. That honesty is part of its appeal for anyone using it as a base to explore West Cumbria - you get a proper town rather than a resort, with the Lake District's quieter western fells within reach and the coastline close by.

Workington isn't a town built around a single big attraction, though families passing through often head to Monkey Madhouse for an afternoon of indoor play. Otherwise, the appeal is in using the town as a springboard - the coast is close, and the western edge of the Lake District opens up quickly once you're out of town, offering a quieter alternative to the busier honeypot villages further east.

Eating out here is mostly about the everyday rather than destination dining. Coffee shops do steady trade across town - there are branches of Costa Coffee in the town centre, at Dunmail Park and elsewhere, alongside independents like Cafe Carnegie, Coffee Bean Coffee Shop and Butterflies for a slower cup. Supermarket cafes such as the one at Asda cover the practical end of things, useful if you're breaking a journey or need something quick before heading out to the coast or the fells.

Altogether, Workington works best as a base rather than a destination in itself - somewhere to sleep well, eat simply, and use as a launchpad for the Cumbrian coast and the quieter western Lakes beyond it.