Four Star Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Whitehaven, a Gem Town

Whitehaven is one of only two official "Gem Towns" in Cumbria (the other being nearby Cockermouth). Long neglected and dilapidated many areas are now being restored to their former glory. The town has a unique history being the first to be designed on a grid pattern (setting an example for the American pattern but two centuries earlier). The centre is a history lesson in itself with superb Georgian architecture.

At its peak Whitehaven had the second busiest harbour in England and the only part of mainland England to be attacked by Americans during the war of independence. The attack was remarkably ineffective but it is a fallacy to believe that the Americans mistook Whitehaven for Whitehall!

West Cumbria is the gateway to the fabulous Western Lake District and the renovated Cumbrian coastal path, and Whitehaven is at its heart. The impressive renaissance of the harbour - plenty of sculpture, humour and interest. Support by local enthusiasts in the area has been fantastic.