A CELEBRATION of the humble British banger brought people in their thousands to Muncaster Castle during the bank holiday weekend.

For three days the castle, near Ravenglass, hosted the wildly popular Cumberland Sausage Festival.

Now in its third year it continues to grow attracting more and more visitors eager to chomp their way through an astonishing amount of food.


Speaking on the final day of the festival today, Peter Frost-Pennington, general manager of Muncaster said: "We're still in the middle of it, but it's been fabulously fantastic, it's been a joy and a delight. We almost ran out of sausage - one or two of our stall holders have had to re-stock."

Last year bad weather reduced the grounds to a muddy field, "looking like the Somme battlefield," says Mr Frost-Pennington. However this year the sun was out providing perfect conditions for the public.

The main event of the weekend is the mighty Cumberland sausage and this year the public's appetite was larger than ever.
"We've gone through many many kilos, I think we've sold about a tonne of sausage over the weekend," said Mr Frost-Pennington."

See a video of the stunning grounds at Muncaster

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As well as the meaty delights on offer, there was a plethora of local food on sale, from craft ales made by local brewers, to cheeses, Prosecco, and fun activities like rock climbing and archery for the children.

The emphasis on bringing local producers to the castle, and highlighting what the West of the county has to offer is what drives Mr Frost-Pennington.

Events such as the sausage festival, which will draw an estimated 4,000 people to the hall over its duration, showcasing that the Lake District is about more than Windermere and the fells.

"We want local people to be proud of where they are from. It's a celebration of life and where you live, sharing it with people that come from afar."

Mr Frost-Pennington added one of the start attractions has not been the food, but the fields of Bluebells in the grounds.

He said: "We call it bluebell heaven. I've spent all weekend with people, their faces lit up because of it."

Related content:

Read about last year's successful, but a bit soggy, Sausage Festival

Barrow's Ciderfest went down a treat as it pulled in the Bank Holiday crowds