Barbecue Raceday at Cartmel Racecourse

The weather may have been less than perfect for the family-friendly summer holiday fixture, but there was no dampening the atmosphere at yesterday's Barbecue Raceday at Cartmel Racecourse.

John Dawson, who travelled from Wakefield to Cumbria for the day, cooked burgers and sausages as his friends sheltered in the marquees behind him.

He said: “We’re from Yorkshire - we’re used to barbecuing in the rain.

“It‘s our second time here and it’s just a beautiful little racetrack in a wonderful area of the country.

”It‘s so relaxed, it’s not got the same feel as a lot of the other ones. There‘s no pressure on you, you can just come as a group and have a great time. It’s such a nice way of doing it.“

The day kicked off at 11am, with food, a fair and other entertainment, before the first race began at 2.15pm.

Locals joined the area’s visitors in donning waterproofs and wielding brollies to enjoy the day's events.

Ulverston resident, Brian Rigg, said: “It‘s been really nice, despite the weather.

“We haven’t been for a while and it‘s always a lovely day.”

Making the most of the excuse to splash out on hats to protect their hairstyles were the guests of Rowley’s Catering, who provide raceday meals.

Lucy Wood, of Windermere, said: “Even though the weather’s not been great, the atmosphere and the ambience have been fantastic.”

A key part of the welcoming feeling Cartmel has become renowned for, racecourse owner Lord Cavendish spent the day greeting the day’s jockeys, owners, trainers and sponsors.

Reflecting on the reputation the South Cumbria course has earned, he said: “The racing industry isn’t always good at seeing the human side of these events - it can often get so tied up in the technical side of horses - but this has to be a family day out. It has to benefit the local economy and it has to be fun as well.

”I am always inspired by and grateful for the loyalty of people that come to these events. It‘s extremely touching.“