Cartmel
Date of Review: 20th July 2026 (First review 18th July 2022)
Reviewers: Dave & Ray
Address: Cartmel Racecourse, Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6QF.
Website: https://cartmel-racecourse.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cartmelrace/
Email: info@cartmel-racecourse.co.uk
Phone: 015395 36340
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.expedia.co.uk/Cartmel-Racecourse-Hotels.0-l6088037-0.Travel-Guide-Filter-Hotels
Course Information
Course Information: The left-handed track is approximately 1 mile in circumference and is basically a figure-of-eight, with six fences jumped on each full circuit.
Aerial View of Cartmel Racecourse (Image credited to Google Earth)
Despite Cartmel's small circuit, it has one of the longest run-ins of any National Hunt course in the UK, with a four-furlong run-in for chasers and a 2-furlong run-in for hurdlers. Front-runners can excel at Cartmel but need to keep going on the long straight, so stamina is required to win. Horses that race prominently are favoured. For this reason, many horses find Cartmel difficult, so course specialists should always be seriously considered.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Cartmel Racecourse: Cartmel Racecourse is located in the historic village of Cartmel on the Cartmel Peninsula in Cumbria, England. Situated on the southern edge of the Lake District, it is roughly a 20-minute drive from Junction 36 of the M6 motorway.
Location Map - Cartmel Racecourse
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Cartmel Racecourse:
Cartmel Racecourse has a long history of horse racing in the local area. Local tradition has it that monks from nearby Cartmel Priory once raced mules in the area. The first officially recorded meeting took place in 1856, and the arrival of the railway at Cark-in-Cartmel the following year helped the event attract larger crowds. The racecourse was originally used for Flat racing; Cartmel later became a National Hunt (jumps) venue and gradually expanded from a small local meeting into one of Britain’s most well-attended jump-racing courses.
It has retained its relaxed, traditional character while benefiting from continued development by the Holker Estate and the Cavendish family. The racecourse also gained national attention in 1974 through its connection with the attempted Gay Future betting coup, one of the best-known scandals in British racing history. More information on this infamous event can be found at:
https://www.racingpost.com/news/features/gay-future-the-cartmel-coup-and-why-it-went-down-in-racing-folklore-achsZ3v38eUp/
Course Access:
By Road: Cartmel Racecourse is around 20 minutes from Junction 36 of the M6. Leave the M6 at Junction 36 and join the A590, following signs towards Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston. Continue along the A590 until you reach the turning for High Newton, which is also signposted for Cartmel Priory. From there, follow the temporary yellow race-day signs to the racecourse. The address for satellite navigation is: LA11 6QF
On race days, you will be guided into a one-way system, so follow the official event signs rather than relying entirely on your satnav. The one-way system really does take you off the beaten track, up and around some very narrow, tight country roads. Be aware that traffic jams and holdups are the norm on racedays. After racing, the one-way system is reversed, so you get to enjoy the harum-scarum route all over again when you leave the racecourse.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is Cark & Cartmel, approximately two miles from Cartmel Racecourse. Most passengers travelling from the south will change at Lancaster for a Northern service along the Furness Line towards Barrow-in-Furness. There is a race-day shuttle bus, but services and charges can vary, so it is advisable to check before travelling. The other option is to take a pre-booked taxi, which takes about five minutes. The station does not have a taxi rank, so booking ahead is advisable, or you can walk to the racecourse, which is about 2 miles away and takes approximately 35–45 minutes.
By Air: The nearest airport with regular passenger flights to Cartmel Racecourse is Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), which is 71 miles away. Both Manchester Airport (MAN) and Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) are around 87 miles away and offer a wider range of domestic and international connections. Blackpool Airport (BLK) is closer, at approximately 52 miles, but does not currently operate regular scheduled passenger services. Rating: 6/10.
Parking: The racecourse does have race-day parking, which is free in the Seven Acres public car park, on the Course Enclosure side of the racecourse. Follow the temporary signs marked “Course/Public Parking” rather than relying solely on your satnav. However, it is a good 10-minute walk from here to the racecourse entrance. You can park closer, but it costs.
On the day of our visit, pre-booked parking in the Paddock Carpark was £7.00. For fixtures held on a bank holiday, and most of them are at Cartmel, the charge is £10.00. To be fair, the paid parking in the Paddock Car park is directly next to the running rail as the horses come up the back straight past the Old Grammar School and approach the fourth flight before entering the bend. As the horses pass, the viewing really is excellent, and a lot of people don’t even bother going into the racecourse. They make this area their base camp and stay put for the day. The car park even has its own Tote facility. Rating: 7/10.
Pricing: On the day of our visit, it was a “July Monday” daytime meeting with a seven-race card with one Class 3 race. Three Class 4 races and three Class 5 races. So, undeniably low-level/grade racing. Tickets for the Course Enclosure in the centre of the course, which does not have access to the Parade Ring or winning post, but does have access to the funfair, were £20.00. Tickets for the Paddock & Course enclosure were £30.00. Disappointingly, Cartmel does not offer any concession pricing for OAPs or students, but children under 17 get in free when accompanied by an adult.
There was a plethora of other options, including the Glass House, a relatively new enclosure on the Paddock side of the racecourse. It must be pre-booked, and you get a bar, wooden picnic-style tables, and benches for seating. The cost here was £49.00 per ticket. A couple of upscale hospitality options were also available, such as the Parade Ring Restaurant, a marquee near the Parade Ring. For £163.00 per person, you get admission, car parking, a racecard, a free drink on arrival and a grazing buffet with allocated seats for the day. If you are feeling really flush, then maybe the R.F. Miller & Co Restaurant is the place for you. It is a fine-dining experience on the first floor of the Grandstand, featuring a private viewing balcony with panoramic views of the racecourse. For a mere £193.00 per ticket, you get admission, car parking, a racecard, a three-course lunch, afternoon tea and a dedicated seat for the day.
If those prices are a bit steep for you, then there are a number of other options available, such as the Picnic Table Course Side & Tickets for 2. This is a reserved picnic bench located on the finishing straight of the Course Enclosure. However, it doesn’t include a picnic, and the price is £94.00 (two tickets). The exact same deal for four people is £189.00, and for six people it will set you back £261.00. All of these options must be booked in advance. On the Bank Holiday fixtures, these options are extremely popular, so our advice is to book early. Very early.
In our opinion, the ticket prices at Cartmel Racecourse are expensive compared with those at other racecourses in Britain. To give some perspective, two weeks ago we visited Ascot Racecourse, the home of the Royal Ascot meeting and paid £19.00 per ticket. The day before that, we went to Epsom Downs racecourse, the home of the Derby, and paid £18.00 (booked online in advance). There was also an Abba Revival Night concert after the racing, which was included in the price. To be fair, there is a full-blown funfair in The Course Enclosure in the centre of the track along with a huge amount of picnic areas at Cartmel, and that is a huge attraction for families. However, the rides are not free and cost £3.00 per ride. If you are a family with a couple of kids, the overall cost will start to mount up pretty quickly.
That said, the Bank Holiday fixtures are extremely popular, and very often race day attendances are 15,000 or more, with some reaching 20,000. So, Cartmel Racecourse is obviously doing something very much right, as most racecourses outside of the top five could only dream about attracting those types of attendance figures. Rating: 3/10
Racecard: The racecard cost £3.00, which is at the lower end of the pricing scale relative to most other racecourses. It consisted of 30 pages, including the front and rear covers. Only 8 pages were adverts, which equates to 26%, which is very low. It included a full-page welcome from Lord Cavendish and also a full-page detailed facilities and location map of the racecourse, which is always good. There was also a two-page spread/update on the Cartmel Jockeys and Trainers Challenge competition that the racecourse runs to see who has the most winners over the 11 meetings held at Cartmel each year, which was of interest. Apart from the usual Timeform ratings, it added interesting facts such as the longest traveller and the latest in-form trainer information along with a thumbnail image showing the starting position on the track of each race. Overall, a decent racecard which is worth buying, and we don’t say that very often!
Viewing: It has to be said that the viewing of the races at this course is not good. Not good at all. This is due to various reasons: The main one being that there are no proper viewing stands or enclosures for the public.
What they do have is two small viewing areas. The main one is in line with the winning post, and it's some concrete terraced steps with a few crash barriers. It’s not large, so it gets absolutely crammed each time there is a race. It has no cover or shelter whatsoever, so you are wide open to the elements come rain or shine. From here you can see the horses as they come down the home straight and also as they come down the hill and at the bottom of the turn on your right-hand side as they approach one of the jumps, and that’s about it.
The Main Viewing Area – Cartmel Racecourse
The other viewing area is positioned farther down, past the winning post, and is even smaller. It has four concrete terraced viewing steps, and that’s your lot. As it is past the winning post, you are effectively getting a head-on view. However, the good news is that from here, if you turn around, then you can see the horses as they come up the back straight of the racecourse, pass the Old Grammar School and round the turn. In our opinion, this is the best place to stand as you get to see more of the action whilst the horses are in running. There are two large TV screens, one on the winning post and one much further up the straight, and they are most certainly needed.
The Second Viewing Area – Cartmel Racecourse
There is a very small “Grandstand” area (see picture below), but it is reserved for the upscale hospitality racegoers in the R.F. Miller restaurant.
The Grandstand Areas & Jockeys/Weighing Room– Cartmel Racecourse
Overall, the viewing at all other racecourses we have visited is better. However, the ability to park your car and/or gazebo literally on the running rail of the racecourse and enjoy a day out and a picnic is pretty cool. Rating: 4/10.
Watching the Horses from the Paddock Car Park – Cartmel Racecourse
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: It is located in front of the main Paddock stand at the back of the course. It's turfed, oval-shaped and decent in size. You can only access approximately 70% of its perimeter because the Annual Members, along with the Owners and Trainers, are located at the very back. It has no raised viewing platforms whatsoever, so unless you are close to the rail, it's not easy to see the horses and jockeys. The fact is that it is just bland. No flowers, shrubs or colour at all.
The Parade Ring – Cartmel Racecourse
The Winner’s Enclosure is located at the front of the Parade Ring, and only the winning horse enters it. The others just walk back into the Parade Ring behind it.
The Winner's Enclosure – Cartmel Racecourse
This is slightly better, as it has a raised presentation area with a couple of hanging baskets on either side to add some colour, but because it is positioned inside the Parade Ring, the same viewing issues apply. With a little effort and a relatively small amount of investment, this area could be significantly improved, made far more attractive than it is now, and become the main focal point of the racecourse. Rating: 6/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The bookmakers at Cartmel are located everywhere. The main ring is directly on the running rail close to the winning post. There were at least 20 there on the day of our visit.
The Bookmakers – Cartmel Racecourse
There were also three positioned close to the Parade Ring and a good number on the Course Enclosure. There is a William Hill concession next to the main bar area in the Paddock Enclosure and plenty of Tote outlets dotted about the racecourse. Rating 10/10.
Catering: Due to the funfair, picnic-day-out-type setup at the racecourse and the lack of grandstands or an enclosure to house them, all the general catering outlets are “street food”-type operations.
Street Food Vans – Cartmel Racecourse
On the day of our visit, there was an abundance of them. A pizza van knocking out wood-fired pizzas for £10.00 each. A pie shop with the biggest selection of pies we have ever seen, including beef and potato, beef, Guinness & leeks, braised beef brisket, slow-cooked lamb shoulder with onions, carrot, turnip and potatoes (Scouse), chicken thigh and gammon, Balti chicken and a vegan option, to name a few, for £10.50 each. There was a burger van selling beef or venison burgers for £9.00 each or the “Full Monte” beef burger with cheese, bacon and black pudding for £13.00. Cumberland sausages for £8.00 and a portion of chips was £5.00. Another van was selling Frites. Classic frites were £6.50 a portion, with a load of more exotic options at £8.00 a pop and loaded nachos at £8.50.
There was a van selling waffles and a van selling seafood. So, something for everyone at prices to suit everyone. If you leave Cartmel Racecourse hungry, then it's no one else's fault but your own.
It was a little bit different with the bars. The main bar in the Paddock Enclosure is called Dudley’s Bar. Again, it is an outdoor affair held under a tent/canopy in the main picnic area, where a large TV screen was set up.
Dudley’s Bar – Cartmel Racecourse
Here you could get a pint of Carling or Caffrey’s Premium Irish Ale for £6.50 a pint. Madri Exceptional was £7.50, and Carling Black Fruit Cider was £7.00 a pint. Alas, there was no draught Guinness, but at least they did have the canned version for £6.50, along with various bottles of lager ranging from £4.50 to £6.00. All spirits were £4.50. Wine was £8.00 a glass, and a bottle was £25.00.
Cocktail Van – Cartmel Racecourse
There was also a cocktail van selling an exotic range of drinks including an Espresso Martini, a Passionfruit Martini, a Margarita, a Strawberry Daiquiri or a Pina Colada for £11.00. If none of those would wet your whistle, then just tell them what takes your fancy, and they would knock it up in front of you.
The other bar in the main Paddock area was The Glasshouse. To enter here, you had to pre-book, and a ticket including admission to the racecourse cost £49.00. It is a large pavilion-type area with tinted plastic sheeting on the roof, which at least gave some cover from the sun. Inside, numerous large wooden picnic-style tables and benches were available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Glass House Pavilion – Cartmel Racecourse
In here was a private bar selling the exact same drinks as at Dudley’s bar at the same prices. It did, however, have a superior list of wines available. A bottle of Pinot Grigio or Merlot was £28.00. Sauvignon Blanc or Malbec £35.00. Two rosé wines at £25.00 and £40.00 a bottle, depending on your choice. The fizzy stuff was £9.00 a glass or £35.00 for Prosecco, and the real thing, Brut Reserve Champagne, was £75.00 a bottle. So overall the racecourse was selling an excellent range of food and drinks for more than reasonable prices. Rating: 8/10.
Is the £49.00 ticket into the Glass House worth it? In our opinion and on balance, it is. There is an absolute dearth of shade or seating at Cartmel Racecourse, and this area gives you both. It also gives you a private bar with quick service and a more-than-decent wine selection.
Guinness Standard: Disappointingly, draught Guinness was not available at the course. However, Cartmel is not the only racecourse to commit such a sin, and to its credit it was serving Caffrey’s Premium Irish Ale, so to a certain degree it did redeem itself in this area. Rating: 4/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: Plenty of locals working with ground staff at the many entrances/exits & crossings on the course who are friendly and helpful. Rating: 10/10.
Pros & Cons: The cons are the ticket pricing, which is expensive compared to every other racecourse we have visited in Britain, with the exception of Chester Racecourse, which, in our opinion, is a blatant rip-off. Cartmel is not an easy place to reach once you come off the motorway, so the location and access have to go down as a con, as does the lack of grandstands and viewing enclosures, which, in turn, means there is little cover or shelter from the elements.
The viewing is a strange one. The overall viewing experience from the stands is undoubtedly poor. However, being able to park your car or Gazebo directly next to the running rail at certain vantage points does allow you to get closer to the action than at most other racecourses we have visited on our travels. The food and catering are very good, as are the bookmakers and staff. Depending on your viewpoint, the funfair and picnic areas at Cartmel Racecourse could be either a pro or a con depending on your idea of what a good day out at the races is. Rating: 5/10.
As always, here at Racecourse Advisor, we ask ourselves at the end of each review: would we return? The answer is no. However, let us explain why: In our opinion, Cartmel Racecourse is not a racecourse for the racing aficionados or racing buffs who enjoy going to a traditional “day-at-the-races” experience. It is far from that. However, that is by design. It's a venue for a family fun day out in the Lake District with the kids, the prams, the dogs, and a picnic, featuring an all-day funfair and entertainment, with a bit of horse racing thrown in for good measure. That is what it is, and that’s exactly what it does. So, we are not criticising it in any way. It is extremely popular and, compared with most other racecourses in Britain, attracts huge crowds. That tells you that Cartmel is doing a lot of things right. But the things it does are just not for us. But if you are up in the Lakes with the family and fancy a day out, then Cartmel will be high on your list.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 6.3/10.
Wi-Fi/Internet Connection: There is a free Wi-Fi connection available at the racecourse; however, on the day of our visit, it was a bit hit and miss, with it dropping out far more frequently than it should.
The entire day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2026-07-20/cartmel/120223
Facilities & Location Map of Cartmel Racecourse (image acknowledged and credited to Cartmel Racecourse Ltd.)
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