Grasmere Gingerbread® is a global icon – and that’s official!
It has booked itself a place in one of the world’s best-selling publications.
The 165-year-old Victorian attraction is celebrated in the newly-published Lonely Planet’s Ultimate United Kingdom Travelist.
“I’m not sure how Sarah Nelson would have reacted to this news,” said Joanne Hunter, current co-owner of The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
“But Grasmere was certainly a pretty lonely place when she first started making Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854®.”
Isolated by the area’s formidable hills and fells, and with only rough paths and cart tracks, to reach Grasmere most people had to walk or take horse-drawn transport.
But as the Victorian rail network expanded and steam trains brought thousands of day trippers here from the big cities, word-of-mouth made the Lake District – and Sarah Nelson’s unique culinary delicacy – a ‘must experience’ treat, explained Joanne.
“Now, with international jet travel, we get people from every continent coming into our shop.”
The Lonely Planet guide – which ranks the top 500 travel destinations and experiences in the country – celebrates Grasmere Gingerbread® alongside champagne and strawberries at Wimbledon, crabs in Cromer, Balti curries in Birmingham and oysters at Whitstable.
“We’re in pretty prestigious company so a big thanks to Lonely Planet!” added Joanne.
“It will be interesting to see how many first-time visitors the publicity generates.”
