29May 2027
Season Opener Saturday
The first race day of the summer, on the late May Bank Holiday weekend.
Tickets
Meetings and tickets for 2027
Cartmel races only in summer, mostly on weekends and bank holidays. Tickets are sold by the racecourse and are a little cheaper online than on the gate. 2027 prices had not been published when we checked, except for the June Friday concert day; in 2026, Course tickets were £20–£25 and Paddock tickets £35.
Cartmel fixturesSeason 2027
31May 2027
Bank Holiday Monday
A classic Cartmel bank holiday: big crowds, picnics and the funfair.
2Jun 2027
Whit Wednesday
A midweek meeting, usually quieter than the weekends.
25Jun 2027
June Friday Racing & Madness
Racing followed by a Madness concert on the course. Only Racing & Music tickets are sold for this day.
Paddock with concert£59.50
Tickets
27Jun 2027
June Sunday
A relaxed Sunday meeting, good for families.
17Jul 2027
July Saturday
The first day of the July meeting, home of the Cumbria Crystal Hurdle, Cartmel’s most valuable race.
19Jul 2027
July Monday
The second day of the July meeting.
28Aug 2027
Cartmel Cup Day
August Bank Holiday Saturday, featuring the Cartmel Cup hurdle race.
30Aug 2027
August Monday Season Finale
The last race day of the year, on the August Bank Holiday.
Race times are added by the racecourse nearer each meeting. Tickets are non-refundable. Racegoers aged 17 and under get in free with a paying adult on standard race days.
A quieter first visit
Whit Wednesday or the June Sunday: smaller crowds and easier parking.
The full bank holiday buzz
The May and August Bank Holiday meetings are Cartmel at its busiest and most festive.
Racing and a gig
June Friday, when Madness play after the last race.
Serious racing
The July meeting, with the Cumbria Crystal Hurdle, and Cartmel Cup Day in August.
Which enclosure should you choose?
There are two enclosures, one on each side of the track. You can buy tickets on the gate, but they cost a little more than online, and you can upgrade from Course to Paddock on the day.
Best value
Course Enclosure
In the middle of the course, with the funfair, food and drink stands, a big screen and bookmakers. Free parking at Seven Acres.
Full access
Paddock Enclosure
Access to both sides of the track: the grandstand, Parade Ring, restaurants, extra big screens and more bookmakers, plus everything in the Course Enclosure.
Groups and hospitality
Tents, domes and restaurants
Party tents for up to 15, private domes, picnic benches and three restaurants, including one with a private balcony over the finishing line. All must be booked in advance.
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
A racecourse in a village
Cartmel is a tight, left-handed jumps track of about a mile, with six fences and a famously long finishing straight. Crowds gather in the centre of the course and all along the rails, and you can walk out of the gates into the village between races, as long as you scan your ticket out and back in.
Dress code at Cartmel Racecourse
Cartmel has no general formal dress code and welcomes comfortable clothing suited to the weather. Shorts are acceptable in warm conditions, but tops must be worn throughout the course. Footwear needs particular thought because much of the ground is grassy, uneven and potentially wet. The Louis Roederer and Parade Ring restaurants ask guests to wear smart-casual clothes and exclude jeans and trainers. Check which area you have booked before choosing between a relaxed picnic outfit and restaurant clothing.
Official clothing advice — checked 14 October 2026.
What will the trip cost?
A quick estimate for your group. Where we have confirmed a ticket price it’s filled in; otherwise add the price from the racecourse’s booking page. Change any figure to match your plans.
Getting to Cartmel
Cartmel sits on the Cartmel Peninsula in South Lakeland, reached by narrow country lanes. On race days several lanes become one-way, so follow the yellow event signs, not your sat-nav.
By car
Follow signs for Barrow and Ulverston to the High Newton turn-off. Follow the signs for your enclosure: you’ll be turned around if you arrive at the wrong entrance. Paddock Parking is pre-book only; if you haven’t pre-booked, follow the Course signs.
By train
Cark-in-Cartmel is the nearest station. On race days an independent shuttle bus, run by The Travellers Choice, links the station and the village; check their times before you travel.
By taxi
Taxis can’t use the main entrances because of the one-way system. Drop-off and pick-up is opposite Cartmel Priory School on Headless Cross, near the Pig & Whistle.
Coaches and minibuses
Coaches staying for the day park free; follow the coach signs through the village. Drop-offs use the same point as taxis, on Headless Cross.
By bike
Bike racks are in the Village Car Park, beside the public toilets.
By helicopter
Helicopters can land near the racecourse; call the racecourse office at least two weeks ahead. Charges apply.
Lift-sharing is encouraged: the racecourse has an event page on Liftshare.
Parking at Cartmel Racecourse
Cartmel offers free public parking at Seven Acres on every raceday; follow the Course/Public Parking signs. Parking inside either enclosure must normally be booked in advance and is charged separately, including Blue Badge bookings unless included in a package. Coaches and minibuses staying for the day have free designated parking. Ordinary cars may remain until noon the following day, but sleeping in vehicles is prohibited and campervans or motorhomes cannot use this overnight arrangement.
Official parking advice — checked 14 October 2026.
Coming by train?
Book advance fares to Cark-in-Cartmel, or to Grange-over-Sands if you are staying there.
Hotels near Cartmel Racecourse
Make a weekend of it. Cartmel has a handful of inns and hotels right on the square, with more in Grange-over-Sands, Newby Bridge and Ulverston, and the racecourse has its own camping.
Bank holiday weekends
Cartmel is tiny, and rooms in the village go early for race weekends. If the village is full, Grange-over-Sands is about three miles away and has the largest hotels.
In the village
Walk to the course and the pubs.
- Priory Hotel, on The Square, known for its food
- The Royal Oak, an inn on The Square
- The Cavendish Arms, on Cavendish Street
- Cartmel Old Grammar, about a quarter of a mile from the course
Just outside
A short drive or walk from the course.
- Aynsome Manor, a country house hotel about two miles away
- The Pheasant Lodge, self-catering at Field Broughton, about two miles away
Grange-over-Sands
A seaside town on Morecambe Bay, about three miles away, with its own station.
- The Grange Hotel, by the station
- Cumbria Grand Hotel, on Lindale Road
Camping and cottages
For the full race-weekend experience.
- Racecourse camping, four camping areas at the southern end of the course, booked with your tickets
- Village cottages, several self-catering cottages and converted sheds within a mile of the course
Find somewhere to stay
Compare hotels, inns and cottages in Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands and the southern Lakes.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Evenings in Cartmel
Cartmel punches far above its size for food and drink. The village pubs are a few minutes’ walk from the course, and they fill up fast on race days.
- Between races
Into the village
Scan out and pop into the square for a drink or a pudding, then scan back in. Access to the course closes about 30 minutes before each race.
- After racing
Village pubs
The Kings Arms, The Royal Oak, The Cavendish Arms and the Pig & Whistle are all a short walk from the course. The Priory Hotel is known for its hearty pub food.
- Dinner
Michelin-starred Cartmel
Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume and the more relaxed Rogan & Co are both in the village. Book well ahead, especially on race weekends.
- Local beer
Unsworth’s Yard
A courtyard of artisan food and drink businesses in the village, including a brewery.
Things to do while you are here
Cartmel is worth a visit even without the racing.
Cartmel Priory
A 12th-century priory church that has been a place of worship for about 800 years, in the middle of the village.
The Priory Gatehouse
The 14th-century gatehouse off the square is now a small heritage centre.
Sticky toffee pudding
Cartmel Village Shop on the square is where the famous Cartmel sticky toffee pudding was first sold, in 1984.
Holker Hall and Gardens
The Cavendish family home, which owns the racecourse, with gardens and parkland between the fells and the sea. A walk from the village across the racecourse takes you there.
Grange-over-Sands
An Edwardian seaside town on Morecambe Bay, about three miles away.
The Lake District
Windermere and the southern lakes are within easy reach for an extra day.
On the day
Cartmel’s gates open early, at 10am, so you can set up a picnic before racing. Times for each meeting are published nearer the day
10:00Gates opened on Whit Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May 2026; first race about 1.38pm, last race about 5.11pm.
10:00Gates opened on Ladies Day, Saturday 18 July 2026; first race 2pm, last race 5.30pm.
2027Cartmel races on nine days a year between May and August; 2027 times follow nearer each meeting.
Source: Cartmel: Ladies Day 2026 and the Cartmel Gathering (Whit Monday 2026) page, checked 4 October 2026.
Picnics, barbecues and dogs
You can bring a picnic and your own barbecue (not gas), as long as it is out 30 minutes before racing. Dogs are welcome on a lead everywhere except the indoor venues.
Tickets
Most tickets are e-tickets; print the QR code if you can, as it speeds up entry. Tickets are non-refundable, but you can give them to someone else.
Betting and racecards
William Hill, the Tote and on-course bookmakers are all there, and all take cash or card. Racecards cost £3 on the day, or pre-book one with your tickets.
The funfair
A funfair runs in the Course Enclosure at every meeting. You can pre-book discounted ride vouchers with your tickets.
What to wear
Smart casual in the Paddock and restaurants. It is an outdoor, grassy venue with little shelter, so bring a waterproof and sensible shoes.
Betting is optional
You don’t need to bet to enjoy the day. If you do, you must be 18 or over; set a limit before you arrive.
Families and groups
Cartmel is one of the most family-friendly racecourses in the country.
Free for under-18s
Racegoers aged 17 and under get in free with a paying adult on standard race days. Add their free tickets when you book.
The funfair and space to run
The Course Enclosure has a funfair, lots of grass and room for a picnic rug.
Groups
Party tents take up to 15 people, and fixture tickets cover every race day in a month at a discount.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Cartmel Racecourse, Cartmel, LA11 6QF, and the nearest landmark. Then tell a member of staff.
Racecourse office
Call 015395 36340 for tickets, parking, accessibility and lost property.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page.
A little history
- MedievalLegend has it that racing began with mule races organised by the monks of Cartmel Priory.
- By 1856Racing is established on the present course.
- 1974Hugh Cavendish of the Holker Estate, which owns the land, joins the racecourse board.
- TodayEvery winning owner goes home with a Cartmel sticky toffee pudding.
More Cartmel guides
Compare the enclosuresPrices, views, dress codes and entrances side by sideAccessibilityParking, viewing areas, toilets and personal assistant ticketsYour first racedayHow a day at the races worksOther racecoursesPlan a trip to another course
Prices, dates and travel details were checked on 4 October 2026. The racecourse can change prices, times and arrangements, so check your booking page before you pay. This is an independent guide, not connected to Cartmel Racecourse or the Holker Group. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.