best place for live music is the kirkgate centre in cockermouth. folk don't often get over this way but cockermouth (as delightful as it sounds!)-and the lorton valley, crummock and loweswater are very lovely. the kirkgate gets folk acts way above expectations -in the last couple of years we have had john boden 3 times, (the mighty) michael mcgoldrick twice, eliza carthy, kris drever, chumbawumba, heidi talbot and john mccusker, hannah james and sam sweeney etc. next month on the 5th it's sam baker, 13th -the old dance school, 19th -raintown.
i asked jon boden how come so many top acts come here - 'well, they asked us and there isn't really anywhere else between carlisle and manchester'    (which reminds me -john cooper clarke is on tour and in carlisle next month)

hope this helps - see you there, pete