Whoever thought of letting kids play noughts and crosses on a table with a piping bag full of chocolate deserves a medal. That was just one of the fun bits of our visit to the Hawkshead Chocolate Factory, and it wasn’t even one of the three things we got to make on the day.
I’d been picking up leaflets for the Chocolate Factory for ages, thinking I’d save it for a rainy day in the Lake District. Sure enough, a rainy half term day appeared, so we made the most.
What’s it like inside the Hawkshead Chocolate Factory?
The first thing you notice is the smell of chocolate. The shop at the front is full of chocolates, fudge and sweets, and you could easily spend a while looking around there. My tip is to save the shop until afterwards. You’ll have a much better idea of how much more chocolate you need once you see what you’re taking home.
We started by putting on our orange aprons and hairnets, which the kids found hilarious. Then we washed our hands and went into the workroom. There were about ten of us in our group, and the team were brilliant with the kids. They kept everyone busy and made it feel like the children could really get stuck in.
What do you make in the chocolate workshop?
First, we picked a mould. There were dinosaurs, teddy bears, cats and loads, loads more. We painted the inside of our moulds first, then filled them with our choice of milk or white chocolate. When I say we filled them, I mean right to the top. Think a whole dinosaur’s worth of solid chocolate. We were still working our way through ours weeks later. The team took them away to set while we moved on to our next task.
A chocolate bar with all the toppings
Next came the chocolate bars. We swirled milk and white chocolate together with our fingers, then added sweets and marshmallows. We even got piping bags to write on the bars.
This was the bit I loved most about the workshop. The kids could eat a few sweets as they went, get their hands in the chocolate and try whatever patterns they fancied. When there was chocolate left in the piping bags, the team told them to write their names and play noughts and crosses right there on the tables. The kids loved the freedom of creating mess, slurping up chocolate and creating whatever they fancied.
A marshmallow caterpillar
Finally, we used melted chocolate to stick marshmallows together, then decorated them with sweets to make caterpillars. The team packed up all three creations for us at the end, and we got to keep our aprons and hairnets too.
I’m not sure if different teachers do different chocolate treats but we were all so happy with ours. One thing I should have known but doubted – the chocolate was delicious. The best quality, tasty chocolate. We were so pleased with our creations.
Is Hawkshead Chocolate Factory worth it?
For us, it was a definite yes and one I don’t think we’ll ever forget. At £22 each, it came to £110 for two adults and three children. We do a lot of walking and usually keep our Lake District days out fairly low-cost, so this felt like a holiday treat. I’m really glad we all joined in. The kids had a brilliant time, we got to make everything alongside them, and we came away with enough chocolate to share, give as gifts or take on a walk later that week.
(If just the kids want to do the making, grown-ups can watch through the viewing windows. The £22 charge applies to each person taking part.)
Planning your visit to Hawkshead Chocolate Factory
- Where — Main Street, Hawkshead, Cumbria, LA22 0NT.
- Parking — We used the paid main village car park. It’s a short walk to the shop.
- How long — Allow around an hour for the visit. The Chocolate Factory lists the family workshop itself as 30–40 minutes.
- Age — The family workshop is designed for ages 3–14, and adults can join in alongside their children. Under-threes can watch.
- Booking — Book ahead for weekends and school holidays. If anyone has a food allergy, contact the team before booking, as they work with chocolate and nut products.
- Links — Book a family chocolate workshop · Workshop FAQs · Directions and parking
Make a day of it in Hawkshead
Hawkshead is one of those little postcard villages that’s lovely for a wander, with independent shops and cafés tucked into its lanes. We paired our workshop with a trip to The Boathouse Café at Esthwaite Water, just outside the village.
Would we go again? Absolutely, even if the sun was shining. It’s an easy outing from The Pheasant Lodge, and I’d happily go back for another round of chocolate noughts and crosses. If you’re planning a family trip, you’ll find more of our favourite things to do with kids in the Lake District on our blog.
Hannah. Host at the Pheasant Lodge x