Eating, drinking and dancing
We've tracked down the best post-hike pubs, the most accomplished restaurants and the best picnic suppliers in Cumbria, the Lake District.
Restaurants
Old Dungeon Ghyll
If you’re near Great Langdale, make a beeline for this place, a 300-year-old pub set on the fells with a dramatic waterfall nearby.
(+44 (0)1539 437272)
Mortal Man
This stoically named pub in Troutbeck near Windermere also has wonderful panoramic views and is a great lunch stop for fell walkers.
(+44 (0)1539 433193)
Jerichos
This highly acclaimed family-run restaurant is one of the best in the region; chef patron Chris Blaydes creates thoughtfully skewed takes on traditional Euro cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients. Try mouthwatering Lune Valley lamb, or risotto of pan-seared black pudding, chorizo and thyme.
Birch Street, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1EG
(+44 (0)1539 442522)
The Glasshouse
For a Modern British menu featuring local delicacies such as Herdwick lamb, Cumberland sausages and Lakeland chicken, try this excellent restaurant housed in an attractive grade II-listed mill.
Rydal Road, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9AN
(+44 (0)1539 432137)
The Drunken Duck Inn & Restaurant
Set in 60 acres of private land, this fantastic destination restaurant at Ambleside has long been praised for its superb, imaginative Modern English menu with an emphasis on the finest quality local produce. It’s a favourite of Mr & Mrs Smith and not exactly a well-kept secret, so you’ll need to book well in advance.
Barngates, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0NG
(+44 (0)1539 436347)
Garburn
This restaurant at the stoically named Mortal Man inn in the Troutbeck Valley serves dishes freshly prepared with local produce, has wonderful panoramic views and is a great lunch spot for fell walkers.
The Mortal Man, Troutbeck, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1PL
(+44 (0)1539 433193)
The Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant
The bright and fresh dining room at the Drunken Duck’s sister property serves uncomplicated Modern European cuisine with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. There’s a bar, too, with hand-pulled real ales and its own hearty menu of British fare.
Crosthwaite, Lyth Valley, Cumbria LA8 8HR
(+44 (0)1539 568237)
Avanti Bar & Restaurant
Comforting dishes and arty home touches without the slightest hint of twee; handy for guests of Hipping Hall who fancy a change of venue for dinner. Make the most of any fine weather at one of the courtyard garden tables.
57 Main Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria LA6 2AH
(+44 (0)1524 273500)
L’Enclume
Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan champions organic produce, and works with local producers to bring the highest-quality ingredients to the table at his fine-dining beacon in the fells. The foodstuffs are, indeed, the finest imaginable, the combinations unconventional, and the results unforgettable – make a reservation as soon as you can. There are rooms, too, so you don’t have to rush off after your multi-course gourmet journey.
Cavendish Street, Cartmel, near Grange over Sands, Cumbria LA11 6PZ
(+44 (0)1539 536362)
One Bridge Street
Simple but fantastic modern cuisine; flavour combinations are thoughtfully crafted from fresh, organic produce, and dishes often feature local ingredients such as Kentmere lamb and Lancashire cheese. Book ahead. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
1 Bridge Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7DD
(+44 (0)1539 738855)
Miller Howe
This elegant hotel restaurant in Windermere, with amazing views over the lake, is a great place for a lingering lunch. British-with-a-twist food is fresh, delicious and comforting, and there’s a good wine list, too. Booking advisable.
Rayrigg Road, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1EY
(+44 (0)1539 442536)
Gilpin Lodge
This country house hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant serves award-winning classic British food and has an excellent vegetarian menu, not to mention a lengthy wine list; you don’t just have to come for dinner, either, so it’s ideal for brunch, late lunch or tea. There are four dining rooms; we like the Morning Room and the Garden Room.
Crook Road, near Windermere, Cumbria LA23 3NE
(+44 (0)1539 488818)
Cafés
The Bluebird Café
At a pretty spot on the shores of Coniston Water, this café – named after Donald Campbell’s world-record setting boat – sells scrumptious home-made cakes. There’s a boating centre nearby, where you can hire a vessel if you fancy lunch on the water.
Lake Road, Coniston, Cumbria LA21 8AN
(+44 (0)15394 41649)
1657 Chocolate House
Ok, so it’s a bit twee (the ladies-who-wait are in period dress), but with 18 chocolate drinks, 14 kinds of chocolate gateaux, unctuous ice-creams and naughty fondues on offer, you can put up with the quaint trappings to satisfy your cravings. There’s also a shop selling pretty chocolate truffles and bon bons, if the pink smock tops and mob caps are just too offputting.
54 Branthwaite Brow, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4TX
(+44 (0)1539 740702)
Cartmel Village Shop
This well-stocked delicatessen is legendary for its sticky toffee pudding (www.sticky-toffee-pudding.co.uk). Ring ahead, and they’ll pack you up a hamper of delicious local produce.
Parkgate House, The Square, Cartmel, Cumbria LA11 6QB
(+44 (0)1539 536280)
Holbeck Ghyll
Set between Windermere and Ambleside, this excellent restaurant has magnificent lake views. David McLaughlin’s Francophile British cuisine earned a Michelin star in 2000, which has been retained ever since. The original dining room is oak-panelled and cosy in winter; in summer, take a table on the patio outside the Terrace room for aperitifs and canapés in the sunshine.
Holbeck Lane, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1LU
(+44 (0)1539 432375)
Bars and clubs
The Loft
It’s hardly party central in the Lake District, and thank goodness for that. If you really don’t fancy joining the locals for the pub quiz, you could head to this nightclub at the King’s Arms Hotel. Scott Bond, a resident Gatecrasher DJ, has graced the decks there recently.
The King’s Arms Hotel, Main Street, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5BN
(+44 (0)1768 772083)
Mint Café Bar
Café by day, intimate bar by night; hosts monthly music and arts events, such film screenings, with DJs at the weekends for the young folk.
48–50 Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4TF
(+44 (0)1539 734473)
Pubs
The Queen’s Head
This award-winning pub in Tirril, near Penrith is a classic English country inn and former brewery with thick stone walls and, in the winter months, a roaring fire. Try the excellent cask ales, brewed on the premises.
Tirril, near Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2JF
(+44 (0)1768 863219)
The Old Dungeon Ghyll
If you’re near Great Langdale, or you’ve just worked up a thirst on Bowfell, make a beeline for this 300-year-old walkers’ inn and pub; it’s set on the fells with a dramatic waterfall nearby.
Great Langdale, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9JY
(+44 (0)1539 437272)