For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
With 16 beautiful lakes, unspoilt shorelines and 100 lofty peaks more than 2,000 feet high, this is the perfect place to go wandering ‘lonely as a cloud’. Silken‑surfaced waters and windswept fells certainly provide a moody backdrop for the region’s legion Arthurian legends and ancient stone circles: it’s no wonder the Lake District is such a magnet for hopeless romantics. Be warned, though – Cumbria’s good looks and pleasing manner can attract style‑cramping crowds in high summer. Flirt with life beyond the bigger towns and tourist traps, and you’ll be rewarded by Ruskin‑approved Arts and Crafts charm and breathtaking scenery.
Created by accident when a pan of glacier-mint mixture was left unattended by a distracted Kendal confectioner, mint cake first went into production in 1869 and was an instant (sugar) hit. Vigorous outdoors types have used it to keep them on the march ever since it was supplied to Shackleton’s Arctic expedition, and a batch from Romney’s of Kendal famously accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the summit of Everest. Get your fix at the Sweet Shop in Kirkby Lonsdale’s Market Square (+44 (0)1524 271570; www.uksweetsshop.co.uk).
… admiring Ruskin’s View – a spot overlooking the Lune River so named because it captivated that most discerning of Victorian thinkers. You’ll find it in Kirkby Lonsdale, behind the St Mary’s church graveyard (not as ghoulish as it sounds). Drink it all in and then go for a drink at the Snooty Fox Inn (+44 (0)15242 71308), a Jacobean pub with real ales on tap and hearty food.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Lake District
You couldn’t ask for a more ideal location for a boutique hotel – Samling is right on the shores of Lake Windermere, but still secluded amid magnificent scenery.
Dining under the high-vaulted eaves in Hipping Hall's 15th-century banqueting hall – the oak beams are from old ships – is an experience in itself.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
April St George's Day parade in Kirkby Lonsdale. June North West Food Lovers Festival at Westmorland County Showfield (+44 (0)1695 732734; www.foodloversfestival.co.uk) is the biggest foodie fest in the region. August Grasmere Sports & Show, including Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling, frantic hound trails and tug-of-war contests (+44 (0)1539 432127; grasmeresportsandshow.co.uk). September World Gurning Championships (we kid you not) at the Egremont Crab Fair & Sports in Egremont (+44 (0)1946 820693; www.egremontcrabfair.org.uk).
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
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
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
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
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.
This stoically named pub in Troutbeck near Windermere also has wonderful panoramic views and is a great lunch stop for fell walkers.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
©2009 Mr & Mrs Smith
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