PLACES TO EAT & DRINK
The Lake District has a huge selection of cafes, pubs and restaurants. Here (in no particular order) is a roundup of my favourites. If you've had a particularly good experience in a place that's not on this list let me know and I'll add it below.
Breakfast, lunch & coffee on your doorstep: Cafe Ambio
Part of the Lakeland Motor Museum, Cafe Ambio has a great reputation amongst locals and visitors. It has lovely views over the river and you don't need a museum ticket to eat there. Best of all, it's just a 10 minute walk away.
Tel: 01539 530400 - Sat nav: LA12 8TA (walking is quickest)
Great for breakfast: Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Cafe
From April to October the cafe at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway does a full English breakfast plus gallons of tea and coffee from 9am, with light lunches through the day. The cafe is an easy stroll away, so you're never more than a 10 minute walk from cake!
Tel: 01539 531594 - Sat nav: LA12 8AL (walking is quickest)
A 500 year old inn: The Cavendish Arms, Cartmel
Freshly caught seafood alongside quality meat and game share the menu with a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes in this lovingly cared-for coaching inn. They open for breakfast at 10am and continue with lunch and dinner through the rest of the day.
Tel: 01539 536240 - Sat nav: LA11 6QA
A cafe with truly amazing views: Force, Ambleside
Whether it's breakfast, brunch or lunch, the stand-out feature of Force is its view. High above Ambleside near the Stock Ghyll waterfalls, this is one of the town's newest places to eat. Sit out on the terrace for views that stretch for miles around.
Tel: 015394 68335 - Sat nav: LA22 0QY
Lovely indoor/outdoor dining in Cartmel: Unsworth's Yard
At Unsworth's Yard you'll find a cheese shop, wine shop, craft brewery, bar, pizzeria and restaurant all gathered around a central courtyard. Open all year round with various food options during the day and most evenings, it's a lovely place to relax.
Tel: 07966 681706 - Satnav: LA11 6PN
A great all-rounder: The Farmers, Ulverston
This award-winning pub and wine bar in the centre of Ulverston opens at 9am for breakfast and stays open all day for lunch and dinner. Enjoy the home-made and locally sourced food out on the patio in summer, or inside by a log fire in winter.
Tel: 01229 584469 - Satnav: LA12 7BA
Best for cake: Chester's by the River, Skelwith Bridge
Chester's cafe is open during the day for lunch, or treat yourself to a coffee and one of their superb home-made cakes. Sit out on the deck by the river or inside next to the shop which sells top-quality gifts with a Lake District theme. NB - they close at 4pm!
Tel: 015394 34771 - Sat nav: LA22 9NJ.
Close by and lots of choice: The Swan, Newby Bridge
Less than two miles upstream from the apartment, The Swan is a historic riverside hotel and restaurant with a modern twist. Choose from three dining options: brasserie, cafe and pub. They open for breakfast too.
Tel: 01539 531681 - Satnav: LA12 8NB
Best for whole foods: Zeffirellis, Ambleside
Zeffirellis is an Ambleside institution. The vegetarian pizza, pasta and salads menu with daily specials, all freshly prepared, is served in a lively, contemporary atmosphere. During the day the cafe serves coffees, light lunches and cake.
Tel: 015394 33845 - Satnav: LA22 9AD
Wonderful location: Lanty Slee's Bar, Elterwater
A tapas style menu and delicious sharing plates are served through the day in this beautifully converted wayside chapel above the hamlet of Elterwater. Eat outside in the summer months for amazing views of the Langdales.
Tel: 015394 82589 - Satnav: LA22 9JB
Legendary pub: The Drunken Duck, near Ambleside
The Drunken Duck is a classic Lakeland pub with whitewashed walls, stripped wooden floors, top quality food and a great story behind its unusual name! It also has an enviable location with breathtaking views of the surrounding fells and Ambleside in the distance.
Tel: 015394 36347 - Satnav: LA22 0NG
Great gastro pub: The Black Labrador, Underbarrow
A superb pub with great food and a lovely terrace garden, this 16th century inn has the perfect countryside setting. On top of that there’s real ale, a long wine list, a good selection of malts and the occasional black labrador!
Tel: 01539 568234 - Satnav: LA8 8HQ
Another great gastro pub: The Manor House, Oxen Park
Here you’ll find home cooked food, local ales, fine wines and freshly ground coffee in a recently renovated and cosy environment. Not the cheapest on this list, but certainly not the most expensive, the Manor House is a Lakeland pub that really is worth a visit.
Tel: 01229 861345 - Satnav: LA12 8HG
The closest pub: The Angler's Arms, Haverthwaite
A straightforward, no-nonsense pub serving a good choice of food and drink. There are much posher pubs on this list, but The Angler's Arms is just a 10 minute walk away, so if you want to leave the car at home, it's the closest.
Tel: 01539 262023 - Sat nav: LA12 8AJ (walking is quickest)