After the hustle and bustle of the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Year, it’s lovely to return to the quieter months of January and February, and to return to finding enjoyment in some of life’s simpler pleasures. And what could be simpler but more thoroughly enjoyable than a gentle Lake District walk followed by a leisurely pot of tea in a nice warm tearoom? If this idea appeals to you, here are some popular – and less well known – short walks with tearooms you may like to add to your list in the next few weeks and months. To…
Category: Lunches
Travelling on the M6 north? Lunch at Barton Grange
The subject of today’s blog post is a true gem, but also an unusual one in that it isn’t actually in the Lake District at all! When I last visited this place for myself, I thought what a wonderful stopping point it would make for those of you travelling north on the M6 motorway to…
10 reasons to visit Sizergh Castle near Kendal
I’ve visited Sizergh Castle many, many times over the years, but have stepped inside the castle itself just twice. That’s because there are a whole host of reasons to spend time at Sizergh that not everyone may be aware of (although visiting the castle itself is a good start!). Here are 10: 1. A tour…
27 things to do on a rainy day in the Lake District
One of the very first posts I wrote for the blog was a list of 10 things to do in the Lake District on a rainy day. We do get quite a few wet days here, but, as they say, the Lake District wouldn’t be the Lake District without them! Since writing that post however,…
10 ideas for Father’s Day in the Lake District
With Father’s Day just around the corner, you might well be looking for places to enjoy a leisurely day out in Lake District, so in this post I thought I would put together a few ideas especially for dads! I’ve thrown in a couple of events, as well as recommendations for local attractions. Fingers crossed…
15 great places to stop for a brew in the Lake District
When I recently discovered that January is ‘Hot Tea Month’, I thought, now there’s a subject for a blog post! Although I’m not entirely sure how or where Hot Tea Month first came about – online sources seem to suggest it may have been the USA – here are some of my favourite stopping off…
An afternoon visit to Hawkshead
I was sitting inside working on what was forecast to be one of the last warm, sunny days of the year, when I suddenly realised it. There wasn’t one thing I was doing that couldn’t wait until the cloudy days at the weekend! So although time was getting tight, I headed out for a short…
No longer a secret garden: Larch Cottage Nurseries, Melkinthorpe
I love seeing a project that is someone’s obvious passion, and this is certainly what I saw on a visit to Larch Cottage Nurseries in Melkinthorpe, near Penrith. The nursery is a real hidden delight for gardeners and anyone else who just fancies a peaceful escape for an hour or two in a fascinating and…
No smoke without fire at The Wild Boar
The Wild Boar, situated on the picturesque Crook Road between Kendal and Bowness-on-Windermere, has become increasingly well-known for its smokehouse and microbrewery, the products of which are visible across its extensive restaurant menu. What better opportunity to find out more about it all, than to visit the hotel’s second Festival of Smoke? The festival, which…
Some tasty discoveries on a day out at Rheged
The Rheged Centre, which can be found just off the A66 outside Penrith, is an impressive and unusual building, designed to blend in with the grass landscape that surrounds it. The main entrance is vast and surrounded by stone – appearing to be set in a hillside, I would describe it as rather ‘castlesque’, with…
10 things to do on a rainy day in the Lake District and surrounding area
It’s been one of those cold, wet days with sleet and snow today, and so I’ve spent a snug Sunday working away in the office. It’s got me thinking though – where are the best places to go when the sun won’t come out to play? Here are my top 10 suggestions: 1. Lakeland, Windermere…
Chips in a flowerpot? It must be lunch at Beetham Nurseries
It’s been quite a while since I last went out for lunch, and Sunday presented the perfect opportunity. Because we were already in the area, my lunching ‘partner in crime’ and I decided to treat ourselves to a light bite to eat at Beetham Nurseries, which lies just south of Milnthorpe. The café was a…