The Lake District Guide

 

Great prices on hotel rooms in the Lakes!
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Discount Late hotel rooms Lakes, Lake District, UK, Ireland, Europe, US - hotels 
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Accommodation Guide
Something for every budget, from luxury hotels through to the budget accommodation of hostels and the fun of camping.


Eating Out
That's the page you're looking at now! There's something for every taste here:
Gourmet restaurants
Restaurants/gastropubs
Other Lakes pubs
Cafes & bars
Vegetarian
Great everyday eating


Mountain Walks
Wonderful high level walks in the Lakes. 

Valley & Lakeside Walks
For more sedate walks in the most beautiful part of England.

Things To Do, Places To Go
Want a day's activity? Maybe a bit of mountain biking? Or some water-sports? Fancy something to entertain the kids, or amuse the older members of the groups? Everything to do in the Lakes is here. Hundreds of wonderful activities, endless places to see and things to do in every category you can imagine!

General Lake District Information
The place to find useful information on travel, tourist information, and everything else about the Lakes.

Map of the Lake District

Home page

Your eating out guide to the English Lake District! 

We feature the best restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and takeaway food places.

Like many areas of the UK which have traditionally relied on farming as one of the main industries, Cumbria in general and the Lake District in particular are blessed with great food products. The producers range from small, local artisan operations with a small-scale enterprise to brands that are known nationally and internationally, like the famous Kendal Mint Cake.

The meat is especially good. Herdwick sheep are raised in a natural environment on the flavoursome grass and herbs of the Lake District hills, and they are free to wander over the area they inhabit. The result is a slow maturing meat, which is full of flavour and rewards careful preparation as either mutton or lamb. The Lakes were also renowned in times gone by for the pork products that it priced, and this tradition lives on in the naturally reared and often organic bacon and sausages which you'll find offered for breakfast at many hotels and guest houses. Once you've tried it, you'll be converted, as it's simply delicious.

As in many other regions of England, gastropubs, high-class fusion cuisine, the cafe-bar and modern bistros have spread through the Lakes and produced a host of places to eat and drink which offer far more than the traditional "roast and three veg." There are now many places serving local meat, fish and vegetables in a style of cooking which is noticeably influenced by local tradition but which matches in sophistication the best England has to offer.

Some of the Lake District country house hotels bring modern cooking to its highest level: Miller Howe and Sharrow Bay are names which may be familiar to you, but there are many others, including several with Michelin stars to recommend them. There are also gastropubs with a fine reputation, excellent cafes, and - as always - the good old British pub grub, which can be excellent. We've tried to offer you the best choice available in each category, though of course standards change - moreso, perhaps, at the lower end of the market - and we'd appreciate your feedback on anything we have described here, as well as the places you think deserve to be included.

Choose your style of eating in the English Lakes:

Gourmet restaurants - if you want a gourmet experience in the beauty of the Lakes, we have some suggestions for you, with a Michelin star or two thrown in for good measure.

Other recommended restaurants and Gastropubs - who said the Lakes was old-fashioned? With everything from Thai to Chinese, British to French, home-cooked traditional roasts to modern-day bistros, your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Other Lakes pubs - the Lake District has some of the finest hostelries you could ever hope to find! We list the better pubs, with good food, where we think you'll enjoy both the food and the drink.

Cafes and Bars - the high end of the market (though not necessarily high priced) - great food, informal surroundings, in the beautiful scenery of the Lakes. Perfect!

Vegetarian restaurants and cafes - the Lakes has a few exclusively vegetarian restaurants; we list these and also list the places with specialist vegetarian options.

Great everyday eating - including takeaways, informal cafes, snack bars, and the occasional Lake District restaurant oddity that we wanted to share with you...

 


 

Internet Cafes & Access in the Lakes

If you want to get online, here are some suggestions. Please phone first to check opening hours and availability. If you see any errors in this listing, or you'd like something to be added, email rod @ lake-district-guides.co.uk

Bowness: The Purple Chilli Cafe in Bowness
Great food and coffee, many options for vegetarian with a skilled chef.

4 Windermere Bank, Bowness, LA23 2JJ
Phone: 015394 45657  Web: www.purplechilli-bowness.co.uk  Email: cafe@purplechilli-bowness.co.uk

Cyberquest @ Laserquest
Bush Brow, Victoria Viaduct, Carlisle CA3 8AN
Tel: 01228 511155

Barrow - The Custom House at Abbey Road
This Grade 2 listed building dates from the 1860's and contains a modern chic restaurant and bar, internet café, function rooms and family activities. The restaurant provides a fine dining opportunity as well as lunch time snacks and quality coffee all through the day. Everything is freshly prepared to order, and there's a great choice, with a family friendly atmosphere. Internet access is provided in the NetZone, and if you want to eat and surf, WiFi connectivity is provided without charge if you dine in the restaurant and cellar lounge.
1 Abbey Street, Barrow-in-Furness LA14 5UF
Phone: 01229 823823 Web: www.1abbeyroad.co.uk

Carlisle - The Source Café
This whole food, organic cyber cafe, with a licensed bar and a live music venue is conveniently situated near Carlisle town centre. You can take in the view from the rooftops while you enjoy some of the delicious food or drink on offer. And you might like to check out the gallery after eating or surfing the web!
Atlas Works, Denton Holme, Carlisle CA2 5NB
Phone: 01228 595535 Web: www.source-cafe.com

Maryport - The Port of Call
52 Senhouse St, Maryport CA15 6BS
Phone: 01900 810128

Maryport - Time Out
23 John Street, Maryport CA15 6JT
Phone: 01900 814866 

Penrith - Giga Bites Internet Cafe
Relax in this informal cafe with Fairtrade tea and coffee and excellent, affordable food, while you go online at cheap rates. Located in the town centre with helpful  support.
Eden Rural Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, Cumbria
Phone: 01768 861650 

Windermere - The Purple Chilli
4 Windermere Bank, Lake Road, Windermere LA23 2JJ
Phone: 015394 45657  Web: www.purplechilli-bowness.co.uk
 

Libraries

Cumbria Libraries website will give you more information on locations of these libraries: they have internet facilities, but for webmail you need to check with the library concerned...or use a web based email like Yahoo!

Internet and email

Barrow-in-Furness - Ramsden Square
Keswick - Heads Lane
Penrith - St Andrews Churchyard
Ulverston - Kings Road
Workington - Vulcans Lane

Internet only

Carlisle - Globe Lane
Grange-over-Sands - Grange Fell Road
Kendal - Stricklandgate
Maryport - Lawson Street
Silloth - Liddell Street
Whitehaven - Lowther Street
Windermere - Ellerthwaite

Great prices on hotel rooms in the Lakes!
Check out the special low price offers at
Late Rooms.com

Discount Late hotel rooms Lakes, Lake District, UK, Ireland, Europe, US - hotels 
            with last minute discounts

Submit your Lakeland photos to our photo gallery!

 

Try some delicious Lakeland recipes - or submit your own for our readers to try.

Full Lakeland recipe details here!
 

Lakeland walks for all ages and abilities.

Full Lake district walks information here!