Favorite Local Pubs
Drive a short distance south of Windermere to Cartmel Fell, situated between the A592 and the A5074, and you'll find a pub-lover's dream. The Mason Arms, Strawberry Bank (tel. 01539/568486), is a Jacobean pub with original oak paneling and flagstone floors. Sturdy, comfortable wooden furniture is spread through a series of five rooms in which you can wander or settle. The outside garden, attractive in its own right, offers a dramatic view of the Winster Valley beyond. The pub offers so many beers that they have a 24-page catalog to help you order, plus a creative, reasonable menu that includes several tasty vegetarian options. Beer prices start at £2.50 ($5).
Southeast of the village, off the A5074 in Crosthwaithe, the Punch Bowl (tel. 01539/568234) is a 16th-century pub; the central room features a high-beamed ceiling with upper minstrel galleries on two sides. Outdoors, a stepped terrace on the hillside offers a tranquil retreat. Theakston's Best Bitter, Jennings Cumberland, and Cocker Hoop are available on tap.
Established in 1612, the Hole in t' Wall, Lowside (tel. 01539/443488), is the oldest pub in Bowness, a real treasure for its character and friendliness. The barroom is decorated with a hodgepodge of antiquated farming tools, and there's a large slate fireplace lending warmth on winter days plus a good selection of real ales on tap. The menu, determined daily, illustrates real ingenuity in an eclectic mix of vegetarian, seafood, and local game dishes. A small flagstone terrace in the front encourages lingering on warmer days and evenings.
