Lake District

[NewYorkCityDreamer]

I’d really appreciate some restaurant recommendations. We are staying in Ambleside, we’re a couple with one veggie and one non-veggie.

Happy to consider fine dining or casual but would prefer to have more than one veggie main choice if possible. Lots seem to be mushroom based!

Additionally any must see places to visit for walks or just towns would be appreciated. We only live about 90 mins away but my partner has never been to the Lake District and I was young last time I visited.

I have ADHD so struggling to whittle it down! We’ll be there one night, happy to be mostly on the go for 2 days straight.

we love walking and independent shops, nice food and views

Zeffirellis and Fellinis are two well known vegetarian restaurants in Amblesides. They are both attached to cinemas, but you can eat at them independently www.zeffirellis.com/food-drink . Bowness and Ambleside tend to be very busy and the more commercial side of the Lake District. You can get the www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk from Ambleside which are nice, but if you prefer somewhere a little bit quieter try 30 minutes down the road and visit Ulverston with its independent shops, cobbled streets, lovely pubs, 5 minutes from the beach, alpaca walks and Cumbria cow ice cream farm.

Zeffirellis is veggie and great for pizza. Doi Intanon is an excellent Thai with both veggie and meat options. If you want a daytime cafe option, the Apple Pie near the Bridge House is good, or Sheila's Cottage for really good sticky toffee pudding.

For walks from Ambleside, depending on far/high you want to go, a few options are:

• a wander up Loughrigg is good. You don't have to go all the way to the top for great views
• walk round the road that goes under Loughrigg to Rydal, take a walk along the lakes shore (maybe go and look at the cave) and then head back via the grounds of Rydal Hall.
• walk up to Stock Ghyll waterfalls (via the little road that goes behind Doi Intanon and then the footpath - you can't miss it). This is a very short walk but lovely
• head up to the waterfalls as above but then carry on up to Wansfell, through Troutbeck and back via Robin Lane and Skelghyll woods

There are so many lovely options there - hope you can narrow it down and find some you enjoy!

We stayed here and had a lovely candlelit dinner, would need to book and if you let them know one in veggie in advance they may be able to offer more. Its next to Beatrix Potter's Hill Top House which is worth seeing. Also do lunch. Lovely place to stay as well. Lots of drinks, biscuits etc in the room and like being in Beatrix Potter's cottage yourself.

www.towerbankarms.co.uk/food-drink

Rydal Hall also has a lovely cafe so if you choose to go for a walk near there 🙂

There used to be a vegetarian cafe called Gandhi 's in Ambleside, but I think she put the business up for sale.

Rydal Water has a nice walk around and is so pretty. You can walk all the way from Ambleside to Grasmere and the view is lovely. Then you can walk back via the Coffin Route and stop at the Badger Bar for refreshments 🙂

If you're setting out early from home you could go to Buttermere first, it's so beautiful but you do need to be there by 10 to get parked easily.

If you want to go further afield (but not fell walking), you could go to Whinfell or Grizedale Forest. We went to Whinfell once on a wet day and it was great as we were under the trees plus it wasn't busy!

We have National Trust membership so often look for their car parks and plan our walks from there; eg Aira Force near Ullswater, as you can then walk up Gobarrow Fell which isn't a big trek but has lovely views.

You'll have a great time 🙂 I love the Lakes. It's food for my soul. We live less than 90mins away and would move there if we won Euromilions 🤞🏻🤞🏻

The walk from Beatrix Potter's house at Hill Top up to Moss Eccles tarn and beyond is lovely.

Western and Northern lakes, especially Ennerdale are usually much quieter. Nice round Mungrisdale, Caldbeck, Eskdale.

There's a nice veggie restaurant in Cockermouth, 'Quince and Medlar'.

Nice walk from Fangs Brow at the back of Loweswater and on a good day you can see across Loweswater, Crummock, Buttermere, out across the Solway to Isle of Man and Criffel in Scotland.

Wow @Silkierabbit I've just put that pub on our list!

Its really nice Curb and the room (we had the family one) had lovely views and old fashioned furniture and was like going back in time. The tray had so much on lots of free drinks, kendal mint cake, different biscuits.

This is a photo of the table for dinner and meals we had, we had the beef stew which was amazing and son had gammon which was the biggest gammon ever seen. They also had specials on, the breakfast if you stay is amazing as well and they were very keen to help you in any way you wanted so if you want something different and say in advance they will do it for you if they can. There were only 4 tables in their dining room though is a pub bar bit as well with tables so need to book.

Fellini's is exceptional

A walk up Orrest Head from Windermere is lovely. A great introduction to the Lake District, not too arduous and rewarding views

Another vote for zeferellis!
This is a nice walk from Ambleside to Grasmere. Make sure you buy some gingerbread in Grasmere! Grasmere to Ambleside via Loughrigg Fell | Where2Walk