I’ve never been to the lake district so I’m looking for any sort of advice on where to stay, eat etc.

Me and the other half are looking at getting a B&B or hotel for 3 nights from the 4th of June. Due to a shoulder injury the bikes will be staying at home in the shed so any advice on activities would be welcome. I’m a keen hillwalker so any routes you could recommend would be grand.

Oh, pubs. Need to know goooood pubs with good ale. 😉

3 days? Do 3 mountains, blencathra, skiddaw & Helvellyn. Stay in Keswick. If you just do one do Helvellyn, it really is an excellent day out. Start in Glenridding and ascend via striding edge & descend on swirral. The hotel in Glenridding has an excellent bar underneath for when you finish, if the sun is out you can sup next to the river.

Blencathra is an easy mountain, half a day job. The most dramatic ascent is halls fell or Doddick and then descend after passing the tarn.

+1 for Blencathra – up via Sharp Edge, down Halls Fell – excellent and not too long – virtually no walk-in as its on the A66. Helvellyn by the edges is very good too – from Glenridding – pint in the Traveller’s Rest on way back down. Crinkle Crags/Bowfell is good but a bigger day out – that’s in Great Langdale which is a lot further south than Keswick – Ambleside is nearby and is quite lively if that’s what you’re after.
Stayed in the Cuckoo Brow Inn in Far Sawrey recently – very nice – sell Loweswater Gold which is an excellent pint. Cracking pub 10 min walk away in Near Sawrey called the Tower Bank Inn (next to Beatrix Potter’s gaff).
TBH though the Lakes is bursting with excellent walks, pubs and beers! Enjoy.

Blencathra is a great walk, but only do the Sharp Edge route if neither of you is bothered by heights. Stayed at the Boot and Shoe in Greystoke up the A66 from Keswick but just 10 mins drive from Blencathra, great food and beer, rooms ok.
More expensive but along similar lines of a proper pub is the Queens Head at Troutbeck and you aren’t a million miles away from Helvellyn and surrounding mountains. Tower Banks as mentioned above is good too

As langylad says, you need a bit of a head for heights/exposure on Sharp Edge – did it on my own 4 years ago and had a moment of ‘er, what do I do now?’ clinging to a large piece of rock before making a lunge for it 😉

I’ll be with the other half and she doesnt likehigh exposure on the hills so will probably play it safe!

The accommodation at the cuckoo brow inn looks brilliant but am i right in saying there doesnt seem to be much to do within walking distance?

Also been looking at yurts at the national trust campsite on windermere. Any experience of these?

@cobraki – if the wife doesnt like exposure the routes above to Helvelyn and Blencathra are out of the question (I know as they are for me)

Hopefully @teamhurtmore will be along shortly as he knows the area and pubs well

We stayed in Hawkshead for a similar length walking break, we did Scafell Pike via Corridor Route, I’ve no head for heights but that was ok with one or two “moments”. From Seathwate that was about 6 hours with stops, you can just do the bottom section upto the Tarn’s and down Grains Gill which is still a nice walk. There is a “motorway” up the other side which is a much easier route but boring. Likewise you can get up Helvelyn from the opposite side to Striding Edge quite easily. If you like you can go up to Striding Edge and have a look then retrace your steps to Hole in the Wall before going to Red Tarn which has Striding and Swirral Edge to either side, quite a setting, on the descent we went to Lanty’s Tarn for views over Ullswater before returning to Glenriding/Patterdale

So you’re going all the way to the lakes & not doing anything high level? Pfffft be having words with the wife. I’d still stay in Keswick, there’s tons of B&Bs, loads of pubs n restaurants too. If the wife insists on being a spoilsport catbells is a gentle walk, catch the steamer from the Keswick side. The tourist info at the moot hall in Keswick will have route cards.

She’s froze before. I’m not very patient at the best of times! With my shoulder I can’t exert myself to much so simple low routes sound like a plan.

Fairfield horseshoe fae Ambleside….? Lovely walk and the best lakeland hill views possible…

Old England Hotel in Bowness on Windermere. Get them to do you a deal on a lake view room. Got pool and spa and stuff too.

Right in town so plenty to do too.

Cheers for the advice. Fantastic weather. Waterproofs stayed in the ruck the whole time we were there.

Ended up staying at the cuckoo brow for 3 nights which was spot on. Rascal, Definitely got a taste for the loweswater gold.

Ended up going up Helvellyn from Glenridding via striding edge. Weather was great so no probs with exposure on the ridge. Turned left at the top then descended via Dollywagen pike and Grisedale. Stopped at the tower bank arms next to beartrix potters house for some grub. Brilliant pork.

2nd full day we walked down to the chain ferry then across to Boness. Did the tourist thing with a ferry ride up and back to Amblesidethen stopped at the hole in T wall in Boness for scran. Good price and atmosphere.

Next time i’m back will be with the bikes.