Eat at Heft. So good. You’ll need to book in advance. Also The Yan. Both brilliant. 

Yeah, which bit of Windermere?

Foodie bits of the South Lakes:

sizergh barn

plumduffs

The old stamp house in Ambleside is lush

L'enclume also not that far away.

Blackpool is nicer

Kysty in Ambleside is v good.

No one’s mentioned Gilpin yet, what is rof coming to?

Gilpin’s lovely but the spa bit is a fooking nightmare to get into in Covid, have to be booked into one of only twelve rooms at the hotel. 

Drunken Duck near Hawkshead fantastic to eat, ditto Forestside in Grasmere. Apple Pie cafe in Ambleside excellent lunch. 

Not much going on the lake at the moment so I’d just get out in the fells during the day. Langdales excellent, Loughrigg nice and gentle for a fell and loads of paths. If you just want chilled, drive over to Buttermere and do the round the lake path. Don’t be one of those who goes up Helvellyn or Scafell at this time of year unless you know your stuff mountaineering wise. 

L’Enclume Is round that way isn’t it? 

L’Enclume be booked up if going soon, unless you get in on a cancellation. 

It's in Cartmel

Not my cuppa tbh

The punch bowl at crossthwaite good also

Anyone else looking at this thread and thinking about self catering - check out Mirefoot. Lush. We had christmas there

Stardust thanks for the recommendation. 

Went to Heft this week and it didn't disappoint! 

Oh yay! What did you eat? I adored everything I ate when we went. 

The Mortal Man at Troutbeck. Good food, atmosphere and walks nearby. 

Holker Hall, farm shop and cafe, walks 

Fellpack, Keswick for food and adventures. 

I thought Drunken Duck bit overrated. 
 

The Golden Rule in Ambleside is one of my favourite pubs in the whole world. 

The walk from Ambleside to Rydal Hall and around Rydal Lake taking in sculptures is fun and easy. 
 

https://www.rydalhall.org/about/textile-sculptures

Agreed. For a longer walk, carry on into White Moss woods then to Rydal Cave and then back to Ambleside.

_{Take a quick dip in Grasmere if you're not a big southern jessy.}

I will do it as due a trip North and not got to Rydal cave.  I might also start the swp you mentioned. Keep me off this site and screens for a while… 

No not southern jessy but do have a collection of “all weather” wetsuits”. Have been for a dip in Windermere August heatwave though 😎

TBF I'm not sure I would go in in January. The sea is just about do-able but inland water is a step too far !

Shout/start a thread if you have any Q's about the swcp.

Lakeland Motor Museum at Ulverston. Especially if you like the land speed record/Donald Campbell. 

Scep, that place is adorable. Proper local museum style. Café is v good, too. 

Cool will start the thread SWCP when I begin and carry on - signal permitting.