Off to deepest darkest Cumbria for a week. Any folks who know the area have recommendations on what to visit, nice eateries etc?
Thanks,
Graeme
Do you mean Barrow in Furness?
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So many good places and things to do. Are you walkers, mountain bikers etc?
For mid budget dining our favourite in Ambleside is Zeffirelli’s, a vegetarian Italian that is part of a small cinema complex in the middle of town. Lovely food. They have a spinoff high end veg restaurant Fellini’s but we were underwhelmed for the cost.
Having said that it is now school holidays so you might struggle to book. Same applies to a lot of places now in fairness. Not helpful I know but the best place in the Lakes during school holidays is…the Howgills or the fells around Carlisle if you want to walk and escape the crowds!
Bruce
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Edited. I meant Bowness on Solway!
G
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Can you swimm in that lake on summer ? I am curious because i love big lakes.
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Thanks. Yes the family are looking at some wild swimming spots.
G
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You can swim in most of the Lake District lakes and tarns provided they are not restricted reservoirs (like Thirlmere). I am afraid Windermere has a reputation for poor water quality and my wife (a keen wild swimmer) tells me that a few small tarns are currently experiencing a profusion of (harmless but unpleasant) leeches! High water temperature apparently.
Bruce
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Good to know!
G
Swim the Lakes is a good website resource and they also have a small shop in Ambleside. Helpful people. Wild swimming is very, very much the thing at the moment. Lots of blogs etc and Facebook groups with advice. My wife insists she was doing it before it was trendy. True actually.
Bruce
Be aware it may be tropical outside but water temps are still 13-14 deg in the Lakes. People get caught out.
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If you are planning to visit Zeffirelli’s check their live music schedule. Some surprisingly good jazz.
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Excellent! Thanks.
G
Friday nights I think. Mate of mine (Flamenco Guitarist) plays there sometimes.
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Had a look at their website. It looks delicious.
Thanks again,
G
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We’re from Scotland. That’s positively balmy!
G
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30+ years ago we used to camp at Coniston Hall and swim in the lake. Was much quieter than many of the others.
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We have been to wild lakes in Poland ( Mazury), Swiss as Leman and Neuchatel, and French Lac Annecy and Lac de Sainte Croix.
The wildest in that list are in Poland.
So this Cumbria lake is tempting. But are there roads with cars around? Is it really wild?
On the picture yes….
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Gramaeh, sorry for the diversion. But as we are talking swimming, you will be maybe surprised that we were swimming 2 days ago in the Seine, in Paris:
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Bowness on Solway isn’t in the Lake District (unlike Bowness on Windermere which is in the heart), though it is not far from the northern end. Bear in mind that travelling in the Lake District can be a lot slower than you might expect, especially in holiday season. Most reachable from Bowness on Solway would be places like Keswick, a delightful if very touristy little town, or Skiddaw, one of the highest mountains in England, perhaps even the famous Helvellyn, which has some challenging hillwalking routes. But why not explore the Solway Firth? Not somewhere I know, but I think it could be quite an interesting area to explore.
If you get as far as Ambleside you’ll find it a delightful but very busy place. One of my brothers lives there and deplores the crowds in summer. That said it is a good base for walking/climbing. I’ve been to Zeffirelis and it is quite nice, but I wouldn’t choose high season to go there,
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Thanks for this.
G
Aglionby is on the A69, far side of Carlisle to where you’re staying and has Khan’s at the Waterloo. Curry house in a converted pub which we enjoyed immensely. Their special biryani was a thing of wonder.
Hadrian’s Wall is worth visiting since you are staying in the vicinity. Birdoswald Fort visitor centre explains the significance of the structure. Further away is Vindolanda where the fort and associated vicus are still being excavated.
Hope that helps.
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