Research conducted by outdoor robe and apparel brand D-Robe has revealed the 10 best pub walks in the Lake District where weary walkers can enjoy good food, warm drinks and a roaring fire at the end. They’re also dog-friendly, so you’ll be able to take your furry friends along for the journey.
Here’s what they found…
10 Best dog-friendly pub walking routes in The Lake District
1) Buttermere Circular / Bridge Hotel - 90.9/100
2) Skelwith Force, Colwith Force and Cathedral Circular / Three Shires - 76.8/100
3) Troutbeck and Hagg Gill Circular / Queen’s Head - 74.1/100
4) Eskdale and Eel Tarn / The Boot Inn - 63.6/100
5) Low Wood, Wast Water, and Nether Wasdale Circular / The Strands Inn - 60.9/100
6) Ambleside, Rydal, and Rydal Cave Circular / Badger Bar - 53.0/100
7) Waterhead to Wansfell Pike / The Wateredge Inn - 52.0/100
8) Town End and Grasmere Circular / The Good Sport - 44.9/100
9) Grasmere Lake Circular / Tweedies Bar - 36.3/100
10) Glenridding and Greenside Mine Circular / The Rambler’s Bar & Candleroom 33.4/100
The Buttermere Circular Walk in Buttermere is a picturesque 7.4 km route which takes roughly one hour 54 minutes to complete. The walk is highly rated on AllTrails, where it’s currently rated 4.8/5. With livestock in the area, users recommend keeping dogs on lead while exploring the stunning views around Buttermere Lake just to stay safe.
However, the Bridge Hotel is just so good, it’s no surprise the pub walk takes the top spot. Dog-friendly and highly rated, walkers will be able to enjoy lovely food and drink while they warm up by cosy roaring fire. No wonder it took the top spot with a score of 90.9/100.
The Skelwith Force, Colwith Force and Cathedral Quarry Circular Walk are in second place with a final score of 76.8/100. Located along the village of Elterwater, this route is 8.4 km and takes an estimated two hours 39 minutes to complete. This dog-friendly walk allows dogs off-lead, but is a moderately challenging route, so walkers are advised to take extra care tackling this one.
Once that’s done and dusted, the Three Shires Inn is an excellent place to come in from the cold. With a cosy atmosphere and a roaring fire, walkers will be spoiled for choice with a menu created from locally sourced produce. This stunning pub is considered a hidden gem of the Lake District - so well worth a visit.
The Troutbeck and Hagg Gill Circular Walk takes third place. A lovely 8.4 km leg stretcher, this trail takes about two hours and 17 minutes. A popular choice for birding, hiking, and running, but walkers can definitely enjoy solitude on certain parts of the route. While livestock means that dogs are advised to be kept on lead, the pastoral scenery is absolutely stunning.
A real treat at the end is the Queen's Head, the perfect place to warm up and relax after a trek. The pub's new menu promises homely classic pub food with a Cumbrian flair. With wholesome home-cooked food, an amazing selection of drinks and cask ales and a roaring fire, visitors are always guaranteed to receive a warm Lakeland welcome.
Using the outdoor recreation app AllTrails, the D-Robe team analysed all ‘circular’ and ‘there and back walks’ where a pub could also be found on the route. The walks were then scored based on their overall ratings, total distance, and if users highlighted if dogs could be let off the lead.
Speaking on the results, Matt Salkeld, spokesperson for outdoor robe experts D-Robe, said: "As the weather starts to turn colder, many of us find it difficult to stay active. But winter is a great time to get out and explore, especially in a beautiful region like the Lake District.
"We wanted to pull this list together to help walkers find some really amazing routes to explore. And a wonderfully warm pub after a long walk is a great incentive! The added bonus of knowing the locations are dog-friendly ensures that our furry friends won’t be left out in the cold, so they can enjoy the experience too."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here