Top Five Places to Visit in the Lake District
by Cathy Bramley
What’s not to love about the Lake District? It’s got hills, lakes (obviously), amazing views, fabulous fresh air and lots of lovely places to enjoy a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in this beautiful part of the world, so when it came to finding a location for Appleby Farm, it was the obvious choice. Last summer, as I was writing the book, I spent a week in Ambleside to really soak up the atmosphere and here are my top five places to visit:
Old Hall Farm – This is a Victorian working farm near Ulverston and is the farm which I based Appleby Farm on. It’s a fabulous and extremely good value day out and as for the ice cream made with their own Jersey milk… delicious!
Lucy’s On A Plate – This quirky restaurant in Ambleside has a huge menu. Huge. But if you just want to pop in for pudding that’s perfectly fine. It’s extremely friendly and welcomed us with open arms despite having four teens and a bouncy dog in tow!
Poppi Red – The best way to get to Poppi Red in Hawkshead, in my opinion, is to catch the little ferry from Bowness to Far Sawrey. Great fun and well worth the trip. When you get to Hawkshead, Poppi Red is unmissable; it’s the sort of shabby chic café that’s impossible to pass. There are lots of outside tables with mismatched chairs and colourful bunting, oodles of cakes and a lovely gift shop that tempts you inside.
Hilltop – The home of Beatrix Potter is touristy, I admit, but it’s so beautiful that it’s worth taking the time to visit. There is no charge to enter the gardens even if you don’t go inside the house. The whole village is so ‘quintessentially English countryside’ that I’m thinking of possibly setting a book there.
Brantwood – Set above the banks of Coniston Water, this country house was once home to John Ruskin. You can tour the house as well as the museum and art gallery. There are magnificent views across the lake and sparing an hour to sit outside at the café and revel in the beauty of your surroundings is an absolute must.
If you’ve been to the Lake District before, I hope I’ve introduced you to some new places. If not – what are you waiting for! Grab your copy of Appleby Farm and immerse yourself in the wonder of Cumbria, you’ll be booking a trip there by the end of the book, I guarantee it!
Thank you to Cathy for the blog tour guest post. My review of Appleby Farm will follow a little later on today...
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