Sticklebarn

The Lake District


Now run by the National Trust, this converted barn is a walkers' favourite: it's packed with people nursing pints and aching fell-sore legs at the end of the day. Food is wholesome and hearty: herdwick and ale stew, venison ragu and ropa vieja chilli, washed down with a good ale selection.

There are also board games and films in case the weather turns bad, and outdoor barbecues over fire pits if it doesn't.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Lake District attractions

1. Grasmere Lake & Rydal Water

2.48 MILES

Quiet paths lead along the shores of Grasmere's twin-set lakes. Rowing boats can be hired at the northern end of Grasmere Lake from the Grasmere Tea…

2. St Oswald's Church

2.71 MILES

Named after a Viking saint, Grasmere's medieval chapel is where Wordsworth and his family attended church service every Sunday for many years. It's also…

3. Elterwater

2.79 MILES

Named by Norse settlers after the colonies of whooper swans that still swoop across its surface every winter, Elterwater (literally 'swan lake') presents…

4. Dove Cottage & The Wordsworth Museum

2.95 MILES

On the edge of Grasmere, this tiny, creeper-clad cottage (formerly a pub called the Dove & Olive Bough) was famously inhabited by William Wordsworth…

5. Skelwith Bridge

3.59 MILES

Three miles south of Grasmere, Skelwith Bridge is little more than a knot of cottages along the banks of the River Brathay. Since the 19th century it's…

6. Rydal Mount

4.34 MILES

The poet William Wordsworth's most famous residence in the Lake District is undoubtedly Dove Cottage, but he actually spent a great deal more time at…

7. Tarn Hows

4.66 MILES

Two miles off the B5285 from Hawkshead, a winding country lane leads to this famously photogenic artificial lake, now owned by the National Trust. Trails…

8. Armitt Museum

5.18 MILES

Despite some damage incurred during the 2015 floods, Ambleside's excellent little museum is now back up and running. It hosts some intriguing seasonal…