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90 miles, 7 days, 44 pubs…
The Inn Way…to the English Lake District was the second book in the series and takes the reader on a 90-mile circular journey through some of the most beautiful corners of the Lake District calling at 44 traditional Lakeland inns along the way. From Ambleside, the route heads west over the stunning Borrowdale fells then turns south through the mountains and valleys of western Lakeland, perhaps the most dramatic, inspiring and remote landscape in England – the finale is the summit of Swirl How on the last day. Complete with foreword by Eric Robson.
Top Tips and Info
- Long Stay parking is limited at Ambleside, so please use public transport. If you arrive by car, then enquire at the Tourist Information Centre at Ambleside about where to park your car. Hotels, B&B’s and the Youth Hostel etc usually allow you to leave your car with them (if you stay with them at the start and end of your walk) – always ‘phone to check.
- The only cash-point facilities along the entire route are at Ambleside at the start of the walk (Barclay’s, NatWest, HSBC, Halifax). There are also banks at Broughton-in-Furness and Coniston (Barclay’s), although they do not have cash-points.
- There are Outdoor Shops at Ambleside, Grasmere, Broughton-in-Furness and Coniston.
- There are Doctors’ Surgeries at Ambleside and Broughton-in-Furness.
- There are well-stocked shops at the following Overnight Stops – Rosthwaite, Braithwaite, Boot-in-Eskdale, Broughton-in-Furness and Coniston. A limited range of provisions can be purchased at the craft shops at Butteremere.
- The Wasdale Head Inn, lunchtime stop on Stage Four, serves food all day.
- Stage Seven involves a long and steep climb to the summit of Swirl How – please allow plenty of time to complete this walk. An early start is essential as it will take around five hours to complete the ‘morning section’ to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.
- Stage Seven (‘morning section’ via Swirl How) – If the weather is bad and there is poor visibility, then I would recommend the following ‘low level’ route to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. From Coniston, walk up into the Coppermines Valley then head along the Hole Rake path to reach Tilberthwaite. Follow the track from High Tilberthwaite to Fell Foot Farm in Little Langdale, then turn left up along the Wrynose Pass road for about half a mile then take the footpath to the right which heads along the western shores of Blea Tarn, then down into Great Langdale to reach the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Full details of this alternative route has been included in an Appendix at the back of the 2006 re-print (and subsequent re-prints).
- All 44 pubs along the route have a blue and yellow circular ‘Inn Way Pub Stickers’ in their windows. Make sure you visit all 44 pubs along the way, fill out your Log Book at the back of the book to claim your FREE Inn Way Certificate.
- If accommodation is in short supply at the following Overnight Stops, then here is a list of nearby villages where there is additional accommodation. Stonethwaite & Longthwaite (near Rosthwaite); Dalegarth (near Buttermere). Contact the local Tourist Information Centres for further details.
- The Blacksmiths Arms at Broughton Mills is a classic Lakeland inn – completely untouched and a unique survivor of how country inns used to be; do not miss it. Other classic Lakeland inns not to miss include: Golden Rule and Unicorn (Ambleside), Travellers Rest (Grasmere), Swinside Inn (Newlands Valley), Kirkstile Inn (Loweswater), Wasdale Head Inn, Newfield Inn (Seathwaite), Manor Arms and the Black Cock Inn (Broughton-in-Furness), Church House Inn (Torver), Sun Inn (Coniston), Old Dungeon Ghyll and the Britannia (Elterwater).
- Trekking poles are highly recommended to take the strain out of the many rocky (and steep) ascents and descents.
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Lakes Photo One
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Lakes Photo Two
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Lakes Photo Three
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Lakes Photo Four
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Lakes Photo Five
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Lakes Photo Six
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Lakes Photo Sevem
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