Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

204

Above left Part of the refurbished Haverthwaite

& Lakeside Railway Above right Britain’s earliest

working locomotive, Haver thwaite Station

e Fell Foot Park

Cumbria; LA12 8NN

A late-Victorian garden of sweeping

lawns, rhododendrons, oaks and pines

at the south end of Windermere, Fell

Foot Park (open daily; 015395 31273;

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk) has great

shoreline access and splendid views

of the Fells. There are good picnic

areas, rowing-boat hire and a lovely

WHERE TO STAY

AROUND FELL FOOT PARK

Punch Bowl Inn expensive

After the ferry, take the A5074 south,

turning off to Crosthwaite for nine

distinctive rooms in this 18th-century

country inn. Imaginative cooking

extends to breakfast – freshly squeezed

orange juice, potato and dill pancakes

with quails’ eggs and hollandaise.

Crosthwaite, Lyth Valley, LA8

8HR; 015395 68237;

http://www.the-punchbowl.co.uk

Newby Bridge Hotel expensive

Grand hotel in lovely setting on the

shores of Windermere (just off the A590

south of Fell Foot), with leisure centre

including pool and mini gym. Daily

changing menu, with fresh produce

from their kitchen garden and farm.

Newby Bridge, LA12 8NA; 015395

31222; http://www.newbybridgehotel.co.uk

AROUND CONISTON

Old Rectory moderate

This hotel, south of Coniston on the

A593 – take first left after Little Arrow –

is in a 19th-century house set in

extensive gardens and woodland. Close

to Coniston Water, the Old Rectory

offers nine individually styled rooms and

traditional Cumbrian breakfasts cooked

to order, using local meat and eggs.

Torver, Coniston, LA21 8AX; 015394

41353; http://www.theoldrectoryhotel.com

Right Sheep grazing in fields with morning

mist rising off Coniston Water beyond

BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under £80; moderate, £80–£150; expensive, over £150

r Haverthwaite

Cumbria; LA12 8AL

This is where children’s book author

and spy Arthur Ransome (Swallows

and Amazons) ended his days, but the

main reason to visit Haverthwaite is

the nearby Haverthwaite & Lakeside

Railway (open daily, trains run Apr–Oct;

015395 31594; http://www.lakesiderailway.co.

uk). The station is on the A590 (on

right from Newby Bridge). Once used

to carry goods to the steamers on

Windermere, the service closed in

1967. But thanks to enthusiasts, the
      locomotives once more ply alongside
      the River Leven. See the engines or
      try the short run to Lakeside. This
      tourist town offers lake cruises and
      the fun Lakes Aquarium (open daily).
      ª Rejoin A590, turn right on A5092,
      fork right on A5084 and turn right at
      Lowick (signed Nibthwaite/east of lake)
      then left for Brantwood.

Lake Windermere

Running north to south for 18 km

(11 miles), Windermere is the largest

lake in England and has been an

important waterway since Roman

times. It is fed by the Rivers Brathay

and Rothay at the northern head and

feeds into the River Leven at Newby

Bridge in the south. On its eastern

shore, sprawling Bowness-on-

Windermere is the main resort town

with many hotels, shops, pubs and

attractions, as well as plenty of access

to the lake. In high season the town

is full to bursting with visitors. The

glorious lakeside road south passes

along thickly wooded banks holding

covetable houses with some truly

sublime views.

tearoom housed in an old Victorian

boathouse, which serves light lunches.

ª Carry on to Newby Bridge, turning

right on to A590 and left on B5278.