So, you’ve made the wise decision to stay in an Ambleside B&B – we don’t hesitate to say that this will turn out to be one of the best decisions you will ever make!

Previously we’ve covered a selection of what’s on in the town in the way of events, and some of the beautiful attractions that are nearby.  This time we’ll revisit some of the wonderful things about the town itself – so you can leave your car in the car park, and enjoy a nice gentle stroll to our local delights.

The town centre – if you can call it a town as it’s quite small – probably has everything you could possibly want to do within a short walk of our Ambleside B&B – pubs, restaurants, shops, places to sit and relax and have a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake – you name it, we’ve got it.

That said, there are some very particular places to visit that we think you’ll love.  These are some of our favourites:

Rydal Mount

Only a mile or so outside the town, this was the home of William Wordsworth from 1813 until his death in 1850, and it contains a veritable treasure trove of Wordsworth memorabilia.  The gardens are lovely too – the poet was quite a gardener!

You can walk it in less than half an hour, or if you don’t want to drive Bus 555 (and 599 between April and November) stops at the end of the drive.

Lake Road Kitchen

Like your food?  Then you really ought to pay a visit to this excellent bistro.  The head chef is Noma trained, and he “explores the ‘food of the north, and his multicourse tasting menus are chock-full of locally sourced, seasonal and foraged ingredients, from shore-sourced seaweed to forest-picked mushrooms.”

Old Stamp House

Another great place to eat and drink, set in the cellar of the building where Wordsworth once worked as Distributor of Stamps!  “Classy food with impeccable Cumbrian provenance”.  Sounds fantastic doesn’t it?

Fellinis

And here’s one for the vegetarians amongst you (I’m proud to count myself one).  Creative and gorgeous dishes – most definitely not lasagne and chips!  Instead you might be tempted by brazil nut, hazelnut and almond roast or onion, leek and feta filo pie.  I can almost taste them from here …

Bridge House

The town’s best-known landmark is Bridge House, a tiny cottage that spans the clattering brook of Stock Ghyll. Now occupied by a National Trust shop, it’s thought to have originally been built as an apple store.

Armitt Museum

This delightful little museum has artefacts relating to important Lakeland characters such as Beatrix Potter, National Trust founder Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley and pioneering photographers Herbert Bell and the Abraham Brothers. There are also original canvases by the modernist artist Kurt Schwitters, a German refugee who settled in Ambleside after WWII.

Galava Roman Fort

Thought to have been built around AD 79, you can still make out the fort’s general layout and shape of some of the internal rooms.  Goodness how those Romans got about!For such a small place there are numerous other great places to visit – and we haven’t even recommended any pubs yet.  We’ll leave those for you to discover when you get here …

So here’s what to do.  First of all, book a room with us, then you know you’re covered.  Then do some research, ask people who’ve been before, call us for new ideas … and get ready for the time of your life!

We can help you plan an itinerary and tell you how to find all the places we’ve mentioned … and all the places we haven’t!

If you decide to stay with us we’ll be delighted to give you a very warm Lake District welcome, and do everything we can to make your stay a memorable one!  If you have any questions or would like to make a booking, please call us on: 01539 432307 or you can visit our web site Bed & Breakfast Ambleside.

We look forward to delighting you!