This May/June we will be going to England and spending part of the time at a pub in the Lake district owned by a friend (lucky us).
We would also like to spend a few days in a village to walk about, shop and cook meals. Kendal is the major village nearby and I was wondering if any of you have any local knowledge about where would be good to stay.
Regards,
Dennis and Elinore
Kendal is not a village. It is a thriving town, with a full range of facilities and a very interesting history to explore. I'm there next Thursday researching the history of the Borough Council for someone, and quite frequently pass through. It was until 1974 and again is since 2023 the County Town of Westmorland.
Included in that history is the ruined Kendal Castle, and Catherine Parr, sixth wife of King Henry VIII- although her real links to Kendal are somewhat shaky.
There is a full range of hotels from Travelodge to Premier Inn to quite smart hotels, through quite a few guest houses/bed and breakfasts.
So an idea of your budget would be useful. Also whether you will have a car or will be using public transport.
I am a bit confused by your saying you want to cook meals, as that implies you are looking for a cottage to stay in, rather than a hotel or guest house.
I don't know of any local Cookery Schools- on line you will see reference to Lucy Cooks at Staveley (originally at Ambleside)- she closed during the pandemic. I wish the Mill Yard website was up to date on that matter.
Where is your friend's pub as that may have a bearing on the issue?
Thank you for your reply.
We will fly into Manchester, stay a night, rent a car and drive up to the Hare & Hounds at Bowlands Bridge.
Yes I am seeking a rental with kitchen facilities as I have found that a way to truly get to know an area. I have done that in London, Lisbon and Cascais and found much pleasure in it.
I know from my mates at H&H that Kendal is the closest village/town and from what I have seen, it would be quite interesting to get to know it a bit while in the area.
Any knowledge you can provide will be greatly appreciated
Regards,
D&E
I will come back to this later today.
Lucky you- the Hare and Hounds has a high reputation locally. It is a lovely corner of the southern Lake District, an area mostly missed by the majority of tourists (domestic and international) as they dash up the A591 or A592 to the predictable tourist haunts- but those normal tourist places are still easily reachable from Bowland Bridge. The best of both worlds. An area unreachable by public transport.
If you were there in April you would see the damson trees in full blossom (quite a sight)- in the Lake District damsons are only grown in the Lyth Valley- it's something you must try in as many guises as you can (including in wine and gin). I would assume the H and H, (or maybe the Damson Dene hotel just up the road stocks both). You are unlikely to get any to cook with as they are an autumn fruit.
In fact come to think of it the Damson Dene has luxury Hot Tub Cabins with TV/WiFi and a wood burning stove. If your budget stretches that far it would be a tremendous option- https://www.damsondene.co.uk/
So Kendal-
Places to shop (food shopping)-
Kendal Indoor Market (open daily) and the outdoor Market (Wednesday and Saturday), also the Farmers Market (in the Market Place) on the last Friday of each month- so 27 May when you are there.
For a supermarket Booths is the biggest in the town centre and has a lot of local produce.
A great find would be Farrers Tea and Coffee Shop- which has been roasting coffee there since 1819- the oldest coffee roasters in the UK- a delightful olde worlde building, and they have a wonderful cafe inside as well.
For independent artisan bakerys there is the Staff of Life Bakery and the Bakery at Number Four.
There is also the Made in Cumbria Shop for a wide range of locally made gifts and food.
There are also a couple of farm shops on the edge of town- Low Sizergh Barn, at the A590 junction coming in from Manchester at the end of the Junction 36 slip road and Plumgarths at the north end of the Kendal Bypass- both great places to get local foods.
You will seriously spoilt for choice between all these places.
For a taste of home there is Pappy's Texas BBQ in a refurbished old 19th century smokehouse. Also lots of good local pubs and at least two micro breweries (but ensure one of you is the designated driver).
That's the food done.
As you come off Junction 36 (and opposite the Low Sizergh Barn) there is Sizergh Castlle (a National Trust place).
If you turn back on yourself at that roundabout and take the A6 back south there is Levens Hall about a mile south- especially known for it's topiary.
Just down from the Hare and Hounds there is the delightful Cartmel Fell Church (not to be confused with the better known Cartmel Village where sticky toffee pudding comes from and there is a Horse Racing Course).
And high on the fells above Brigsteer Village there is Helsington Church with it's magnificent war memorial mural.
Back into Kendal, as well as the Castle mentioned previously you should visit Kendal Museum (opened 1796) for more of the History of the town, also Abbott Hall art gallery and museum (the hall itself is a Grade 1 Georgian building), also the Quaker Tapestry Museum , and Kendal Parish Church- parts of which date back to the 13th century- there is also a 9th century Anglian cross there.
Kendal's wealth was based on the wool trade, much of which was carried out in the yards. These repay just wandering, a lot of them have Heritage Society plaques up in them. Very interesting.
For theatre and movies visit the Brewery Arts Centre..
There is a lot to Kendal. In the southern hinterland, before you get to the well known parts of the Lake District there is much more to explore. If you want a good but gentle walk park up at Canal Head and follow the path of the former Lancaster and Kendal canal all or part of the 14 miles down to Tewitfield- from where it is still in water all the way to Preston.
There is also a trip boat runs on part of the canal from Tewitfield.
The 555 bus runs back to Kendal from Tewitfield hourly.
Tewitfield Marina would be another great place to hire an apartment. Opposite the Marina is
One other thing I forgot to mention earlier is Kendal Town Hall Clock. It has a carillon which chimes each 1/4 hour, but at 9am, 12 noon, 3pm and 6pm daily also plays a folk tune- a different tune depending on the day of the week.
I was in Kendal yesterday, on business. While there I checked that both the fishmongers and the butchers that I mentioned to you were still there, and they are.
I also had occasion yesterday to visit Beetham- a village about 9 miles south on the A6- another business visit.
But I was reminded of the Heron Corn Mill (an attraction only really known to locals, still a working watermill), but well worth the visit. Also in Beetham is the tiny Heron Theatre. This is intimate theatre, as there are only 72 seats- but worth it if there is a show on.
A mile back towards Kendal is the larger village of Milnthorpe. If you go hunting towards the village school there is the signposted site of where two burial urns dating from 1000BC and a pottery shard from 2500BC were found in 2005. The evidence is that the burial ground had been used for many centuries- possibly not the kind of history people think of when visiting the Lake District.
Also in the village square is a food shack called Sue's snack bar. It looks like a temporary thing, but has been there for 28 years now. It is legendary among locals for the quality of it's food- burgers and many other choices, but especially for it's breakfasts- all made with quality local ingredients.
Another curiosity in Milnthorpe, on the external face of the Memorial Hall, is a bell dating from WW2 to be used to warn of enemy air raids- a rare survivor (possibly unique).
Thank you for all these suggestions. I will gather them all together and utilize them as best I can. While I have your attention, any suggestions for a one night stay in Manchester upon our arrival? We arrive around 0800 and do not want to immediately get on the road. Rather spend the night in Manchester and start North fresh the next morning
Thanks,
Dennis and Elinore
What is your price point for a Manchester hotel and where are you renting your car from next day? Bear in mind it is only a 15 minute very frequent train ride from central Manchester to the airport
As regards the car rental I would suggest renting from the airport, as you are straight onto the motorway (freeway) from the airport all the way up to the end of the Junction 36 slip road at Brettargh Holt roundabout (the A590 junction), then 2 miles to Sampool Bridge on the A590 (dual carriageway) then the single carriageway A5074.
Convention suggests taking the M56/M60/M61 route north from the airport. In my experience it can be as fast, if not faster to take the M56 towards Liverpool/Chester as far as Junction 9 then join the M6 northbound across Thelwall Viaduct. On an average day the Thelwall route is a much pleasanter journey IMO.
isn31c,
I thought I had posted a reply yesterday, but I guess I forgot to press "Add Reply"
I agree that picking up the car from the airport is best and that is our plan. We also plan to drop it off at there after driving straight from Kendal. The flight is at 14:30
Our plan is to spend the arrival day/night in Manchester because our overnight flight arrives at 0800 and I do not want to take to the road sleep deprived.
My own research has produced the following possibilities:
The Alan
The TownHouse Hotel
Whitworth Locke
Any opinions or alternatives will be apprciated
Regards,
Dennis
Being fairly local I haven't stayed at any of those 3, although I have had a very nice lunch at The Alan. Any of them would be absolutely fine and there are probably another dozen in the same vein as well.
One thought though. What about just staying at the airport and taking the train in and out of the city for the day? That way you get rid of your bags easily on arrival and you wake up close to where your car will be the day after. it's likely that jet lag will kick in and you will want an early night so the late night attractions of the city centre won't be of much use. You can still eat at the Alan!
The SAS Radisson sits between T1 and T2 on the ariel walkway between the two, as does the railway station. there are other choices too, probably a bit cheaper but a little less convenient.
Really I think any of those would do.
But I echo John- stay at the airport.
Then you can get rid of your bags right away, and just enjoy the day in Manchester.
If you did want night life in Manchester, somehow, the last train back to the airport is well after midnight.
The Whitworth Locke is £135 on a sample night- a fairly healthy budget for an overnight stop in Manchester.
The Radisson Blu is £155. You could also try the Crowne Plaza or the Clayton at the airport- both are just outside T1 (linked to T3 by a walkway), and very close to the car rental "village" as the airport calls it- both are about £140 on the same sample night (14 May). There are several Premier Inns in the City for around £60 that night. A lot of us here swear by Premier Inn [PI] as a good, clean, reliable, functional hotel to stay for a night or few, with a good All You Can Eat breakfast for £10.
But don't use the ones at the Airport- their location is a bit inconvenient.
Leave Kendal by 8.30am on departure day. On a really good day and not hanging around, it's just over an hour, but budget for two hours drive time.
Just to add to the choices there's the premier Inn at Heald Green, which is on for £92 on 14/5. It is right next to Heald Green station, just one stop from the airport by train. It's pretty much as convenient as the airport hotels for a bit less money. Not a sophisticated choice but comfortable for jet lagged folks.
