Flookburgh is a rather odd fishing village. It's about a mile from the sea, and there are no boats…read more Maybe it did once stand on the shores of Morecambe Bay, but the build-up of sand probably pushed the shoreline further away. There are no boats because they do their fishing with a specially-adapted farm tractor. They go out on to the sands at low tide to fish for shrimps and 'flukes'; that's the local name for flatfish which gives the village its name. Curiously, when I arrived at the Hope and Anchor in Flookburgh in search of a seafood lunch, all they could offer as a main course was scampi, which I don't think is native to British waters. However, they could offer a local delicacy as a starter. Morecambe Bay potted shrimps. The shrimps are simmered in butter, with the addition of a 'home made' spice mix, but all I could find out is that they're different to the spices used in the ones you can buy in the shops. They came with a side-salad and two rounds of toast and, as befits potted shrimps, in a pot. But what pots! Only about 3 inches in diameter, and half an inch deep. At £5 a serve, we thought it might be best treated like caviar, and spread on the toast although I suppose it could have been mixed with the salad, to make a sort of shrimp cocktail.

found the hope and anchor by chance and have stayed there several times since February parking is…read moregood the pub is a very friendly place and even if I have had long day out and got back after ten p m they where still prepared to make me a hot meal. I have stayed in both the double and single rooms they had every thing I needed brewing facility's plenty of towels a TV and of course clean bedding so I would like to thank the management and staff for my past and future stays at the hope and anchor

Reservations for 15 and two dogs please! We called in advance and they graciously made the…read morereservation. We showed up and the staff was ready, friendly and accommodating! Dogs are not allowed in the new dining area and it's only open after lunch. The food was so delicious and they did a great job accommodating our large family. Everyone enjoyed their meals. It's a family owned business and it is a great place to stop at. Can't wait to visit again when on holiday.

Realised I took pics but never rated this place!…read more Well I went here 18 months ago so who knows if it's still as good but when I went it was cracking. A touch expensive imo but a nice meal at a nice place.

We loved Mason's Arms for the quaint building and gorgeous views. There is a spot inside next to…read morethe real fireplace that is a cozy sanctuary on a cool rainy day in the Lake District. The service was friendly and attentive. The food was just ok for us. The fish and chips batter did not stick to the fish. The mushroom soup was a puree with mild flavor. The hummus and pita was really good and had lots of garlic flavor. The fudge for sale at the bar was a real miss as it tasted more like a grainy carmel than fudge.

A lovely pub, out in what seems like the middle of nowhere, with a cozy bar area downstairs (and a…read morenice hot fire!) and delicious meals served upstairs. Friendly service, there seems to be a pub cat that wanders around, and you can buy local fudge from the bar. My husband and I shared the Three Little Piggies - black pudding and sausage rolls, a pork and leek scotch egg, a whole bunch of honey roasted chipolatas (which are sausages, I just learned that), served with bread, cheese pate, and apricot jam. A big portion for two, so of course we shared it with the others. Everything was great - you could build lovely little bites by putting the sausages in bits of bread and topping with some of the spreads. It's rustic Northern food, but really comforting and delicious. For our mains, my husband and I shared the stew pot of the day (rabbit), and one of the specials - lamb with lentil dahl on the side. All the meat was really tender and succulent, the lamb in particular had great flavor, the variety of accouterments alongside added texture and depth to the dish. The meal was hearty and homey, just how you want English pub food to be. Finished with a lush sticky toffee pudding, very rich. "Very treacley," apparently, as someone said, and I thought it was lovely with ice cream. Four of us split it, which was enough for us as the main courses are quite filling. A great place to stop for a meal in the Lakes, looks like they had lots of patio seating for warmer months when the weather is better - we'll have to return!

Wow, I can't believe it's been three years since the last review of this place. Hopefully that…read moremeans it's being kept a secret...in which case I'm going to be found majorly guilty of breaking the silence. On the recommendation of a friend who lives about half an hour from Ulverston, we reserved a table for four here and wandered down from Virginia House Hotel (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/virginia-house-hotel-ulverston) where we were staying. From the outside it looks just like your typical whitewashed country pub. Though I'd hardly call Ulverston town centre bonefide 'countryside', the place still had an immediate charming effect on us as we approached. Once inside you're met with a pub-sized 'shrine' to the town's most famous son. Photos, screen shots, figures and memorabilia from Laurel & Hardy's history on the screen are everywhere. It gets the set-up just right - managing not to look like an obsessive fan's homage to Stan, but just enough to pay tribute to his fame. The sizeable bar has at least six handpulls on at any time. Most are from the local area but their range stretches further afield aswell. What was great was having the option of getting a tray of three thirds in case you couldn't choose between them. The menu is pretty comprehensive and we saw the portion sizes were, well, sizeable, so opted for mains and desserts. I had the 10oz sirloin steak cooked medium rare and it was incredibly juicy. The stars on the plate were the onion rings though, beer-batter crispiness - sheer heaven. Lots of chunky chips and coleslaw with salad (you could opt for potatoes and veg instead) and then it was on to the puddings. Ice cream flavours that we'd never heard of before. Coupled with sticky toffee pudding I had 'Thunder and Lightning' flavour. I'll keep what it was like a secret so you have to try it yourself ;) Lovely, friendly staff, great ales and immense food. It certainly wasn't 'Another Fine Mess.'

The Stan Laurel Inn is a good all-round local pub. Paul and Trudi have had it for two years…read more The food is scrumptious. On Friday I had a big piece of fish in crispy beer-batter, with chips which I could tell were home cut, and extremely tasty mushey peas. That was the special for a fiver. They get their ingredients from the best greengrocer and butcher in town. Given the name there is a fair bit of Laurel and Hardy memorabilia in the bars. The pub is Thwaite's, but always has six real ales including from the nearby Ulverston Brewery. They also do bed and breakfast for £30 p.p. per night.

Best find on holiday ever!!…read more Set in a beautiful little village with a huge village green with loads of parking round and about (although im sure that on a mid summer sunny day parking may be somewhat difficult!). The pub has a bar area and a restaurant area - we only ever went into the bar as you could eat int here and it was really cosy (dogs are also allowed!). The staff were incredibly friendly and chatty (lets face it, Yorkshire, particularly North Yorkshire folk are possibly the most friendly on the planet - i challenge you to disprove this!). The food was INCREDIBLE. Nothing fancy pants, just really good food, VERY big portions (trust me on this, you dont need three courses - choose your weapon of starter or dessert to go alongside your main - we made the mistake one night and 1) couldnt eat it all and 2)pretty much rolled home). We spent an evening in the pub, had a meal and then sat playing card games - we felt incredibly welcome. So welcome that we ended up visiting three times in a week long holiday. You cant really get a better recommendation than that can you??

I could say that the food was divine andfot for the gods and the staff waited on me like a king,…read morebut let's face it, its a pub and you get what you pay for. The food like most Cumbrian pubs was very good, the staff were polite and helpful. I would go back again but with so many places to try out ill probably try somewhere else first. I like variety. One good thing to note about the pub is that in the summer it will get a lot of sun outside

Such a warm and welcoming place! Excellent food, excellent service, excellent beer!!! We plan our…read morevacations around their beer festivals and have returned time and time again. HIGHLY recommend!!!

Third visit to the Strickland Arms, and the place never disappoints. Great, real pub atmosphere,…read morefriendly attentive service and superb food. My wife had the pork roast dinner, I had the nut roast dinner and both were very good indeed. Caffetiere coffee, and ample parking. Highly recommended.

The Strickland Arms is situated on the very old main road, just before the entrance to Sizergh…read moreCastle. There is a large beer garden and the Pub/restaurant is situated in a country setting about 5 miles outside Kendal. The food is locally sourced and superb. A bit more pricey than pub food but well worth it. Also they have guest ales and it is nice to sit outside with an authentic pint of bitter. Well recommended

The drunken duck is a favorite of our friend who has come here for 40 years, starting with golf…read morebuddies, then with family and best of all to celebrate weddings, and great moments. Relax here, the staff is ready to make this luxury even better with whatever you need! Directions to many local hikes or hot coffee on the picnic tables. So much fun to have, there are gardens, strolls, patios and quiet libraries too. This is the most beautiful place I've ever stayed because I can get some rest, unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. Yesterday there was a local marathon- yes!- great runners charged past into the local town of Ambleside. Hikers and dog lovers are here too. National parks close by... what a get-away we are having!!

Such a charming pub and inn right in the middle of the Lakes District. There's a glorious view…read moreoverlooking the mountains right in front of the venue (with picnic tables if you'd like to sit and enjoy it with a pint). Brunch, lunch, dinner, and bar snacks are served at the Drunken Duck, and I'd only really recommend booking for dinner. The beer and cider are mostly local I believe. We did the curry bowl to share (vegetarian and VERY tasty - kind of wish I could get the recipe), scampi, fries, and tartare sauce (those fries are to die for!) and the lamb kofta, hummus, flatbread, and mint yoghurt (great for sharing and noshing). There's plenty of parking on the side of the inn. The inside is decorated beautifully (very insta-worthy), so maybe consider renting out for an event. And yes, you can bring your dog to dinner/drinks.