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The winter is a stunning season in the Lake District, Cumbria.  Crisp days, dramatic skies, icy lakes, snow-dusted fells, there’s never a better time or a better place for a winter walk followed by a proper bar meal in a cosy Cumbrian pub.  Here are some of our favourite places to warm up this winter…For more information about the Lake District, Cumbria go to www.golakes.co.uk

The Masons Arms, Strawberry Bank
Recently one of only five pubs shortlisted by Country Life Magazine for the Country Pub of the Year Award… A wonderful, atmospheric Lakeland inn perched on the fell side overlooking the beautiful Winster Valley.  As well as the traditional bar and dining room they have a lovely outdoor terrace complete with canopies and heaters just perfect for enjoying a relaxing drink at sunset.  They offer good, local, wholesome food, freshly prepared using top quality produce.
015395 68486/ www.masonsarmsstrawberrybank.co.uk

The Bitter End, Cockermouth
A welcoming pub complete with its own micro brewery where the whole brew process can be seen through a glazed partition in the pub. With roaring open fires, superb home made meals and fantastic real ales this is a very appealing place to relax.
01900 828993 / www.bitterend.co.uk

The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale
A welcoming 17th century inn set in the heart of the town, overlooking St Mary’s church, close to Devils Bridge and Ruskin’s View. Enjoy a drink in front of the log fires or relax in the lounge and wine library.  The restaurant offers excellent food created using fresh local ingredients and is fast gaining a well-respected reputation for quality.
015242 71965/ www.sun-inn.info

The Vagabond Whitehaven
A popular pub right on the pretty harbourside in Whitehaven.  They specialise in good comfort food using local ingredients and often fish fresh from the fishing boats docked nearby.  It offers a great atmosphere, friendly staff and there are often blues and folk bands playing there so you can enjoy live music as you eat.
01946 693671/ www.thevagabondwhitehaven.co.uk

The George and Dragon, Clifton, near Penrith
The brand new George and Dragon Inn nestles in a charming village on the edge of the Lowther Valley This former coaching inn, built in the late 18th century, has been lovingly restored by local craftsmen who have reused stone, slate flags, design and colours sympathetic to the early Georgian period.  Comfy sofas, bare wooden tables, intimate alcoves and open crackling fires make it a perfect place to relax and unwind and the freshest local, organic ingredients, sourced within 20 miles of the inn, make the menus mouthwatering.                                                      01768 865 381 / www.georgeanddragonclifton.co.uk

The Strickland Arms, near Kendal
This has an impressive reputation for superb food, good service and lovely surroundings. Stylishly contemporary and airily spacious with two log fires, the menu is simple and seasonal and the food fresh and delicious.  Definitely worth a visit.
015395 61010 / www.ainscoughs.co.uk/Strickland-Arms/strickland-arms-home.html

Tower Bank Arms, Near Sawrey
This pub is next door to Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s former home and can be seen in one of the sketches for The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck.  This 17th century Lakeland inn offers friendly professional service, quality fresh food and an extensive selection of traditional local ales and organic soft drinks and wines.
015394 36334/ www.towerbankarms.co.uk

The Weary, near Carlisle
This inn has been extensively refurbished and now offers boutiquey accommodation, stylish bar and restaurant and great food.  Their menus are fresh, local and seasonal and their desserts are to die for.  Ideal if you need to put on a bit of weight for the winter!
www.theweary.com

The Kings Head Hotel & Inn, Thirlmere
Situated at the foot of Helvellyn in the heart of the Lake District, this 17th century coaching inn enjoys an idyllic setting surrounded by spectacular scenery. The Kings Head offers both bar and fine dining with an extensive menu featuring traditional English dishes and local specialities created from the finest produce. The on- site local produce store offers a wide range of cumbrian foods and drinks.
017687 72393/ www.lakedistrictinns.co.uk

The Drunken Duck Inn, Barngates, Ambleside
A multi award-winning family-owned inn which serves the finest local produce imaginatively prepared and served. The food is complimented by fine local beers, top wines and spirits and a traditional interior with an open fire and Brathay Black slate bar top. The inn site’s within 60 acres of private land high above Lake Windermere, providing a scenic setting for a relaxed lunch.
015394 36347/ www.drunkenduckinn.co.uk

Christmas is a time for loading up your larder with sweet treats and spicy snacks. There’s few places better for stockpiling your “weapons of mass consumption” than the Lake District. Combine a winter weekend with a festive forage by visiting the dozens of small independent food shops offering totally authentic locally-made food. Here’s a tour of the top festive foods and where to get them.

Rum Butter
Whether it’s Croissants on Christmas morning or livening up moreish Mince Pies, the deliciously thick Wilson’s Cumberland Rum Butter adds a sweet-spirit kick to any snack. This golden-brown sugary paste sold in retro, cup-cake-like tubs, is a Lake District speciality. You’ll find it hiding on the corners of shelves in many quaint food shops like The Honeypot in the storybook village of Hawkshead. http://www.honeypotfoods.co.uk/

Damson Gin Christmas Pudding
The Winster and Lyth valleys are home to some of England’s most spectacular and productive orchards whose branches bloom snow white in Spring and hang heavy with baubles of the purple fruit by September. Damson is used to make everything from jam to gin and one of the new specialities is the Fruity Damson Gin Christmas Puddings. These are made by Cowmire Hall based at Crosthwaite on the outskirts of Kendal. It makes its ruby red liquor gin available through Fortnum and Mason’s, London, and if you fancy a trip to the Lakes, you can stay at Cowmire’s delightfully cosy bothy. http://www.cowmire.co.uk

Cumberland Smokey Cheddar
If you’re tired of endless steamed stodge or sweet things over Christmas, spice up your water biscuits and oatcakes with a few slices of thick cheddar. The multi-award winning Lake District Cheese Company makes a range from the dairy herds feasting on the lush Lakeland grass. Try it’s Cumberland Smokey for starters. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, head to Churchmouse Cheeses, Kirkby Lonsdale, which has a range of superbly-named products like How’s Yer Father, Admiral Collingwood and Blacksticks Blue. If you’re really lucky, they may even play “Little Donkey” on the in-shop Piano. http://www.lakedistrictcheesecompany.co.uk/ or http://www.churchmousecheeses.com

Truffles
In the busy resort of Bowness, make a beeline for Hutton’s a traditional, specialist hand-made chocolate confectioners which makes claims to being “the oldest shop in the village.” If you’ve presents on your mind, mix and match your own specially-made gift box for someone special. Alternatively, cherry pick a bag of your favourites for packing on a lakeside walk. If you’re more interested in how they’re made, go to Kennedys Fine Chocolates at Orton, Penrith. The tiny factory allows you to view the chocolate makers at work. Their Conservatory Coffee Shop serves divine chocolate cake with slightly warm vanilla ice cream.
http://huttonschocolates.co.uk/

Cold Cuts of Lakeland Lamb
You might never make it through the door of Yew Tree Farm due to being struck by the awesomeness of its setting. Inside you’ll find a farmhouse once owned by Beatrix Potter, now providing locally made jams and relishes. Its real industry though is it’s 600-acre farm, specialising in prime cuts of its free-roaming Herdwick Lamb, perfect with roasties and sprigs of Rosemary. Alternatively, bag a tender beef joint from its Belted Galloway cattle (cows with black belts). If you can’t visit in person don’t worry, they now deliver anywhere in the UK. www.yewtree-farm.com / www.heritagemeats.co.uk

Chutneys
The Hawkshead Relish company really knows how to “do” Christmas with its festively-named lines of products. Try it’s gingery Boxing Day Chutney with Turkey sandwiches or coat your crackers with Michaelmass relish. For those that like to keep out the winter with something hot, try it’s decadent Chocolate Chilli Fudge. You can wash it down with some Lakeland Lager or, at 4.9%, Brodie’s Prime real ale, named after Alex Brodie, the ex BBC man now behind the pumps of the Hawkshead Brewery. For festive snacks, try its cross between piccalli and chilli – Chillilillli. Alternatively, prepare your Turkey Curry with a dollop of its Orange and Red Onion Marmalade to give it extra zang, or reinvigorate your “pigs in blankets” with its Hot Garlic Pickle.
www.hawksheadrelish.com

Ginger Bakers
When she’s not collecting food awards,Lisa Smith makes a range of cakes, bakes and Brownies  There’s no shop to visit but she supplies the likes of local coffee shops, retailers and Deli’s. You can order online too. All the products are gluten free and she uses the freshest ingredients, organic and locally sourced where possible and always free range eggs. Try the luxury 1lb loaf fruit cake for £6 – shining with brandy and topped with glistening fruits and nuts.
http://www.gingerbakers.co.uk/

Kop Kops and Kola Kubes
Forget your over-priced Supermarket selection boxes re-packaging treats you can buy anywhere 365 days a year. Instead, fill your Christmas stockings with a range of “retro” sweets. The Lake District is still home to a few traditional sweet shops with jar-lined walls, brown paper bags and Euro-sceptic shop keepers still happy to measure out in quarters instead of kilos. Try Kola Kubes, Pear Drops, Sherbet Lemons, Kop Kops or Rhubarb and Custard. Try the Sweet Shop in Kirkby Lonsdale (015242 71570), Morgan’s in Cockermouth (01900 826427) and the Green Door Sweet Shop in Sedbergh www.thegreendoorsweetshop.co.uk. Fill your lungs with the sweet aroma of pipe tobacco – safely wrapped in its packaging, of course.

Festive Fizz
Pick up your Christmas Day plonk at Organico – a state of the art wine house tucked away in the Staveley Mill Yard offering over 200 organic wines. Run by the Jackson family – Peter, Sue and son Chris – the store is like stepping into a vineyard with its grapes, soft wood and rustic presentation. There’s a resident Sommelier on hand to help you find your way around its shelves and explain its special cases. For Christmas, pick up a bottle of its 1996 Champagne Vintage for £41 from the Fleury vineyard or at the other end of the price range its £19.95 for an effervescent Champagne Premier Cru Brut.
http://www.organi.co.uk/

Holker Hall Christmas Hamper
Head to historic Holker Hall – country seat of Lord and Lady Cavendish – home to 17,000 acres of estate and carefully-cultivated courtyard. The estate has blazing braziers on special Christmas weekends and is decorated by London’s European Designer Christmas Company, Gisela Graham, with twilight illuminations.  As well as its deer-roaming parkland, gardens and the mansion itself to explore, there’s a gift shop and fantastic Food Hall. This is the place to snap up unique treats like rich Christmas Coffees and quality Christmas Hampers.
http://www.holker.co.uk/

Part Two – From the 13th to the 24th of December
There is no let up in the full calendar of fabulous festivities that the Lake District has to offer in the final 12 days that run up to Christmas. Regardless of whether you are looking for Yuletide activities to occupy the whole family or romantic holiday diversions for you and your partner, the wealth of events going on around Cumbria will leave you spoilt for choice. Here are some of the highlights that will help you count down those final 12 days to Christmas.

13.    Do your bit for the environment this Christmas. Enjoy a day coppicing and brash burning along the disused railway line at Smardale Nature Reserve. Your activities will help to maintain an open ride for butterflies, to encourage the diverse woodland ground flora to proliferate and to keep the footpath open for public access. Bring spuds or other fire offerings for a celebratory feast!
14.    Join Rosehill Youth Theatre as they set off on an amazing journey with Alice to Wonderland at the Rosehill Theatre. Along the way, you will meet some of the most extraordinary characters like the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts and many more crazy and humorous personalities! This spectacular children’s classic will guarantee that you will be up on your feet dancing.
15.    Hoot, the vibrant and energetic young Scottish duo, formed in 2005 and in that short time they’ve worked with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Halle. The Hoot Christmas concert at Blackwell, the Arts & Crafts house in Windermere, is sure to be one of the true highlights of the festive calendar so book early.
16.    As a slight departure from the standard pantomime fare, the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick is bringing their 10th anniversary season to a festive finale with six of the best tales from the Brothers Grimm. There’s something for the whole family, with retellings of wonderful works including Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.
17.    The South Lakes Wild Animal Park will be celebrating the festive season with the Magic of Christmas, a host of activities for guests of all ages. After letting the little ones star in a life size nativity scene, take them to meet Santa and feed the Reindeer. Otherwise, have a romantic spin under the stars on the ice rink.
18.    In its second year, the Christmas celebrations at Holker Hall & Gardens in Grange-over-Sands will be hosting a wide range of festive activities for visitors of all ages. Pick up some exquisite decorations and festive gifts, enjoy delicious seasonal food in the Courtyard Cafe, explore the gardens and enjoy the enchanting twilight illuminations.
19.    Aladdin at Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal promises to take an original and fabulously funny approach to this classic tale that’s sure to be a hit with all ages. Naturally, children will love it but so will grown-ups, so don’t worry if you not got any kids to bring along, you’ll be in for a real festive treat regardless.
20.    The Victorian Christmas Tour at Muncaster Castle offers a truly unique experience. Explore this beautiful castle, traditionally decorated for Christmas, while Lord Muncaster sleeps. Savour tall tales while enjoying a glass of his Lordships mulled wine and you’re given a guided tour by servants in period costume from 1885. Pre booking is essential.
21.    Take a magical Christmas train ride on the South Tynedale Railway and enjoy the Santa Special. Departing from the Railway Station in Alston, you’ll travel to meet Santa in his Grotto, spend some quality time with the man himself and enjoy some fine festive refreshments.
22.    The wonderful Made in Cumbria Christmas Market is the ideal place to pick up a few last-minute Christmas presents and enjoy the best in local, Lake District produce. Ever popular, the Made in Cumbria Market is a traditional winter feature for the centre of Kendal and whether you’re there to buy or just browse, the festive atmosphere is well worth the visit.
23.    Wrap up warm and get away from the hustle and bustle on a walk round the Winter Wonderland at RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve. With Christmas just a couple of days away, the shops will be crammed with last minute shoppers. Get out for a walk, learn about the wonderful wildlife of Leighton Moss and get into the real spirit of Christmas.
24.    The Christmas Eve Carols in the Malt Room at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal is the best way to spend Christmas Eve. Gathered around the piano with old friends and new, enjoying mulled, mince pies and good old sing-song. This is what Christmas is all about.
With so many festive treats on offer and the picturesque backdrop of the Lake District in mid-winter, there is no better place to get into the Christmas spirit.