A PERFECT DAY
Do
Great Langdale
A hallowed name among fellwalkers, Great Langdale has some of the Lake District’s most iconic hikes. Most people tackle the Langdale Pikes, a spiky chain of hills on the valley’s northern side, but more experienced hikers go for the circuit along the Crinkle Crags and Bowfell. The views are stirring, and there are few better places for a pint than the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (odg.co.uk). visitcumbria.com
Eat
L’Enclume
Simon Rogan’s wildly imaginative take on modern British cuisine has earned him two Michelin stars. His ingredients are experimental, but often inspired by traditional dishes: spring lamb served with sheep’s curds, damsons and turnips, for example, or pork & onions with salsify and hedge garlic. There’s no set menu – dishes are dictated by the “violent frequency of raw materials” (the season), many of which are foraged from Cumbria’s coast and countryside. Cavendish Street, Cartmel LA11 6PZ (015395 36362; lenclume.co.uk)
Drink
Tucked away in the tiny village of Troutbeck, the Mortal Man (015394 33193; themortalman.co.uk) has one of the Lake District’s most scenic beer gardens, with an outlook stretching across green hills all the way to Windermere. Its name comes from a medieval proverb, which gives you an idea of the building’s age – and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to hunker down in. Or try The Masons Arms (015395 68486; masonsarms strawberrybank.co.uk): on a steep hillside in Winster Valley, the Masons is the picture of a Lakeland pub, with two main rooms arranged around a massive castiron hearth, and a beer terrace offering superb valley views. Food, wine and ale are top-notch.