Walking Country

Set in the heart of England’s finest countryside

Stanley House sits nestled in the valley of Eskdale, amongst a host of local attractions and some of the area’s most stunning vistas.

There are five very fine Inns in the area, none more than a 5-minute drive, and two within a 10-minute walk. All of them offer a variety of different food options, and real ales, with three of them taking part in the annual Boot Beer Festival in June. (Sample menus can be found in our information folders at Stanley House.)

The Woolpack Inn, at the foot of Hardknott Pass, is our very own sister pub and serves great food, real ale and a warm welcome.  It’s family and dog friendly and well worth further exploration, even if we do say so ourselves!

On our doorstep, literally, is Beckfoot Station; one of the seven halts for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, a narrow gauge steam railway that travels from Boot to Ravenglass on the coast.  (This is turn links with the mainline train service to Lancaster, Carlisle and beyond, making us accessible to the non-car driver.)

Enjoyable for all the family, the La’al Ratty, as it is affectionately known, offers a number of return journeys each day (seasonal), and can easily be used as transport to the Roman town of Ravenglass and the world renowned Muncaster Castle and the World Owl Trust.

Alternatively, hire a bicycle and go for a scramble on the fells, or try to ride up the daunting Hardknott Pass to the Roman Fort.

The area offers something for everyone – from a relaxed stroll along the gentle lanes to a rigorous assault of Scafell and Pike. Just a few miles away lies Wastwater, Britain’s deepest lake, plunging to a depth of approximately 300 feet.

Stanley House is also ideally located for exploring the West Cumbria coastline, from the beautiful beach at St Bees to Whitehaven – home to the Maritime Festival, and The Rum Story (an attraction about the history of smuggling which was rife on the coast for hundreds of years) – to the fishing village of Maryport.

Ambleside, Keswick, Cockermouth and the Central Lakes are not that far away, and can provide an ideal place for some retail-therapy or some fine eating establishments for lunch and dinner.

Nothing is too far, and we are more than happy to recommend a day-out or discuss some of the Lake District’s attractions and sights.