Blacksmith’s Arms

A very English pub hidden away in one of the quieter corners of the Lake District, the Blacksmith’s Arms really did start life as a smithy before becoming the local ‘beer house’. It’s still a cracking repository of hoppy brews, with Barngate’s, Hawkshead & Dent cask-conditioned ales on tap in the little bar. But there’s more to the pub than ale swilling, with three separate dining rooms – including a delightful space beside the bar kitted out in rustic style with rich, black-painted panelling, hop-strung beams & a mismatch of chairs & tables. The food is good wherever you eat: try the ham hock & pigeon terrine, pea & asparagus risotto or pork with apples & cider – although ‘steak on a stone’ is the real speciality of the house.