We have it on good authority that people have alighted the Windermere Car Ferry fully intending to walk to Hawkshead, but have never got any further than Cuckoo Brow.
We have it on good authority that people have alighted the Windermere Car Ferry fully intending to walk to Hawkshead, but have never got any further than Cuckoo Brow. That’s hardly surprising when you cross the threshold of this delightfully quirky old inn.
For anyone who loves proper, cosy pubs this is the heaven you hope to arrive at post-mortem with brilliantly kept local, hand-pulled beers, comfortable furniture, hearty well-cooked food, soft beds and friendly faces.
As we walked through the door, the log fire crackled a welcome. Cuckoo Brow is a venture involving Lakeland hotelier Jonathan Denby, his former PA Sally Schrieber and her husband Dan.
Sally and Dan spent the autumn in the middle of a �400,000 renovation project, stripping floors, restoring fireplaces and, in Sally’s words, removing gallons of gunk that covered lovely old red tiles in the entrance. They also have 14 well-furnished letting bedrooms in an inn restored to its former glory.
Interior: Shabby chic meets eccentric collector. The walls are adorned with unusual items Sally’s dad stumbles over in local salerooms. The general d�cor is a mix of stripped wood, original features and Farrow & Ball shades. The sign says it all: Muddy boots, wet dogs and children welcome.
Food: Mid-range when it comes to price, substantial in size with Cumbrian belly pork and Herdwick hotpot. They aim to have everything sourced from within a 20 mile radius.
Service: Attentive but pretty relaxed. No one stands on ceremony.
Drinks: Outstandingly well kept beer – a passion of Dan, despite his Kiwi origins.
Lancashire Life verdict: Be warned. You may never want to leave.Cuckoo Brow, Far Sawrey, LA22 0LQ.Tel: 015394 43425
