Drunken Duck Inn
Barngates, near Ambleside · Inn
View on Google MapsPhoto: The Drunken Duck Inn
Former farmhouse inn at a crossroads between Ambleside and Hawkshead, with 11 rooms, a serious kitchen and its own Barngates brewery.
Photos
Photos via Google
About Drunken Duck Inn
The Drunken Duck sits at a lonely crossroads at Barngates, on the high ground between Ambleside and Hawkshead, and has been an inn since the coaching era. It is a whitewashed former farmhouse with a slate-topped bar, low beams and open fires, and it has spent the past thirty years building a reputation for food and beer that carries well beyond the Lake District.
There are eleven bedrooms, split between the inn itself and a converted building across the yard. They are individually designed and larger than the exterior suggests, with big beds, roll-top or walk-in showers and, in several cases, views over the tarns and towards the Langdales. The rooms above the bar can hear a little of the evening trade, which the inn is honest about; the courtyard rooms are quieter. Breakfast is cooked to order and taken in the dining room.
The kitchen is the main draw. The menu goes well beyond pub cooking, with a daily-changing carte using local game, Cumbrian lamb and fish from the coast, and it has been listed in the Michelin guide for years without ever losing the character of a pub. The bar pours ales from Barngates Brewery, which the inn owns and operates on site, alongside a wine list that is unusually long for a rural pub. Booking for dinner is effectively essential.
The setting is genuinely remote for somewhere so close to the honeypots. Tarn Hows, Grizedale Forest and Hawkshead are all within a few miles, Ambleside is ten minutes down the hill, and there is walking straight from the car park. It suits walkers, couples wanting somewhere quiet with good food, and anyone who would rather stay in a proper inn than a hotel. There is little spare space, so it is not well set up for large groups.
What guests say
Lovely little country pub with a view across to the mountains if you sit at the outdoor tables. There's free parking across the road too. Good selection of beers and food, including several vegan and vegetarian options. I appreciated the quality of the food, but thought it was quite pricey - £25 for a small vegetarian mushroom pie with a handful of chips and beans, £12 for a tomato salad and £14 for sticky toffee pudding.
4 weeks ago · via Google
Went with the family for a delightful tradition Sunday Roast. Lovely quaint venue and attentive staff. The menu was refined featuring seasonal local produce. I went with the Venison Wellington which was nicely executed. The accompaniments were all simple and well balanced. The desserts were very delicious and can easily be shared. The marmalade brûlée on top of the rice pudding was so good! Overall rate as an excellent independent option if you’re in the area.
2 months ago · via Google
The Drunken Duck is a place where everything is done well. We started with the parfait and laksa, both enjoyable, before moving on to a braised steak and rabbit stew. The cooking was solid throughout, and they were busy and doing their best. The wine list had plenty of options and the bar is well appointed with lots of options to tick the boxes. We had a genuinely pleasant dinner, left satisfied, and the dog friendly room was great. A worthwhile stop if you’re exploring the Lakes and looking for good food in a relaxed setting and a good night’s sleep.
2 months ago · via Google
Lovely setting for evening meal. Environment great. Service very poor! Older lady with grey curly bobbed hair took our order. Zero welcome, very unfriendly, bordering on rude. Service was slow. The food was excellent. Superb tasty dishes, however, the food, was really let down by the unfriendly service. When our beautiful dishes arrived, they were presented with zero finesse, explanation of what the dishes were. No mention of "enjoy or please let me know if you need anything" we then waited a long while for desert menu. A real disappointment, purely based in the unfriendly welcome we received upon arrival and poor service throughout. We will not be returning.
a month ago · via Google
Diners like this pub's delicious and creative food, with many highlighting the venison, and a wide selection of local beers and wines. They also mention the cozy atmosphere, stunning views, and friendly, helpful staff.
Some reviews mention the food can be expensive.
Summary via Google
At a glance
- Address
- Barngates, Ambleside, LA22 0NG Get directions
- Property type
- Inn
- Location
- Barngates, near Ambleside
- Star rating
- 4 star
- Guest score
- 8.9 / 10 (760 reviews)
- Prices from
- £155 per night
- Destination
- Lake District