Pooley Bridge, Ullswater, Cumbria.

This amazing establishment is typical of a tearoom with great food, great service and a great view of the UK’s first stainless steel road bridge over the River Eamont, which had to be rebuilt in 2016 following storm Desmond destroying the original 18^th Century stone structure in 2015. With a name like ‘Granny Dowbekins’ what else would you expect.

The original tearoom has been going since 1904, and according to their website cream teas were first served by the then butler and housekeeper of a local hotel. You will be sure of a warm welcome, although be prepared to queue as there is never a shortage of visitors especially during the summer season, with locals and tourists both frequenting. A recent addition to the business is a bright and airy garden room with a wonderful expanse of glass windows overlooking the garden seating areas. This affords a lovely view of the river and of course it’s always a joy to watch the ducks, especially with their quirky behaviours.  

They serve breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea and cater for vegans, coeliacs and those of us with intolerances. The menu is varied with many family favourites such as fish and chips, sandwiches and soups. We found the prices to be reasonable and the food tasty along with very attentive staff. This was our second visit and we decided to indulge ourselves with afternoon tea for two, which on their website they recommend booking in advance. Our afternoon tea consisted of a stunning three-tiered serving platter with an assortment of soft rolls with fillings consisting of tuna, ham, cheese and egg, followed by handmade sausage rolls, quiche, chutney and finished off with mince pies, scones with jam and clotted cream, rice crispy squares topped with milk chocolate and two large slices of cake! The cost for this was £35, not cheap, but what wasn’t eaten was taken home in boxes and bags provided. We certainly had enough for the next two days. As our booking was in December, we had a surprise of Christmas crackers and a plate of ‘pigs in blankets’. Oh, and free top-ups of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Is your mouth watering yet? I guarantee you will be planning your return visit. We are.

Although the day we visited the weather was rather inclement, therefore making up our minds not to walk. There are many beautiful walks around the area, varying from easy to a challenging hike. Hopefully our next visit will allow us to explore the beautiful countryside.

For more info:

https://grannydowbekins.co.uk