Enjoy a Nice Cuppa in Your Room While You Make Your Plans
Check-in at The George and Dragon is at 4pm, so you should be strategic about how to make the most of your day. Maybe schedule in a stop at Tebay Farm Shop on your way up to the Lake District, or do what we did and get there, drop your bags, check out your room and then proceed to make yourself a nice cup of tea while you make your plans for the rest of the afternoon. Which for us was….
Explore Nearby Aira Force Waterfall
The B&B is only around a 25-minute drive from Aira Force waterfall, which is maintained and run by the National Trust. You have to pay to park (and it isn’t cheap, because the costs go towards upkeep of the whole area and the footpaths), but there are several different walks you can enjoy to climb up to the top of the waterfall. The weather was crisp and sunny on the afternoon we visited – perfect weather for a walk – and, having done several walks in both the Peak District and Devon recently, we were impressed with the quality of the footpaths (see, at least your car park money goes to good use!). Despite all the signs telling us to watch out for red squirrels, we unfortunately didn’t spot any. Next time, my little furry friends.
Take Your Dog with You
Like many B&Bs in the Lake District, The George and Dragon is dog friendly, so obviously we brought the Basset along with us. She absolutely loved rolling around in the grass in the beer garden at the side of the building, and then snoozing back in the room, which was quiet enough that she could catch some Zzzz’s without any disturbance.
If You Order Only One Thing in the Restaurant, Make It the Cheese Souffle
We ate in the restaurant on our first night; the food was superb and all of a high quality. The fact that the ingredients are all locally-grown and seasonal (or at the very least sourced from local, sustainable suppliers) is evident in the taste and quality of each dish. But if you were to only order one dish, make it the twice-baked cheese soufflé starter. Soft, fluffy, creamy and decadent, I don’t think I was the only one ‘ooh-ing and ahh-ing’ over each bite of this bowlful.
Order an Evening Pint in the Pub
The pub is located to the right when you enter, and has its own cosy fireplace and plenty of local beers and spirits behind the bar. Dogs are welcome in the pub area, so you can even enjoy your evening meal in there if you wanted your furry friend to keep you company. As we’d chosen to eat in the restaurant, we collected Holly from the room afterwards and took her into the pub while we had a drink – Scott a Hawkshead Bitter and me a Lakes vodka (I’d definitely recommend).
Set Yourself up with a Hearty Breakfast
In the morning, breakfast is a combination of small continental buffet and cooked breakfast. The buffet table includes homemade granola, fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, jams and juices. The cooked menu consists of around five different choices such as omelettes and fry-ups. Over our two night stay, between us we ordered the Full English, poached eggs on toast, and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. All of it was delicious and cooked using local ingredients from the owners’ nearby farm.
Revel in a Bit of History
The George and Dragon is located in the tiny village of Clifton, close to Penrith, which was actually the site of the last ever battle on English soil in 1745. A nice bit of history to bore your friends with in the pub quiz…
- The George and Dragon, Clifton, Near Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2ER
- Rooms from £95/night
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