The Blacksmiths Arms, Broughton-In-Furness

Best pub chat from friendly locals out of all the pubs visited on the Inn Way to the Lake District. Completely unspoilt. Three real ales on, I went for a local Foxfields ale. And learned how much a cow costs at market. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2q9Asl4

This remote pub was originally built in 1577 as a farmhouse and blacksmiths (as the name would suggest) but has been a pub since at least 1748 and was possibly a beerhouse long before that. The pub oozes charm from all angles but the interior is especially of interest and is listed on the CAMRA Inventory of Historic Interiors. The small but rustic main bar is to the right as you enter and is simply furnished with a single solid table, a few cushions on the window sill that doubles up as a bench and a couple of stools at the bar. To the left of the entrance a corridor leads to a pair of equally charming rooms with a further room located at the rear behind the main bar. All these rooms appear to be utilized more for dining. As one would expect, there are plenty of beamed ceilings, roaring log fires, farming implements, pots, pans and old pictures. If the weather allows, the outside patio is as good a spot for a pint as you will find in the area. They generally have 3 local ales available which on my visit consisted of Cumberland Corby Blonde, Dent Golden Fleece and Slaters Original, the 2 of which I tried were good quality and reasonably priced.. I didn’t eat but the menu was very tempting with main courses around £10/£15. If there was any minus point it was the rather minimal welcome afforded, especially as I was the only person in the pub when I arrived and it was obvious I was not a local. That said, the pub is well worth seeking out and is a good base for local walks. Care should be taken however if proposing to walk there from Broughton in Furness – it is a picturesque but potentially hazardous 45 minute trek along narrow roads with no pavements.