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Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Sunday, 24^th December 2023
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Pub reviews (4)
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Unicorn Inn, Ambleside

North Road
Ambleside
LA22 9DT

Correct details

Served areas

Ambleside Town Centre

Reviews of Unicorn Inn (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Will Larter left this review about Unicorn Inn

Not much changed despite more than a decade since my last visit. It's perhaps a little brighter, and the collection of unicorn plates has vanished, but there are five hand pumps on the bar, still featuring Cumbria Way. In December there's also Old Tom, the 8.5% winter beer from Robinsons, which was in very good condition (NBSS 3.5). Priced at £3.250 a half - the same as in Stockport - this seems quite a bargain in Ambleside where ordinary bitters can be £5 or more for a pint. Now open all day, seven days a week, with a quiz on Monday and live music Thursday.

On 24^th December 2023 - rating: 7
[User has posted 4808 recommendations about 4400 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Will Larter left this review about Unicorn Inn

This traditional old inn is a warren of rooms in an old building behind the main street through town. A former Hartleys pub, it still features XB and Cumbrian Way, though these are both brewed by Robinsons these days; the other two hand pumps had the parent brewery's product on. As well as the usual pub paraphernalia, there is a display cabinet in one corner with plates featuring unicorns in the design, some based on the Tapestry Cycle, an ancient series of six Flemish tapestries depicting the senses, some just modern sub-Disney kitsch. This is a friendly and welcoming local, well worth seeking out.

On 5^th January 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 4808 recommendations about 4400 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Graham Coombs left this review about Unicorn Hotel

Traditional sort of town local. One large room, with pool area to side. Beams and horsebrasses. Beers from Robinsons range seemed in good order. Food lunchtimes and evenings. Fair enough.

On 23^rd August 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3975 recommendations about 3907 pubs]

View more reviews of Unicorn Inn (4)

This pub features in the following crawls:
Central Lake District by bus (winter) by Will Larter

External web links for Unicorn Inn

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Official site of Unicorn Inn - www.robinsonsbrewery.com
Facebook page of Unicorn Inn - www.facebook.com

CAMRA WhatPub :: Unicorn Inn - whatpub.com

Pub location see interactive map of local area

Map location corrected by Alan Hurdle

Windermere, 4.93 miles, 1 hr 35 min walk (show)
Staveley, 8.57 miles, 2 hr 45 min walk (show)
Burneside (Cumbria), 11.45 miles, 3 hr 41 min walk (show)

Latest updates View all updates for Unicorn Inn, Ambleside

17th May 2026, 11:35

Request to mark pub as open by ROB Camra approved

17th May 2026, 11:35

Request to mark pub as open submitted by ROB Camra, with included notes: Reopened according to the CAMRA website.