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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th September 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Old Boots
Submitted on Sunday, 26th September 2021
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Detail Pages
Watermill Inn, Kendal
Ings
Postal town: Kendal
LA8 9PY
Served areas
Lakeland Inn&Brewery
01539821309 if unsure.
⏲️Bar will open at 11am, closing may vary.
8:41 PM Mar 18th 2021 from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of Watermill Inn (Average Rating: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Watermill Inn
This popular roadside brewpub, hotel and restaurant sits just off the Kendal–Windermere road, fronted by a tidy patio seating area that leads into a charming multi-room interior. A central corridor offers a fork to the left for the main bar or right toward a more formal restaurant space and the hotel reception. The bar is split into smaller zones by partitioning walls, giving it a cosy, slightly rambling feel, with mixed seating – high stools near the counter, and traditional tables and chairs beyond. Décor leans classic, with paintings, black-and-white photos and the occasional trinket or curious ornament. The stone-built exterior and traditional furnishings add a great sense of local character. Over in the restaurant, formally laid tables line the right-hand wall and spill into a compact front room, while a second, wood-panelled bar displays Windermere bottled beers across the bar back. Like many pubs in the Lakes, it winds down early, but we struck fairly lucky by visiting on a quiz night – the place was lively with locals and walkers alike until the winners were announced, at which point the room rapidly emptied.
Four of the house’s own beers were on during our visit: Windermere Golden Retriever, A Bit’er Ruff, Collie Wobbles, and Windermere Blonde. I sampled all four and found them to be in good condition and felt like the pub was a great place to showcase the brewery’s wares. We were staying at the pub and found the rooms smart and comfortable, the food solid if unspectacular, and the staff very welcoming.
I really liked this place and was pleased that we’d booked to stay for a couple of nights, as it gave us a chance to properly explore and appreciate the venue. For me, it did lots of things well, especially the beer and service, but also the characterful building and pleasant surrounding area. It’s a bit betwixt and between in location, meaning that it’s a bit of a fiddle to get to without your own transport, but it’s worth seeking out and I’d be more than happy to come and stay here again.
Date of visit: 9th April 2025
On 8th September 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Watermill Inn & Brewing Co
Old mill building with a bar cum restaurant and a brewery at its rear. All in old stone, internally is a series of rooms, some interconnected. There are two main bars with stone built counters and housing six pulls serving the Windermere beers brewed in the back. As a brewery tap and a long term GBG entry, the beer is naturally excellent. I’ll let John Bonser’s review tell you the rest.
On 26th September 2021
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3729 recommendations about 3405 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Watermill Inn & Brewing Co
In the small village of Ings, just off the A591 ( and on the 555 bus route between Kendal and Winderrnere ) , and just a couple of miles outside Windermere, is The Watermill Inn, or, to give it its full name – The Watermill Inn and Brewing Co. It’s a multi award winning pub with, since 2006, its own in house microbrewery attached.
It’s a long stone building, a converted sawmill, resembling a chalet, complete with upstairs accommodation with an outside balcony.
As we approach the pub, we see, proudly draped across the frontage, several tarpaulin banners teling us that The Watermill was named “The Good Pub Guide UK Own Brew Pub of the Year 2013”. We also see that their Isle of Dogs beer has won Northern SIBA Gold Medals. A large Union Jack flies proudly from the roof. The pub logo – a watermill – is displayed on the pub sign, on which we also see the pub’s strapline “ Real Ales +Real Food + Real Atmosphere = Real Pub”. Attractive hanging flower baskets contribute towards a favourable first impression, before we have even stepped inside.
Inside, a small lobby leads to two separate, but similarly styled bars – The River Bar and The Smithy Bar, both traditionally furnished and comfortable, but reflecting the pub’s emphasis of providing meals to the numerous visitors to this part of The Lake District.
Immediately in front of us as we go in to The River Bar is the bar counter, with a wooden gothic styled frontage rescued from a local church. This bar features black beams adorned with a splendid collection of pump clips. White washed stone walls display various brewery related memorabilia, including some foreign brewery enamel signs and some old brewery brass taps displayed in a show case. Plenty of CAMRA and other award certificates are prominently displayed on a dividing wall in close proximity to the bar counter. In one corner, a large viewing window allows one to see the brewery in action – not that there’s much to see, just the usual copper mash tuns, glass tubes etc. Some seats afford views of the river just outside, although actually, it’s more of a small stream than a river.
An on site brewery operation was established in 2006 and, as well as being visible from The River Bar, can also be seen round the back by passing through the car park. For some inexplicable reason, the names of the home brew beers reflect a dog theme – thus for instance we see beers with silly names – eg – Golden Retriever, A Bit’er Ruff, Collie Wobbles etc. Perhaps inevitably, the pub is dog friendly with water bowls and biscuits readily available, although, recognising the fact that not everyone likes dogs sniffing around all over the place, The Smithy Bar is designated as a dog free zone.
Each bar has 8 pumps with different beers on in each. A blackboard high up behind the bar helpfully lists the beers on and their provenance. Thus for instance, as if we didn’t know already, we learn that Theakstons Old Peculier and Moorhouses Pendle Witch come from Masham and Burnley respectively. Home brew beers are described as coming from “15 yards behind you”. On my recent mid – September visit, beers on were generally priced between £ 2.80p and £ 2.90p with Theakstons Old Peculier coming in at £ 3.50p, prices which you might agree, are pretty reasonable. 3 x1/3 pint tasting trays are available.
An extensive food menu is offered, and, given the pub’s reputation, you can expect diners to dominate at most times. My food was tasty and, despite the pub being busy, arrived promptly. Food is of the hearty pub grub variety and generously portioned.
I enjoyed the visit and, in relation to the pub’s strapline, I enjoyed the Real Ales and the Real Food, but I would take issue with the Real Atmosphere, which basically is non existent, with, on my visit, a rather transient feel being present – people having a meal and a drink, and then disappearing.
I’m not going to let this stop me from re-visiting when the opportunity arises – nor should you.
On 14th October 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
View more reviews of Watermill Inn (9)
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- Official site of the Watermill Inn - www.lakelandpub.co.uk
- Twitter - Lakeland Inn&Brewery
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Watermill Inn - whatpub.com
Windermere, 2.18 miles, 42 min walk (show)
Burneside (Cumbria), 4.56 miles, 1 hr 27 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : Yes last updated 15 July 2023 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 12 December 2024 by Will Larter
- Car Park : Yes last updated 30 July 2013 by Will Larter
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 15 July 2023 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 14 October 2014 by hondo .
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 30 July 2013 by Will Larter
- Micropub : No last updated 15 July 2023 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 30 July 2013 by Will Larter
- WiFi : Yes last updated 12 December 2024 by Will Larter
