Hardknott Bar @ The Woolpack Inn, Holmrook

Huge, sprawling pub that caters for everyone. Food, real ale, music and the only place showing the football. Loved it. Would come back. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2qDLAu9

For an out-of-the-way country pub, the Hardknott Bar serves an astonishing range of real ales. At the time of my visit, there were four from four different Lake District breweries, plus two from further afield (see photos). None of them could be described as mainstream, but neither are they so far out as to be undrinkable. The bar counter is on two levels, with six hand pumps for beers on the upper level, in the main room, and the lower bar being dedicated to real cider. There's an annual beer festival, with 140 beers split between here and the two pubs in Boot village. See http://www.bootbeer.co.uk/ (next festival 8th to 11th June 2017). Date of visit: 17th July 2016