West Cumbria & Western Lakes Branch

Pub of the Year 2005: The Kirkstile, Loweswater

The Kirkstile in Loweswater has been chosen as West Cumbria CAMRA’s Pub of the year for the third year running. The decision was made by a judging panel from the West Cumbria branch of CAMRA, who ranked each short-listed pub against a number of criteria, including atmosphere, clientele mix, service and beer quality. The judges were impressed by the range and quality of beers on offer – two from the Inn’s own Loweswater brewery, plus Yates’ Bitter, Coniston Bluebird, and guest beer Jennings’ Golden Host.

Branch Chairman and panel member Stephen Walker said, ‘We recognise that pubs in rural parts of Cumbria such as Loweswater have to cater for visitors if they are to survive, and this means serving food. However the panel were impressed by the fact that Roger and his team have achieved a balance. They aim to meet the needs of their local customers, and preserve the atmosphere of a country inn which welcomes people who just want to come in for a drink and a chat. The service is warm and friendly, and overall the Kirkstile is a pub where you feel comfortable spending an evening.’

Roger and Helen were ‘over the moon’ with this latest win; now they will compete with the winners from the other three Cumbrian CAMRA branches to decide the overall Cumbrian Pub of the Year. The winning pub will then go on to compete for the prestigious title of National Pub of the Year 2006.

Runners up in the competition were the Swan Inn in Cockermouth, and the Brook House Inn in Boot. The Swan was voted the branch Pub of the Season last Autumn. Although a small pub by comparison, selling Jennings Bitter and Dark Mild, the Swan demonstrates sympathy with CAMRA’s aims. ‘We would rather a pub sells a couple of beers in excellent condition, than keeps more ales on the bar than it can shift. The quality of the Jennings Dark Mild is superb’ said Stephen.

The Brook House Inn is also a former Pub of the Season. It’s a family-run hotel with a good range of real ales; regular ale is Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, and there is a ever-changing choice of guest beers, many from Cumbrian breweries. The Thornley family are active in the annual Boot Beer Festival, which is held on 9th – 12th June, and the Boot Winter Ales festival.

Fuller articles on the Kirkstile Inn were published in Summer 2002 when it was awarded Pub of the Season, and Pub of the Year 2003 and about brewing at the Kirkstile in 2004