Food and Drink

Advice on the best food and drink to take with you on your walk

The Langdale Valley is blessed with fine scenery, fabulous walks, fresh air, and, luckily, a superb Walkers' Bar. The New Dungeon ghyll hotel is situated in the centre of the valley, and is either the start point, at the midway point,.of many of the walks featured on this site. A good thing then that the hotel has a Walker's Bar with an attached beer garden, and that it is open for drinks meals and snacks throughout the day.

For those already on the fells, or prepaging for an outing, we have advice on the best food and drink to take with you on your day out.

Fuel for the day

Forget the diet! If you are going onto the fells then your heart rate and calorie consumption will be higher than normal. Have a good breakfast to start the day. Complex carbohydrates such as porridge, and protein rich meals such as a full English breakfast, are ideal.

Lunch should also be high in complex carbohydrates and protein - sandwiches, biscuits, jam, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and fruit cake are all excellent. Snacking is also to be encouraged, especially if the snack is both healthy and rich in carbohydrate. Fruit is not always a good idea because it is heavy and tends to bruise easily, however, bananas and apples are the exception, and make an easy to carry snack.

Water should be your preferred drink, although if you have room a thermos full of ready made tea or soup will be welcoming and refreshing, especially on a wet day. In hot weather take double quantities of water to combat dehydration, drinking little and often. If you run out then a drink from a stream is permissible, but it is often the case that, on the days when you are most likely to need extra fluid, the water level in streams and lakes is low and it is usually not advisable to drink from them. If you do drink from a stream choose running water as opposed to that in a pool and avoid water that has run through pasture.

Despite the lure of the local inn, alcohol is not advised until after your walk, when a pint of bitter will provide much needed replenishment of carbohydrates. As well as the obvious problems that may be caused by drunken walkers staggering across the fell, alcohol reduces body temperature. When on the fells keeping body temperature at normal levels is vital.

Visit the Walkers Bar at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel