The Fox and Hounds

Ennerdale Bridge (population approximately 220), Cumbria. This lovely Hamlet pub dates back to 1538, and has long been a vital stopover for walkers on Alfred Wainwright's iconic Coast to Coast Walk. It was originally known as The White Bear. The pub's present name comes from its connection to the Eskdale and Ennerdale Foxhounds (The Hunt Pack), one of the Lake District's traditional "fell-packs", consolidated in 1857. Unlike the elite, horse- mounted fox hunts of lowland England, Lakeland fell packs were hunted on foot, due to the precipitous, rocky mountain terrain of the Cumbrian valleys. Local farmers kept "trencher-fed" hounds individually and met up on hunting days to protect their valuable Herdwick sheep from mountain predators.

In 2011 the pub was closed, boarded up, and threatened with demolition by a developer who intended to replace it with housing. 164 local residents raised 77,000 pounds in 8 days to save the pub. This made it the fifth community owned pub in the UK at the time, and the first in the Lake District. It still features its original character, with flagstone flooring, low exposed beams, and a cozy inglenook fireplace. There were three tasty local beers to choose from - Ennerdale Wild Golden Amber Ale, Coniston Brewing Bluebird Bitter, and Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold. I grabbed a Bluebird Bitter and headed out back to the beer garden, sitting next to a little gurgling stream and enjoying the Cumbrian countryside. It's another pub that you have to navigate some narrow Cumbrian roads to get to, but the reward is certainly worth it!