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 | Cumbria Times Weekend Edition |
1:01 AM 21st October 2023
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The Top Five Pub Quizzes In The Lake District + Quiz
Image by Steve Roberts from Pixabay
Finding a pub quiz that’s worth visiting can be hard work, however – and making sure you win is even harder.
With help from the experts at Pure Leisure, which offers Lake District lodges for sale, we’ve found the top five hidden gems in the Lake District pub quiz scene (along with the answers to some sneaky Lake District-themed quiz questions).
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The Mardale Inn, Bampton – a wholesome community pub
The Mardale Inn is as cosy as it gets, serving a mix of local ales and fan favourite drinks, offering good pub grub and hosting a brilliant monthly quiz.
The pub was at risk of closure in recent years, but was thankfully saved back in 2022 after £400,000 was raised to renovate it and turn it into a local hub under a community ownership model. One of these routine community events is the monthly pub quiz, with cash prizes to be won, laughs to be had and ales to be quaffed.
Close-knit community hubs like this are some of the Lake District’s best hidden gems – and Pure Leisure’s Marketing Manager, Jemima, is keen to share these hotspots.
“There are countless hidden gems in the Lake District pub community, all with their own personality and charm. They really do take you back to a time when a pub wasn’t just a place to drink, but an actual public house!”
Entry costs £2pp.
The Mardale Inn is as cosy as it gets, serving a mix of local ales and fan favourite drinks, offering good pub grub and hosting a brilliant monthly quiz.
The pub was at risk of closure in recent years, but was thankfully saved back in 2022 after £400,000 was raised to renovate it and turn it into a local hub under a community ownership model. One of these routine community events is the monthly pub quiz, with cash prizes to be won, laughs to be had and ales to be quaffed.
Close-knit community hubs like this are some of the Lake District’s best hidden gems – and Pure Leisure’s Marketing Manager, Jemima, is keen to share these hotspots.
“There are countless hidden gems in the Lake District pub community, all with their own personality and charm. They really do take you back to a time when a pub wasn’t just a place to drink, but an actual public house!”
Entry costs £2pp.
The Sun Inn, Bassenthwaite – a traditional pub with a charity quiz night
This is as traditional as a country pub gets, welcoming muddy boots and muddy paws alike, and complete with cycle racks for those stopping for a quick pint.
Surrounded by greenery and always filled with friendly locals, The Sun Inn hosts a mix of standard and charity pub quizzes (with raffles!) approximately every fortnight. Most recently, quizzers raised £400 for Keswick Mountain Rescue.
Entry costs £5 per team.
This is as traditional as a country pub gets, welcoming muddy boots and muddy paws alike, and complete with cycle racks for those stopping for a quick pint.
Surrounded by greenery and always filled with friendly locals, The Sun Inn hosts a mix of standard and charity pub quizzes (with raffles!) approximately every fortnight. Most recently, quizzers raised £400 for Keswick Mountain Rescue.
Entry costs £5 per team.
The Pheasant Inn, Allithwaite – a classic quiz with a free pub supper
Bonus question: What’s better than a pub quiz? A pub quiz with a free supper!
It makes sense that this pub has been family-run since 2005 – they show all quizzers Cumbrian hospitality with a free pub supper! These monthly quiz nights are a favourite with locals, costing only £2.
Bonus question: What’s better than a pub quiz? A pub quiz with a free supper!
It makes sense that this pub has been family-run since 2005 – they show all quizzers Cumbrian hospitality with a free pub supper! These monthly quiz nights are a favourite with locals, costing only £2.
The Mortal Man Inn, Windermere – a cracking pub with an interactive quiz
The Mortal Man is a beautiful country pub, standing on an elevated position in a valley near Windermere. It’s as traditional as it gets, serving old-school ales with traditional décor and wooden ceiling beams – but the same can’t be said about its pub quiz…
Every Wednesday, locals gather to join in with the interactive pub quiz, competing in a mix of games and classic pub questions. Pure Leisure’s Jemima and her colleagues are just a few of the many that go every week.
“We love visiting The Mortal Man for its weekly quiz – it’s a great mid-week pick me up! The interactive element is different every time and it’s always an exciting way to have fun with friends and colleagues.”
Entry costs £2pp.
The Mortal Man is a beautiful country pub, standing on an elevated position in a valley near Windermere. It’s as traditional as it gets, serving old-school ales with traditional décor and wooden ceiling beams – but the same can’t be said about its pub quiz…
Every Wednesday, locals gather to join in with the interactive pub quiz, competing in a mix of games and classic pub questions. Pure Leisure’s Jemima and her colleagues are just a few of the many that go every week.
“We love visiting The Mortal Man for its weekly quiz – it’s a great mid-week pick me up! The interactive element is different every time and it’s always an exciting way to have fun with friends and colleagues.”
Entry costs £2pp.
The Royal Barn, Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery – a modern taproom with an explosive quiz night
This ultra-slick craft brewery has managed to perfectly marry the modern-meets-traditional feel – with 12 hand pulls and eight taps. The barn’s modern/industrial-blend aesthetics have been carefully considered, with modern hanging lights, cosy home furniture and traditional signage from the venue's rich past.
The pub quizzes are ticketed events that up the production value from your traditional quiz. There are plenty of prizes to be won in this busy taproom, so be sure to book when the next quiz is announced!
This ultra-slick craft brewery has managed to perfectly marry the modern-meets-traditional feel – with 12 hand pulls and eight taps. The barn’s modern/industrial-blend aesthetics have been carefully considered, with modern hanging lights, cosy home furniture and traditional signage from the venue's rich past.
The pub quizzes are ticketed events that up the production value from your traditional quiz. There are plenty of prizes to be won in this busy taproom, so be sure to book when the next quiz is announced!
Image by Fakhruddin Memon from Pixabay
Now you know where you’re headed, you need to scrub up on your Lake District knowledge. Here are some of the sneakiest and most interesting Lake District-themed pub quiz questions the Pure Leisure team has encountered.
Q: What is the Lake District’s deepest body of water?
A: Wastwater.
While Wastwater might not be the biggest in terms of square kilometres (that crown goes to Windermere), it is the deepest. In fact, it’s the deepest not only in the Lake District but also in England – clocking in at 243 feet total.
A: Wastwater.
While Wastwater might not be the biggest in terms of square kilometres (that crown goes to Windermere), it is the deepest. In fact, it’s the deepest not only in the Lake District but also in England – clocking in at 243 feet total.
Q: How many lakes are in the Lake District?
A: Only one!
Now this is a sneaky trick question, but it’s one that often comes up to catch holidaymakers out! In total, there are 16 named bodies of water in the Lake District, but only one can be classified as a lake – Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick.
A: Only one!
Now this is a sneaky trick question, but it’s one that often comes up to catch holidaymakers out! In total, there are 16 named bodies of water in the Lake District, but only one can be classified as a lake – Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick.
Q: In which famous zombie film did the main characters take refuge in the Lake District?
A: 28 Days Later.
In the 2002 Danny Boyle classic, survivors of the zombie apocalypse escape London and find a safe haven in the Lake District’s village of Ennerdale. If a zombie apocalypse happens to kick into gear during a quiz, you can always combine inspiration from this and Shaun of the Dead and wait in the pub for it all to blow over.
A: 28 Days Later.
In the 2002 Danny Boyle classic, survivors of the zombie apocalypse escape London and find a safe haven in the Lake District’s village of Ennerdale. If a zombie apocalypse happens to kick into gear during a quiz, you can always combine inspiration from this and Shaun of the Dead and wait in the pub for it all to blow over.
Q: Which Lake District village did famous Romantic poet William Wordsworth call "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found?”
A: Grasmere.
It’s no secret that William Wordsworth loved the Lake District – it acted as his muse for his Romantic poetry that eventually landed him the position of Poet Laureate in 1843. Dove Cottage, his former Lake District home in Grasmere, is now a wonderful museum and café whose praises have been sung by Ian McKellan.
A: Grasmere.
It’s no secret that William Wordsworth loved the Lake District – it acted as his muse for his Romantic poetry that eventually landed him the position of Poet Laureate in 1843. Dove Cottage, his former Lake District home in Grasmere, is now a wonderful museum and café whose praises have been sung by Ian McKellan.
Q: What traditional Lake District food gained protected status in 2011?
A: The Cumberland sausage.
The Cumberland sausage has been a Lake District speciality for over 500 years – so it was long overdue its protected status! To legally qualify, all Cumberland sausages have to be 80% pork and made in Cumbria.
A: The Cumberland sausage.
The Cumberland sausage has been a Lake District speciality for over 500 years – so it was long overdue its protected status! To legally qualify, all Cumberland sausages have to be 80% pork and made in Cumbria.
Image by G Lopez from Pixabay
We’re looking forward to the pub-filled colder months – but regardless of when you go, make sure you do your homework and quiz responsibly!