Ambleside Market & Farmers' Market
Every Wednesday a street market fills the centre of Ambleside with stalls selling everything from Herdwick lamb and artisan cheeses to handmade jewellery and fell-walking maps, giving the town a lively, lived-in energy that is a world away from the outdoor-gear shops lining the main street. On the first Sunday of each month the market expands into a dedicated Farmers' Market focused squarely on Cu
What to Buy
Look for Herdwick mutton and salt-marsh lamb from farms in the Langdale and Eskdale valleys — cuts you rarely find in supermarkets and worth packing into a cool bag for a self-catered Lakes supper.
Local cheesemakers regularly appear with Cumbrian crumbly, smoked Cheddar and soft goat's cheeses; the honey stalls, often sourcing from hives on the lower fells, are outstanding.
The Wednesday General Market
The Wednesday market runs along Market Place and spreads onto the small car park near the old Market Hall, with around twenty stalls covering fresh vegetables, baked goods, clothing and crafts.
It draws as many locals as tourists, which is the best endorsement possible — arrive before 11am for the full spread before popular stalls sell out.
Eating Around the Market
Hikers' Bar at the Golden Rule pub on Smithy Brow is a two-minute walk from the market and serves real Robinsons ales in a no-frills Lakeland interior that has barely changed since the 1960s — the perfect post-market pint.
For a sit-down lunch, Zeffirellis on Compston Road is a vegetarian cinema-restaurant that does a legendary weekend brunch just a short stroll from the market stalls.
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