The Old School Room Tea Shop in South Lakeland

Excellent suroundings for a coffee stop while walking the area. Great choice of eats and drinks, and very pleasant service. Highly recommended.

What a lovely unexpected surprise. We were walking the coffin route from Ambleside to Grasmere (recommended) and came across this lovely tea shop by the river on the estate of Rydal Hall. My son had a panini which came with salad and he said it was delicious.., I had a baked potato and salad which was also delicious and a really good sized meal for lunch. All the cakes looked delicious but I succumbed to a cream tea after our meal, and you could tell the scones were fresh, it was delicious. I would absolutely recommend a visit to this place, if you want to get off the busy streets of Ambleside and area and retreat for a while by a beautiful location. We also found out you can stay in Rydal Hall too, they have cottages, a bunkhouse for groups of people, and lovely rooms in the hall…, we will definitely try a stay here on our next visit to the Lakes. Oh and all the staff we interacted with were ever so friendly and welcoming.

Different management since my last vist but superb warm scones were so good that we changed plans and returned after our walk to have lunch also. Superb soup and warm rolls , perfect after our soaking. Staff very friendly.

Like other reviewers we toiled up the hill after a 4 hour fell circuit , arriving at 4.10 PM in early September in need of refreshment It was deserted, closed, shut up with no indication of such on the information board at the bottom of the hill Be warned and avoid...this is obviously not a unique experience The toilets were closed also

Stopped here by chance on circular walk from Grasmere. Great staff serving very good food with a smile and efficiency. Would happily return.

We arrived with a party of 12 after a lovely walk. Excellent customer service, great choice off food and drink that was served promptly! Would highly recommend.

Habíamos caminado desde el estacionamiento común de White Moss en una fría y húmeda mañana de diciembre y llegamos a Rydal Hall justo a tiempo para el almuerzo. Lo que no anticipamos fue la maravillosa estufa de leña que fue muy apreciada.Hay una buena selección de alimentos y bebidas, todos a precios razonables con comida fría y caliente disponible junto con una selección de deliciosos pasteles.La sopa estaba espesa y cremosa. . . justo el plato adecuado dado el clima frío y el panini fue bien recibido.El personal estaba trabajando duro ya que era una hora de almuerzo ocupada y no tuvimos que esperar demasiado para nuestra comida.Para dos platos calientes más bebidas, pagamos poco más de 15, lo que nos pareció muy buena relación calidad-precio.Muy recomendable.

Peaceful setting. Impressed with the soups (pea and mint soup, red pepper and sweet potato ones were on menu on days visited) so warming on a winters day and they aren't over salted or over peppered which was pleased. I like to salt and pepper to my own taste so made a refreshing change to be able to do that. Panini bread is very nice fresh, light and crispy. Had the brie and Cranberry one. Good choice of cakes. Sensible pricing.

What a find a real hidden Gem on Rydal just behind Wordsworth Cottage...Not only can you park at Rydal Hall by getting a permit from reception for £5, they will give you a £2 money off voucher for the Cafe! Firstly what a location on a wonderful set of waterfalls that run under a bridge just beside the cafe, Anazing spot! Secondly fantastic cakes try the Guinness and Chocolate to fantastic. This is a real find enjoy

Visited last weekend when out walking, a good coffee and scone stop off when walking Rydal and Grasmere. Never disappoints. Plenty seating inside and out, outside best for us with the dog. Always good refreshments here, homemade scones are a winner. We would recommend

When trying to order coffee and crumpets for breakfast we were refused service due to a ripped £20 note!! It was perfectly legal tender. Also there was a discarded used poo bad at the front door. I don't recommend visiting here.

Took our group up the hill past both the signs on road saying open 10 to 5..... only to find them closing at 4 o'clock.

Stunning setting and good food and drink at reasonable prices. Bike racks available lots of room outside and stunning waterfall beside you.

We had a lovely break indoors on a rainy morning. The tea was a good premium type. There were vegan & gluten free options, my vegan peanut butter cookie was excellent. The other cakes we tried were also lovely. Our very muddy dog was made very welcome. The prices were reasonable and the staff were friendly.

We found this place by accident as we were walking from Ambleside to Grasmere and we stumbled across it.Lovely location near the river, you can sit outside enjoying the location and fresh air.Great cake's!Definitely worth a visit, especially good for a drink if you are walking from Ambleside to Grasmere.

近所のライダル・マウント (ワーズワース旧邸) と間違えないこと。でも、こちらライダル・ホールの風景庭園もなかなかいい。付属のティールームはちょっとバラックっぽい作りだが、天気のいい日は河ぞいのガーデンでお茶とケーキが楽しめる。ハイキングの途中の休憩に好適。

Visitamos esta mañana como siempre lo hacemos cuando hacemos la caminata Rydal y Grasmere. Encantadores bancos de picnic y mesas afuera junto a la cascada, agradable cafetería y asientos en el interior disponibles también.

La comida era muy sabrosa y precios estándar para lo que esperas de un salón de té. Tienen una buena selección de sándwiches y toasties. Pero los pasteles, son increíbles! Así que haz una pausa para un poco de té / café y pastel.

I don't think I should review the Old School room because it's getting too busy! I've been a regular for over 20 years. It's just the thing if you are walking the dog (yes,dog friendly) and want a morning coffee and homemade cake or an afternoon tea and scone. Or how about a stroll round the gardens and Sculpture path followed by a panini or delicious soup or salad? On a sunny day it's lovely to sit out by the water fall.

sentados afuera, que estaba ocupado cerca de la cascada. Buena elección de tés. El té de Redbush y Lakeland fue nuestra elección. Los pasteles caseros eran buenos. El flapjack de la fecha era de buen tamaño y sabroso. El pastel de frambuesa y polenta sin gluten también fue húmedo y agradable. A un precio razonable. Personal amigable.

Fui a ver los narcisos en Dora's Field y luego encontré esta encantadora tienda de té detrás de Rydal Hall.

La cafetería sirve muy buen café y pastel. Estuvimos muy satisfechos con nuestras elecciones. El pastel sin gluten fue muy agradable. Hubiera sido útil si los pasteles hubieran sido etiquetados para indicar qué eran y si fueran veganos / sin gluten. Precios razonables. La cafetería en sí está en un entorno muy agradable.

Lovely little cafe by the waterfall, great views, great tea and cakes and extremely good value. It’s also dog friendly. What more could you want!

What more do you need? But if that doesn’t suit you can have coffees, cold drinks, hot chocolate, sandwiches, paninis and soup! Great little place to stop if you are around and want a snack or light lunch.

We always fit in a trip to this lovely coffee shop. Good food at reasonable prices. Friendly staff. Great location along the Coffin Trail between Ambleside and Grasmere. Dogs welcome too.

He llamado aquí varias veces para tomar una taza de té al caminar por el sendero de Coffin o la ruta circular alrededor de Rydal Water. El personal es siempre amable y los pasteles caseros se ven deliciosos, aunque esta vez no compramos ninguno. Sentarse afuera con el sonido del arroyo corriendo es muy relajante después de un paseo. Se recomienda un paseo por el jardín o el sendero de esculturas si tiene tiempo de sobra.

Lovely home made style of food in delightful surroundings. Linked with Rydal Hall. Popular cafe for walkers

We arrived in this small café just as it became inundated with elderly walkers in a tour group. Our hearts sank, as we envisaged a long queuing session followed by a longer wait for food and drinks.

Excellent little cafe with good range of snacks and meals. Next to stream and with good toilets nearby

Dropped in a couple of times during our recent stay in the Herdy Huts above Rydal Hall. Fantastic location with lots of lovely small walks in the vicinity. The Old School Room sits above the tumbling waterfalls on the Coffin Route and it's worth a visit for a hot drink.

Sit back in the relative quiet of the Old School Room Tea Shop for lunch or tea. There are good sandwiches and soup and a fine selection of cakes, tea, and coffee. Inside or outside you can hear the lower falls while you dine. Fine establishment.

Abbiamo fatto un lungo percorso a piedi con i bambini e la sosta alla tea room ci voleva. Buone le torte e bella la sosta sulla cascata, vicino ci sono due piccoli giardini interessanti da visitare.

As a group of local mountain bikers we have used this tea room a lot over the years and NEVER had any issues with service or the quality of the food..... Unfortunately things have changed. The tea shop is now under new management and has a new system in place that is clearly not working. On our table we waited an hour for a pannini. a toasted teacake, tea and a latte. It appeared that the staff were serving ALL the soups first, regardless of which table, then the panninis, then everything else and appeared stressed and flustered. The drinks came first but had been long since finished by the time our food came. The teacake was good and served with lovely jam but the pannini was a rip off. It was very thin, hardly any filling and served with a lettuce leaf and one cherry tomato cut in half.

We stopped for tea on a walk. Good selection and good service in pleasant surroundings with both indoor and outdoor seating

Sit outdoors in fine weather or choose the warmth and comfort inside when it's chilly. The menu is comprehensive but we stick to brie and cranberry panninis with a cuppa. The staff are efficient and friendly and the place is clean. The inadequate toilet facilities are on the agenda for an upgrade.

After a walk in the rain we were looking forward to a warm welcome and some nice tea and cake. The cakes were delicious but the welcome rather tepid! Arriving around 4pm it was obvious that the staff couldn't wait to clear up for the day. Our order wasn't quite right as my cake didn't come even though I mentioned it three times when placing the order. Then everything was just placed on the table with no consideration of whose order it was, which I don't consider good service. Worst of all was when we tried to order a crumpet for my little girl at 415pm. The small dark haired woman practically barked "too late!" and my daughter was quite upset. She was a non native English speaker but that is no excuse.

Me and my wife have visited here many times over the years and have never been disappointed. This was our first visit this year and having read some recent reviews, we didn't notice a change of management. As always the tea and coffee were great. We had a slice of chocolate and Guinness cake and a slice of carrot cake both of which were devoured.

We've stopped here on a number of occasions, whilst walking in the area. There are tables outside by the waterfall or inside if it is raining. The soups are always nice, but now served with a bread roll instead of the lump of granary bread, shame, but still good value. The cakes are superb. This time I had a tray baked bread pudding which was nearly as good as my mother in laws, that's a real compliment!

Ser conscientes de los inodoros se han movido y ahora ya no detrás de la cafetería pero en diagonal frente a la puerta principal.

a great place for a cup tea or coffee or rose lemonade and panniis and cakegreat view of the water fall and mill lbut slow service to get a cup of teaand it was not even busywe waited 20 mins for teawe wanted to vuist house closed

Es difícil que no te guste este café ya que está en una ubicación maravillosa y hemos llamado aquí a lo largo de los años para ir de Ambleside. Esta vez sin embargo una excelente taza de té nos decepcionó por magdalenas quemada y después de volver un luego nos dieron otra recocida 'tratar' - muy decepcionante, en especial después de un largo paseo.

We called in for a quick bite to eat, whilst wandering around the gardens.. Sat outside next to the rapids in the river. We only had a toasted teacake each, and a cuppa, but very enjoyable. Good friendly service. Nice selection of cakes and light lunches, as you would expect from such a place. But really could have done with a few breakfast items on the menu Lovely little toilet located across from the enterance in a listed building !!!

We have visited this tea room many times whilst walking in the Rydal area. Last week whilst on holiday, we walked the coffin route from Grasmere to Ambleside and decided to stop for a scone and cup of tea. We were very disappointed with the visit as the wait in the queue for a scone and cup of tea was over 20 minutes, the staff didn't seem to have a clue what they were doing, they were running in and out of the tea room with orders and giving them to the wrong people, they even stopped serving the customers after me for a while so they could catch up with themselves as they were in such a mess. The staff were unfriendly and customers clearly unhappy. The tea room wasn't even overly busy. The toilets were unpleasant and only one unisex toilet to serve numerous customers isn't very nice. Although the location of the tea room is lovely, the staff and way it's run is awful and it never used to be this bad. Please get your act together or we and other customers will go elsewhere.

Came across this tea room whilst walking round Rydal, just what we needed. Had coffee, cake and sandwiches. All really nice . It's in a nice location with a log burning fire and toilets .

Freezing cold and wet day but no fire lit so tea room was really cold. Couldn't wait to finish and carry on walking. We informed the staff though before leaving. This dampened the visit and made our stop off slightly sour. Also soup seemed rather tasteless. But on a positive the area is gorgeous and thoroughly enjoyed walk round rydal water.

As grandparents we were on a walk from Ambleside with our son and his family. The tea rooms were a welcome stop for a refreshing drink and snack about half way on our circular walk. An delicious variety of cakes and hot drinks were on offer as well as soft drinks. In cold weather a fire is lit which makes it a warming break too! Whenever we have called it has always been very busy. There are tables outside if the weather is suitable. Usually only closed on Christmas Day I believe but when we called late October there was a sign to say it would be closed for the first week in Nov.

We went here last year and wrote, what will be, exactly the same TA Adviser Review. This place has a perfect location, wonderful coffee and cake, average & slightly watery soup but dreadfully slow service. One poor guy (doing his best) on service and a lady putting things together in the kitchen. They need another member of weekend staff on service. A very long & unmoving queue. They did this last year...and so too this year. This Christian Retreat Centre (Rydal Hall) that runs this place would benefit from realising that this lovely Tea Shop also "bears witness". No time for a smile - just stress pervades both from servers & queue.. The lady in front of me at the loos summed it all up in a sentence - "we also come here - 30 minutes wait for the coffee and 20' for the loos - but still be love to come"

We have been stopping here for years and have watched the place grow. Always a great cup of tea and good choice of cake. Sit by the stream and waterfalls for a good rest before soldiering on.

Walk the coffin route from Grasmere to Rydal, then return to Grasmere alongside both lakes, but make sire you stop halfway at the old school room tranship. Open every day of the year, offering tasty food and both hot and cold drinks, the ideal place to take a breather. Sit inside or out by the waterfall, and enjoy,

Delicious range of cakes available in this delightful coffee shop. Grounds of Rydal Hall are worth a visit, although parking is limited.

This tea room is in the grounds of Rydal Hall and is one of our favourites in the Lake District. Always friendly and welcoming, with a good variety of lunch options and nice cakes. The setting is lovely, especially sitting outside overlooking the little stream with waterfalls. Don't miss the gardens which are beautiful and have fantastic views. Makes an excellent stop on a walk round Rydal Water or to Grasmere.

A lovely place to find, particularly a refuge from the deluge of rain.Good home cooked food, beautiful cakes, the best Ive tasted in a while. Lovely friendly and helpful staff. Would definitely return.

This little old world tea shoppe is situated within the Rydal hall gardens although we always use it as our halfway point on the walk from Ambleside to Grasmere, the coffin route.A pleasant pot of tea and a slice of cake or a toasted tea cake. a chat and we are off again walking. To us it's part of the lake district and has always been there.

Situated in the grounds of Rydal Hall, the tea shop offers a good range of drinks and snacks to anyone walking, ambling or simply visiting the area. Located behind Rydal Hall overlooking a lovely mountain stream it offers a relaxing break. Well worth a visit.

Attractive tea room set in stunning location beside the mountain stream and waterfall in the grounds of Rydal Hall. Renovated to a high standard and spotlessly clean. Perfect for our morning coffee break during a walk around the Hall grounds. Good selection of cakes and sandwiches at reasonable prices. Tables located inside tea rooms and also on the terracing beside the stream.

Had a welcome cream tea after a Sunday stroll around the gardens at Rydal Hall. The Old School Tea Shop offers a surprisingly varied range of drinks, snacks and cakes. My cream tea and my partner's pot of tea and carrot cake both went down a treat, as did the fact we were able to take advantage of the outdoor seating to make the most of the afternoon sun.

If you're walking about near Rydal Water, you'll most definitely want to stop by Rydal Hall, the manor house across from Wordsworth's Rydal Mount. Behind the gardens, you'll find the Old School Room Tea Shop. It's simple, unpretentious and will be able to fill your need for a cuppa, a quick soup or sandwich, or a sweet. It also doubles as a gallery for fine local artists.

A welcome sight when returning for a walk around Rydal Lake. Love this old converted building, and it's outdoor seating area. Prices just about right, and tasty Cakes and sundries on offer, as well as that well earned cup of Tea. Seems to be a family run business. Looking forward to my next visit as soon as possible.

We often do the Rydal Walk, Ambleside & always look forward to our coffee break at the Old School Room. If it is really cold there is a lovely fire to warm you up. There are delicious cakes, soups, & a range of other snacks & drinks. They do get very busy which can cause a backlog, but a staff call for help will bring over an extra pair of hands. There are tables outside next to the waterfall which is a very pleasant place to sit.

Stopped here on a very wet afternoon, drinks were OK, but service very slow and not particularly friendly. Due to the location they have a captive market, but could do with trying a bit harder!

We called here during our walk. we were drenched but received a warm and friendly welcome. With some lovely food and refreshments including some for Buster our Labrador. We enjoyed it so much we returned again two days later Most enjoyable light and airy. A bit wet for visiting the garden

Although this teashop's food & drink range was fine - the service was disgraceful. A queue of 6 must have taken 20'. My friend took an outdoor seat overlooking a lovely view/waterfall and waited...and waited....and waited. The staff did not work together as a team and ultimately our soup was forgotten! They needed reminding and the girl in the kitchen said that she "hadn't been told". This Old School Room staff needs some teamwork education.

Just returned from a walk round Rydal and stumbled upon the tea shop. A warm welcome was given to us and a very wet dog. Service was quick and our mochas where lovely. The area is subject to localized flooding which made for dramatic views of the water fall. Will definitely visit again and sample the amazing looking cakes.

These tea rooms appeared at just the right moment during our walk around Grasmere and Rydal! It was beautifully sunny so we sat outside and enjoyed a cheese panini followed by a Rocky road. It was really delicious, quite pricey but worth it!

Previously and by a slip of my keyboard I gave the wrong rating to this lovely tea shop. For 3 weary wet and windswept walkers this place was our little have for half an hour of lovely tea and buns. It couldn't have been more welcoming.

The lady who looks after the tea shop was very welcoming she made an excellent hot chocolate ,gave us information on Rydal mount and sold us our tickets . The tea rooms were well set out clean and tidy .you see it had been a school room in the past they had bits and bobs for sale enjoyed our visit .

This is such a nice spot during a walk with fabulous cakes and very dog friendly - a great place! The gardens and waterfall nearby are really worth a visit.

I had to share half my scone with wasps. This tea house can certainly do better to get rid of the wasps from their premises.

Light and airy inside, if you can get outdoor seating it is very pleasant by the water. Good range of cakes, perhaps not as clearly labeled as they could be. The date slice was deliciously buttery. Friendly staff, local postcards also for sale.

I regularly visit the Old School Room tea shop and the staff,food, etc are 1st class,I do realise that dogs are allowed in the tea shop,but I could not believe it when there was a dog photo shoot on my last visit. I don't think it is appropriate for dogs to be allowedon the table,this sort of thing should take place perhaps when there are no customerspresent.Not everyone likes dogs jumping about while eating.....

Found this tea room en route to the coffin walk. A nice tea room with a wide selection of cakes and drinks. The staff were nice and friendly. We ordered a tea and coffee and 2 big slices of the chocolate Guinness cake. The cake was very moist but what let it down was the buttercream icing on top - too much butter. The table we sat was not level either which led to a spillage of the hot drinks. It's a dog friendly place and situated in a lovely spot with a good view of the area.

Enjoyed beetroot soup and an egg sandwich. Our two dogs were welcome too. Which is nice.Tray bakes and two sorts of gingerbread the mainstay here, so nothing groundbreaking. Only hot food, panini.Very pleasant but sandwich small for the price of £4.25.

After a lovely long walk we ended at the tea rooms. They served a nice selection of food but the cakes won us over. Homemade and very decent sized portions we enjoyed them with a lovely cup of tea. Our dog was welcome and although there was seating outside over looking the beautiful grounds we opted for the cozy inside area. We will definitely be back.

I visited with my family while on a walk and I thoroughly enjoyed the food and atmosphere, the sound of the stream was very peacefully and there was a good selection of cake and drinks. I defiantly recommend visiting.

Always stop here for lunch on the coffin route/Grasmere 14 mile circular. Nice cakes, good soups and friendly staff, what more do you need

The counter service by the waiter was really efficient and he was very friendly. The soup and sandwiches were high quality, tasty and very fresh ingredients. We will be back! The menu is small - soup, pannini, buns and lovely cakes and scones. Perfect tea shop fayre.

Rydal Hall is so well set in the heart of the Lake District. We have long enjoyed stopping there on journeys. The grounds of the Hall repay an hour or so of pottering down to the strangely-named "grot", and walking round the sculpture trail. The Tea Shop fits nicely in to this scene, and coffee and cake set off any afternoon. Parking is a little strange, and might helpfully be liberalised a little. The IS space in the grounds, but not apparently as you drive in and - even when found - seems to need the bureaucracy of a permit. Perhaps at the height of summer, the misparking tourists have to be repelled but not now.

This place is brilliant for a stop whilst out walking, great location by the waterfall. Good coffee and food. Lost a bit if its rustic charm since our last visit (Looks to have had a make over) but still well worth a visit. Staff really efficient and polite.

We dined here recently. Food was awful . Avoid ! Prawn starter was awful lamb as tough as old boots. Pavlova was just a complete mess. Poor to say the least .would not recommend. Much better to dine in local town Ambleside.

Usually pop in for lunch when doing the coffin route walk. Clean and fresh with a good choice of sandwiches and cakes. On one walk ,I asked for a takeaway sandwich and this was sorted with no problem at all. Take time to walk round the grounds of the hall and a trip to visit the grotte to see the waterfall.

Pleasant tea room. Good menu, something to suit all tastes.Its about midway on the 'circular walk' from Ambleside.The paninis are light and tasty and plentiful and the homemade shortbread is delicious. Visit the Waterfall hut nearby too. Its so cute !

スタッフもフレンドリーで暖かい雰囲気のカフェです。本日の野菜スープとスコーン、お茶を頼みました。野菜スープは旅行で疲れた胃にピッタリの優しい味でした。スコーンもさっくっとしてて美味しかったです。

Luckily we were recommended this place as a dog friendly cafe in the Countryside Dog Walks Lake District South book ...walk 6 Rydal. So glad we did my son and I had delicious fresh rolls scones and chocolate brownie. Asking for water for our spaniel was no problem and readily provided. Cafe is immaculate and we sat in the sun overlooking the waterfall then took a look at the stunning grounds of Rydal Hall itself with the Grot where Wordsworth may have written some of his poems.

We frequently take a flask of coffee with us when we're walking but not when we walk around Rydal Hall. This is a charming little tea shop and great to either sit inside when it's raining or outside on a sunny day.

Stopped here for lunch half way round a walk with the dog and kids. The food was lovely & fresh and baked on site. It was a beautiful location next to the beck and away from the main road it was very dog friendly and we will be revisiting next time we are in the lakes.

We visited today to escape the rain, you would not know this tea room was there unless you were visiting Rydall Hall. A lovely fresh space with just the sounds of the stream and woodland. The staff are very friendly, we just had cake and coffee which was delicious.

we have just had a relaxing but wet few days in the lakes , but rain never stops people walking in the lakes. there was a break in the weather this day so we decided to do the nice scenic river walk from ambleside to Rydal hall and back stopping off at the well thought of tea room . the cakes are much talked about .and well worth walking up an appetite for , the tea room is in a lovely spot looking out on crashing waterfalls near the gardens of Rydal hall . You'll be spoilt for choice on what to choose from the home made cakes , Lemon drizzle , carrot , guinness and choc , and huge scones , and if you need something to warm you up besides coffee or tea, there is always the large bowls of home made soup with large wedges of bread .the welcome is warm like the stylish wood burner that helps damp visiters dry out . this is one place and walk not to be missed any time of year .

We have stopped here many times for team and cakes, when walking the Coffin Trail from Grasmere to Ambleside. Rydal Hall is a lovely building with extensive grounds. You can get a variety of teas and lots of nice cakes. The staff and customer service are somewhat variable. We had just sat down when a group arrived to celebrate someone's birthday. They were obviously friends of the staff and we felt in the way as they crowded around us, singing and handing out cake. The atmosphere did not encourage us to linger long!

I have been to this tea room twice in the last 2 months as it was in a convenient location. In may, we had walked for 4 hours and were very hungry and thirsty, so decided to eat here. After ten minutes of looking at the menu with 2 gawping rude staff staring at us, we were then told that savoury food was not served at 4.30pm and we could only have cakes. It felt like they couldn't wait to say no to us and did not want to serve us. Yet they spent time laughing and joking with their customers who were clearly friends. The cake however, was delicious. We then returned in June for a similar walk, we turned up at the tea room in the hope for more delicious cake, but a sandwich too. We were told by a very rude member of staff at 3.30pm that they did not serve savoury food at this time. When we questioned this, the waitress clearly made up a time as to when they stopped serving savoury food. The savoury menu was still being advertised, if they only serve food at certain times then they should clearly state this. We encounter 5 different members of rude staff on both occasions and will not be returning as we felt like they ruined our trip.

Having completed a long sweaty walk in the hot summer sunshine, we approached this school house looking forward to a long cold drink. It was due to close at 6PM, and we had rushed to ensure we arrived today 10 minutes prior to the closing. The staff clearly just wanted to go home, we asked to have a cold can of pop to take away, But we were told that they had cashed up the till and they refused to serve us. I offered to pay the exact money, or indeed to pay extra for their troubles. They still refused to help us even though we were clearly hot, sweaty and in need of a drink.Simply ridiculous, it takes nothing to help out people that are clearly in need of a drink and their attitude was poor and dismissive.

In the grounds of Rydal Hall this cracking little tea room has to be one of the best around. Whether you're setting out or returning from the Fairfield Horseshoe, taking the Coffin Route to Grasmere or having a stroll through Rydal Park from Ambleside, it's hard to resist the lure of a cuppa and a slice of home made cake. On a day of blizzards outside on our last visit, a bowl of soup beside the stove warmed us for the rest of our walk. In the summer, taking tea beside the tumbling Rydal Beck is a grand way to finish a day on the fells.

So good - we went three times this week!! The wood burning stove was a joy as it was so very cold this week. Fortified by lovely tea and fabulous food the walk gets better every time!!

We visit this tea room every trip as it is in a great location with walking routes passing right by. It is also dog friendly which is a bonus. Lovely selection of home made cakes and buns. This time we had lunch, the root vegetable soup and date slices after were delicious. Perfect way to refuel after a mornings walk.

This place is one of the very best in the Lake District for tea and cakes - I've never had a full meal here. It is great to combine a visit here with a walk in the area and maybe you will burn off some of the calories. It's close to Wordsworth's home, Rydal Mount.

Highly recommended for lunch or tea - if you have time the grounds of Rydal Hall are also worth exploring. Delicious cakes.

The Old School Tea Room at Rydal Hall is in a great location in the grounds of the Hall in a lovingly restored old building. It is very handy at the end of the walk round Fairfield Horseshoe and the sign for the footpath back to Ambleside is right outside the tea shop door. We arrived near closing time with muddy boots and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. There was a good selection of teas and cakes and the lunch menu on the board looked interesting. In good weather there are tables and chairs outside and you can walk round the gardens and grounds of the Hall. A great find.

The Old School Room Tea Shop is tucked away within Rydal Hall, which itself is worth a visit to see the waterfalls and Italianate terracing and gardens. The Tea Room is in a perfect location for anyone walking the Rydal Water, Ambleside, Grasmere area - look for Rydal Hall on the internet to see how it fits perfectly when you're looking for refreshment while exploring the area. Cakes and food are the highest quality and very tasty! This is a 'Tea Room' rather than a cafe, but muddy boots are very welcome and the hospitality is great.

This tea room serves a variety of interesting paninis and sandwiches and soups that all looked and sounded wonderful. We were there at afternoon tea time and just had room for the cakes and tea. The ginger cake with lemon sauce/frosting was just amazing. My husband had the frosted carrot cake which was likewise excellent. Servings were well priced and generous. Strong, hot tea also hit the spot. This is a little gem near Ridal Hall that is not to be missed and is a very welcome find at the end of a long hike. We had just hiked the Fairfield Horseshoe and everything was much needed and all excellent. There is outdoor seating beside the river. Very pleasant service too. Keep up the good work!