The Royal Oak Inn

The Royal Oak Inn is a traditional Lakeland pub in the heart of Bowness on Windermere, a short walk from the lake and Bowness Bay pier. Dogs are welcome inside the bar area, so there is no need for anyone to wait outside while the rest of the group gets settled.

Bar food is served daily from noon until 8:30pm, with a classic British menu, real ales and a good range of gins and wines. The bar runs until 10pm each evening, making it a useful stop whether you're mid-walk, post-lake or simply in need of a reliable meal in central Bowness. The inn is also the official finishing point for the Dales Way, so muddy boots and tired paws are very much part of the furniture.

A small on-site car park takes some of the logistical pressure off a busy tourist town, while dog biscuits on the counter and an open fire in cooler months add to the welcome. There is no formal dog menu, but the kitchen will cook sausages for dogs if asked, which feels entirely fitting for a pub at the end of a long Lakeland walk.