Food and drink
The really important things in life!
Derwentwater Independent Hostel has a reputation for excellent home baking and cooking. We also have a residential licence, with an interesting variety of wines, spirits and local ales. Please do not consume your own alcohol on-site.
Vegetarian options are always available and special dietary requirements, including Halal, gluten-free, and dairy-free, can be catered for with advance notice.
Meal times are from 7.30 to 8.30am for breakfast and 6.00pm and 7.00pm for the evening meal. However, we can often be flexible for groups: just let us know your requirements in advance. We can email you with the menu and our specials for the dates of your stay.
Please book breakfasts and packed lunches the night before. Please make your evening meal choices at least an hour before your chosen sitting - so by 6.00pm at the latest.
We aim to source our food, drink, and recipes locally, with local bottled beers from Keswick Brewery.
Meal Prices for 2023
| Main Courses from | £9.50 |
| Pizzas from | £7.50 |
| Sides from | £2.00 |
| Desserts from | £3.50 |
| Under 10s Evening Meal | £5.00 |
| Breakfast | £7.45 |
| Under 10s Breakfast | £4.00 |
| Packed lunch | £6.75 |
| Extra roll with packed lunch | £1.50 |
See our group pages for details of group meals
Self Catering
A fully equipped self-catering kitchen and dining area are also available. See our facilities page for details of the self-catering kitchen.
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Derwentwater Independent Hostel -
Looking down on the hostel -
A bedroom in the modern annexe -
Evening light on Derwent Water -
Barrow House in Spring -
Inspiring local walks -
Red squirrels can be seen in our grounds -
View of Derwentwater Independent Hostel from a kayak -
Spring-time view from Derwentwater Independent Hostel -
Room One, our largest dormitory -
Autumn colours by the waterfall -
A heron next to our waterfall -
Spectacular local walks -
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You can see Derwent Island from the hostel grounds. It used to be owned by Joseph Pocklington, the wealthy bachelor who built Barrow House. -
Astronomy workshops at Derwentwater Independent Hostel -
Expedition Medicine training at Derwentwater Indepedent Hostel -
The dam of the hydro-electric plant in the Derwentwater Independent Hostel grounds -
Walking up the fells behind the hostel -
Castlerigg Stone Circle - a short walk from the hostel -
Ashness Bridge - at the top of the hostel waterfall path -
Mist on Derwentwater -
Keswick Launch on Derwentwater -
Clear night sky -
View of Skiddaw Range from Falcon Crag (above the hostel) -
Half way up Cat Bells -
Keswick Christmas lights -
Bluebells near Buttermere -
Many of our guests enjoy walking on the fells around Borrowdale
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Building shelters in our woodland -
Our groups often enjoy adventurous activities in the Borrowdale Valley -
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Sunset from the terrace in April -
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Some of the staff and volunteers with our giant Easter Egg -
The dining room decorated for a wedding in 2014 -
Conservation volunteers making a willow shelter in our grounds 2014 -
A local walk around Watendlath -
A close-up of the fireplace in Room One -
Gingerbread house in front of the real thing. -
Staff take an evening walk along the lake shore. -
A very calm day on Derwent Water. -
A Mandarin duck on the lake shore. -
York Rowing Club training on Derwent Water during their stay with us. -
Bugle flower in the hostel grounds -
Tea and cake in the servery -
Winter walking -
Wooden hands sculpture on west side of Derwent Water.
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