Lake District lesser restaurants/gastropubs

This is a long shot I know, but driving from Padstow to Ambleside on the last portion of our holiday in a couple of weeks, google says 7 hrs, so we will need a decent stop and meal somewhere just south or north of Birmingham, but without too much deviation away from the motorway.
Cheals in Henley in Arden is excellent and not too far from the M5, just south of B'ham. I've been several times, it's been fab every time. It's a bit of a head scratcher why it's not got a Michelin star, think it gets 5 or 6 in the GFG if I recall correctly.
 
I reckon Will B must be fit as a fiddle... Great route, super intel, would be magnificent. Carry a rucksack, though, and I reckon you get a beret at the end! :D

Duddon so lovely... remember doing probably my second or third rock climb there, such a lovely place.
 
Cheals in Henley in Arden is excellent and not too far from the M5, just south of B'ham. I've been several times, it's been fab every time. It's a bit of a head scratcher why it's not got a Michelin star, think it gets 5 or 6 in the GFG if I recall correctly.

Cheals looks brilliant, but sadly I don't think we'll have time on this long driving day to do it justice. We'll want to be off the motorway and back on again in an hour or so.
 
I reckon Will B must be fit as a fiddle... Great route, super intel, would be magnificent. Carry a rucksack, though, and I reckon you get a beret at the end! :D

Duddon so lovely... remember doing probably my second or third rock climb there, such a lovely place.
It was over 20 years ago when I managed the whole skyline, but I'd like to think I could still do it today. Once past the difficulties of getting from Scafell to Scafell Pike (we descended Lord's rake which was horrible), it's fairly high level walking, there are no massive drops between the hills.

Neil looks like a fit chap too, judging by his profile pic, hence the suggestion.

Apologies about being off topic!
 
Have you checked out Andrew Stevenson's website?

Funnily enough, for the journey home, I'm tossing up between Parkers Arms and Bay Horse Inn.
Website is years, if not decades out of date.

Parkers is probably a bit more exciting (particularly the drive from Lancaster) and can be a bit bonkers: you have to go with the flow, and just do what AJ says. Parkers will undoubtedly take more time than Bay Horse if that helps with your tossing. Both very high standard of cooking.
 
If anyone has any good restaurant / gastro pub recommendations for Lancashire I'd love to hear them
Parkers Arms, Newton in Bowland
Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston
Moor Hall
The Barn at Moor Hall
Bay Horse Inn at Bay Horse
Freemasons at Wiswell
La Locanda, Gisburn
Northcote
White Swan at Fence
Levanter, Ramsbottom
Baratxuri, Ramsbottom
Hungry Duck, Ramsbottom
Nutters, Rochdale if you fancy a trip back to the 90s.
Bird at Birtle, Rochdale
Hipping Hall, Cowan Bridge
Mi Casa Su Casa, Bispham
Novello, Lytham
Twelve, Thornton-Cleveleys
Yu, Copster Green

come immediately to mind.
 
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