DON'T let the weekend be a washout by heading to one of our great local pubs.

What could be better than sitting by an open fire, sampling the ales and wines on offer or their food menu while keeping nice and dry.

Here's our top 10 around south Cumbria:

Ulverston:

The Rose and Crown, King Street.

A 16c Inn, a building full of character, old oak beams, open fire bedecked with flowers, warm friendly staff ready to serve you food and drink.

There's always a warm welcome and log fires all year round to toast your toes on.

The Stan Laurel Inn, The Ellers.

Offers a warm welcome. Six handpulls serve a variety of mainly local brewed beers. Excellent value quality food is available throughout the week (except Monday). Adjacent to the bar is a large room with pool and darts and a smaller room primarily used by diners. In winter a log burning stove adds to the pub's comfortable ambience. Well behaved dogs are welcome.

Barrow:

The Ship Inn, Yarlside Road. A traditional ‘Great British Pub’ and one of the oldest pubs in Barrow. They serve a wide range of Robinson’s real ales, premium lagers and stouts, fine wines including champagnes and prosecco and serve food.

The Crown, Walney:

Originally constructed in 1865, at over 150 years old, The Crown is a great local pub with an attractive beer garden that offers award winning cask ales, home cooked food and friendly banter. Everything you would want from a British pub.

Dalton:

The Red Lion, Market Street:

This grade two listed hotel and pub had a total refurbishment of the public areas in March 2012, from a tired and uninviting public bar to a thriving traditional old English Pub. Locals and visitors are made welcome and can enjoy a relaxing drink in warm and comfortable open bar area with a real log fire. Real ales and an extensive menu on offer.

The Brown Cow, The Green:

Since 1500 AD, The Brown Cow Inn has stood here at the foot of the High Bluff on which also stand the only two buildings in Dalton that are older; the church and the castle. They boast a selection of guest ales as well as the usual offerings and have an all weather, all season heated outside seating area and open fires inside.

Foxfield:

The Prince of Wales, 

A warm friendly atmosphere. Two open fires in the winter and an extensine list of real ales to sample as well as bar food on offer. There are bar games such as dominoes, bar billiards and darts on offer. A piano but no juke box – great venue for good conversation.

Broughton:

The Black Cock Inn is within easy reach of some of the Lake District's finest scenery. This village inn is full of history, charm and lovely friendly atmosphere.

This 16th century inn with its low beamed ceiling boasts a sun trapped courtyard garden during the summer season and a roaring log fire during the winter months giving it a wonderful traditional ambiance.

Windermere:

Hole in t'Wall, Low Side.

To track down this 401-year-old inn, you have to turn off down a narrow little Windermere lane called Low Side, and, at the point where it meets another narrow lane called Low Fold, look sharply to the right and keep an eye out for wooden tables.There you will find old fashioned stoves keeping the pace warm and and extensive menu and line up of ales.