A LAKE DISTRICT hotel has been sold for more than a quarter of a million pounds as new owners prepare for "significant upgrade."

Lancrigg Vegetarian Country House Hotel, in Grasmere, has been sold for £295,000. 

The grade two listed property boasts its own restaurant which is renowned across the area for its vegetarian and gluten-free food offering in addition to its 27 acres of beautiful gardens and stunning views. 

Dating back to the 19th-century, the hotel was a favourite of Romantic legends including Wordsworth and Coleridge and was also visited by Florence Nightingale and Charles Darwin. 

The hotel was snapped up by Kendal-based Urban Group Limited who have plans to undertake a "significant upgrade" of the building later this year.