Centre of the Kingdom…
Heart of the Community
Puddleducks is a popular café and tearooms in the pretty little village of Dunsop at the heart of the Forest of Bowland.
Over the years, Puddleducks has become something of an institution in the Forest of Bowland – a popular destination with visitors and an essential hub for the local community.
Open six days a week from 10am – 4pm, we serve tea, coffee, cakes, breakfast and light snacks to an eclectic mix of walkers, cyclists, day-trippers and locals alike.
Conveniently located at the gateway to the famous Trough of Bowland, Puddeducks lies right next to the bridge over the River Dunsop overlooking a village green which is home to a gaggle of friendly ducks – hence the name!
Under new management
In 2023, Puddleducks was taken over by Donna Hoban, an advanced nurse practitioner who simply fell in love with the Forest of Bowland after visiting the area from her native Liverpool.
Donna is still a practicing nurse and runs the café with a dedicated team of local staff and Charlie the chocolate Labrador.
We have room for 27 seated indoors and another 30 outdoors – when the weather is behaving itself. There are covered racks for bicycles and Puddleducks is dog-friendly inside and out.
The Shed
If you’re in a hurry, we offer a take-away service from The Shed in the yard outside, where tea, coffee and cold drinks are available along with a range of ‘grab and go’ sweet and savoury treats.
Post Office
Puddleducks is also home to the local branch of the Post Office – a vital service for residents who rely on it for posting and collecting parcels banking and paying bills.
What’s all this this ‘Centre of the Kingdom’ stuff?
A few years ago, Ordnance Survey pinpointed the geographical centre of Great Britain to a field in the fells above Dunsop Bridge. BT celebrated this fact by installing its 100,000th telephone box in the village – complete with a specially etched window. The actual centre of the kingdom is near Whitendale Hanging Stones – a rugged outcrop of millstone grit around five miles up the Dunsop Valley. Many people make the journey to find the centre of the Kingdom, but be warned – it’s a pretty tough hike! Click below to plan your hike to the Centre of the Kingdom!
