Where could I find VERY detailed maps of the counties ?

Dave, I have stayed in the Lake District before, but not for many, many years. My wife, my brother and I once stayed at Hartsop Hall Farm just north of the Kirkstone Pass by the Brother Water. I also once stayed at Low Longthwaite Farm near Watermillock on the Ullswater in 1970 as a very impressionable 18-year-old. It is an incredibly beautiful area for certain! This time around, my wife and I will be staying just outside of Grizebeck at the southwestern end of the National Park.

This is a working trip for me and I am very happy to be going back to that area and also the Scottish Borders. Most of the research that I have done in the past has revolved around the decorative and structural woodwork in medieval churches in the south, east and center of England, as well as Wales. My new line of research takes me north on what is to be my last sabbatical before I retire in a few years . . . somewhat bittersweet for me. I am beginning work on a book dealing with the defensive architecture of the English and Scottish Marches, particularly fortified church towers, pele towers and bastle houses, so there will be quite a bit of hiking going on, for which I am getting in the best physical shape possible! I have been doing some snowshoeing this winter (in Michigan) and now that the snow is going away, I will begin my hiking regimen in earnest in the forested park just down the road from where I live!

So tell me, Dave--do you know of any vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurants or pubs in the areas around Coniston, Ambleside or Bowness-on-Windemere . . . or any other areas? And I would appreciate very much any information you could give me on the cottage where you stay in Ambleside for future reference!

No problem Rob, I'll check out the eating places and see what i can learn. As to the cottage it is a private deal between me and the owner unfiortunately as they have taken it off the rental market for a while to get more use themselves, but no harm in asking him.... See what i can find and get back to you. Most of the restaurants, and opubs that do food, have veggie options on the menus

Try this site for Ambleside   www.amblesideonline.co.uk   

Its quite an amateur site but plenty of info

And this one is an absolute MUST....best pub in Ambleside by far

Back I am! Thanks for all the good ideas, I'm definitely going to take alook at the Ordnance Survey/Landranger sites and see if I can find something suitable.

I really need something 'paper' as I won't have a PC with me and no GPS either! My aunt's car has no such equipment, and we're both rather fond of the good old maps system lol!