Our story
About False Summit
A mobile coffee van parked up in one of the most beautiful corners of the Lake District. Specialty coffee, honest prices, and a view that does most of the work.
How it started
The Van, the Fells,
and the Coffee
False Summit Coffee started with a simple idea — bring genuinely good coffee to the people who need it most: walkers pulling on boots at first light, families arriving at the lake, and anyone who's earned a flat white after a long fell walk.
We set up at Glencoyne National Trust Car Park on the western shore of Ullswater — one of the quieter, more beautiful spots on the lake. It's where the fells drop straight to the water and the light does something special in the morning.
The name comes from that opportunity to reflect on how far you have come, to take pause, re-assess and then crack on, which we thought was a great metaphor for business, and an the pefect moment for a brew!
What we're about
What Matters to Us
The Coffee
We use Penny Rock — a natural process Yellow Bourbon from Mantiqueira De Minas, Brazil, roasted by Red Bank Coffee Roasters in Kendal. Milk chocolate, honeycomb, almond. Every cup, every time.
The Place
Glencoyne on Ullswater is our home. We're here every day, in all weathers. The fells are the backdrop and the reason — we think the setting makes the coffee taste better.
The People
Walkers, families, locals, tourists, dogs — everyone's welcome at the van. We keep it simple, keep it friendly, and try to send people off in a better mood than we found them.
Our Espresso
Penny Rock
Roasted by Red Bank Coffee Roasters, Kendal
Origin
Baixadão, Mantiqueira De Minas
Country
Brazil
Altitude
1,350 MASL
Process
Natural
Variety
Yellow Bourbon
Notes
Milk Chocolate, Honeycomb, Almond
The beans
Roasted in Kendal,
Served on the Fells
We work with Red Bank Coffee Roasters — a small, independent roastery based in Kendal. They source carefully, roast with precision, and care about where their coffee comes from. That matters to us.
Penny Rock is a natural process Yellow Bourbon from the Mantiqueira De Minas region of Brazil — grown at altitude, dried on raised beds, and roasted to bring out the sweetness in the bean. The result is a coffee that's smooth, complex, and genuinely enjoyable whether you take it black or with milk.
Come and Say Hello
We're at Glencoyne on Ullswater every day. Dogs welcome, walkers welcome, everyone welcome. Come and find us.