Delicious in the Lake District

A friend and I spent two weeks motoring around southwestern Scotland and England’s Lake District in late June-early July ’11 eating a great variety of local fare, but NONE was better than our lunch at the charming Queen’s Head Hotel (Townhead, Troutbeck, Cumbria LA23 1PW, U.K.; phone 015394 32174), just three miles north of Windermere.

We first heard about it through the enthusiastic recommendations of four different volunteers at nearby Holehird Gardens (Patterdale Rd., Windermere, Cumbria; phone 015394 46008).

Holehird is truly spectacular, worth a visit or two for its 17-acre hillside plantings of trees, shrubs, extensive rock and heather gardens, walled gardens and herbaceous borders. It’s open 10-5 daily, April-October, and admission is free.

The Queen’s Head is a hotel catering to fell-walkers as well as those on less strenuous vacations. It is an old-fashioned but eminently comfortable hostelry with many adjoining pub rooms. Although we didn’t stay overnight, we dined there on July 8.

The staff was warmly welcoming and professional and the service, excellent. Perhaps the hardest thing to do was choose what to eat! There were nibbles, starters, main courses and desserts as well as children’s meals and sandwiches, all at reasonable prices.

For lunch, I chose the best home-baked lamb-and-potato pasty with vegetables and salad I’ve ever had ($10), while my friend relished her mussels, home-baked breads and salad ($17).

Other entrées included slow-braised ham hock parcel ($24); flaked crab fish cake ($24), and bobotie, a South African dish containing minced lamb, ribbed almonds and apricots with brandied egg custard ($16).

Desserts included sticky toffee pudding, of course; treacle tart with clotted cream; raspberry-and-lime posset, and much more, for $10 each. Accompanying this was a fine collection of wines, lagers, ales and teas.

The Queen’s Head restaurant is a must and a delight.

JANE LANCASTER
Bridgewater Corners, VT