Perfect weekend bolt-hole
RHIANNON MCDOWALL makes a quick getaway to Cumbria
THE joys of having the Lake District so close means you can hot foot it up the M6 after work on a Friday night, climb a mountain or two, and be back in your own bed for Sunday night.
But on my latest trip we took a more casual approach, treating it like a holiday more than a mission, ditching the bargain B&B and taking our time to enjoy the stay as well as the action.
We stayed at the lovely Hare and Hounds Inn in Levens, nestled at the foot of the National Park. We arrived in plenty of time on a Friday night to enjoy a drink in the beer garden and enjoy fantastic views across the valley.
The inn is an old country pub which ticks all the boxes, with plenty of good beer, good pub food and a great atmosphere. Above the pub are four rooms which, in contrast to the country pub below, are modern and sleek.
The ceilings throughout the pub are pretty low. My buddy is 6ft 3 and had to duck when standing in the bar and heading up to our room. But thankfully the rooms themselves are much bigger, making the temporary ducking completely bearable.
We stayed in the Bennett room – all the rooms are named after former landlords of the pub – which boasted a modern bathroom with a huge shower and bath, perfect to relax in after a day’s walking. Each room is furnished with a television, kettle and a cafetiere, plus very welcome brownies – possibly the tastiest I’ve ever had, and I’m delighted to say were replenished each morning. We were warned the wifi may drop in and out but didn’t find this a problem at all.
As well as the rooms there is a small communal area with a sofa, coffee table and books, and a fridge with communal milk and a mini-bar.
At breakfast we discovered yet another string to the Hare and Hounds bow – its food.
The breakfast was on point. There was a selection of cereals, fruit and juice for guests to help themselves, and the unfussy menu meant the cooked breakfasts were good quality and done well.
Bearing in mind the walk we had planned, I went for the Cumberland sausage sandwich on sour dough, which was so hearty I couldn’t finish it.
My buddy went for the cooked breakfast and didn’t speak until the last morsel had been demolished – definitely a good sign.
We ate in the converted barn adjoining the pub, which again is in complete contrast to the old country pub. The big space has more formal dining, with a huge wall of wine at one end, and bi-folding glass doors which open out onto a patio.
Here we met Becky Dewar, who owns the pub with husband Ash.
They had worked in London before relocating to the Lakes in 2013, which explains the chic cosmopolitan touches which run through the rooms and the passion for good quality food.
Becky, who was very friendly and only too happy to share her passion for the inn, explained that they started bringing life back into the pub by serving good quality pizzas, which soon gathered a cult following.
They then focused their attention on expanding the barn into a more formal dining area, and lastly, created the four en suite bedrooms above the pub.
So when we returned after a day at Ullswater, where we took the steamboat from Glenridding to Pooley Bridge before walking back, we were eager to get back to the inn for a hot bath, comfy bed, and of course, the food.
And the evening menu didn’t disappoint. The ‘big plates’ covered the fine dining, with dishes ranging from salmon with crayfish tails and a creamy lobster sauce to steak and lamb chops. And the pizza menu provided everything from the classic Margherita to pork belly or tuna and artichokes for the more adventurous.
I had to try the ‘original’ pizza so went for the pork belly, black pudding and apple, which was absolutely delicious and a great sized portion, while my friend chose the beer battered haddock and chips, which was faultless.
We couldn’t resist the starters which were both fantastic, I went for the beetroot gravadlax, which was a first for me but absolutely delicious, while my buddy couldn’t resist the pork belly and black pudding salad.
The barn was particularly busy during our stay, and while you can still order pizza and burgers in the pub, I would urge you to book ahead with Becky if you’d like to eat in the formal area.