Sun shone on a perfect trip to the stunning Lake District
FOLLOWING ITS DESIGNATION AS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, THE LAKE DISTRICT IS BRACED FOR MORE VISITORS THAN EVER BUT LONG-TIME FAN BARBARA HODGSON WAS GLAD TO FIND A STILL-TRANQUIL CORNER
ANYONE who knows The Lakes knows never to rely upon the weather.
Whatever the forecast, any promised sunshine will probably give way to a wash-out and temperatures can plunge in an instant even in the height of summer.
But then regulars don’t go The Lake District for the weather and, frankly, when the scenery and pubs are this good, who really cares that it’s pouring down outside.
Yes, well. It was with this positive frame of mind – and waterproofs in bag – that we set out for a couple of days’ escape to the upper edge of the national park which now, of course, has Unesco World Heritage status, joining the ranks of such landmarks as Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon and Stonehenge.
And, just to confound us, the sun turned out by a way of a greeting on our arrival and it stayed the course.
Another equally pleasant surprise was the location of our short stay, the George and Dragon: an 18th Century coaching inn on the cusp of The Lakes in Clifton, a quiet spot three miles south east of Penrith.
In what can’t really be called a village – given there are no other pubs, shops or other visible signs of life save for a new small housing project – the George and Dragon has been quietly going about business.
And in the process it has built an impressive reputation for its food, being named Cumbria’s Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide 2017.
It helps that it has an enviable larder on its doorstep, being part of the Lowther Family estate which includes Askham Hall Gardens a couple of miles away which grows its vegetables and provides the likes of Saddleback pork for its menu. So we had high expectations and didn’t waste much time in sampling its seasonal treats for lunch, which we ate outside in the sun while staff went off to find out if our room was ready (it was) even though we’d unintentionally arrived well before check-in time.
My choice of Askham Hall cured meats, including Parma-style ham, fennel salami and pastrami, accompanied by sharp pickles, sourdough and very good oil and vinegar dips, proved an excellent post-journey reviver – helped no doubt by my glass of cider – without spoiling the appetite for our evening
meal ahead. In between we had time to unwind and George and Dragon has an atmosphere of calm which aids relaxation.
Of its 11 bedrooms, we had The Stag. A light and airy room mixing contemporary decor and country charm, it boasted an impressive attention to detail in everything from the furnishings – which included a stag motif on the bed cushions – to the quality products in the en-suite bathroom.
Each bedroom is apparently a different size with a different view – ours overlooked the front – and is individually designed, featuring furniture and paintings from the Lowther family collection. There’s also a shared upstairs area where guests can sit and read, borrow an ironing board once they’ve unpacked or stock up on coffee and tea for the room.
After a pre-dinner drink in the cosy bar, we moved to the only slightly more formal restaurant area and soon agreed we’d made the right decision to eat ‘in’ rather than venture out.
Again Askham produce played a starring role in our dishes; the vegetables adding crunch and colour to my choice of Boer goat pudding – an adventurous choice for me. It was delicious. Starters – pork terrine and mackerel – and my guest’s main of sirloin steak, cooked just as asked, were similarly good; each element a distinct flavour. The lemon olive oil cake with basil jelly and frozen yoghurt, which I could not resist having for pudding, was like a mini work of art.
Speaking of which, several sketches and paintings on the walls feature Lowther family members whose faces we became familiar with during our stay. It turned out the George and Dragon’s owner is Charles Lowther who grew up in Askham Hall which is a stone’s throw from nearby Lowther Castle: formerly home to the Earls of Lonsdale. With both venues on our itinerary, we found in the latter a gentle history lesson the next day when we spent a sunny morning at the castle – a must during a stay here.
It’s easy to get to for one thing – within a 25-minute walk albeit on busy sections of roads without paths – and, once there, there’s a fascinating story to learn. On a summer’s day, its grounds make for a perfect place to while away a few hours and there were picnickers and dog walkers among the families on the day we visited.
Wildflowers strips are an attractive contrast to the huge green lawns we walked as we meandered the length of the grounds, encountering magical old summerhouses; a surprise tuckedaway view described as one of the best in the Lakes; and “the lost castle” – an adventure playground where children can clamber around a wooden replica castle with walkways and zip-wires.
We would have stayed longer had we not already planned to walk on to the Grade II-listed Askham Hall Gardens and Cafe so off we went and were delighted to spot along the picturesque route not one of the area’s red squirrels but a kingfisher.vWe ended up having dinner at the George and Dragon again, this time in the bar where we’d been sampling its own-recipe gin cocktail.
For our last day, we spent a chilledout few hours at Pooley Bridge admiring the Lakeland views, including Helvellyn; chatting with fellow passengers on deck in the sunshine – just as we spotted some thunderclouds rolling in on the horizon.