A pint or two of perfection

The Lyth Valley’s Hare and Hounds is everything a rural inn should be, writes Stephen Halliday

The roads to the Lakes are familiar and well travelled to many of us, but blink and you might miss the turn-off from the A590 which leads into the village of Levens. Which would be a pity, as it would deny you the opportunity to sample one of Cumbria’s hidden gems, the refurbished and gloriously revitalised Hare and Hounds.

The 16th century coaching inn owes its new lease of life to Ash and Becky Dewar who upped sticks from London five years ago, swapping corporate life for fresher air and a fresh challenge.

Now the Hare and Hounds has all the comforting characteristics of a classic English village pub, with the considerable bonuses of gourmet standard food and excellent accommodation into the bargain.

Just four miles south of Kendal and with Windermere less than half an hour away, it is perfectly situated for a break in what remains one of the UK’S most relaxing and rewarding holiday destinations.

Once you settle in, however, you won’t be in too much of a hurry to wander much further.

There are four rooms at the inn, all named after former tenants or owners of the pub, which were converted by the Dewars shortly after they purchased the property. We stayed in the spacious Bennet Room, offering a stunning view over the Lyth Valley, which wouldn’t have been out of place at a five-star hotel.

Understated and tastefully decorated – all the rooms are individually styled – it provided a tranquil base for our two-day stay in the Lakes. The king-size bed matched the comfort of the deep pile carpet, while the en-suite gives the option of luxuriating in a free-standing bath or freshening up in the walk-in shower.

The transformation of the Hare and Hounds continued two years ago with the opening of The Barn restaurant area. A key component of the building back in the halcyon days of coaching inns, it had fallen into disrepair and lay unused before the Dewars arrived.

The food is all locally sourced for a menu of excellent value, great variety and high quality. An appetite is easily worked up with one of the many pleasant walks from the door of the pub, details of which are provided in a welcome pack in your room.

We were certainly ready for a dinner. My seafood pot starter was as inventive as it was tasty, with flaked salmon, haddock and prawns in creamy curried leeks, while my better half was equally impressed by the

chicken liver parfait with Cumbrian ‘Sneck Lifter’ chutney. (And yes, we did have to ask what ‘Sneck Lifter’ meant – it’s local parlance for someone who would lift the latch of a pub door and stick their head around the corner to try and find a friendly face who would buy them a pint!)

My main course was a deeply satisfying venison Bourguignon pie, the meat slow cooked to perfection and complemented by button onions, mushrooms, bacon lardons and red wine gravy. As good as it was, I couldn’t help slightly envying my wife’s choice of the Middle Eastern lamb burger, served with rocket, aubergine relish and tzatziki which she assured me was every bit as delicious as it looked.

A hugely memorable culinary experience was wrapped up with sumptuous desserts of raspberry panna cotta with crushed meringue, coconut and raspberry ripple ice cream for me and a rhubarb and custard crème brûlée with vanilla shortbread across the table.

While the restaurant steals the show, the welcoming and pleasingly traditional English pub area remains

Clockwise from main: the dining room at the Hare and Hounds; the exterior; one of the four bedrooms

its hub. With everything from cocktails to local Cumbrian ales available, we enjoyed a nightcap or two among the friendly locals and fellow travellers.

Little wonder we felt reluctant to leave at the end of our stay, albeit fortified as we did so by a breakfast in the The Barn which matched the high standards of dinner.

On our return journey, we made a highly recommended stop-off at Lowther Castle, just south of Penrith. The country seat of several generations of the Lonsdale earldom, whose fascinating history is cleverly and entertainingly laid out in an exhibition area, the castle has become one of the Lake District’s most popular visitor attractions.

Weather permitting, it’s the perfect place to spend a few hours wandering through the ruins of the original castle and its sprawling lawns and gardens, as we did before rejoining the M6 and calling time on another highly fulfilling break in the Lakes. ■

We enjoyed a nightcap among the friendly locals and fellow travellers

Rooms at the Hare and Hounds (015395 60004, hareandhoundslevens.co.uk) start

from £70 per night. Entry to Lowther Castle (www. lowthercastle.org) costs £9, children aged 3-15, £7.