Restaurant at The Queen's Head

Perched on the side of the tranquil Troutbeck Valley the Queen's Head is one of those marvellous places that are loved by locals and immediately gain favour with visitors. The place is awash with ancient carved wood and it's not every inn that can claim a bar made from a four-poster formerly in a local castle. Accommodation in this Lakeland inn is luxurious and the sumptuously decorated bedrooms are furnished with every conceivable comfort.

The restaurant offers modern British cuisine using only the freshest local ingredients and from their menu, starters could include a coarse pork terrine, wrapped in smoked bacon with cranberry chutney and dressed leaves. Moving on, there could be a fish pie topped with creamy leek and potato mash, baked with a crispy cheese topping and sugar snap peas or the bobotie, a South African dish containing minced lamb, nibbed almonds, apricots and topped with a lightly curried brandied egg custard. To finish, the toasted coconut parfait with caramel sauce and brandied snaps is an excellent choice.