Eating out in Hawkeshead

Thursday 15 September 2011



We took ourselves out for the day yesterday to explore the lower lakes of the Lake District and ended up in Hawkeshead around lunchtime. This is a village we have explored on our previous visits to Cumbria and have always enjoyed. With it's cobbled streets and quaint buildings, it's warm and welcoming and situated pretty much in the centre of the Lakes. You can read more about it here if you wish.

Of course it was lunchtime when we landed here and we were both starving, which can be somewhat difficult if the weather is not all the best and you have a rambunctious Cocker Spaniel in tow. What is nice though is that most pubs in this area don't mind you bringing a dog into the drinking area, and will also serve food in that area in a lot of cases. We chose to have our lunch in the Queen's Head Hotel, which is a delightful 16th century pub/B&B, situated right in the centre of the village. Apparently this pub was standing when Wordsworth was a lad.



I have found that most Bed and Breakfast Pubs serve very good food. This pub was not bad at all. They had a full menu, catering to most people's tastes with everything from the affordable to the ultimate in dining experience foods. If you wanted you could get a Filet Steak dinner, which was £25 . . . a tad bit beyond our budget I believe.

We both decided to have the fish and chips, having already feasted on Cumberland sausage the night before. When Todd went to order he was asked did he want the small, regular or large. He chose the regular portion and boy oh boy!! Were we surprised.



We were nicely situated with Mitzie laying comfortably at our feet when I saw a waitress bearing down on us with two huge platters, upon which lay . . . the largest pieces of battered fish I have ever come across!

Beer Battered Haddock and chips . . . the chips hand cut . . . the batter crisp and light . . . and mushy peas . . . delicately flavoured with mint. We were like two kids in a candy store and thoroughly enjoyed all £8.50 of our lunches (each). Yes, it was a bit expensive for Fish and Chips . . . but then again the atmosphere and service were great and the food was . . . well . . . most deliciously Sumptious!



I just wish I had thought to take a picture of the moistly delicious insides of our fish . . . but to be honest we were starving and it was sooooo scrummy that I was completely distracted by the eating. Best fish and chips I have had in a long while (next to my own homemade beer battered fish recipe) and that is saying something!! When we got back to our cottage last night, both of us were so filled up that we daren't eat anything else. Ok . . . we did munch on a couple of bowls of cheerios and some buttered toast, but a full scale meal was quite honestly out of the question!



Today we are off to the Northern Lakes.

If you would like to read what I have to say about Dragons today and see some quite stunning scenery, do pop off to the Cottage to find out more.

11 comments

  1. What a charming B&B! Your fish and chips look delicious and I wish that we could bring our Bentley with us when we dine out.

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  2. Oh Marie you do love to make my mouth water dont you. So glad your enjoying yourselfs.oooxxx

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  3. Thank you for inviting us along : ) Your photos are great- even with the rain it looks like a lovely getaway. A vacation without good food is no vacation at all. Yours looks outstanding!

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  4. It gives it a nice romantic mood the weather..:) I am glad you are sharing with us.

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  5. Ohhhhh - there's nothing quite like the English fish and chips and mushy peas - ohhhhhh - have fun!!
    mary x

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  6. this is so much fun coming along with you on vacation,, I didn't even have to pack!

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  7. You cannot beat good pub grub and that looks delicious! Glad you are having a great time Marie!

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  8. Oh how fun, Marie! I LOVE the Lake District--probably one of my favorite places when I visited there, so long ago...I REALLY need to get back to England--especially to visit my dear friend Marie!

    Looks like amazing food--I think I actually remember seeing that pub, as well!

    Hope you're having a wonderful time, dear friend! Sending so much love your way...starting to feel a bit like fall here in my part of California...

    Julie

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  9. How nice look all dear Marie!!Hope you hava an amazing vacances with Mitzie and Todd, LOL gloria

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  10. What a great time you're having! Yum to the fish and chips!

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  11. Its a good job that we've managed to find a good 'Chipper' here because your post has me salavating and now we are SOOOOOOO going to have fish and chips tonight!
    Your so kind having us all come away with you...I'm not so sure that Tod knew and agreed but too late now ;)

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