THE LAKE DISTRICT - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 621

2 1 ⁄ 2 miles north of Hawkshead, off the B5286, Barngates, Cumbria LA22 0NG. & 01539/436347. www.
drunkenduckinn.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Main courses £11-£26. AE, MC, V. Restaurant daily
noon-4pm and 6:30-9:30pm.
Queen's Head ENGLISH/INTERNATIONAL The Queen's Head is a 17th-
century building that serves a special brew, Robinsons Stockport, from old-fashioned
wooden kegs. Temptations on the menu can include a winter woodland venison cas-
serole. The pub also rents 14 bedrooms (£75-£90, including English breakfast); two
rooms have four-poster beds, and all have a private bathroom, TV, and phone.
Main St., Hawkshead. & 01539/436271. www.queensheadhotel.co.uk. Reservations recommended.
Main courses £12-£18. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-2:30pm and 6:15-9:30pm.
Sun Hotel The most attractive pub, restaurant, and hotel in Coniston, this
country-house hotel dates from 1902, and the attached inn from the 16th century.
Situated on beautiful grounds above the village, 135m (450 ft.) from the town center,
it lies at the foot of the Coniston Old Man (p. 617). Each bedroom, ranging in size
from small to midsize, is decorated with flair; three are big enough for families. In the
restaurant, main courses (£10-£14) include favorites like beef-and-ale pie and
several vegetarian options.
Brow Hill (off the A593), Coniston, Cumbria LA21 8HQ. www.thesunconiston.com. & 01539/441248.
Fax [phone] units. £95-£120 double. Rates include English breakfast. MC, V. Free parking.
Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV, hair dryer.
Side Trips
The best places to visit in the South Lakes include the home of Lord and Lady Cav-
endish, Holker Hall ( & 01539/558328; www.holker.co.uk); the Laurel and
Hardy Museum in Ulverston ( & 01229/582292; www.laurel-and-hardy.co.uk),
and the South Lakes Wild Animal Park ( & 01229/466086; www.wildanimal
park.co.uk) in Dalton-on-Furness.
If you continue to the West Lakes, you can enjoy a coast-to-mountain ride on the
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ( & 01229/717171; www.ravenglass-railway.
co.uk) and visit haunted Muncaster Castle ( & 01229/717614; www.muncaster.
co.uk), home to the World Owl Trust. Or you can head for Wasdale Head at the
northern end of Wast Water, a popular starting point for the trek up Scafell Pike.
Return to Coniston via the heady, winding roads of Hardknott and Wrynose
Passes.

16

KESWICK & BORROWDALE
294 miles NW of London; 31 miles NW of Kendal; 22 miles NW of Windermere
Keswick opens onto Derwentwater, one of the loveliest lakes in the region, and the
town makes a good base for exploring the northern half of The Lake District National
Park, particularly Borrowdale valley's spectacular mountain views and hiking routes.
Keswick is a busy town with a market charter dating back to the 13th century. The
weekly market still takes place in the pedestrianized main street, which is dominated
by the Moot Hall, a former assembly building now home to the tourist office. The
town has several museums, including the Bond Museum and the Cumberland Pencil
Museum. Above the small town is a historic stone circle thought to be some 4,000
years old.