We spent the weekend here The Old Rectory in Torver Nr Coniston staying with Elizabeth & Mitchell the best hosts in the whole world....we had an amazing weekend. There was 16 in our party and the first night we had dinner in the Old Rectory. On Saturday night we ate at a restaurant in near by Cartmell...but more about that another time.

The menu on Friday night was absolute perfect...now I'm a fussy diner, things that other diners wouldn't even notice puts me off the whole experience!!! But everything was amazing!!

The starter was a wonderful spinach and watercress soup, served piping hot. A1

The main course was a very tender braised lamb served with celeriac souffle (the absolute best!) and a trio of green vegetables which consisted of the greenest spring cabbage with just the right amount of crunch, buttered leeks that melted in the mouth and baked baby courgettes with thyme. We scoffed the lot deee-lish-us!! Portions were perfect!

I didn't really want a dessert, as I was so full up. I opted for a small taste of the rhubarb & Mascarpone dessert, it was very tasty with poached fruit topped with a mascarpone cream and sprinkled with crystallized ginger. It was a refreshing dessert but unfortunately it didn't go with my red wine, which by the way, was just the house red but a brilliant bottle of wine! so I opted to finish the wine instead of the dessert (now there's a first!!!) The cheese LOOKED amazing...3 pieces of very good quality cheese with celery sticks. It was the talk of the meal as over half of the diners had chosen this...that's what I'm having next time!!!

A choice of coffees and squares of dark dark chocolate were served in the lounge...I couldn't fault anything...the staff were lovely, dinning room was comfortable, everything was just right!

Elizabeth & Paul Mitchell are very special hosts, if you are looking for somewhere to stay in the lakes, I'd defiantly recommend staying with them, nothing was too much trouble.