The Cottage In The Wood
Fine dining restaurant · Above Derwent ·
Elegant rooms, forest views, tasting menus, local ingredients
Elegant rooms, forest views, tasting menus, local ingredients
"As you make your way up the Whinlatter Pass, you will find this remote black and white inn that boasts some fabulous Lakeland views – best enjoyed from a seat in the conservatory. The cooking comes in the form of a tasting menu and makes use of Lakeland produce like Herdwick lamb from Coniston, with every part of the ingredient put to use. Dishes are well-conceived and blend classical execution with a subtle modernity that highlights a variety of flavours and textures. It’s a cosy little place, with a range of bedrooms available if you wish to stay the night." - Michelin Inspector
"As you leave the small hamlet of Braithwaite, the narrow road rises steeply towards the Whinlatter Forest and Pass. Here, you’ll find a small black-and-white roadside inn run by a friendly team. It’s a cosy little place: in winter sit in the dining room; in summer take in the view over the fells and valley from the conservatory. Chef Ben Wilkinson has made the place his own and there is a quiet confidence to his cooking. Top quality ingredients and classic techniques take the lead, and there is a certain sophistication to the well-balanced flavour pairings – and while skilfully making the dishes look eye-catching, he manages to avoid over-elaboration. Like the food, the service is natural and honest, and you leave feeling that they really care about every little detail." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"A 17th-Century building nestled amid England’s only mountain forest, Cottage in the Wood presents elegant British cuisine in a stunning Lake District setting. The curved, window-lined dining room allows for a range of vantage points: look out through Whinlatter Forest and catch glimpses of Skiddaw’s peak. Beautifully presented dishes feature carefully sourced local ingredients, celebrating the rich larder of the surrounding Cumbrian countryside." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"A 17th-Century building nestled amid England’s only mountain forest, Cottage in the Wood presents elegant British cuisine in a stunning Lake District setting. The curved, window-lined dining room allows for a range of vantage points: look out through Whinlatter Forest and catch glimpses of Skiddaw’s peak. Beautifully presented dishes feature carefully sourced local ingredients, celebrating the rich larder of the surrounding Cumbrian countryside." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"Climbing out of the hamlet of Braithwaite toward Whinlatter Forest and Pass, a small black‑and‑white roadside inn with modern bedrooms awaits, run by a friendly team and genuinely cosy—sit in the dining room in winter or take in fell‑and‑valley views from the conservatory in summer. Chef Director Ben Wilkinson brings a quiet confidence: classic techniques and carefully sourced, top‑quality ingredients lead, with a sophisticated lightness of touch and well‑balanced flavour pairings, and while dishes look eye‑catching they avoid over‑elaboration. The Michelin Inspectors particularly enjoyed the scallop with Jerusalem artichoke, sea purslane and hazelnut, and the peanut nougat glacé with banana, caramel and chocolate sorbet. Just like the cooking, the service—led by Ben’s charming partner Monika—is natural and honest, and you leave feeling they really care about every detail." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
