Fine cuisine reaches new heights

How to cook on a mountaintop

A restaurant has temporarily opened for business on top of one of England's highest mountains.

One of Cumbria's top chefs served up a three course lunch on Skiddaw in the Lake District as part of the Keswick Mountain Festival.

After completing the 3,000ft (1,000m) ascent, diners were offered a freshly prepared meal using local ingredients.

Demand for tickets for Wednesday's event was so strong it was decided to open the "restaurant" on Thursday.

Tables and chairs were set up on specialist tents used by climbers in locations with extreme weather conditions such as the Himalayas. And a local walking guide escorted the 30 diners from the centre of Keswick to the top of Skiddaw.

Logistical challenge

They sat down to wild mushroom soup, then seared rump of lamb served with damson and rosemary jus. Vegetarians had the option of roasted butternut squash, pine nuts and ricotta crumble.

The final course was Grasmere Gingerbread and white chocolate cheesecake.

Chef Peter Sidwell said: "We'd read that William Wordsworth enjoyed a proper meal on top of Skiddaw with his friends after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

"It got us thinking and we decided it would be a nice idea to give walkers the chance to have a special lunch on the fell during the Keswick Mountain Festival."

He added: "I like to find inspiration for my cooking from the Lake District and I'm hoping this mountain-top adventure will also give me a few ideas for my next cookery book."

Cheryl Frost, from the Cumberland Ale Keswick Mountain Festival, said: "This has certainly been an interesting logistical challenge for everyone involved, but it's not every day you get the chance to set up a restaurant on one of England's highest peaks."