A Walk To Bamford Edge Before Dinner At The Scotsmans Pack, Hathersage
Published On Thursday 27 Apr 2023 by Sticky Beak
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Now that the weather is improving (albeit slower than most of us would like!) and the fact that we are doing the Scottish NC500 later in the year - therefore needing to get our fitness levels up - His Nibs and I decided to combine a walk up to Bamford Edge in the Peak District with dinner at The Scotsman’s Pack Country Inn at nearby Hathersage.
We last visited this gorgeous, historic Inn just before Christmas 2021 so it was lovely to be able to see it in glorious daylight and appreciate its listed- status charm better 😊. The pub takes its name from the Scottish Packmen that used to sell their tweeds to locals, and the interior still has checked carpets and upholstery to its banquette seating in a nod to ‘over the border’. As we made our way across the car park, we could see lots of folks seated under the light-strewn pergola that is the focal point of the outside area, making the most of the day.
Stepping inside, you immediately feel your cares dissolve away, such is the friendly, relaxed ambience at The Scotsman’s Pack 😊. One of the team, Sylvia, showed us to our table, nestled in the corner beside the (unlit) log burner that stands proudly in its beaten copper inlay and larger stone surround. Bellows and an assortment of pokers and tongs leave you in no doubt that, should it be called for, a roaring fire could be set that would chase any chill out!
There was no shortage of fellow walkers partaking of food and /or drink, though I did wonder at the routes some of them had taken; so muddy were their walking boots! Courteously, they were wearing plastic over-shoe covers, so as not to sully the beautiful wool carpet. Although we’d done a relatively short walk along Bamford Edge, there are plenty of other routes to take, including Stanage Edge and Higger Tor - The Scotsman’s Pack also have more ideas on their website as to where to go walking 😊. A couple of dogs were lolling at the feet of their humans, and are welcome throughout the downstairs area of The Scotsman’s Pack. Should you wish to stay and explore more of the delightful Peak District (and why wouldn’t you?!), there are 5 rooms of accommodation, but please be aware that dogs are not permitted in these.
The Chef and her kitchen team change the menu seasonally to take advantage of the fullest flavours, and The Man Bird and I were certainly hungry and in the market for something scrummy! For starters we ordered the Nduja Scotch Egg with Basil Aioli and Lemon Balm (£7) and Beauvale Blue Cheese with Salt-Baked Beetroot, Beetroot Ketchup and Walnuts (£7.50), followed by the Tomato and Paprika Seafood Stew (£19, from the specials board) and Mustard-glazed Ham Hock with Lyonnaise Potatoes, Pea Velouté and Black Pudding Croquettes (£16). Sides of Onion Rings (£2.75) and Seasonal Vegetables (£3.50) also found their way onto our plates.
Whilst we sipped at our drinks and waited for our first course to arrive, His Nibs and I were yapping away and some of our conversation revolved around the magnificent Stag antlers that hang above the fireplace, the beautiful lamp behind me that had a Stag as its base, and the multitude of canvasses depicting all manner of animals and birds. It wasn’t long though, before a lovely gent was placing our starters on the table and, with the photos out of the way, we stopped chatting and tucked in 😊.
Both dishes were nicely presented, with colour certainly being the order of the day; and why not, it is spring after all! Though it already looked superb, it wasn’t until His Nibs cut into his Nduja coated Scotch Egg that the colours really popped; the intense, sunshine yellow of the runny yolk shone brightly, complimented by the lemony hue of the Basil Aioli. The spicy sausage coat tingled the taste buds confidently, its ardour tempered skilfully by the rich, creaminess of the eggs’ yolk and the smooth, gently firm white. There was no mistaking the herby burst of the Basil in the creamy, garlic-laden Aioli and, combined with the other flavours, this was a total taste-fest, make no mistake!
No less delicious was my classic pairing of (Beauvale) Blue Cheese, Walnut and juicy, salt-baked Golden and Ruby Beetroots. I loved how Chef had kept this intensely earthy, sweet vegetable firm and crunchy, rather than following the ‘norm’ and softening it during cooking; this crunch opposed the indulgent softness of the cheese, allowing the dairy morsel’s luxurious creaminess to shine as it lingered in my mouth. If you allow it, the warmth from the mouth releases the full potential of cheese, especially ones like Beauvale Blue with its complex notes of caramel sweetness, spice edge and musty, stone-like hint from the mould used in its creation. The Walnut pieces added more texture and echoed the earthy notes in this gutsy cheese; again, this was a wonderful start to the meal 😊.
Sylvia had come to check we were enjoying our starters and when she came back, she smiled at the pair of empty plates. We asked if we could have some water for the table, and she returned shortly after with a bottle of chilled water that had been beautifully etched with the Scotsman’s Pack’s outline. The Man Bird filled our glasses and we drank deeply; clearly, we’d worked up more of a thirst than we’d realised whilst out walking!
I’d opted for the Tomato and Paprika Seafood Stew as my main course and it’s a good job my appetite was keen because the bowl was packed with meaty Scallops, plump Prawns, shell-off Mussels, Sea Bass fillets, wilted Wild Garlic leaves and rich, Black Olives – all topped with a generous Garlic Crouton that would later prove invaluable in mopping up all the piping-hot stew liquor 😊. Everything in this dish was beautifully tender and flavoursome, the tastes all mingling harmoniously in my mouth. Chef had perfectly crisped up the skin on the Sea Bass fillets, for a hint of crunch, but had preserved the fish’s moistness perfectly. I appreciated the skill in how the Allium tinge from the Garlic Crouton and the wilted leaves layered up and blended seamlessly with the rich Tomato base; this was a hearty-yet-light dish that had me happily mesmerised. I was glad that I’d ordered a side of seasonal vegetables (Broccoli, Peas and Green Beans); not because there wasn’t enough food on my plate, but because the firmness of them added a bit of textural interest: the crouton alone wouldn’t have been enough, in my opinion.
Opposite me, The Man was munching away determinedly and, looking at the size of his Ham Hock tower, he was going to need all his resilience to finish his meal! The meaty morsel was incredibly rich and satiating with a depth of flavour that would thrill anybody, something that could also justifiably be said of the Lyonnaise Potatoes: the spuds are simply boiled, then sliced and shallow-fried with Onion - elevating them beyond their humble origin. Chef at The Scotsman’s Pack also works her magic on the Pea velouté so, rather than simply whizzing the sweet vegetable into a standard smoothness, she leaves some of them roughly crushed to add interest in the mouth 😊. Matching the Ham Hock in the flavour stakes, the Black Pudding Croquettes were amazingly earthy and rich with a dazzling, crunchy outer that offered a clearly audible sound when cut into! The Man Bird had ordered Onion Rings to go with his meal, and they were sizeable minxes and generous in portion-size. I pinched one of the golden spheres and smiled happily at the crunch as I bit into it; there was no greasy residue to sully the taste either, just oniony loveliness. As with my meal, everything had been marvellously hot, temperature-wise.
Sylvia cleared our empty plates away and gave us a few minutes ‘resting time’ before coming back to ask whether we’d like pudding. Throughout our meal, this lovely lady had been a total legend; nothing had been too much trouble, and she’d made sure we were happy with our food as well as keeping a discreet eye on our progress. To be fair, all the serving team had been warm and friendly, but you take particular notice of your own server, don’t you?
For pudding, my original choice had been the Mango and Coconut Mille-Feuille with Passionfruit Gel and Mango Sorbet…but then I spotted the Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Poached Rhubarb and Rhubarb Ice Cream. There was not a cat-in-hell’s chance that I wasn’t going to indulge in some ’barb – I love this magnificent fruit and its curious sweet/sharp duality 😊. Those of you who read the blog regularly, know that His Nibs is a huge fan of Sticky Toffee Pudding, so when he passed it over for the Chocolate Brownie with Salted Caramel Ice cream, you could’ve knocked me down with a feather!
You certainly can’t fault the portion size of the puds at The Scotsman’s Pack either; both of us were more than happy at their ample dimensions as we made our first cuts into them. My Baked Cheesecake was gorgeously light in texture, its Vanilla taste comfortingly rounded on my palate. The pale body of the Cheesecake was enhanced by pearls of rosy Rhubarb gel that were topped with tiny leaves of fresh Mint: very pretty and of-the-season 😊. A flourish of more gel decorated the platter, accompanied by shards of poached Rhubarb (which danced enthusiastically on my tongue 😊) and a round of creamy Ice Cream – what a superb conclusion to a fabulous meal!
As you looked at the thick slice of Chocolate Brownie, you could clearly discern the light crust of the outer and the darker, gooier middle that promised the pleasure of cocoa’s indulgence once in the mouth. Served lightly warmed, this did indeed melt in the mouth, releasing the full impact of the brownie on His Nibs’ palate and making him sigh contentedly as the pleasure centre in his brain lit up. The Ice Cream contrasted with the chocolate treats’ warmth, stimulating the senses expertly, as well as lifting things in the mouth, too. It would’ve been so easy to just serve this with a chocolate Ice cream or whipped cream, but this could’ve tipped this dessert into heavy/cloying territory. Thankfully, this pitfall was easily avoided, and instead The Man also had a positive end to his meal 😊.
We had a couple of black coffees to finish things off in our customary fashion and then it was time to bid Hathersage farewell and head back home. If you find yourselves heading out to the Peak District, why not visit this particular part of it and combine sport with pleasure? It isn’t just walking that’s on offer here; we saw cyclists a-plenty and even some intrepid climbers and paragliders 😊!
Massive thanks to Lydia for the invitation to revisit the incredible team at The Scotsman’s Pack Country Inn, we had a wonderful time. To book a table (there’s a Sunday Roast available too: 1 course £18, 2 courses £23 and 3 courses £27) give them a call on 01433 650253, or visit the website www.scotsmanspackcountryinn.co.uk
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