travel 29 10countrypubs greatfoodandwalks · ski-lodge feel: sheepskin and cowhide rugs, retro...

the times Saturday November 12 2016

Travel 29

10 country pubs Great food and walks

48 The Gurnard’sHead Zennor, CornwallOn Cornwall’s Atlantic coast, theGurnard’s Head has a renownedrestaurant serving dishes such asgurnard (naturally), accompanied byorange, squid and samphire, as well asrump of beef with cabbage, and crab

45 Brown’s HotelLaugharne,CarmarthenshireRound the corner from the Boathouse inLaugharne, where Dylan Thomas lived,this was the poet’s favourite boozer. TheBoathouse is now a museum and thedozen bright, contemporary rooms atBrown’s, given a revamp a few years ago,make a perfect base for a visit. The bar atthe “hotel”, which is really more like apub with rooms, has not changed muchsince Thomas’s time; although black andwhite pictures of Thomas with his wife,Caitlin, now adorn the walls.Details B&B doubles are fromabout £95 a night (01994 427688,browns-hotel.co.uk)

46 The Crab & BoarChieveley, BerkshireSome of the rooms here have hot tubs inprivate courtyard gardens — perfect forwinter evenings. The rooms at theancient inn have been done up with aski-lodge feel: sheepskin and cowhiderugs, retro suede Seventies chairs andexposed wood floors. Seafood featuresheavily on the menu (fresh deliveries arebrought daily), with dishes includingoysters, lobster bisque, tandoori monkfishand lemon sole, as well as steaks. OliverCromwell is said to have stayed here.Details B&B doubles are from about£110 (01635 247550, crabandboar.com)

47 Inn at John o’ GroatsWick, CaithnessThe Inn at John o’Groats is reallymore like a café/bar at John o’Groats,but its isolated, northerly locationmakes it an exciting place to visit inthe winter, with ales on offer fromOrkney and a decent selection of wineand malt whisky. Food consists ofpizzas and soups. Rooms are modern,warm and comfortable. For thosewho prefer an old-style Scottish bar,it’s a five-minute stroll to the jolly,down-to-earth Seaview Hotel.Details Room-only doubles are from£92 a night (naturalretreats.com)

41 Beckford ArmsFonthill Gifford, WiltshireWith eight stylish little rooms above apopular gourmet pub, the Beckford ticksa lot of boxes for a winter weekend. It’son the edge of a country estate, withplenty of nearby walks, and fires blaze inthe lounge and the main bar awaitingthose returning weary from a hike. Therestaurant serves top-notch burgers for£12.50, plus mains such as Cornish plaice,roast trout and 42-day aged steak. GuyRitchie, Geri Halliwell and Sting havevisited. Rooms are well-priced.Details B&B doubles are from £95 anight (01747 870385, beckfordarms.com)

42 The Rose and CrownSnettisham, NorfolkRun by Anthony Goodrich, an ex-Citybanker, and his wife, Jeannette, this is aformer Good Pub Guide pub of the year.It’s in the quiet village of Snettisham, ashort drive from the coast. Fires cracklein the bars, where locals and guests keepup a convivial hum of conversation. The14th-century inn has gnarly old beams,low doorways and a pleasant diningroom (try the excellent clam chowder).Rooms are decent-sized.Details B&B doubles are from£120 a night (01485 541382,roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk)

43 The DalesmanSedbergh, CumbriaThis pub is in the charming village ofSedbergh, with its antiques shops andsecond-hand bookshops, by the HowgillFells. The Dalesman is on the mainstreet and is much favoured by walkerson the Dales Way from West Yorkshire(dalesway.org). The main bar hasexposed stone walls, fireplaces and anatty tartan carpet. The chicken, hamand leek pie is popular (£13.95) or go forfish and chips (£14.95). Pints of TimothyTaylor bitter are available. Rooms arecomfortable, with wide beds.Details Doubles are from about £85 anight (01539 621183, thedalesman.co.uk)

44 The Wellington ArmsBaughurst, HampshireBook early to grab one of the four muchsought-after comfortable rooms at theWellington, which is run by Simon Page(a former music teacher) and Jason King(a chef from Melbourne), in the village ofBaughurst. The restaurant offerstraditional English country food, such asroast partridge, roe deer braised with redwine, rack of lamb and game terrine ofpheasant. There are good walks near by.Details B&B doubles are from £100(0118 982 0110, thewellingtonarms.com)

with macaroni. It regularly wins foodieawards, and the cosy, atmospheric baroffers St Austell ales, and a wide choiceof wines. Rooms are colourful and smart.Details B&B doubles are from £115(01736 796928, gurnardshead.co.uk)

49 Howard ArmsIlmington, WarwickshirePerfect as a base for a winter walkingweekend, or simply for flopping by theopen fire in the lounge with a pint ofStratford Gold bitter, the Howard Armsin the quiet village of Ilmington hasundergone a recent revamp. There areeight stylish and well-priced rooms. Themain building dates from the late-16thcentury. Tasty burgers, haddock andchips, and steaks are offered.Details B&B doubles are from £110 anight (01608 682226, howardarms.com)

50 Punch Bowl Inn& RestaurantCrosthwaite, CumbriaMuch loved by walkers, this inn is tuckedaway in Lyth Valley. The nine roomsare smart, with exposed beams andfloral fabrics. The comfy bar, servinga good choice of ales, has sofas and afireplace. Hearty dishes such as roastduck with cabbage, and Scottish codwith cider and leeks are offered.Details B&B doubles are from

about £105 a night (01539 568237,the-punchbowl.co.uk)Tom Chesshyre

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