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The Inn at Whitewell - Nr Clitheroe

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A middle-of-nowhere stunner

Sometimes we all just need a bit of green. No cars, no shops, no crowds, just lots and lots of green. Well, stay at the fantastic Inn at Whitewell and get all the green you need, with roaring fires, super-comfy bedrooms and great food to boot.

The 14th-century inn sits in the heart of the Forest of Bowman - a rolling, telly-tubby-land of a landscape that, unsurprisingly, is said to be JRR Tolkien’s inspiration for the Shire - home to the hobbits. Apart from the inn, a tiny stone chapel and a couple of cottages next door, the unspoilt, stunning countryside, dotted here and there with smoky farmhouses, is all you can see. Every window in the Inn at Whitewell boasts a tranquil view, while the terrace at the back is a haven in the truest sense of the word, with a bubbling river passing below you as you sip a cold beer and watch the sun go down behind the side of the valley.

It all sounds a bit too good to be true, we know. But this really is a very special place. Inside, the watchword is ‘cosy’, with flag-stoned floors, roaring fireplaces and a large, friendly bar. Big, Georgian sash windows offer those views, while the walls are filled with the inn’s huge collection of paintings and prints. Upstairs, the cosiness never lets up, with 23 bedrooms - all individually decorated - that you’ll never want to leave. Huge antique beds, fireplaces (fourteen of the rooms have working log fires...), beams, squidgy armchairs, full bookshelves and mis-matched but lovingly-chosen furniture and accessories are as far from the conveyor-belt of new, boutique-y hotels as you’re likely to get. The bathrooms are a real treat - many are enormous, with Victorian baths that are just as huge and beautiful, clunky-but-drenching rain showers. Others are a little more high-tech, but all have great toiletries and big, fluffy towels.

But it’s the views that are still the star of the show. Many rooms let you gaze out across the valley while you’re still lying in bed (or even in the bath!), but wherever you are, you can smell the green-ness.

Food at the inn is delicious. You might choose the relaxed, bar dining option, with a great menu of classic, British comfort dishes, all made with great local and seasonal produce and accompanied by a comprehensive list of ales and wines (the inn has its own tiny wine shop on-site). Or you could pick the elegant riverside restaurant, savouring Head Chef Jamie Cadman’s mouthwatering, British-led menus, while the views outside work their magic.

Where is it?

The Forest of Bowland, officially named as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, lies in north-east Lancashire, between Manchester and the Lakes. It’s a stunning mixture of rolling hills, dramatic moorland and green pasture, dotted by pretty little villages and isolated farms - a tranquil alternative to the busy Lake District.

Guests at the Inn at Whitewell are under no pressure to do anything too strenuous - no one would blaim you if the cosy bedrooms and delicious food made you reluctant to venture further than the terrace. But if you do fancy packing your walking shoes, the opportunities for filling your lungs in the Forest, and in the neighbouring Ribble Valley, are endless. You can leave the inn, cross the river by stepping stones, and set off up the valley for a really pretty amble, or strike out for something a bit more challenging. The most famous Forest of Bowland landmark is probably the striking Pendle Hill, home to the famous Pendle witch trials of 1612, and associated with witchery and hocus pocus ever since. Halloween is a busy time on the Hill, as huge numbers climb it in the hope of spotting something spooky (even Liverpudlian bouffant-wearing psychic Derek Acorah has been ‘possessed’ on Pendle live on TV...), but the area is a great place for a ramble all year round. And the views from the 550m summit on a clear day are jaw-dropping. For maps and descriptions of walks around Pendle Hill, and the rest of the area, the brilliant Forest of Bowland website (www.forestofbowland.com) is a mine of information.

Cycling is a real passion in the area, and special trails and routes are endless. Hire a bike from Cycle Adventure (www.cycle-adventure.co.uk Tel: 07518 373 007) and get it delivered right to your doorstep, along with some great route maps. You can even hire a cycle guide who will show you the best cycle routes in Bowland on a bespoke day’s package.

The very pretty villages that dot the Forest of Bowland are definitely worth a visit, whether by foot, bike or car. Gorgeous Downham, seven miles from the Inn at Whitewell, is one of the prettiest villages in Lancashire, and a popular spot for film and TV locations scouts - most famously for Richard Attenborough’s Whistle Down the Wind in 1961. This is real Tolkien country, and Lord of the Rings fans have spent many years wandering the lanes and paths around Downham to find recognisable landmarks that feature in Tolkien’s books. Non-Tolkien fans content themselves with a pint or two in Downham’s lovely Assheton Arms (www.assheton-arms.co.uk Tel: 01200 441227). For a big dollop of British eccentricity, visit the village of Wray, about half an hour from Whitewell, during its annual Scarecrow Festival (www.wrayvillage.co.uk) at the beginning of May. The whole village takes part, with countless straw-stuffed figures ranging from Marilyn Monroe and Rocky Balboa, to the local village policeman, hiding around every corner. If it wasn’t so funny, it would be very, very scary.

Where can I eat?

The bar and restaurant at the Inn at Whitewell really are no-brainers of eating options. Not only is the food fantastic, but we can almost guarantee that once you’ve arrived you really won’t want to venture very far away!

The Longridge Restaurant (www.heathcotes.co.uk Tel: 01772 784969), 8 miles from the Inn at Whitewell, is the flagship restaurant of the north-west’s culinary hero, Paul Heathcote. This chic eatery serves up mouth-watering, British-led menus, using some great twists on local recipes and produce - all under the watchful eye of Head Chef James Holah, a former Gordon Ramsay protege. For the full experience, take part in one of the Longridge’s fantastic cookery classes. There’s one held on at least one Saturday a month - check the website for more dates.

For something a bit more rustic, but just as impressive, The Three Fishes (www.thethreefishes.com Tel: 01254 826888) in the super-pretty Ribble village of Mitton, about fifteen minutes’ drive from Whitewell, is a roundly-acclaimed gastro-pub. A 16th-century inn that is still very much a local, The Three Fishes has been turned into a foodie destination by Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth, serving up some amazing local comfort foods. From Morecambe Bay shrimps to Farmer Sharp’s Herdwick Mutton Pudding and some classic puddings, the menu is a who’s who of Lancashire favourites. Special mention has to made of the ‘Length of Lancashire’ cheeseboard - 10 cheeses from different local farms, that has been voted ‘The Best British Cheese Board’. Cheese-tastic.

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Sometimes we all just need a bit of green. No cars, no shops, no crowds, just lots and lots of green. Well, stay at the fantastic Inn at Whitewell and get all the green you need, with roaring fires, super-comfy bedrooms and great food to boot.