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The Running Horses - Mickleham

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Pretty Surrey pub-with-rooms

Londoners... if you’re desperate for a quiet weekend in the country, but can’t face a long Friday night journey out of town, we may have the perfect spot for you. Non-Londoners... it might be a little further afield for you, but you’ll love The Running Horses just as much. A beautiful 16th century coaching inn in the pretty Surrey village of Mickleham - complete with original Highwayman’s escape hatch - it has all the trappings of a traditional country pub, but with cosy en-suite bedrooms and a fantastic restaurant - and all just 20 miles from the centre of London.

Loved by locals, the cosy, beamed bar areas buzz throughout the weekend, with real ales on tap and an amazing bar menu - pub grub that would rival any London bistro. The restaurant is quieter, but no less welcoming, with traditional pub decor mixed with the whitest table linen and sparkling wine glasses. The menu is decidedly Modern British, with delicate starters, vibrant, yet comforting main courses and puddings to die for - all made with fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Sunday lunches are a real event, with the menu changing according to what’s the best local and specialist produce available.

The inn’s five en-suite bedrooms, all named after famous British racecourses, are simply furnished to make the most of their cosy period features. The Ascot is the cream of the crop, with a huge antique four-poster and a big bath to lounge in, but the others are just as comfy and, most importantly, within stumbling distance of the restaurant (and its eminently explorable wine list...).

Where is it?

Lovely Mickleham, with its two pubs, strange, higgledy-piggledy church and posh public school, is a village with lots of history and charm - perfect for some aimless weekend ambling and a great place to wind down. Sitting in the rolling North Downs on the banks of the pretty River Mole, it’s also a great base for some blow-away-the-cobwebs walking. Beautiful Box Hill, a mile from Mickleham, has to be the star attraction for walkers - a 172m-high local landmark, with acres of woodland and downland to enjoy, plus miles and miles of paths and trails (including the famous stepping stones over the River Mole). A popular and historic day-trip destination for claustrophobic Londoners, it’s been heavily featured in books and on film - most famously in Jane Austen’s Emma and in the 1996 film version of the book - and the views from the top are stunning. If bikes are more your bag, this is good mountain biking terrain. Head For The Hills (www.head-for-the-hills.co.uk Tel: 01306 885007) in nearby Dorking hires out top-quality bikes, along with all the accessories and local maps you’ll need.

If the thought of exercise brings you out in a cold sweat, there’s plenty of more sedate places to visit close to Mickleham. The gorgeous Polesdon Lacey (www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01372 452048), a yellow Regency mansion 4 miles from The Running Horses, was once owned by renowned Edwardian socialite, the Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville, who filled it with amazing art, furniture and decoration. It was also the Queen Mother’s choice of honeymoon destination. The house itself is fascinating, but the extensive grounds are jaw-dropping, with walled gardens, wild grassland and sculptures making for great weekend ambling and fab summer picnics. Alternatively, England’s largest vineyard, Denbie’s (www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk Tel: 01306 876616) is just two miles from Mickleham. Take a tour of the vines and winery, including an English wine tasting, and you may well be tempted to stock up for emergencies...

Of course, The Running Horses didn’t get its name by accident. Epsom Downs Racecourse (www.epsomderby.co.uk Tel: 01372 726311) is seven miles from Mickleham. Currently undergoing a major grandstand rehaul, the course will open for the Epsom Festival in June 2008, with regular weekend meets resuming after that.

Where can I eat?

The Running Horses really is a no-brainer of an eating option. Not only is the food fantastic, but there’s nothing better than enjoying an amazing evening meal and a bottle (or two) of vino, safe in the knowledge that your bed is within stumbling distance.

If you are after an alternative, however, there are plenty of great places to eat in the area, although expect a running theme - this is proper pub country! The Stephan Langton Inn (www.stephan-langton.co.uk Tel: 01306 730775) in the tiny hamlet of Friday Street, about 8 miles from Mickleham, is a lovely 1930s country inn, that sits in the grounds of the tranquil Wotton Estate. Its snug bar area, or light and airy restaurant serve truly delicious, classic pub-grub during the day, and a mouthwatering dinner menu in the evening. Everything that can be is home-made, from the bread to the ice cream to the chutney, while fresh, local produce - some from the estate - makes up the rest of chef Simon Adams’ lovingly-put-together menu. The inn really is in the middle of lush countryside, so is perfectly located for pre or post-grub wanderings.

Another pub with fantastic food is Bryce’s (www.bryces.co.uk Tel: 01306 627430) in Ockley, 9 miles from The Running Horses. A mecca for seafood-lovers, the menus at Bryce’s are full of fish dishes, made with the freshest ingredients and prepared simply to let the flavours shine. From elegant dishes, such as Langoustine Bisque, served in the restaurant, to fabulous battered cod and scampi tails on the bar menu, this award-winning country pub is certainly up there with the best of them.

For lunch or dinner with a view, The Gallery Restaurant at Denbie’s Vineyard (www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk Tel: 01306 73466) is a must. Open for lunch every day and dinner on Fridays, this contemporary dining room has a 360-degree panoramic view of the vineyards below and the rolling countryside beyond. Delicious seasonal menus are served with some fantastic wines (of course).

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A beautiful 16th century coaching inn in the pretty Surrey village of Mickleham - complete with original Highwayman’s escape hatch - The Running Horses has all the trappings of a traditional country pub, but with cosy en-suite bedrooms and a fantastic restaurant.