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The Wife of Bath - Wye

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Comfy, stylish restaurant-with rooms

As the name of this restaurant-with-rooms might suggest, the lovely Kentish town of Wye sits firmly on the famous Pilgrim’s Trail - the ancient route taken by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. Whether Chaucer’s infamous character ever really passed through here herself is doubtful, but the medieval buildings that remain on their original medieval streets are enough to keep your imagination happy.

The Wife of Bath sits in the heart of Wye, a bay-windowed Victorian restaurant, with beautiful, flowery gardens. It’s an extremely popular place to eat amongst the locals, and at peak meal times, it comes alive with a friendly and satisfied buzz. It’s light and stylish - equally perfect for a long, drawn-out Sunday lunch or a romantic, candle-lit dinner for two - and the food is superb. The best in local and seasonal produce is sourced to create fresh, colourful and unpretentious British-led dishes with puddings to kill for and an eminently explorable wine and cocktail list to match. It’s simple, with a subtle streak of adventure, and the atmosphere is smily and relaxing.

Of course, while most of the restaurant’s customers have a lengthy journey home to look forward to post-dinner, the lucky guests at The Wife of Bath get to saunter (or stagger, depending on how thoroughly you’ve explored that wine list...) to your room - some of which lie across the gardens in a row of beautiful old stone cottages. The rooms are sumptuous and stylish, with period features mixing seemlessly with contemporary colours, furniture and lighting. Squidgy beds with crisp, Egyptian Cotton linen await you, as well as flat screen tellies, DVD players, fluffy bathrobes and indulgent Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries - it’s all rather brilliant. Breakfast, including local village eggs, home-made granola and Kentish apple juice, is served back in the restaurant - the perfect start to a day exploring what the area has to offer. Wye would you want stay anywhere else (groan)?

Where is it?

Wye sits in the middle of beautiful Kent countryside, at the mouth of the Stour Valley and with the rolling North Downs stretching out to the east. It’s a tranquil and picturesque place, with a higgledy-piggle of architectural styles in the town centre and world-famous agricultural college, and a potterer’s paradise. Head for Bridge Street for a real treasure chest of olde-worlde buildings, while to experience Wye at its bustling best, visit the fantastic Farmers’ Market, which is held every other Saturday on the village green (www.wyefarmersmarket.co.uk Tel: 07804 652156) - perfect for picnic supplies.

Walkers and cyclists won’t fail to notice the inviting countryside that surrounds Wye, and there’s plenty of opportunity for all three. Both the famous Pilgrim’s Way, an ancient 120-mile trail from Winchester to Canterbury and the 153-mile North Downs Way pass right through Wye, but while they might be a bit of a stretch for a weekend stroll, there are plenty of smaller loops you can enjoy. A beautiful 4-mile ramble over the downs, taking in the Wye Crown - a huge chalk figure made in 1902 that can be seen for miles - and breathtaking view towards the brilliantly-named Devil’s Kneading Trough and beyond, starts and finishes at the church in Wye. Log on to www.nationaltrail.co.uk for directions and a map.

If city strolling is more your thing, then venture the 10 miles from Wye into Canterbury. Its world famous Cathedral (www.canterbury-cathedral.org Tel: 01227 762862), a towering edifice of jumbled architectural styles with a jaw-dropping, cavernous interior, is one of the UK’s very few UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with St Augustine’s Abbey (www.english-heritage.org.uk Tel: 01227 767345), the romantic ruins of the abbey built in 597AD and St Martin’s Church - England’s oldest parish church still in use (it’s believed to have been built in the 4th century). The latter sit just outside the old city walls. The city itself sits on the pretty River Stour, and is a jumble of period building styles, cobbled streets and modern shopping. The attractive heart of Canterbury can only be explored on foot, and it’s easy to while away a day wandering aimlessly, but if you really want to discover all of the city’s hidden gems, you’d do well to follow one of the city’s numerous guided tours. One of the best is a Canterbury River Tour (www.canterburyrivertours.co.uk Tel: 07790 534 744) - which operate from April to September. Enjoy being ‘chauffered’ (ie rowed) through town on the River Stour by one of the company’s young and enthusiastic crew and see some of the city’s most beautiful sights, including the cathedral, from a new angle.

And if the North Downs aren’t enough to fill your lungs, you could always take in some sea air at the gorgeous seaside town of Whitstable, with its vibrant arts scene, fisherman’s cottages, windy streets and candy-coloured beach huts - just a half an hour drive from The Wife of Bath. Still a thriving fishing harbour, Whitstable’s bustling fish market (Tel: 01227 771245) is a highlight, while the pebbly beach stretching for miles towards Herne Bay is pure seaside heaven. The heart of the town is Harbour Street, a higgledy-piggledy row of boutiques, cafes and, most famously, art galleries. The little Harbour Gallery (www.harbourgallery.co.uk Tel: 01227 277044) is a great place to pick up paintings of the Whitstable seascape by local artists.

Where can I eat?

The Wife of Bath really is a no-brainer of an eating option. Not only is the food fantastic and probably the best in the area, but there’s nothing better than enjoying an amazing meal and a bottle (or two) of vino, safe in the knowledge that your bed is within crashing distance. If you’re after an alternative, however, there are some great places to eat in the area.

For something more continental, Froggies (yes, it’s French) at The Timber Batts (www.thetimberbatts.co.uk Tel: 01233 750237) in Bodsham - 4 miles from Wye - is an authentically Gallic take on the gastro-pub. Classic French dishes such as duck confit and moules are lovingly prepared with the best local ingredients, although the extensive cheese board and fantastic French wine list are decidedly ‘not from round these parts’. And the puddings... tarte tatin, creme brulee, profiteroles... tres yummy. If the North Downs countryside has won your heart, you couldn’t do much better than visit Devil’s Kneading Trough Restaurant (www.devilskneading.co.uk Tel: 01233 813212), sitting as it does at the very top of Wye Downs. Three miles from Wye town, and in a secluded, wooded spot, it has stunning, panoramic views of the Downs and out towards the sea. The restaurant’s menus are classic British pub grub - probably best for a satisfying lunch, rather than the full evening dining experience - but it’s the amazing views that are the star attraction here.

Fanatic foodies would do well to try The Secret Garden (www.secretgardenkent.co.uk Tel: 01233 501586), 5 miles away at Mersham-le-Hatch. The restaurant is attached to its own, huge walled Victorian kitchen garden, which provides deliciously fresh fruit and veg for The Secret Garden’s vibrant and colourful menus. Bread is home-made and the puddings are fantastic.

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The Wife of Bath sits in the heart of lovely Wye - a bay-windowed Victorian restaurant, with beautiful, flowery gardens, an award-winning restaurant and luxurious bedrooms.