The Pheasant Inn: northern charmer
GREAT ESCAPES
hungry traveller.
Rooms with a view over the Cheshire plains;
fillet of sea bass, simply cooked with style;
good old-fashioned comfort
WORDS: REBECCA ALMOND. *EXCLUDES SATURDAYS, 24-26 DECEMBER AND FEB 14. MAX TABLE SIZE FOR DISCOUNT: 6 PEOPLE. VALID FOR STAYS TO END OF FEBRUARY 2018
WHY IT’S GREAT That panoramic view – I’m still reeling from it. A moody autumn sky crowning the rolling Cheshire plains and villages beyond, punctuated only by a clutch of sandstone farmhouses and a few huge trees. It’s pin-drop quiet here atop the Peckforton Hills southeast of Chester but for the occasional car negotiating the winding lanes and the gentle hum of chatter from within The Pheasant, a 300-year-old country inn with rooms. Gulp back a few lungfuls of the fresh air before heading inside to secure a window seat. THE FOODIE BIT Inside, the beams trimmed with garlands, cosy nooks and not one but three roaring open fires induce a sigh of contentment. We arrived shortly before 5pm on a Friday and even then crowds of friends, families and locals from the day’s hunt drew in to claim their table for an early supper. The throng of comers and goers continues until long after 10pm. Note: book a table early to save yourself the disappointment.