Pheasant Inn

If you walk along the Sandstone Trail in the Peckforton Hills or pause to check out the amazing views across the Cheshire Plain to the Welsh borders, you’ll soon understand this pub’s gamey name – there are pheasants galore in the surrounding fields & woods. Outdoor types come here the idyllic country location; others make the trip by car just to sample the food on offer. The interior is firmly on the smart side of casual, & the menu has modern British leanings – roast chicken soup, a choice of deli boards, steaks, fish & chips, & the likes of lamb shank served with savoy cabbage & bacon, plus some imaginative sandwiches & wraps at lunchtime. To drink, choose from a decent choice of wines by the glass, or peruse the quartet of real ales on hand-pump. With a dozen stylish & well-appointed bedrooms, this is also a romantic spot to stay.