Parkers Arms

Surrounded by Lancashire’s finest scenery, this picturesque country inn with rooms makes a welcome retreat with its relaxed dining space, sunny beer garden and roaring fire. Chef Stosie Madi and her business partner Kathy Smith are the brains behind this award-winning gastropub, having taken over the site in January of 2007. The pair undertook a full refurbishment of the venue, eventually reopening the doors in its current iteration in December of 2009.

Here, the kitchen gives local produce the respect it deserves. The menu changes according to what is in season or has been foraged and is suffused with passion for the region. On your visit, you may come across starters such as confit Lancaster mushroom and lemon parfait on toasted sourdough, or perhaps asparagus with pheasant egg and wild garlic mayonnaise.

From the mains, Parkers Arms signature pies of the day (served with thick triple-cooked chips or creamed mash) are a must-try, while dessert sees the likes of spiced ginger pudding or 70% baked Valrhona chocolate mousse slice topped with cultured cream.

On our visit, we found our layered creamed potato and Lancashire cheese pie with crisp golden pastry to be a triumph. Local cask ales are joined on the drinks list by a wine selection that caters equally well to quick, filling lunches as to lazy, indulgent suppers.

It’s worth noting that Parkers Arms takes provenance seriously too – all of the restaurant’s pastries, ice creams, bread, cakes, jams, chutneys, biscuits and chocolates are made on-site by the kitchen team, as well as its famous hand-raised pies and pasties. As everything is prepared freshly on the premises, the team are able to cater for food allergies, as well as those following vegetarian or vegan diets.

Add warm, friendly service, skilled cooking and the beautiful location into the mix, and this handsome country pub is well worth the trip.

Parkers Arms is a character-filled British inn owned by charming proprietors Kathy and Stosie. It serves classic British food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with daily pie specials and a reasonably-priced, three-course menu. 

Here you’ll be greeted with a warm Lancashire welcome, with the inn attracting everyone from locals to tourists alike. Stop by for a pie and a pint or stay for the night to make the most of the robustly British menu. Pies, as it happens, are what the pub is most famous for. If you come by at lunch there’s nearly always one on the menu, and it might not be the kind you expect with all kinds of inventive fillings having been stuffed into pastry over the years.

In the evening, there is a fixed price, three-course menu served for a very reasonable £50. All dishes make use of local and seasonal ingredients, from Yorkshire rhubarb cured mackerel to a black pudding and pork turnover. Expect lots more comforting British classics, from Slaidburn egg mayo and soused herrings on toast, to a layered creamed potato terrine pie. 

While there isn’t a specific children’s menu, families are welcome, and the team will gladly alter a few key dishes to make them suitable for little ones. It also offers a small daily selection of dishes for children up to 10 years old.

The dining room is prettily decorated with colourful wallpaper and mix and match wooden furniture, while the open fire creates the perfect ambiance in the cooler months. Thanks to its wonderful location, Parkers Arms guarantees stunning views over the Lancashire countryside, and on sunny days there’s a neat little beer garden – the perfect place for a G&T and a packet of crisps post-walking.