Nothing beats the feeling of driving down a country road and discovering a nice cosy countryside pub. Even better if that pub also has 11 en-suite rooms and some great food – like The High Force Hotel in Teesdale which is perfectly situated for exploring the area and its walks and waterfall.
A former 19th Century hunting lodge, The High Force Hotel is steeped in character and has plenty of cosy nooks and crannies to settle into and enjoy a pint or a wine (as a wine drinker, I was impressed to see at least five reds by the glass!) There’s tables and comfy chair, plenty of art work on the walls to admire – including historic photos from years gone by – and a modern dining area to the far left which is used for breakfast and the evening service.
We were given a friendly welcome and shown up to our room. Not short on space, our corner room overlooked the ice cream shop below and out front, through the huge windows, plenty of greenery from the forest which leads to the High Force Waterfall. Cosy and comfortable, there was plenty of countryside charm – armchairs and table, mixed with modern amenities like the coffee maker and TV hidden by a gigantic walnut dresser. The bathroom too was spacious and light with an ample sized shower and luxury products.
With dinner booked for 8pm, we enjoyed a pre-drink at the bar and then headed through to the Garden Room. All food at The High Force Hotel is cooked fresh to order and the hotel uses local producers and home grown produce where it can – showcasing the quality of the ingredients from Upper Teesdale.
From The Seasonal Garden Room Menu, we start with plate of delicious sourdough and a bowl of delicious salty butter, followed by a smooth and creamy burrata served with salad. The Durham Gin Cured Chalk Stream Trout served with an apple and fennel salad and rye bread arrives pretty as a picture and beautifully fresh – small cubes of beetroot add a nice contrast.
Main courses include Chargrilled Raby Longhorn Sirloin and plenty of vegetarian options like the spiced roast squash, but we decide to go for the Local Beer Battered Catch of the Day which comes with proper triple cooked chips, and the Chargrilled Masala Chicken Breast. The chicken dish is one I’ve not tried before – juicy chicken in masala, on a bed of spiced dhal with a crispy shallot salad for texture and a cooling antidote of coconut yogurt and mint dressing. This dish was absolutely gorgeous and I had finished well before my partner finished his fish and chips, which meant there was still plenty left for me to try! Great quality flaky white fish, perfectly crispy but not-too-greasy batter, and the kind of chips you wish you cook at home!
Completely full of food but not quite ready for our dining experience to end, we ordered the Local Cheese Board and the Warm Chocolate Brownie to take to our room. With a great selection of cheeses and a dreamy chutney and cracker combo, we also loved the brownie which was drizzled in plenty of caramel sauce with the most incredible nuggets of honeycomb, and a dollop of crème fraiche.
After a great night’s sleep, we headed back down to the Garden Room for a hearty breakfast which had all the right ingredients for a brilliant Full English. The black pudding and back bacon were just delicious and cooked crispy as requested!
The staff at High Force Hotel are cheery and helpful and we chatted to the manager while takeaway sausage rolls and pastries filled the reception desk for those heading out walking. The High Force Hotel has its own resident’s parking, but a bigger separate car park to the side, so it’s the perfect place to base yourself for the plethora of local walks in the area – including the waterfall – you can purchase tickets for this and for Raby Castle (the hotel is part of the Raby Estate), at the hotel.
With the waterfall just a third of a mile downstream, we put our bags in the car and headed into the woods. Well worth a visit, the High Force Waterfall is ferocious and impressive plunging 70 feet in a deep pool. While it’s only a short walk down, you can get your steps in and your energy levels up by taking the steep steps upwards and along the newly designed nature trail which leads back to the starting point. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Raby Castle, exploring the grounds which include the deer park (with plenty of deer!), and inside the castle where there’s room after room of artefacts and the original features and furniture. This 14th Century castle was originally built as a palace fortress and retains that fairytale magic.
With High Force Hotel located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you could easily spend a week here with the hotel as your base and you still wouldn’t get to explore everything that the area has to offer. Book your stay here.
