The Three Fishes

The River Ribble loops energetically out of the Forest of Bowland at Mitton, picking up the tributary river Hodder in a landscape that inspired JRR Tolkien when he wrote parts of his spellbinding Lord of the Rings trilogy hereabouts. The old Three Fishes could have seeped from the pages of this epic; today's sublime inn, however, is a far cry from its foundation maybe 400 years ago above a ferry and bridge across the river. This relaxed country dining inn pushes the boundaries of cuisine and comfort, trumpeting its Lancashire roots and championing all that the Red Rose County can provide from its magnificent larder. This is the flagship - and first born - pub in celebrity chef Nigel Haworth's Ribble Valley Inns stable, a string of similar establishments dappled across Bowland and Ribblesdale. With Pendle Hill to one horizon; Longridge Fell to another, there are few more idyllic settings than to sit out at the terrace, contemplate the nearby medieval church and wonder at the breadth of dishes created from Lancashire's finest. A simple afternoon bite of an Elmwood seafood platter celebrates Morecambe Bay's provender, with Port of Lancaster beech and juniper smoked salmon, hot smoked trout and smoked mackerel pâté amongst the fish delights. Or, for a winter warmer, nestle in the tasteful, contemporary, rambling interior next to log fires and lose yourself in a warming dish of heather-reared Lonk lamb Lancashire hotpot with pickled red cabbage, perhaps washed down with a glass of real ale from the local Bowland craft brewery. Haworth's menus and recipes have gained an AA Rosette for the inventive, inspirational ingredients and presentation; vegetarians will delight in dishes using Formby asparagus or Southport samphire, whilst indulgent meat-eaters can savour Forest of Bowland venison and pearl barley pudding, foragers mashed potato, roast onions and juniper berry sauce.