Pub of the Week: Travellers Rest

The first time I visited was during a nighttime thunderstorm and we never got further than the wood-beamed, flag floor, Tolkienesque bar. It’s all curved tree trunks and stone brick walls and has been very considerately maintained to preserve the feeling of olde worlde charm. This part of the pub dates from the mid 17th century and provides wonderful nooks and crannies for a snug evening of drinking and gossip.
On a subsequent (daytime) visit, I discovered the pub has a more modern wing, featuring a conservatory and garden with views over the Crimple Valley. This end is much more suited to dining and functions, so there are two distinct and complementary atmospheres under one roof.
The food is very good. As well as the usual pie and lasagne options on the menu are tucked away treats like calves’ liver with bacon and hot sausage, onion and gravy sarnies. There are also full gluten-free and kids’ menu, so no-one is left with insufficient options.
The Travellers Rest is accessed by foot or car via a bobbly, single-track private road, so you feel like you’re arriving somewhere a little secret and tucked away. Its also on the Ringway Walk, a 20-mile circular saunter round Harrogate. So, if you time it right, you can complete the entire circuit and finish up at the pub before closing time. Succeed in that and you’ll have certainly earned your pint.
The Travellers Rest, Crimple Lane, Follifoot, Harrogate HG3 1DF. Tel: 01423 883960, www.thetravellersrestharrogate.co.uk

About The Author

Dave Lee

Dave Lee is TV producer and film-maker who also writes on food & drink, travel and culture for various publications. He is a regular contributor on BBC Radio 4 and the Yorkshire Post. Worryingly, he believes that the finest food on earth is the pattie butty.

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