15 Jun Jump in the Hrududu and head to Watership Down
If, like me, you fell in love with the lives of Fiver, Hazel, Cowslip Bigwig and Silver Pipkin, then a visit to Watership Down Inn is a must. In fact, even if you’re not, there are compelling reasons to jump in the Hrududu and head over to this country pub set just south of the rolling downlands which were the backdrop for Richard Adams’ novel.
We did just that, staying in their new garden buildings which are modern, large, bright, and super-comfortable although they do also have beautiful rooms in the inn itself, which dates back to the 1800s.
Our room wasn’t quite ready when we arrived, but it’s always interesting to watch a quality hospitality team turn a negative into a positive. In this case, the delay was turned into a plus when we were offered complimentary drinks on a sun-drenched terrace, watched over by a giant rabbit painted on the brick wall of this historic inn.
This is a perfect place to stay if you want to visit the Bombay Sapphire Distillery which is just down the road, and definitely worth a visit, complete with its Cocktail Masterclass.
The Inn is an ideal spot for walkers and cyclists and it’s dog-friendly too. For the gardener, the Terrace is dotted with cottage garden perennials that are so English they should be enjoying tea from the pot not water from the host.
No doubt these come from Hardy’s Cottage Gardens just down the lane. One of the UK’s leading plantsmen nurseries, Hardy’s is an amazing small, independent nursery founded by Rosy Hardy in 1988.
From this nursery, they grow and sell the most beautiful, often rare cottage garden plants you will ever find.
The dinner menu was limited, a sign of the COVID times, and although we were a little disappointed with the range on offer, we weren’t disappointed with the food itself. Delicious.
We can whole-heartedly recommend the Watership Down Inn – and will be returning!
