Parkers Arms

At the end of the winding moor road into Newton-in-Bowland, chef-patron Stosie Madi and Kathy Smith have spent nearly two decades turning a whitewashed village inn into somewhere extraordinary: in 2023 it was named the best gastropub in Britain. The cooking is rooted absolutely in Bowland — game from the surrounding estates, lamb and cheeses from neighbouring farms, wild garlic and brambles from the lanes — and the pies alone are worth the journey; many consider them the finest in the country. Yet it remains a proper pub, with fell walkers and dogs by the fire, local ale on the bar, and the Hodder valley green and quiet outside the windows.

An independent, owner-run village inn in the remote Forest of Bowland whose hyper-local cooking earned it the national number one gastropub title — quality signals do not come stronger.

• Food Lovers
• Weekend Escape
• Walkers
• Dog Friendly