LYDDINGTON.

This charming and attractive country inn is set amongst the sandstone cottages of Lyddington, a rural Rutland village surrounded by the slopes of the Welland Valley. The building is 17th century and still retains its original beamed ceilings, stone walls and open fires and is surrounded by well stocked gardens. Inside there are a number of rooms that differ in style and content. To the right of the entrance is the restaurant area with its white tablecloths and round tables laid out for expensive food. To the left are a series of rooms that have low ceilings and stone flag floors that are occasionally uneven. Here you will find the small bar area opposite a range which is sometimes used. The walls are stone and there are old pictures of the area and pub on the walls. The bar serves two or three real ales - these don't change very much, but they are well kept, if a little on the expensive side. The toilets are here too, and fit into the overall ambience of the pub. For overflow there is another room upstairs to eat and they will fetch your beer for you. Food is available in both the bar and restaurant throughout the week, lunchtime and evening, except for Sunday nights. The menu is seasonally adjusted with specials and 'early bird' bargains available. If you fancy it in the summer, you can use the Petanque (French Boules) area - though it has floodlights, so you can use it any time of the year from April to October. It is often used as a sort of function room for parties of tired office workers from Leicester. You can also have training on boules if you wish. There is accommodation here too (single £50, double £75/80), five en-suite rooms - individually decorated to a high standard. Full English breakfast is included and includes home-made sausages. Close to Eyebrook Reservoir you can walk, cycle or bird watch. Rutland Water is also not far away and Rockingham Castle is just 5 miles away. Access for the disabled is not really possible due to the nature of the floors and narrow passageways inherent in a building this age.