The Horseshoe And Castle

We stopped by after walking the dog for drinks and snacks at Saturday and Sunday lunchtime. Saturday was very quiet, Sunday was packed, but we got a warm welcome both times. The cosy atmosphere and real fire were lovely, and the whitebait, giant pigs in blankets, chicken skewers and home cut chips were all excellent. There was just one cask ale, Masterbrew, and it had been kept very well. A great pub, well worth making a special trip for.

The best part of this place is its charm and the people who run it. Kevin and Lynne were helpful and did a great job. We spent two nights in a nice room with a lovely view, and both breakfast and dinner were really good. I’d come again.

It’s a lovely old-fashioned pub in the small village of Cooling. We’d already eaten lunch when we visited, but the food looked good. Hopefully we’ll get to try something next time we’re in the area.

The setting is pretty, but Sunday lunch was a real letdown after we’d planned the visit well in advance and looked forward to it based on the reviews. The pub was busy, so perhaps the staff were tied up there, but the restaurant had vacant tables and wasn’t especially full. We waited a long time to be asked about drinks, and the food took ages to arrive. My fish and chips were disappointing: a tiny bit of fish under lots of batter, hard mushy peas and mostly dry, chewy chips. My husband enjoyed his vegetarian roast until he found several pieces of meat, which looked like roast beef. He’s vegetarian and didn’t eat any of it. When we told the waitress as the plates were cleared, she said the meat was in the gravy, which we’d already worked out. We didn’t ask for a replacement because the meal had taken so long, and she didn’t apologise or seem to understand why meat gravy with a vegetarian dish was inappropriate. It wasn’t cheap either. I can’t comment on the rooms, so my rating is based on the restaurant, which was crammed with dead, stuffed animals. There was no parking available, and we had to park a long way down the narrow street, so keep that in mind if you’re driving.