Nestled away in the Yorkshire Dales and on the edge of the Lake District, The Black Bull is a coaching inn and dining room in the tiny village of Sedbergh. When I’m away on a British staycation, I always dream of staying in these tiny villages and they never really amount to anything, but Sedbergh was exactly what we wanted. Small, local and with endless walks at almost every turn. Not to mention some stunning scenery and enough pubs to keep us well watered.
Our home for the night, The Black Bull is a traditional 17th century inn which in 2018 was lovingly refurbished by owners James Ratcliffe and Nina Matsunaga who have managed to retain that all important cosy village feel, yet it’s rooms upstairs are something quite spectacular – especially if you book one of their suites like the one we stayed in. The bed is as cosy as it looks (imagine bespoke mattresses and locally made woollen throws) and the slight Japanese design gives it a polished look.
If you thought that bed looked cosy, turn around and there is the most spectacular bathroom you’re ever likely to see in an inn, blending a touch of luxury with slick, modern design. If you know me well, you’ll know I love a good bathroom and so you can imagine the excitement this one gave to me.
Step inside this glass doored bathroom (you can pull back the drapes for added privacy) and you’ll find an invigorating walk-in rain shower and at the other end a luxuriously deep free-standing bath. Admittedly I did find the tap system a bit clumsy on the bath and a lack of space to place the heavenly bath products on whilst in it, but it’s nothing much to detract from the experience of a long soak in this lovely bath.
Talking of those heavenly bath products to create that full in-room spa experience. You’ll love the bespoke ‘Petrichor’ toiletries; (a word which describes the evocative earthy smell of rain falling on dry earth), designed exclusively for The Black Bull by The Sedbergh Soap Co. I just love how they source as much as possible locally.
At the other end of the suite, there’s also a cosy lounge with flat screen TV, sofa, writing desk and those all important tea/coffee making facilities. Plus it’s a great spot for being a little nosey from the window, looking down onto the main high street and watching the village life go by.
Once you finished relaxing it that oh-so gorgeous bath, then head downstairs to the bar. We came here during the Winter, just before lockdown and I’m not sure if it ever actually stopped snowing, but that meant it was an absolutely perfect time to be enjoying The Black Bull. Wooden floors, red leather seating and wood-burning stoves. It’s all very cosy, but still slightly modern.
That modern design continues even more so as you make your way into the dining room. Rustic, relaxed, comfortable and in-keeping with the rest of the property, but with just enough flair to showcase the food. Head chef here is actually one of the owners, Nina Matsunaga and she’s done a fabulous job of creating a menu which utilities the best of British and European cuisine, but adding her own Asian twist to the dishes.
Kicking off our evening (after a couple of glasses of wine in the bar first) were these gorgeous little swordfish beignets which were absolutely stunninf. Oh-so crispy and perfectly golden – but inside was the real treat. Succulent swordfish meat with a fermented chilli sauce which packed a nice punch and dipping sauce for dunking. I loved these a lot and only wish I was eating them again now.
For our starters, we tucked into two dishes (to share of course) and gosh were they good. Presentation wise they admittedly didn’t really entice us in, but my gosh did they make up for in flavour. Very good was the wild rabbit, cauliflower, dandelion and yogurt. The flavour and cooking of it was exceptional. But star dish I think of our entire meal was the smoked cod cheek with Yorkshire rhubarb. The cod, smothered in a blackened smoke crumb was so good it had me salivating and the rhubarb, also full of acidity meant I was practically in heaven after every single bite. An amazing dish which if they ever needed to become a signature – I think this would be it.
We both ordered the same main course (something we never do), but it sounded so good we just couldn’t resist missing out and for good reason. A succulent and expertly cooked pork loin with Turkish pepper, red pepper and wild garlic. This was such a sensational plate of food and the only way to describe it was to compare it to a Turkish kebab. It tasted exactly like those I’ve had on holiday in the country, yet instead it looked like something out of the Michelin guide. The best part of this dish was one of the peppers, it had been stuffed with a spicy pork filling which was absolutely delicious.
To finish, a rich and decadent Millionaires tart. I wasn’t completely in love with the pastry case on this, it was a touch too hard, but the chocolate filling, chocolate ice cream and caramel sauce was a real treat. If that pastry case was just a little more crumbly, this would have been even more of a delight to eat than it already was.
The next morning we tucked into a delicious breakfast (all sourced locally) and took ourselves off for a walk in the countryside. It was snowing the night before and so we couldn’t have been happier to wake up to a such a glorious sunny morning, with that lovely Wintery chill in the air to reflect back on what had been such a lovely stay and an even more delicious dinner. If you ever find yourself in the area then make sure you stay or if you’re simply looking to get away from it all – this is the perfect place to retreat too. Would we come back to The Black Bull? Yes!
What a beautiful room, I was not expecting that bathroom! Stunning!