The Bay Horse Hotel

59 Upper Town, Wolsingham, Weardale,
Co Durham DL13 3EX

Tel: 01388 527220

Website: www.thebayhorsehotel.com

Wolsingham is one of the oldest market towns in County Durham, and the Bay Horse Hotel has long been one of its most distinguished buildings. Owner Richard Chwieseni (Chick) has invested a great deal of time and money in revitalising this fine old hotel, and July 2005 saw the completion of the refurbishment of the seven guest bedrooms, a programme that included the installation of new bathroom suites. Four rooms at the front have balconies that afford splendid views down the village and across to open countryside. Richard has the services of first-class managers in Trevor and Liz, who provide a warm, relaxing ambience in which visitors and guests feel immediately at ease.

The public areas boast many distinctive, often unique features, including superb old French and Dutch furniture in the bars and restaurant and the clever use of natural branches and twigs as dividing screens between tables. One part of the dining area has a flagstone floor, a wood-burning stove and branches on the ceiling illuminated by pretty little fairy lights. Bar snacks are served at lunchtime, and in the restaurant à la carte and set menus provide a mouthwatering choice of wide appeal. Traditionalists can tuck into fish & chips, sausages & mash or steak & kidney pudding, while the more adventurous might go for ham hock & foie gras terrine, goat's cheese & red pepper parfait, monkfish and mussels in a shallot, celery and Chablis cream or corn-fed chicken breast with roasted garlic, chorizo, saffron and dry sherry.