UK fishing hotels you'll fall for hook, line and sinker from Hampshire to Devon
Oh-fish-ial research this summer from Anglia Ruskin University confirmed what anglers have known for years: fishing is good for our mental health.
Serene landscapes of lakes and rivers soothe the soul while fresh air and vitamin D benefit the body. Now add a night in a great British hotel for a break that will really reel you in. And with TV angling show Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - featuring comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse - proving a delightful hit for BBC viewers, there's no better time to head to the riverbank.
Here, the Good Hotel Guide lists 10 great places for a fantastic fishing break. For more ideas, see goodhotelguide.com/editors-choice-fishing-hotels.
The Grosvenor Stockbridge, Hampshire
The Grosvenor Stockbridge bar (DAILY MIRROR)Dubbed the fly-fishing capital of the world, Stockbridge is also home to The Grosvenor, owned by the exclusive Houghton Fishing Club. Guests have access to some of the finest chalk-stream fishing in the rivers Test and Itchen and can order hampers for days on the river. There is tuition for novices on nearby Nether Wallop lake. A makeover has given the hotel a bright new look, with bold colours in the 31 rooms. Should you fail to land a fish, you can still order citrus-cured River Test trout from the menu.
- Doubles from £191, B&B, thegrosvenorstockbridge.com
The Peacock at Rowsley, Bakewell, Derbyshire
The Peacock in Derbyshire (DAILY MIRROR)Forget A River Runs Through It – four rivers flow through the Haddon Estate, offering more than 15 miles of fishing, with guiding and tuition. Among them, the Derbyshire Wye is known for its rare wild rainbow trout. Lord and Lady Edward Manners’ Peak District hotel is at the heart of the fisheries, with gardens running down to the River Derwent. The 17th-century manor overflows with art and antiques and includes a beamed bar as well as a formal dining room renowned for serving delicious estate food.
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- Doubles from £245, B&B, thepeacockatrowsley.com
The Bell at Skenfrith, Skenfrith, Monmouthshire
The Bell at Skenfrith (DAILY MIRROR)Bedrooms are named after fishing flies at this 17th-century coaching inn beside a stone bridge over the River Monnow. From Tups Indispensable to Heckham Peckham, they’re all beautifully furnished in soft colours and pretty fabrics, with a mix of vintage and contemporary pieces. The pub makes a great base for fishing the Monnow and further afield – the Bell can advise you where to go and can arrange a local guide should you wish. Return to its smart, fresh interiors and a meal strong in local produce – perhaps Welsh lamb cutlet followed by Welsh cheese.
- Doubles from £185, B&B, thebellatskenfrith.co.uk
Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
The Devonshire Arms HotelPart of the Duke of Devonshire’s 30,000-acre estate at Bolton Abbey, this former 17th-century inn is now an impressive country-house hotel, with fine dining and spa. What’s more, it has four-and-a-half miles of double-bank fishing along the River Wharf, where anglers can fish for brown trout or grayling, depending on the season. A sister hotel to The Cavendish, Baslow, the Devonshire Arms mixes antiques with stylish contemporary furniture and artwork from the Chatsworth collection. Bedrooms feature both traditional and contemporary design, and there are walks from the door.
- Doubles in March from £207, B&B, devonshirehotels.co.uk
Walwick Hall Humshaugh, Northumberland
Walwick Hall bar (DAILY MIRROR)This small, country-house hotel has made quite the catch – it has landed James Stokoe, winner of the BBC’s Earth’s Wildest Waters, as a fly-fishing guide for salmon and sea trout on the Tyne. Having fished the river for 20 years, he knows his way around. There’s plenty more to do in the area, from hiking by Hadrian’s Wall to falconry, or you could just gaze at the sweeping views of the Tyne Valley from the pool pavilion. Afternoon tea is popular here, but save space for a dinner of local and home-grown produce before retiring to a stylish room.
- Doubles from £270, B&B, walwickhall.com
Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot, Devon
Hotel Endsleigh artwork (DAILY MIRROR)The Tamar River winds through the hotel’s estate, an Elysian landscape created by Humphry Repton of woodlands, follies and grottos. Olga Polizzi’s hotel is a member of Endsleigh Fishing Club, and guests can fish for trout, grayling and salmon on eight miles of riverbank; a ghillie is on hand for tuition or tips. Be sure to return for afternoon tea, served in the panelled library of this former Regency hunting lodge at 3.30pm each day. At night, enjoy the seafood at dinner before retiring to the stylish rooms.
- Doubles from £260, B&B, thepolizzicollection.com
Shieldaig Lodge, Gairloch, Ross and Cromarty
Shieldaig Lodge, Gairloch (DAILY MIRROR)The chefs at this former shooting lodge on the shores of Loch Gairloch will cook a five-course feast from your haul after a day spent catching crab, lobster or langoustine with local creel fishermen in the Bay of Badachro. The 26,000-acre estate is also the perfect place for fly fishing on rivers, lochs and lochans. There’s something for all levels, from casting lessons on the lodge’s lawn to spending the day with a ghillie. Back at base, the dog-friendly lodge has beautiful public rooms with plenty of original features, as well as traditional bedrooms.
- Doubles from £112, B&B, shieldaiglodge.com
Dolffanog Fawr, Tywyn, Gwynedd
Dollfanog Fawrm in Gwynedd (DAILY MIRROR)You might not get a mobile phone signal at Lorraine Hinkins and Alex Yorke’s farmhouse B&B, but you will be within a 10-minute drive of four of the top salmon and sea-trout rivers in Wales. Guests receive complementary fishing on more than 13 miles of the Mawddach and Wnion. The waters of Tal-y-llyn, brimming with brown trout, are almost at the back door, along with Cader Idris. Four cottage-style bedrooms are named after the local rivers and share use of an honesty bar and outdoor hot tub.
- Doubles from £120, B&B, dolffanogfawr.co.uk (open March to October)
The Inn at Whitewell, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire
Inn at Whitewell (DAILY EXPRESS)Even if you don’t get a bite from fishing for trout and salmon along seven miles of the Hodder when staying here, there’s still this inn’s famous fish pie to look forward to, which is made from poached haddock with prawns, potatoes and lashings of cheese. Right on the water’s edge, the inn has four rods on the river, with 14 pools and plenty of runs; they can also supply a ghillie. Afterwards, wash your fishing tackle in the dog shower before relaxing in the stone-flagged bar with a pint of local ale.
- Doubles from £145, B&B, innatwhitewell.com
The Meikleour Arms Blairgowrie, Perthshire
The Meikleour ArmsFormerly the Meikleour Hotel Fishing Lodge, this inn on the Marquess of Lansdowne’s estate has catered for anglers for almost two centuries. Today, they own and run their own salmon fishing offering, with Fish, Eat, Sleep packages, and in January host the official opening of the River Tay salmon fishing season, which runs until mid October. You can book lessons and take a boat out with a guide. Back at the inn, dinner features local specialities with a French twist, and the rooms have an understated elegance (cottage number five has the best river view).
- Doubles from £90, B&B, meikleourarms.co.uk
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