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Pub Review: The Cow and Calf, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley
BUFFETED by gales and the rain and the ravages of time, the stone fortress of the Cow and Calf stands like a bulwark on the bleak vertiginous slopes of Ilkley Moor.
Driving up steep Hangingstone Road from the town centre, the stone outcrop of the Cow and the giant boulder of the Calf remain the powerful legacy of the ice age, dramatic silhouettes against the night sky. Nearby, stones carved with cups and rings and grooves tell of the moor’s Bronze Age past.
A stone circle known as The Twelve Apostles, and the ornate ‘swastika stone’ show that this desolate place has been a centre of civilisation for millennia.
Though glorious walking country in summer, on this windswept Monday night as snow flurries drift in across the hillside, Ilkley Moor feels a fitting location for the Yorkshire anthem which bears its name, with its macabre, morbid circle-of-life theme.
We pull up our collars and dash across the icy car park, falling happily into the Cow and Calf’s welcoming embrace.
Originally known as the Benrhydding, this was Britain’s first hydropathic hotel when it opened in 1844. It was later a private home and then a boarding house, but has been a popular pub for many years now. An old Victorian well still sits in the grounds, a reminder of its original purpose.
The pub re-opened last week after a short but thorough £150,000 renovation which included new fitted seating, replacement windows, doors, flooring and lighting – and stepping inside, you are immediately struck by that “all new” feel. It looks immaculate, the farmhouse trappings of gnarled beams and stone lintels clearly modern additions, but every bit in keeping with the sturdy Yorkshire stone exterior.
Landlord Paul Stephenson talks up the new look: “We have private country dining within the traditional pub environment for a more relaxed and refined eating out experience that will set us apart from the normal country inn. The end result is candlelit dinners at beautifully laid tables and an ambience that, whilst remaining informal and welcoming, is more select and desirable.”
Dining
And with seating for 157, and a menu which runs from noon until late, the Cow and Calf is very much a dining pub. It’s clearly suffering a slight post-weekend hangover when we call in – the waitress reads out a whole list of choices which are “off”, and even when we have ordered she’s forced to return to apologise and add haddock and chips to the list of dishes which have fallen by the wayside. “There’s a delivery due tomorrow,” she tells us, perhaps hoping we can wait.
That said, the meals which are available are all of a decent standard, best of all my tender pork belly (£11.95) which is served with a slab of juicy black pudding, mound of mashed potato and a curious apple fritter which reminds me of something you might order as a dessert in a Chinese restaurant.
Most of our fellow customers are dining, though there’s a decent choice for the drinkers too, with three permanent real ales and two guests. Two of the regular beers are straightforward entry-level ales – Black Sheep and Leeds Pale – though the third is the less obvious and really sharp and refreshing Natural Blonde from Harviestoun in Scotland. Again though, the choice is limited by the ravages of the weekend; the Black Sheep and the two guest ales – both from the local Ilkley Brewery – are currently unavailable.
Only the Leeds beer comes in at under £3, equally most of the more interesting main courses here are hovering around the £10-£13 mark, so a trip to the Cow and Calf is scarcely the budget option.
But I guess you pay for quality and location, and Paul seems confident that the amount expended on the new look justifies the up-market pricing: “The renovations make a very big difference to the overall mood and atmosphere and guests old and new are sure to love it.
“The vintage charm we’re famous for still prevails, but we’re also providing the modern comforts and amenities that guest come to expect nowadays.”
He describes it as “a best of both worlds approach”, adding: “My message to the good folk of Ilkley and nearby is come and celebrate a fantastic new beginning with us.”
He’s casting the net further afield - as the pub also looks to engage with those who want to use Ilkley as a base for short breaks, walking weekends, and generally seeing the local sights. The refit has also seen serious upgrades to the pub’s 13 hi-spec guest bedrooms, and there can be few locations which offer this degree of comfort combined with the amazing panoramic views from this glorious daleside location.
But sadly on this occasion, home calls. Next time, maybe.
So we settle up and head for the icy car park. And then the descent back down the moor, gently dropping towards the twinkling lights of Wharfedale.
Email: s.w.jenkins@ntlworld.com
Twitter: @jenkolovesbeer
FACTFILE
Name: The Cow and Calf
Host: Paul Stephenson
Type: Well-kept country inn and restaurant Opening hours: noon-11pm Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pm Sun
Beers: Black Sheep (£3), Harviestoun Natural Blonde (£3.20), Leeds Pale (£2.95), Peroni (£3.90), Carling (£2.90), Becks (£3), Stella Artois (£3.30), Grolsch (£3.40), Aspalls (£3.50), Strongbow (£3.15)
Wine: Good selection
Food: Quality restaurant menu served from opening time until late, daily.
Accommodation: Bed and breakfast available - 13 bedrooms
Entertainment: Occasional themed events - bookings now being taken for Valentine’s Day
Children: Welcomed
Disabled: Ramp access available
Beer Garden: Outdoor drinking space to the front, with panoramic views
Parking: Large area to the side and rear
Telephone: 01943 607335
Website: http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thecowandcalfilkley
Beer of the week
Bath Gem
Bath Ales haven’t been around for too long, and yet they are fast gaining a reputation for the quality of their crafted beers, both on draught and by the bottle. At the same time, they have built up a great range of well-kept foody pubs in the West Country.
And while you’re unlikely to find many of their beers on draught in Yorkshire – save for at festivals – their bottled ales are increasingly available in supermarkets and off licences and always worth trying.
At 4.8 per cent ABV, Gem is their premium amber ale, which announces itself as soon as you open the bottle to unleash a big fresh blast of aromatic hops. It pours a lovely attractive amber colour, and its assertive, full taste is packed with dates, damsons, and just a suggestion of toffee.
Its final dryness slowly reveals itself as the beer finishes its journey south.
www.bathales.com
Appearance ****
Aroma ****
Taste ****
Aftertaste ***
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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