Ian Pearson, who owns the Old Cider House with his partner Lynne Abbott, had a Road to Damascus moment on the Central Line platform of the tube station at Mile End in East London seven years ago. The first tube to arrive was so packed he could not squeeze on. When the sixth arrived and again was chock-full, he gave up and went home vowing never to buy another season ticket again.

They left the city and have created a gem of a guesthouse on the flanks of the Quantocks, the hills that were the first to get Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status over 50 years ago.

“We had been using B&Bs for so long on our walking weekends that we were getting quite expert on evaluating the service on offer,” says Ian. “We got ideas of what to do, and what not to do, and decided that we could do it better.”

They bought the Old Cider House in 2002. Back then it was a large, elegant, Edwardian, if rather plain, private house, now converted to a five bedroom all en-suite guesthouse. The plan was to offer walking holidays and the village was an ideal location. As well as the Quantocks just up the road, Nether Stowey was where the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived for three years (his house is owned by the National Trust and is a museum 01278-732662 open April to September Thursday to Sunday 2pm to 5pm). Those years were his most productive – walking in the Quantocks with his neighbours Dorothy and William Wordsworth was inspirational (and this was before he became addicted to opium) and he composed The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (after visiting the nearby port of Watchett) and Kubla Khan amongst other poems.

Mount Somerset Hotel, Taunton, Somerset

This is a place to relax and luxuriate, to dress for dinner, and to play the country squire

BACKGROUND

• The Old Cider House, Nether Stowey, Somerset

• Glencot House, Wookey Hole, Somerset

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Since opening, Ian and Lynne have adapted to the demands in the market and specialise in Real Ale walking breaks, although even lager drinkers can stay and also those who loathe any form of exercise. They also have a dog-friendly policy: Ozy, their black labrador is very keen to meet and greet every guest as they walk through the door. I joined them for a two-night Real Ale Walks break with my labradors Tess and Poppy.

It began in Ian’s micro brewery, the Stowey Brewery, in an outbuilding with a tutored beer tasting. He brews for his guests and also supplies the three pubs in the village. We tried a Belgian style pale ale, edging towards the wheat variety but I preferred the bitter, appropriately named Nether Ending. A beer related quiz was fun during the curry meal which followed (“What country am I in if I’m drinking Cerveza? Answer Spain. In which county do they play bat and trap? Answer Kent, and so on). After dinner we went on a guided torchlight stroll to the mote and bailey castle up the road and there was enough time left to amble down to the Rose and Crown with its amiable landlord for a night cap.

We had the Orchard twin room which is at the back and a bit gloomy as it receives no direct sunlight. For the more romantically inclined ask for the Castle room at the front with a four-poster and morning sunshine. Breakfast was ‘furmity’, an excellent traditional Wessex porridge made with oats, sugar, rum, raisin and cream, and then a cooked breakfast using eggs from the hens out the back. Service is attentive and friendly but Ian has strong opinions. Having waited patiently for Aragon (the hen’s are named after Henry VIII’s wives) to produce her morning egg, he carried it directly, still wet, to the kitchen and after scrambling it, was asked for tomato ketchup to “mix up with it.” Ian refused insisting that a three-minute old egg should not be adulterated in such a fashion.

Wonderful day walking up wooded combes of gnarled oak, carpeted with whortle berries, leading to exposed moorland heath with staggering views. North to the Bristol Channel with the Black Mountains beyond. East to the Somerset Levels and Moors and the Mendips behind. West across Quantock Vale to the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. South to the Vale of Taunton Deane and the Blackdown Hills. Evocative whistles from a steam train, eerily beautiful mewings of soaring buzzards and the clear tinkling songs of skylarks.

Ian and Lynne are passionate about food, much of it from their garden and all locally sourced. That evening we were treated to a beer-inspired gourmet menu after a local cider tasting session in the microbrewery. Ian is refreshingly frank. “We are not chefs - we just like cooking good meals for friends.” And as you do with friends, they ate with us.

To start was mini Stowey Brewery ale sausage toads and this was accompanied by beer and peppercorn bread (they make their own bread). A wonderfully cheesy sauce made from West Country cheddar and ale with prawns followed. Another local brewery, Cotleigh, supplied the Golden Eagle beer for the chicken casserole and the sweet was raspberry (from the garden) wheat beer trifle with Hoegaarden and brown bread ice cream. A fun and different meal, with Ozy doing his party piece at the end, taking everyone’s serviettes from the table, back to the kitchen. And then malt whisky with fellow guests in the lounge before retiring, tired but happy, as you are supposed to be after a dinner party with friends.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID: “We found you on the website and liked your entry. We weren’t disappointed.” “Booked in for one night- stayed two. Hospitality great – lovely ambiance.” “Definitely one for my ‘visit again’ B&B list.” “A great weekend – the new walkers said it was an ideal introduction – the experienced loved the walks, food and fun.”

BOTTOM LINE: A two-night Real Ale Walks break starts at £165 per person which includes all meals (lunch sandwiches in the Rose and Crown were excellent), beer from the brewery, four star en-suite accommodation and the fully guided walking. B&B at other times starts from £60 per room (twin or double), £42 if single.

SAMPLING THE FARE: Locally sourced and cooked just before you eat. On Saturdays there is a Somerset taster menu for £18.50 per person, served tapas style –little tastes of venison, game (in season), fruits, vegetables and West Country cheeses. Evening meals on other days are £13.50 for two courses and £17.50 for three. Reasonable selection of wine at reasonable prices. Spanish Rioja £12.50. New Zealand Chardonnay £13.50. Local wine from Oatley winery in Cannington £16.50. Bottled Belgian beers £2.75, English £2.25.

WHAT WE THINK great base for walks, with warm and genuine hospitality from a fun couple who, just like their guests, appreciate good food and drink, good company and good walking.

WORST THING Lack of natural light in the Orchard room.

ACCESS ALL AREAS One room, the above, is mobility friendly.

ROOM 5 out of 10

FOOD 9 out of 10

SERVICE 9 out of 10

VALUE 9 out of 10

The Old Cider House, Nether Stowey, Somerset, tel. 01278-732228; www.theoldciderhouse.co.uk

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