Saracen's Head gastropub

The Saracen's Head hotel, restaurant and pub occupies a spectacular spot at Symonds Yat East on the River Wye, around six miles outside of Ross. Many rooms overlook the river and guests can even stay in the old boat house, one of the many large rooms converted to hip modern interriors.

‘When we took it over it was basically a pub with rooms,' says Pete Rollinson, who runs the Saracen's Head with his brother Chris. ‘We had to work at it - we've built it up and built it up, but we're blessed with a great location. It's just grown year on year.'

Many of the guests are loyal repeat customers - especially the walkers, climbers, cyclists and canoe and kayak enthusiasts drawn by Symond's Yat's unbeatable opportunities for outdoor activities. These include the recently shored-up man-made rapids, a legacy of the local iron ore smelting trade and a major destination for canoeists.

‘A lot of outdoor people come here,' says Pete. ‘There are the first class rapids, as well as an outdoor centre a couple of hundred yards away that specialises in canoeing and rock climbing among and other things. It's the location, undoubtedly, but the food's excellent as well. We've done the whole place out - all the rooms are nice, but some are great.'

Open all year round, the Saracen's Head has a flagstone-floored bar, along with a separate lounge, dining room and riverside terraces. Here drinkers and diners can watch the ancient hand ferry as it transports customers from one bank to the other. ‘It is a genuine mode of transport - we use it to bring people across from the other side of the river,' he says.' It's good for people who want to go walking on the other side - there is a footbridge, but it's about a mile and a half away. It's a really nice thing to come across by hand ferry in the summer for a drink in the local pub. We have to operate it though - we can't just let any punter use it.'

The hotel is now looking to expand, with planning permission to add a few more of the top class rooms, and continues to offer first rate meals made from locally sourced produce including Welsh beef, Carmarthenshire pork, Herefordshire beef, local pheasant and Pantysgawn goats cheese, along with a range of desserts made from local fruits and berries.

‘We're excellently placed for local produce because of our situation,' he says. ‘We're in Herefordshire, but we've got Gloucestershire 200 yards away and Wales a mile and a half way, which means we use produce from all of those places. And the slow roasted shoulder of Welsh mountain lamb is very, very nice.'

www.saracensheadinn.co.uk