FOUR MILES east of Bridport, The Spyway Inn sits in idyllic countryside at the foot of Eggardon Hill.

It may look isolated but it is actually only a mile from the A35 trunk road, down through the centre of Askerswell and then uphill towards the top of the village.

We get a warm welcome when we arrive at this family-run free house.

The beer

Otter Bitter and Otter Ale are served by gravity, directly from the cask. The Spyway is one of only a handful of Dorset pubs to do this.

I do like Otter Ale, which is brewed near Honiton in Devon, about 30 miles away, and has a full-bodied taste.

Otter ales are gradually reaching eastwards, a welcome move.

The pub

The main bar is warm, small and intimate. The brick bar is a 1960s construction, but the beams and walls betray a much older pedigree, as do the flagstones in the entrance lobby and behind the bar. There is a larger restaurant on the other side of the entrance passage.

AA four-star bedrooms are advertised. (Staying in a pub has never been more popular).

It is sparklingly clean throughout and my wife Joan was much impressed by the handcream and tissues in the smart Ladies toilet!

In warmer times, there’s a nice garden with space for campers.

The food

The menu is interesting and shows enterprise.

From the starters, I chose haddock topped by Welsh rarebit. This unusual combination certainly works and the creaminess of the rarebit combines well with the skinless and boneless white fish. I discovered the fish comes from the famed Samways fishmongers at Bridport – always a guarantee of quality.

Joan enjoyed the prawn cocktail, set in a creamy Marie Rose sauce and served in a shell-shaped dish.

I’m ever fond of steak & kidney pie – one of the great staples of British pub food and too often disappointing. Not so at The Spyway.

Here the steak & Otter Ale pie is a thick square slice of pie with mostly soft pastry and succulent pieces of steak. It came with mashed potato and peas, just as I had requested. A couple of shots of Worcestershire Sauce heightens the flavour of the meat.

Joan loves liver and bacon, which was well cooked with fresh vegetables – carrots, broccoli and mashed swede – with onion rings.

The verdict

A good hearty lunch on a cold February day was much enjoyed.

It was our first visit to The Spyway, but it certainly won’t be our last.

Further details: The Spyway Inn, Askerswell, Near Bridport, Dorset, DT2 9EP. (Its official postal town may actually be Dorchester, but it is much closer to Bridport).

Tel: 01308-485250

Opening hours: Noon – 3pm, 6pm – Close.

Click here for a map showing the Spyway’s location

Editor’s Note: Michel Hooper-Immins belongs to the British Guild of Beer Writers, whose members share “a love of beer and a desire to see its virtues communicated more effectively.” He is a leading member of CAMRA’s Wessex Region, and his name can often be found in The Good Pub Guide.

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