The Olive Branch

Leafy and prosperous, the village of Clipsham sits prettily among the rolling fields of Rutland, its quiet charms giving little indication of the past importance of its limestone quarries, the stone from which was used to build scores of England’s most important buildings. Nowadays its star-turn is The Olive Branch, a delectable gastropub housed in a stone cottage on the edge of the village. The décor, with its exposed wooden beams and bare walls, manages to be folksy and rural without being twee, and there is a good-sized patio, too. The food is outstanding, with a selection of tapas at lunchtime and a dinner menu featuring imaginative variations on traditional dishes. The owners are particular about where they source their food, using local suppliers and growing lots of veg in the neighbouring paddock. They also offer 6 elegant, individually decorated rooms in the attractively restored Beech House, across the road; bathrooms have double-ended baths and power showers and overnight stays are rounded off with a sumptuous breakfast in the adjacent barn.