Review: The Old Nags Head – the inn at the start of The Pennine Way
If you’re walking Mam Tor or Kinder Scout from Edale station, and looking to refuel, The Old Nags Head is the perfect spot.
This stone-built, traditional country inn is situated in a building dating back to 1577, and is just a few minutes’ walk from Edale train station.
Having been voted in the top 20 country pubs in the UK by The Times, The Old Nags Head – which bills itself as a ‘hikers bar’ and sees a steady stream of muddy boots through its doors – also marks the official start of The Pennine Way.
A pub for all weather
There’s with a large sunny beer garden if the weather is decent, or a warming fire in winter, making it a great year-round option, with several different rooms and snugs throughout the pub adding to the cosy and welcoming atmosphere.
When it comes to food, the menu offers a wide selection, whether you’re after a hearty meal after a day of rambling or something lighter for a weekday pub lunch.
There are light bites and snacks – think loaded fries smothered with beef brisket or spicy smoky bean chilli, baguettes or jacket potatoes (the latter two served only from 12pm-5pm) – as well as homemade 12″ pizzas with a variety of toppings from £8.90.
A range of burgers includes the aptly named – and suitably towering – Kinder Mountain burger (£11.95), a 6oz prime beef patty topped with crispy bacon, melting Monterey Jack cheddar and onion rings.
Hearty pub classics
Pub classics (around £10 – £14) range from fish and chips made with their own Nags ‘1577’ beer batter, slow cooked beef in red wine and garlic served in a giant Yorkshire pudding, and homemade steak and potato pie, with several vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
We recommend the pick n mix sausage menu – just pick a sausage, mash and sauce to make your own combo for a hearty post-walk treat.
Sausage options range from venison and port or veggie to ‘pride of the Peak’ (pork, garlic and herbs), with a choice of mash (cheddar, wholegrain mustard or garlic) and a selection of sauces and gravies, all £10.95 including peas. You can add on a giant Yorkshire pudding, too, for £1.50.
It’s also worth checking the blackboard for a range of specials, which on our recent visit included a rich game pie with buttery mash, seasonal chicken and asparagus linguine, and a slow-braised lamb shank with mint gravy.
Drinks include a selection of beers – including their own strong, malty dark ale, named Nags 1577 – as well as wines by the glass or bottle.
And if you can’t bear to leave, The Old Nags Head also boasts two delightful cottages looking over the beautiful Edale countryside – Kinder Cottage and Grindsbrook Cottage, named after local walks and areas.
