Paper Mill Inn, Derbyshire

Overview

Sister pub with rooms to Daniel Capper's 16th-century Old Hall Inn set in sleepy Whitehough surrounded by glorious Peak District countryside, the spruced up Paper Mill Inn is very different pub, with a cool, stripped back industrial feel, and a buzzy, informal atmosphere.

It's also the place to be for cracking craft ales and keg beers, freshly made pizzas from the wood-fired oven and interesting global dishes on an ever-changing street food menu, served Thursday evenings to Sunday. The contemporary-rustic bar features stone walls and floors, simple furnishings and local artwork, blazing winter fires and there's room for brilliant Bottle Shop selling Belgian and locally brewed craft beers.

Rooms above the inn are a little bolder and more colourful than the Old Hall Inn reflecting the energy and contemporary vibe of the pub with its bustling bar and younger, more lively crowd. Daniel also owns several very comfortable self-catering places in the village, ideal for families or those looking for more space for longer stays in this stunning area.

Note: the Paper Mill is lively until late at weekends so you may hear the hum of the bar below.

Rooms from:

Doubles and twins: £90

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted
Alfresco & private dining
Beer shop
Parking available
No dogs overnight; welcome in bar

Scenic and serene
Nestled in a sleepy village in the heart of the idyllic Peak District, this is the place to be for some real rest and relaxation.

Outdoor adventures
Enjoy sensational local walking around the Pennines; the Pennine Way starts at nearby Edale - just 8 mins by train. Or, explore the many off road cycling trails that start from the inn itself.

Rooms

The rooms above the inn are quirkier and more contemporary than those at the Old Hall Inn, as befits the general feel of this vibrant pub with rooms.

However, you will find quilts on brass or wooden beds, rich fabrics, painted furnishings, interesting artwork, modern bathrooms, and plenty of cossetting extras - Nespresso machine, Smart TV and free use of 'Garmin' navigation devices already loaded with local walking routes.

The best (Room 11) comes with a roll-top bath, separate walk-in rain shower, and a balcony with seating area. The Annexe is a quirky, converted out-house with two compact but lovely rooms, one up, one down each with their own entrance and outstanding views of Chinley Churn. Two large rooms have private bathrooms and share a hallway, so can only be let together and are perfect for families. The larger room has a designer bathroom - deep copper tub, walk-in shower and double sinks.

Alternatively, there are cosy, country-style rooms at the Old Hall Inn and Daniel's stunning self-catering places located around Whitehough, including Crackin' View Studio, a cool bolthole for two with mezzanine bedroom, kitchenette, log-burning stove and heated patio - plus it's strolling distance to the Old Hall Inn for breakfast.

Restaurant & bar

The food offering at the Paper Mill Inn is very different to the Old Hall, so if you love handmade pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven, or pop-up street food style dishes then settle into the Paper Mill Inn, the perfect accompaniment to the fabulous craft beer on offer.

Pizzas are hand stretched and baked on stone 'Romana' style in the wood-fired oven, perhaps topped with chorizo, chicken, roasted peppers and spicy salsa. Kitchen dishes trawl the globe for inspiration - tagliatelle, king prawns and bisque sauce, or Korean fried crispy chicken, kimchi and fragrant rice. Don't miss Sunday brunch (12-5pm) - steak and eggs with mojo verde, followed by blueberry pancakes.

You can also enjoy the two pub kitchens in one place, with the specially designed garden menu, featuring global dishes from the Paper Mill's fire pit and excellent boxed meals from the Old Hall kitchen.

Beer aficionados will find a mind-boggling 8 ales on tap (local Thornbridge, Abbeydale and Bollington brews), alongside a raft of interesting craft beers, ciders, and cocktails. If you enjoyed Le Chouffe Blonde, a classic unfiltered Belgian beer with a light hop taste and spiced with coriander (8%), then why not take a bottle or two home from the Bottle Shop in the bar.

Things to do

Chatsworth House is one of the great treasure houses and stately homes of England; the seat of the Duke of Devonshire. The house devours superlatives: furniture, tapestries, sculptures, porcelain, and a collection of old masters are unrivalled outside major museums. The landscaped grounds sport cascades and the impressive Emperor Fountain amidst a home estate modelled by Capability Brown.

Haddon Hall is a sublime English fortified manor house built in the 1380's, and essentially mothballed since the Duke of Rutland forsook it as his main residence 300 years ago. Set in woodland on a promontory above the river Wye, this fairytale marvel has featured in countless period films and television adaptations.

This little Peak District village of Castleton is the capital of accessible caverns in the UK. There are four different systems to visit, the most unusual of which is Speedwell Cavern, at the foot of the Winnats Pass where the visit is made by tub-boat on an underground waterway. At other caverns such as Treak Cliff, Blue John Stone is still worked, to be painstakingly crafted into jewellery and artefacts