Short break: Northcote, near Clitheroe, Lancashire

We had just started on the fish course – native lobster roasted over coal with foie gras, sea buckthorn and thermidor sauce – when the texts started to come through.

“I’ve run out of food.” Then, in true ‘Kevin and Perry’ teenager style: “We’re not allowed to go to a shop, it’s sooo unfair.” And finally: “I’m dying. Help me!”

Now, the 16-year-old, despite being a drama student, is usually fairly pragmatic and not given to exaggeration. But then again this was his first ever three-night camping, 50-mile walking expedition for his silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. He was out in Swaledale on the third day of rain on an adventure for which he had paid scant regard to the forecast or his mother’s advice to ration his food. Character education they call it, a test of resilience, teamwork and the other normal stuff of life that’s now considered as CV enhancement for teenagers.

We briefly put down our knives and forks and gave, oh, 20 seconds thought to our son’s capacity to overcome adversity – and ‘borrow’ food from his pals. Yes, we decided, he’d be fine. Then carried on eating.

There was a twinge of guilt, I admit, as we scooped the very last of the just-on-the-right-side of sharp sea buckthorn puree. But guilt is an ever-present part of parenthood, and this particular evening was not one where we needed reminding of it. Son had his ‘team’ – and we had two more courses to look forward to.

We had taken the opportunity while he was yomping across North Yorkshire to head south to Northcote, a boutique hotel near Clitheroe with a Michelin starred restaurant that is the domain of Lisa Goodwin-Allen. Recognisable for her short crop of peroxide hair on programmes like Great British Menu, Lisa is renowned for innovative dishes that display her complete understanding of flavour and her high-level execution to produce exceptionally tasty and appealing food.

Lisa Goodwin-Allen Originally from Lancaster, Lisa started her career in the Lake District at Holbeck Ghyll, near Windermere. After a brief spell at long-standing Michelin star restaurant Le Champignon Sauvage, in Cheltenham, she returned north in 2001 and, aged 20, joined Northcote under Nigel Haworth. A rapid rise through the ranks saw her named head chef of the restaurant and placed in overall charge of the kitchen in 2004 at the age of 23. Two years later she was a finalist for the Roux Scholarship.

Lisa first competed in Great British Menu in 2010 – the only female chef in the competition – and produced a winning dish, a rabbit and leek turnover with piccalilli, becoming one of four chefs to cook at a banquet hosted by the then Prince of Wales.

In 2011 she was named restaurant chef of the year by the Craft Guild of Chefs. She has also been a judge and chef mentor on MasterChef: The Professionals and a judge on Celebrity MasterChef.

Haworth had gained a Michelin star for Northcote in 1996 and held it for the next two decades. As he moved on to be chef ambassador, Lisa successfully retained the star in 2018, a feat she has maintained ever since contributing to the restaurant being among the longest star holders in the UK.

Northcote She returned to Great British Menu for the 2020 Christmas special and won three of the six courses that reached the final banquet served to NHS and key workers in thanks for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was invited back as a judge in 2022.

Now executive chef at Northcote, she has continued to win personal accolades while the sommelier team and mixologist Niamh Preedy have been picking awards for excellence and Lisa’s protégé Sam Dixon is the newly crowned Craft Guild of Chefs young national chef of the year.

Consequently, Northcote is a hotel of choice for foodies, an opportunity to explore the Ribble Valley and the Forest of Bowland combined with the joy of a fabulous dinner after a day out walking.

We had arrived mid-afternoon avoiding the M6 in favour of the scenic route from South Lakes through Kirkby Lonsdale to Settle then south to Clitheroe and on to Langho. Having originally been a private house, the hotel is now just off the busy A59 but you would never know it once into its grounds facing the gardens.

Garden Lodge Junior Suite With our car safely hooked up to one of several electric vehicle chargers, the welcome was warm – it is one of those hotels where every member of staff acknowledges you – we were shown to our junior suite in the Garden Lodge, a two-storey extension separated from the Manor House.

Walking through the huge garden terrace offered a tantalising glimpse of how to spend a lovely sunny afternoon, as did our large balcony overlooking the garden. Instead, and equally lovely in this desperate summer, was the welcoming glow of the flame-effect fire in our suite.

After cups of tea and cookies, a soak in the massive freestanding bath and a change for dinner we headed to the bar. Northcote prides itself on its extensive and award-winning wine list with similar levels of choice for pre-dinner drinks.

I opted for a Candy Floss signature cocktail, a vehicle to highlight the barman’s infusion, milk clarification and foaming techniques in a triple layered concoction reminiscent of a Zoom ice lolly. The non-drinker opted for a Cherry Top mocktail, all things fruity plus sour cherry and grape and hibiscus cordial.

Gin lovers can choose Northcote’s own Obsession Gin with botanicals from the Ribble Valley, the hotel gardens and the Lancashire coast or from plenty of other options from local distilleries. The hotel also has a partnership with Louis Roederer Champagne.

Amuse bouche The dining room is large, at the front of the hotel with most tables enjoying a view of the garden.

Comfortably seated, the five-course Gourmet Menu opened with two amuse-bouches: the thinnest, crispiest pastry cup filled with a cheesy mushroomy custard and an equally thin mini taco of diced carrot with a flurry of truffle. Tastier morsels you would struggle to find.

A round of pressed quail got us started proper, closely protected by a platoon of flavour artillery: celeriac, green apple, nasturtium, delicious dots of distinctive tastes which we were encouraged to scoop up with the accompanying Lancashire cheese flaky milk bread.

Our waitress declared the next course her favourite, a Roscoff onion slow cooked in Iberico fat to develop its rich sweetness, served with wild garlic oil, whey and, for a spot of theatre, frozen curd pearls.

Roscoff Onion, Slow Cooked in Iberico Fat, Wild Garlic, Curd and Whey Our taste buds were dancing by this point and there was still that lobster, thermidor sauce and sea buckthorn to come.

My preference for fish over meat was addressed with a fabulous main course of wild halibut – crispy exterior, super soft beneath – petit pois, smoked pancetta, spring pods and dill. The memory has stayed with me, and the meat eater was similarly impressed with his lamb loin and sticky lamb belly with asparagus and celeriac.

While I love chocolate with orange, I’ve never been a fan of that other typical combination of chocolate with raspberry. So here I was intrigued by the pairing of Valrhona chocolate with gooseberry. The fruit came as a puree contained within a chocolate cylinder atop layers of mousse and gooseberry jelly. It was a revelation, as was the almond ice cream.

We rounded off with worthy petits fours, my favourite being a sharp lime jelly.

Millionaire: Valrhona Chocolate, Gooseberry, Almond, Shortbread The team’s reputation for sourcing the best ingredients, as much as possible from local, biodynamic and organic suppliers and its own kitchen garden, and showcasing the best of each season, is well deserved. But it is technique and most importantly talent for taste that transforms superb produce into stunning food.

For special occasions, diners can book the Chef’s Table, a private and interactive dining experience to engage with Lisa and a dedicated front of house team with a view of the kitchen through a glass wall.

Returning to our junior suite, via its huge hallway – any future ‘suite’ without one will surely only suffice as a ‘bedroom’ – we enjoyed a nightcap in front of the fire. The little gift pack of mouthwash and lip balm was a nice touch.

After a great night’s sleep in the giant bed we returned to the restaurant for breakfast.

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It is often said that breakfast is a hotel’s biggest test since it is the last memory guests take away. I’d go further and say the quality of the orange juice is the test of a decent breakfast and the freshly squeezed glassful here definitely passed.

Being a porridge connoisseur the organic oatmeal porridge with wildflower honey grabbed me, so it was rather disappointing to discover the apparently special honey was actually a mini jar of Tiptree. This faux pas was on a par with the Walker’s shortbread on offer at another hotel that I moaned about recently – it’s the details…

The porridge was piping hot, however, and I still had room to enjoy the Finnian haddock with poached egg beneath a layer of light milk foam while my other option – the Butler’s Tasty Lancashire cheese souffle – was snapped up across the table, and delicious it was too.

All too soon, our stay had come to an end.

The intrepid explorer was due back at base in County Durham later in the afternoon so we decided to go on our own adventure, again taking the scenic route but this time via the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, through lovely Waddington, which, not surprisingly, is a regular winner of the Best Kept Village in Lancashire title.

Next was Slaidburn. It is known for its tenth century ‘Angel Stone’ carving at the Heritage Centre, but I was more taken with its war memorial in the centre of the village, a poignant, life size bronze statue of a First World War soldier atop an octagonal stone column.

Over the pretty river Hodder, we returned to Settle, definitely a route that is worth the detour if you’re heading back to Cumbria. We, however, continued on to the spectacle of Ribblehead Viaduct, still attracting visitors despite another wet and grey day. From here it was through our old stomping ground of Wensleydale then over the Buttertubs to drop into Swaledale.

All communication had been lost with number one son by this point, so we headed to the finish line and waited. Two and a half hours later his group arrived, exhausted but exhilarated by the experience. And hungry of course.

Without a hint of guilt, we began to wax lyrical about our dinner from the night before and how full we still were from breakfast. “That’s nice,” he said, “can we go to McDonald’s?” There is no accounting for taste. When it comes to food, he still has a lot to learn.

The five-course Gourmet Menu at Northcote is £135 per person. For overnight stay rates, visit

northcote.com/offer/seasonal-gourmet-break-package/