Cowabunga The grass is greener

In the heady heights of the boardroom of Cow Hotels Ltd dramatic plans for the future are being mooted.

Having launched the ultra chic 12-bedroom Cow luxury boutique inn in a little village just seven miles from Derby city centre they are planning to create a “herd” of similar properties - all with the same name.​

​Barely three months after the Cow opened at Dalbury Lees, near Ashbourne, the steaks have certainly been raised. Overlooking a picturesque village green complete with traditional red telephone box The Cow has a chocolate box setting.

Originally the Black Cow, a small traditional country inn with modest accommodation and serving pub grub, it’s been transformed and extended after a seven figure investment .

Each of the 12 designer en-suite bedrooms is different, with influences ranging from Victorian and Art Deco to the more modern New England and shabby chic.

In all of them emphasis has been placed on the use of natural materials like wood and stone, while at the same time featuring everything the modern, guest demands, like smart televisions, underfloor heating in the bathrooms, Nespresso coffee machines and free Wi-Fi.

In ours, as in other parts of the inn, specially commissioned portraits of doe-eyed cows and calves stared back at us from the walls while in the new cosy bar and informal restaurant area milk churns have been cleverly converted into bar stools with copper tractor-style seats. And I couldn’t help noticing that the milk for the tea at our hearty breakfast - with all food sourced locally - was served in miniature copper milk churns too. Dinner the night before had been a gastronomic delight having had chance to sample something completely different - the “feed buckets” section of the menu.

The concept is based on Spanish tapas but that doesn’t really do it justice because the portions are larger and much more imaginative. The idea is that each of you orders two or three small plates of different dishes and shares them.

Dishes like goats cheese and spinach bread and butter pudding or Hillhouse Farm duck rilettes with sticky damson jam and sourdough crusts all perfectly prepared by head chef Ben Peverill, formerly a chef at the Loch Lomond Golf Club. It’s certainly different and certainly adventurous but it all comes together perfectly.

The Cow is ideally situated for tourists anxious to see both Derby city centre, the picturesque villages nearby with their numerous attractions and the Peak District.

During our stay the annual Shrovetide Football match took place in Ashbourne. Unlike a conventional football match the goals are three miles apart and thousands of people join in. It’s a rough old game and I was reliably informed that there is only one rule: “Though shall not murder”.

On a more peaceful note the often overlooked regenerated centre of Derby with its grade 1 listed cathedral, historic pubs, fascinating walkways and one of the largest shopping malls in the country is certainly worth a visit. And if shopping is your thing don’t miss Bennetts, one of the oldest - if not the oldest - department store in the country. Established way back in 1734 it’s a store like no other, having been formed from two different buildings. There are numerous secret corners not to mention two large balconies and three staircases.On a very wet day we found the nearby cathedral warm and welcoming with its unusually light and open design, created by huge stained glass windows. In one corner lies the Cavendish Chapel where until the mid 1800’s all of the Dukes of Devonshire were buried. Lack of space meant subsequent Dukes had to be buried at the family seat of Chatsworth House.

Also buried in the cathedral is Bess of Hardwick, a noblewoman who, having acquired a huge fortune during four marriages, built Chatsworth. An effigy of her lies in the family chapel.

Unlike a lot of English cities Derby is compact and easy to get around and just a few minutes walk from the cathedral is the museum and art gallery. Entrance is free and it houses one of the largest collections of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby, one of the most innovative British artists of the 18th century. In contrast it also has a collection of Egyptian mummies. The city also houses a wide selection of eateries old and new, ranging from the 375-year-old Old Bell Hotel to the newly opened Bear, the brainchild of 33-year-old entrepreneur Craig Bunting.

Travelling in Australia Craig came across numerous coffee shops where all day dining and socialising was a feature and decided to bring it to the market towns of the UK, starting in his home town of Uttoxeter in 2016.

His vision is just one more reason to visit Derby...................................And if you stay at The Cow you’ll remember your trip for heifer.

Factbox

Bed and breakfast prices at The Cow start from £120 per night for two people. See

www.cowdalbury.com or call 01332 824297