Surrey


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-location"><strong>THE LOCATION</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2.jpg" alt="The outside of The Stag on the River near Godalming in Surrey." class="wp-image-51279" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-2-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>If ever you were to feel a million miles from anywhere, while actually being just a handy stone&#8217;s throw from the A3 it would be at <a href="https://www.stagontherivereashing.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stag on the River</a> in Lower Eashing. It&#8217;s a hidden gem tucked away in this pretty village, reached via a medieval bridge built by monks from Waverley Abbey in the 14th century. There&#8217;s not much else in the village apart from a collection of pretty period houses and an attractive-looking business park on the site of a former mill. It feels pleasantly tucked away from the rest of the world.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown"><strong>THE LOWDOWN</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110.jpg" alt="A view of the River Wey from The Stag on the River near Godalming in Surrey." class="wp-image-51282" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-110-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The pub &#8211; a pretty red brick building dating back to the 17th century &#8211; sits on the banks of the River Wey. And it makes the most of the waterside views with a terrace and garden that stretches along the banks. Part of the Grosvenor family of pubs, The Stag is a gastropub with seven boutique B&amp;B rooms. It&#8217;s a lovely spot for a getaway, popular with couples looking for a cheeky night away, as well as walkers and cyclists tackling the Surrey Hills cycling routes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe"><strong>THE VIBE</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3.jpg" alt="A cosy corner at The Stag on the River near Godalming in Surrey." class="wp-image-51278" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/Stag-on-the-Riverfire-3-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The Stag is a pub that works well whatever the season. Summer dining on the terrace? Check! Snug winter&#8217;s afternoon by the crackling fire? Check!</p>



<p>The riverside setting makes for a cool alfresco vibe &#8211; and on a sunny day punters make most of it. It&#8217;s a handy combination of party covered, but mostly still open. There are heaters, too, and blankets draped over the chairs for evenings that turn chilly. The covered terrace extends into a grassy area with more casual picnic tables.</p>



<p>Inside, the pub is stylish but also relaxed. It&#8217;s what you might call country chic  with plenty of nooks and cosy corners rather than a large open-plan layout. The pub is full of character, with timber beams, flagstone floors and mismatched tables and chair in a mix of plaid and vintage leather upholstery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE.jpeg" alt="Food at The Stag on the River in Lower Eashing, Surrey." class="wp-image-53801" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE-400x300.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/Stag-on-the-River-Food-AE-768x576.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The emphasis is on quality locally-sourced food. The menu is well-thought-out with plenty of options for vegetarians, vegans and anyone with gluten intolerances.</p>



<p>My head was turned by the specials which offered as a starter a cheese souffle in a truffle mornay sauce. I couldn&#8217;t turn that down, could I?! Mr M chose the whipped wild mushroom parfait served with pickled garden vegetables. I was in cheese heaven &#8211; I&#8217;m sure the calories don&#8217;t count when it&#8217;s a light and airy souffle. And it was all that &#8211; light, airy and delicious. Meanwhile, the mister raved about his parfait.</p>



<p>For mains I chose the Scottish smoked salmon and prawn fishcake served with a poached egg and lobster mornay. It was another excellent choice, which I scoffed down with a side of buttered asparagus spears. And it was all washed down superbly with a very drinkable bottle of French Picpoul de Pinet.</p>



<p>He had the steak frites &#8211; a 28-day dry-aged rump steak which comes with a green pepper sauce and beef-dripping fries. Both were&nbsp;generous portions &#8211; beautifully presented with delicate presentation touches.</p>



<p>Enough room for pudding? Probably not, but I always manage to fit in something sweet at the end.  I had the decadent baby stout, dark chocolate mousse with Irish whiskey cream and a shortbread biscuit. It was light, rich, chocolatey and divine. Mr M had the rum baba which he also enjoyed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillow-talk"><strong>PILLOW TALK</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22.jpeg" alt="The Shackleford room at The Stag on the River in Surrey." class="wp-image-53799" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/06/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-22-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>There are seven rooms at The Stag. Three are in the original part of the 17th-century inn, and the other four are in a newer addition. </p>



<p>You&#8217;d be forgiven for thinking you&#8217;d had an ale too many on the walk up the stairs in the older part of the pub &#8211; the walls slope one way, the floors&nbsp;another, and the oak-beamed ceilings and walls sway yet&nbsp;another direction still. The bedrooms are much the same &#8211; brimming with character &#8211; and it only adds to the delightful eccentricity of the place.</p>



<p>We stayed in Shackleford, the largest room in the old bit. Handily, for those with children, there is a door connecting this room with another to create a family suite. There&#8217;s also a sofa that converts to a double bed.</p>



<p>The rooms a beautifully appointed, and a cut above bog-standard pub B&amp;B rooms. The beds are fabulous – enormous sleep-inducing slabs dressed with crisp&nbsp;white linen, piles of huge fluffy pillow and gorgeous throws.&nbsp;The devil&#8217;s in the detail, and I loved all the little touches – proper, chilled milk for your cuppa, Hampshire-roasted Mozzo coffee, fluffy towels and dressing gowns, and luxury Bramley toiletries<strong>.&nbsp;</strong>Oh, and excellent wi-fi.</p>



<p>There&#8217;s a choice of cooked breakfasts &#8211; things like smashed avocado and poached eggs on sourdough, eggs royal and benedict and a full English, plus pastries, plus fresh coffee, teas and juices. I had the English garden breakfast &#8211; the veggie version of the full English &#8211; and it was delish washed down with a green tea.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly"><strong>KID-FRIENDLY?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-123.jpg" alt="The Stag on the River in Lower Eashing near Godalming in Surrey." class="wp-image-53800" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-123.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-123-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-123-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/05/TheStagOnTheRiver-SophieDuckworthPhotography-123-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Absolutely. Whether you want to come for just the food, or to stay, children are  made to feel very welcome. The devil is in the detail &#8211; travel cots (available on request) and a young diners menu for kids that includes things like a grilled chicken burger and a British beef burger and macaroni cheese.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-dogs-too"><strong>AND DOGS TOO?</strong></h2>



<p>Yes, dogs are welcome too and they&#8217;re also well looked after with snacks available at the bar and water bows dotted around.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="562" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/04/Bluebells-winkworth-colin-prior-4.jpg" alt="The bluebells and winkworth arboretum near godalming in Surrey" class="wp-image-6689" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/04/Bluebells-winkworth-colin-prior-4.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/04/Bluebells-winkworth-colin-prior-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/04/Bluebells-winkworth-colin-prior-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/04/Bluebells-winkworth-colin-prior-4-720x405.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>You’re pretty well situated here for plenty of nearby attractions as well as being just a short drive away from Guildford with all that if offers. The gorgeous gardens of the National Trust’s Winkworth Arboretum are not far, or for a spot of culture head to the Watts Gallery and Artists’ Village a little further up the A3 in the pretty village of Compton. Godalming is only a few miles away, and it’s a lovely town for a wander around. But you’ll have to tear yourself away from this lovely riverside setting first.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict"><strong>THE MUDDY VERDICT</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="640" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1.jpg" alt="The private dining space at The Stag on the River, near Godalming in Surrey." class="wp-image-50355" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1-800x500.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1-1000x625.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1-400x250.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1-768x480.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/11/Stag-on-the-River-private-dining-room-1024x640-1-840x525.jpg 840w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Peeps who want to escape the hustle and bustle for a lovely dinner and overnighter; friends catching up for lunch by the babbling waters of the Wey; romantics looking for a sneaky getaway; families who want to enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the garden.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> There&#8217;s a laid back and reassuringly rustic vibe, so if you&#8217;re after something with more ponce, this may not hit that note.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong> B&amp;B&nbsp;packages start from&nbsp;just £90&nbsp;per room, per night; dinner, B&amp;B packages start from&nbsp;just £160&nbsp;per night for two people sharing – very reasonable given the quality of the rooms, food and the super friendly service. In the restaurant, starters are from £5.95-£12.95; mains vary from £15.50-£32; desserts are from £3 for one scoop of sorbet up to £13.95 for the cheese board.</p>



<p><em>The Stag on the River, Lower Eashing Lane, Eashing, GU7 2QG <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.stagontherivereashing.co.uk/" target="_blank">stagontherivereashing.co.uk</a></em></p>


Review: The Stag on the River, near Godalming

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