The days of sleeping in the car or camping out are a thing of the past for me. Rather than pulling over and getting a quick hour of sleep, either on the way to, or on the way back from a fishing trip I now like to get there in good time and feel ready to fish hard and long. Finding somewhere to rest my head and get a good night's sleep and a proper breakfast means I can hit the water in really good shape.
Grayling House nestled in the Wylye Valley ticks all of these boxes plus a few more pleasant surprises along the way. Run by husband and wife team Rick and Lorraine Hope, Grayling House is ideally located for those of us lucky enough to be fishing the Wylye, Nadder, Ebble or Avon. It is just a short drive away from Salisbury too.
The name of their B & B gave me just a small clue as to what Rick's passion might be and when I knocked at the door and Rick greeted me dressed in jeans and a fishing shirt I knew I had booked into the right place. Even the rooms are named after rivers which Rick loves to fish. I was in the Ebble but it was nice to see there was an affinity with the Westcountry too as two of the rooms were named the Dart and Lyn, rivers where Rick has spent many, many hours fishing.
The eating and sitting areas have photos of some of Rick's angling exploits but just the right amount so that it doesn't feel like a fishing den. Rick does tell me that he is busy converting his loft to a fly tying area though!
I invited Rick to come fishing with me and he leapt at the chance. He is an active member of the Salisbury and District Angling Club and acts as baliff on a few of their stretches but hadn't fished the water that is just opposite his house. The trout season had just finished and it felt appropriate that we were fishing for grayling. Rick is a skillful angler and it is a pleasure to be on the water with him. He loves to fish the dry fly but is at home fishing the nymph too. Just talking to Rick you get a feel of a hugely passionate angler who will fish for anything and loves every second he has a rod in his hand. He really knows his stuff.
I asked Rick about his and Lorraine's ethos about their business and it was simple. He explained that they wanted people to feel that they were welcome in their house as guests. This can easily be a standard response from any B & B owners but I can tell they really mean it. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they really do look after you well. Rick had told me about the work they had put in to selecting the right memory foam mattresses for the guest rooms and covered literally hundreds of miles making sure they bought the right ones. Having slept there I can tell you they did. When I got into bed I didn't roll down to the middle of a tired, cheap mattress that I have done many times before but settled into a deep sleep, aided no doubt by the couple of glasses of wine I'd had at the nearby pub that is just a short walk away.
My room was spotless and there are nice little touches that are carefully thought out, like the hairdryer and alarm clock. Even the tea and coffee is stored in attractive boxes rather than stuffed in an old glass container. An experienced traveller once told me that she had stayed at a B & B where the owners would stay in their guest rooms for a week to make sure that there were no glaring things missing which could spoil a stay for a guest. I'd place a small bet that Rick and Lorraine do something similar.
Now, one thing I am really picky about is the breakfast. It is such a shame to see corners cut in the quality of the food or the care taken to prepare it. There was no need to worry. The Full English, the choice of any sensible fly angler, got full marks from me. I even ate the home grown tomatoes, something I often don't order or just leave on the side of the plate. There are cereals and yoghurts to start with and and a limitless supply of tea or coffee.
It probably looks as though I have recieved a freebie to write this article but I went as a paying guest. I had heard good things about Grayling House and went to try it for myself and I wasn't disapointed. It is run by good people who offer the best possible service and I know next time I am fishing in Wiltshire I'll be back. Good B & Bs are not always easy to find and the great ones need to be shouted about. This is one.
For more details of Grayling House please visit their website Grayling House B & B