Alongside the River Severn in the historically important Ironbridge Gorge, the Valley Hotel makes a convenient watering hole after you retreat footsore and culturally overdosed from the world-renowned wonders of the cradle of Britain's Industrial Revolution.

The cuisine is not easy to define, beyond saying that it is broad to the point of being eclectic, without any over-fussiness. The á la carte menu offers a range of dishes with English and Continental influences, with a good selection of vegetarian dishes; honest, wholesome food is the order of the day and the support for the restaurant is not by any means confined to those who only seek the nearest refuge. The wine list is supportive with bins from the Old and New World.

An individually priced menu has been introduced to enhance the whole experience, incorporating the best of local ingredients, as in carpaccio of beef fillet, tomato, shallot salsa, fresh horseradish, parmesan shavings, and pea shoot salad, Chez Maw daily soup, or Oriental style duck cakes with Asian salad, pineapple chutney and hoi sin dressing. Not so local but just as appealing for those who like something honest and full bodied from the sea there is pan fried fillet of Cornish mackerel, pickled vegetables, cream cheese fritters and tomato dressing.

There is something tremendously reassuring about confident starters, removing any possible element of doubt about what comes next, leaving you free to anticipate with pleasure the rest of the meal, the company, the view over the Gorge, try to coincide your meal with an early summer sunset, and something exhilarating from the cellar.

Move on to a selection of main courses that would do credit to a menu in a stylish West End brasserie. Longmans 28 day hung sirloin of beef is served with red onion marmalade, dauphinoise potato, buttered beans and red wine jus.

Roast butter basted free range chicken breast, fillet of sea bass and braised shoulder of Welsh lamb are all regular attenders on the menu, which finishes on a note of triumph with sticky toffee and date pudding with vanilla pod ice cream and toffee sauce, or maybe an raspberry pannacotta with yoghurt sorbet, oat crumble and raspberry syrup.

Currently holding a 2 AA rosette award for high standard cuisine and service, this is most certainly one of the better restaurants in a part of Shropshire renowned for its outstanding scenery. The dining room, for instance, has the benefit of an adjoining bar and patio area, which overlooks award winning Parkland and the River Severn, in the centre of this World Heritage site.

For more information, and details about staying at the Valley Hotel, do visit their Website.