Hogwash Issue 02 | THE PIG Hotels by THE PIG Hotels

AUTUMN

NO 2

2023

Hogwash THE SEASONAL DISPATCH

TAKE YOUR PICK House style: creating the PIG look Just say cheese Local walks and adventures Our homegrown heroes

+ hotel guide + news + outings + recipes HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

PIGGY BITS

FOR AG ER’S PICKS... All of our kitchens love to make the most of wild seasonal produce. Over the years, we’ve built relationships with a network of brilliant foragers, who bring us the best goodies out there. Some of our PIG people are master foragers too – these picks are from Jeremy, our commis chef at THE PIG-at Bridge Place.

AT T H OCTOBER

PI GS If you are looking to celebrate the Christmas season in style, we will welcome you in from the cold at THE PIGs. Why not stay over with us for the big day itself? We will be more than ready for you. The Brussels sprouts are coming along nicely in the Kitchen Gardens, the turkeys have been ordered and the Christmas puds are being fed regularly with our favourite spirits. We’re not big on tinsel, but we do love our homemade woodland wreaths (turn to the back page). We also have characterful private rooms across THE PIGs, ideal for hosting Christmas gettogethers. Settle in at a long table, with a festive feast of dishes made from (very) locally sourced produce. As for New Year’s Eve? It’s a luxurious two-night affair for our overnight guests, but also possible to join us just for a NYE dinner. Find out more and book at thepighotel.com/christmas

AV E X M

With our obsessive commitment to all things local, it probably comes as no surprise that we at THE PIGs have been English wine evangelists for many years. So we couldn’t be more excited to share that we are ready to pop the cork on our very first bottles of PIG English fizz! Our two sparkling wines are made with grapes from Bee Tree Vineyard in East Sussex, owned by our friends Dermot and Ana Sugrue, of award-winning winemaker Sugrue South Downs. They are THE PIG Reserve, a 2019 sparkling cuvée (we’re calling it PR for short) and Lobster Shed Pink, a 2018 sparkling rosé (LSP). Just in time for the festive celebrations. Now, where are those glasses? Look out for our own PIG fizz on the wine list

Getting fizzy with it

A great many mushrooms, including scarletina bolete, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, porcini, chanterelle and horse mushrooms. Rosehips (for jelly and jams) and sloes (for sloe gin).

NOVEMBER Walnuts, crab apples (ideal for chutney or jelly to complement a cheese board), girolle mushrooms, hawthorn berries (for jams, ketchups and infusing gin or vodka).

DECEMBER Wild carrots (these are small, white and hard, but superflavourful and great for soups). Hops, wood sorrel, wood avens (their roots can be used in place of cloves), bay leaves, watercress, horseradish and rowan berries (perfect for homemade kombucha).

LOCAL GUIDE: TURN TO THE CENTRE PAGES FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ENJOY YOUR STAY. ALL YOUR ESSENTIAL

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

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☞ INTRODUCING OUR GROUND & GROW RETREATS

HARVESTING ... Winter squash,

In need of some time out and self-care? In a PIG ﬁrst, this winter, THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay will host a series of retreats designed to help you escape it all in the wilds of Cornwall.

kale, kalettes, parsnips, celeriac, Brussels sprouts

☞ WHAT TO EXPECT... AND WE'RE PLANTING... Garlic, onions, broad beans

Notes from the Kitchen Garden

After a productive summer, we always sit down with the chefs to review all crops grown this year and start planning for next year. Each head kitchen gardener produces a week-by-week plan of their Kitchen Garden for 2024. From here, our central nursery team extract the relevant data and create a gigantic spreadsheet of all our sowings for the next 12 months or so. At the end of summer and in early autumn, we replace summer vegetables with hardy winter ones to ensure the garden is full year-round. We get garlic and onions in the ground, so they will be ready for harvesting around June and July next year, and we start to sow broad beans, which will be planted out in November. We also plant salads in our polytunnels – these protective tunnels, with heating and lighting, help to nurture these tender crops. Eventually, they will provide the chefs with a wide range of flavours,

textures and colours for their ingredients and garnishes. Another early-autumn trick is to start off our kales and sprouting broccolis in pots, then plant them out when semi-mature. This helps us to maintain high levels of production even in the colder months. One of my absolute favourite crops, winter squash, can be harvested from earlyto mid-autumn and left to cure for a few months to enhance the flavour to its full potential. And have you ever tried kalettes? If you haven’t tasted this hybrid of kale and Brussels sprouts, give them a try – especially if you are not a fan of Brussels, as these have a much softer flavour that is not as “sprouty” as its contentious cousin. During November and December, we will start to harvest more of our root crops, such as celeriac, parsnip, Jerusalem artichoke and crosnes (aka Chinese artichoke) – all of which our chefs can incorporate into hearty winter dishes.

Join us in our Kitchen Gardens Enjoy a free guided tour of our Kitchen Gardens at THE PIG-at Combe, THE PIGnear Bath and THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, every last Friday of the month at 11am. Our kitchen gardeners will help you explore the veg

patches, peek into the polytunnels and even say hello to our four-legged friends. There’s always plenty to see and we’ll be venturing out rain or shine, so pull on your boots and join us. thepighotel.com/events/walled-garden-wanderings

[Back page answers: THE PIG-in the wall; A]

Our Kitchen Garden supremo Ollie shares an autumn update from the veg bed

Our Ground & Grow weekend has been created in partnership with Cabilla Cornwall, who run retreats in the ancient temperate rainforest near Bodmin Moor. You’ll stay at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, enjoying nourishing, seasonal dishes from our local suppliers and Kitchen Garden. The weekend includes a day at Cabilla Cornwall, to experience a gentle yoga class and wander through the private ancient woodland with founders Lizzie and Merlin Hanbury-Tenison. You’ll have the chance to plant a tree as part of the Thousand Year Project, before heading back to THE PIG to melt into a Potting Shed spa treatment. Wild swimming from Harlyn Bay beach, warming up in the sea sauna and walking the coastal paths are also on the menu, before an evening with an inspiring guest speaker and a Kitchen Garden cocktail. We recommend a deep bath and good night’s sleep, too. Ground & Grow retreats take place on 24-26 November 2023, 19-21 January 2024 and 8-11 March 2024; visit thepighotel.com for details.

HOTEL INFORMATION, ROOM GUIDE, POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU, THE BEST OUTINGS, LOCAL HEROES AND THINGS TO DO.

HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

W O R K I N PRO G RE S S

THE CHARM OF THE PIG’S UNSTUFFY, eclectic interiors is all thanks to one person – Judy Hutson. Right from when we opened our very first PIG, Judy, who is married to our founder, Robin, has masterminded every detail of how the hotels look, from bars to bedrooms, dining rooms to Potting Shed treatment rooms. So how has she developed this much-loved look over the years, evolving with each hotel yet remaining so quintessentially PIG? “It all begins with the house itself,” says Judy. “From the moment we first visit a new building, I’m absorbing its character, and everything comes from that. I’m influenced by the architecture, the house’s mood, but also its surroundings – what you see when you look out of the windows. I want the fabrics and furniture and paintings to connect with that.” Famously, Judy often dreams up a fictional character to help channel the aesthetic mood she is aiming for. “It started with the first PIG, in the New Forest. I could just imagine Great-aunt Mabel pottering around the corridors, with her Nora Batty tights, in her tweed and lavender jumpers. I wanted it to be homely, as if you were staying with your great-aunt, a feeling of faded grandeur.” In Harlyn Bay, the mood was different – all crackling fires and dark, wood-panelled hallways – so this time it was Mark Rylance in Wolf Hall she conjured, helping her to bring the design alive. “I’ve definitely got more confident in my decorating style over the years,” says Judy. “We use more vintage, individual pieces of furniture in the rooms now, for instance, and we love finding old bits and reworking them. One of our carpenters was getting rid of an old workbench, and we asked if we could buy it from him – it’s now in the bar at The PIG-near Bath!” But however much the interiors have evolved, many of the best-loved features have a place in every PIG – “our bars with mismatched coloured glasses, greenhouse-style restaurants and big vintage-style sun umbrellas”. Many aspects of the design come directly from Judy’s personal style. “I’ve never had ‘girlie-girl’ taste, and I think that comes through. There’s a kind of robustness to our interiors,” she says. She and Robin always pick up design ideas from their travels, popping into antique shops, boot sales or charity shops whenever

they spot a good one. If they come across something special, they buy it, and keep it in their store until they find its perfect place. “I’m a bit like Burglar Bill,” says Judy, “I’ll ‘ave that!” She also loves to include work from local artists and makers, who get in touch when news of the latest PIG opening gets around. With two new hotels on the horizon, Judy has a hectic couple of years ahead. “It’s exciting, because both are very different to what we’ve done before. THE PIG-on the farm, just south of Stratford-upon-Avon, will be the most rustic hotel we’ve done. It’s a beautiful 16th-century manor house, with an amazing barn, lots of outbuildings and lovely old beams.” She is still thinking herself into the space, collecting ideas, “going shopping in my head”, but she knows already that the buildings cry out for simple furnishings, fabrics with texture and small floral prints. “The main thing is not to over-restore the house; it shouldn’t feel overdone,” she notes. The other new PIG, Groombridge Place, near Tunbridge Wells, is a very different proposition: a 17th-century moated manor house with a fascinating history, as well as a starring role in the much-loved Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. Judy is clearly thrilled by the blank canvas she has to play with: “It’s got the most beautiful wood panelling, huge rooms, acres of land and an amazing water mill. We want it to be grand, but not ‘pompous grand’ – it should have a kind of rakish glamour. The challenge is how to do something this grand but in a PIG way.” For now, Judy is building her ideas for both properties, gathering references and samples, and letting the spaces “talk to her”. Soon it will be time to go on some serious buying trips to find the key pieces. Then, in the final weeks before opening, comes the bit Judy loves the most, when all the new pieces arrive and she brings a stash of other things she and Robin have collected that are sitting in the store. She starts to dress the hotel and add those final touches of personality and homeliness that guests appreciate so much: “People go to hotels for lots of reasons, and it should be all about their experience rather than our designs. I always want the interiors to feel lovely and comforting but not too intrusive,” she explains. “It’s like theatre, really. We are setting the scene, creating a stage, but it’s the guests and our staff who bring it all to life. From bedrooms to spa Treatment Wagons, you’re enjoying Judy’s interiors style every time you stay at a PIG.

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“I’ve never had ‘girlie-girl’ taste, and I think that comes through”

THE CON VERSA TION

s s o r c a s r e c “Produ e r a y r t n u o the c ” d n u o r g t s o l g n i m i recla ANDY ONE OF OUR FAVE PIG SUPPLIERS, Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Cheese Company, took a break from making award-winning cheeses at his Dorset dairy to chat with Andy Wright, who is group head chef across all our PIG hotels. Andy knows the difference that a quality ingredient can make to a dish, and values his personal relationships with small suppliers. THE PIGs were an early champion of The Book & Bucket’s now internationally awarded cheeses. PETER MORGAN Did you know that THE PIG-on the beach was our very first customer account when I set up the business in 2019? I remember that you visited the dairy to look round, chat all things cheese and sample some of our cheeses. ANDY WRIGHT Yes, having come across some cheeses you’d made and loved them, we found out you were setting up properly as a supplier, and we couldn’t wait to sample some more. How did the push for starting your business come about? PM The Book & Bucket was a vision I had for years before we made our first cheese in 2019. I’m self-taught, so it started with a book full of recipes and a stainless-steel bucket – hence the name. These days, I have three 500-litre vats as “buckets”. The ethos is to take inspiration

Two cheese obsessives chat about their award-winning PIG partnership – and the future for British producers from the countryside surrounding our dairy, with many locally sourced ingredients. AW Like your Wilde cheese, with the wild garlic from just outside the dairy in it – I love that one. There must be many challenges for small scale artisanal producers such as yourselves, including the cost of ingredients and general overheads. Do you think you get enough support? PM The world has changed so much since I founded the business. It was touch and go during the pandemic and the support from THE PIGs made all the difference. It’s also been amazing to win medals at the World Cheese Awards, especially our Shakespeare cheese winning gold. AW It matters to us that we work with trusted suppliers like you, and for you to get recognition from a global platform is fantastic. How do you think the future is looking for smaller producers generally? There seems to be greater understanding from the public about shopping and supporting local, just as long as the milk prices don’t keep increasing. Britain had actually been a leading cheesemaker before World War II, which people forget. It feels like, slowly, more and more producers are appearing across the country, reclaiming the lost ground.

PM Well, there are some cheeses where cows are milked by robots and the cheese has not been touched by a person until it’s opened by a customer. But many more people are starting to understand why supporting traditional, local and seasonal food is so important. It’s much better tasting, better for us and better for the environment. There’s demand for what we do. AW If you had to eat only one cheese for the rest of your life what would it be? PM Ouch, tough question. I have a favourite for every season, but I think it has to be Shakespeare. It was one of the first cheeses I developed and it is unusual in being a sheep’s milk brie. It’s all about seasonality really though, isn’t it? And with the PIGs’ changing seasonal menu, the cheese changes as well. AW Definitely, the best food is all about keeping things seasonal – that’s what we live and breathe at the PIGs. PM I think my favourite collaboration with THE PIGs has been a smoked halloumi dish with Boston beans, finished with a duck egg – that’s really warming, hearty comfort food. You’ll find The Book & Bucket cheeses, such as Shakespeare, on the menu at many of our PIGS; thebookandbucketcheesecompany.co.uk

“It’s been ama zing to win gold at th e World Cheese Awards” PETER 6

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ KENT CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON OUR NEW SPA TREATMENT WAGONS

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IT’S FITTING THAT THE FIRST OWNER of Bridge Place should have been known for the good table, good wines and good company he kept. Bridge Place was built in about 1638 by Sir Arnold Braems, the first manager of Dover Harbour. It was a society attraction – the Dutch painter Willem Schellinks visited in 1661 and reported that Sir Arnold kept a princely table and had many visits from knights and high-born gentlemen and ladies. Second only to Chilham Castle in east Kent, it was painted by society artists Jan Siberechts and Adriaen Jansz. By the early 18th century, the house was falling on hard times and was sold to neighbouring landowners who pulled down much of the property – the current building is just one wing of the original. Glory days returned in the 1960s, when it became a much-loved music venue. The arched wooden door to the sitting room was once the entrance to a nightclub where Led Zeppelin, The Kinks and The Yardbirds all played early gigs. The rural location meant there were few neighbours to disturb. Today, we also use this idyllic Kentish location to nurture our Kitchen Garden, accessed via a bridge and practically on its own island. Here, you will find productive raised beds brimming with vegetables, our Alitex Mottisfont greenhouse and our polytunnels, which help to nurture tender crops wih heating and lighting. Today, the knights and rock stars have departed – or not, depending on who your fellow guests are. But with plenty of lovingly refurbished, original features to soak up, a stunning countryside setting and THE PIG’s emphasis on the best local Kentish produce, this remains a very special house where the good times always roll.

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A�� e��m��t��a�� n��e��a�� £1�� RE�URFA�ING�R��I��CE�F��I�� This highly eﬀective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow. AN�I-AGEING RES�OR��I�E �AC�AL A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. U��ER�B��Y �N�IN� A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

Wander through the walled Kitchen Garden...

M�� O �E This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

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Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I ﬁll the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

THE PIG -SH AT \BRIDGE PL ACE \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN HOGWA SUMMER

BE�P��E �A��AGE We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind. H�� ONE �AS�AGE A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. The following treatments can be enjoyed in our new Treatment Wagon, tucked away in a tranquil corner of the sheep field. We are unable to take two bookings of these treatments at the same time.

ORGANIC �AR� ��I�ED �U��WRAP Seaweed from Ireland produces a mud wrap rich in potent antioxidants and minerals, infused with aromatic spices of ginger and orange. This wrap has immediate and noticeable eﬀects on the skin, including firming and toning. It is also a serious detoxifier, metabolism stimulator and a natural anti-ageing boost.

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... past the raised beds, alongside the river and into our warm rustic retreats: the three Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea.

ORGANIC OCEAN ES�EN�E �OT�� OD��WRAP Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph ﬂow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells. F��L �O�� G�� R�� This refreshing all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. Afterwards, enjoy a shower and finish oﬀ with an all-over deeply nourishing body cream.

OUR NEW SHEPHERD’S HUT TREATMENT WAGON OFFERS A SET OF SEAWEED-BASED TREATMENTS

H�� u�� With our latest shepherd’s hut Treatment Wagon, we can oﬀer a wider array of spa treatments – including some new skin-rejuvenating treats SOME MIGHT ACCUSE US of being hut-aholics. Across our PIGs, they’re also called anything from wagons to sheds to boxes, but they all hail from the same humble family. Our Hop Pickers’ Huts here at THE PIG-at Bridge Place – rustic huts for two, set on stilts in our water meadows – are almost always fully booked. And then there are our original Potting Shed Treatment Huts across each of THE PIGs. These small but brilliant spaces are sanctuaries where you can ease away aches and pains, and feel soothed, calmed and nurtured. So we are more than a little excited to have added a third new treatment room to THE PIG-at Bridge Place, in the form of a shepherd’s hut Treatment Wagon, made especially for us by the masters at Plankbridge, a Dorset-based family business that’s long had a relationship with THE PIGs. As well as increasing our spa treatment space, the new THE PIG-AT BRIDGE PL ACE \ HOGWA HOGWASH SH \ \SUMMER AUTUMN

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Check out the old set lists on display in our loos. Are there any bands that you’re a fan of?

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Enjoy a slice of homemade cake in our cosy Upper Snug. This area was the previous owner’s private residence when Bridge Place was a nightclub in the 1960s and 1970s. Can you spot the vault in the wall where he stored his cash?

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Drive to Folkestone and stroll down to Sunny Sands beach for views across the Channel. Dogs are welcome in winter, but do check tide times, as the beach sometimes disappears at high tide.

GE� E�PLOR��G... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

shepherd’s hut is our first with its own super-duper power shower. This enables us to offer a wider treatment menu, including scrubs and wraps. These are treatments to really buff and rejuvenate your skin and boost energy and circulation, all with gentle VOYA products, from the organic seaweed-based beauty brand based on the coast of Ireland’s County Sligo. As for those delivering your treatments? Our PIG therapists are trained by our very own wellness expert, Harpreet Ghatora. Nicknamed the Magical Octopus (yes, really) for her hands-on massage skills, Harpreet and all our PIG team’s massage treatments are really next-level. As for where you’ll find our new shepherd’s hut Treatment Wagon, it’s hard to picture a more bucolic setting. It looks out across the field towards the picturesque village church and grazing sheep. Just off the path to our two Lodges, this is the perfect place to sit, take a breath and take in the view, before heading inside for your treatment. See you in the hut. Like the sound of all this? Ask at Reception about Potting Shed treatments and availability.

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THE PIG -SH AT \BRIDGE PL ACE \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN HOGWA SUMMER

NEW TREATMENTS TO TRY Treatments in our showerenhanced shepherd’s hut Treatment Wagon will leave skin feeling smooth, soft and nourished. They include our new Warm Spiced Mud Wrap, peppermint-infused Full Body Sugar Scrub and Ocean Essence Total Body Wrap. See the full treatment menu for details.

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

Download two of our favourite walking routes

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ SUSSEX CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY OF A DARK SKY RESERVE

THERE’S A QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLISHNESS and gentle grandeur to the South Downs in this part of Sussex, where the villages don’t get much more hidden away than Madehurst. But if you know where to look, you’ll find our elegant Georgian house, not so far from the more prominent Arundel Castle. Historically, Madehurst Lodge, as the house was previously known, was part of the neighbouring Dale Park Estate. Land for the estate was purchased piece by piece in 1780 by the then MP for Arundel, Sir George Thomas (grandson of the Governor of Pennsylvania), who planted extensive woodlands. He is buried beneath the altar in St Mary’s, the village church, where there are also monuments for both George and his wife, Sophia, who remained in the house after his death. For many years, Madehurst Lodge was owned by the Barron family, who were champions of organic farming and early supporters of the Soil Association. They sold the house to the Tod family, who remained here from 1971 to 2017, when THE PIG’s story here began. Our move included a long and careful process of converting the house and outbuildings, and making sure we can gather a plentiful daily harvest from our carefully tended Kitchen Garden, as well as planting our first-ever vineyard, before proudly opening to guests in September 2021.

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A�� e��m��t� a�� n��e� a�� £1�� R��U�FA��NG R��I��C� F��I�� This highly eﬀective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract, naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow. AN�I-AG�ING ��S�OR��I�� C��L A treatment suitable for all skin types. For those in search of antiageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. U��E� BO�Y UN��N� A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishing with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

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B��PO�E �AS�AG� We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind. HO� S�ON� ��SS�G� A deeply indulgent body massage using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. O�GAN�C WA�� S�I��D �U� W��P Seaweed from Ireland produces a mud wrap rich in potent antioxidants and minerals, infused with aromatic spices of ginger and orange. This wrap has immediate and noticeable eﬀects on the skin, including firming and toning. It is also a serious detoxifier, metabolism stimulator and a natural anti-ageing boost. O�GAN�C OC��N �SS�N�� OT�� OD� W��P Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph ﬂow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells.

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... past the raised beds and fruit cages, and into our original lean-to Victorian Greenhouse, where you will find our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea.

M�� O �� This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

THE PIG - IN THE SOUTH DOWNS \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

F��L �O�� SUG�� S�R�� This refreshing, all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. Afterwards, enjoy a shower, and finish oﬀ with a deeply nourishing all-over body cream.

S��r q��l��y In the South Downs, we enjoy Dark Sky Reserve status. Here’s what that means – and why it matters

A SPECTACUL AR DISPL AY LIGHTS UP THE SKY ABOVE THE SOUTH DOWNS

HERE AT THE PIG, we pride ourselves on doing everything we can to conserve and protect the beautiful countryside that surrounds us. THE PIG-in the South Downs sits in the South Downs National Park, which is as picturesque by night as it is by day, and has been designated an International Dark Sky Reserve. These reserves are protected areas that must meet certain criteria, such as “sky quality” and “natural darkness”. The hard-won status applies to 628 square miles of Hampshire and West Sussex countryside, named Moore’s Reserve. “The South Downs joined a growing international family of dark sky places by achieving status in 2016,” explains Dan Oakley, the chair of the international Dark Sky Places Committee. He also served as the dark skies oﬃcer for the South Downs National Park Authority for more than 10 years and was responsible for creating and producing all aspects of the Moore’s Reserve application. It is only the second of its kind in England and, Dan says, “was chosen because even though the South Downs is surrounded by cities there are some places where good-quality dark skies can be found”. As for why dark skies are so important to the landscape of the UK, Dan explains, “As development progresses and lighting gets easier and cheaper, more and more light is going into the air. As it does, it washes out the sky and reduces our ability to connect with nature on this cosmological scale.” Light pollution not only interferes with our view of the starry night sky, it can also disrupt our sleeping patterns and have detrimental eﬀects on nocturnal animals. THE PIG-IN THE SOUTH DOWNS \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

“L��h� p��l��i�� r��u��s �u� a��l��y t� c��n��t �i�� n��u�� i� c��m��o��c�� a��” One part of the issue is LED light. “Modern LED lighting is cheap and efficient and offers the flexibility to reduce energy consumption, which means it has become prolific,” Dan says. “However, cheap LEDs tend to have a lot of blue light within their spectrum, which is highly damaging. It penetrates the sky further, causing the glow over cities to enlarge more, but it also messes with natural circadian rhythms and functions.” That doesn’t sound good – and it isn’t. “Blue light has the potential to suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone humans produce when they sleep,” says Dan. “Without it, the body and brain can’t recover, and we place ourselves at higher risk of several ailments and increased stress. The same is true of wildlife. In these respects, protecting dark skies is not only good for remote places like national parks, but also for cities, where people feel the impacts of light pollution.” So how do Dark Sky Reserves – or any of us – try to counter that? “Dark-sky lighting generally means pointing the light downwards, so it doesn’t go directly up into the air, that it is of a suitable ‘colour temperature’ (less than 3000K, or kelvin), and that it is off when not needed,” explains Dan. “Even with the best lighting, eventually light escapes into the sky. But with education and the adoption of good practices within the South Downs, we can protect our night sky.”

How to enjoy the South Downs sky

~ As a guest at THE PIG-in the South Downs, you can sit by the ﬁre with a glass of wine in hand, waiting for the moon to rise. Then step outside to witness the spectacle of the night sky, free from the distraction of city lights. According to Dan, a good indicator of a healthy nocturnal environment is seeing whether you can spot the Orion nebula, just under the three bright stars in a row that famously form Orion’s Belt. ~ Alternatively, drive 15 minutes to Bignor Hill car park, then walk the short distance to the top of the hill for panoramic views of the night sky over the Arun Valley. ~ The South Downs National Park hosts a two-week festival every year, usually in February, with activities, talks and demonstrations at different stargazing hot spots. Keep an eye on southdowns. gov.uk for 2024 dates. ~ One of the best books on stargazing we know is Dark Skies: A Journey into the Wild Night by Tiffany Francis-Baker. And you’ll ﬁnd it on your bedside table here at THE PIG-in the South Downs.

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Head chef Kamil is famous for pickling anything and everything, and beautifully so. Ask any member of the team about trying some of his creations in the pickle room.

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While our vineyard may have gone into hibernation, our wine team certainly hasn’t. Why not ask one of them to show you their favourites in the cellar?

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Make a trip to Arundel to explore the famous castle before heading to the Digby wine Tasting Room for a well-deserved glass of English ﬁzz.

G�� P�OR��G... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

A L ACK OF LIGHT POLLUTION MAKES THE SOUTH DOWNS SKIES IDEAL FOR STARGAZING

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

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THE PIG - IN THE SOUTH DOWNS \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN HOGWA SH \ SUMMER

Download one of our favourite walking routes

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ HAMPSHIRE CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN THE NEW FOREST

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON PANNAGE PORK – WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT TASTES SO GOOD

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THE NEW FOREST IS UNLIKE ANYWHERE else in Britain, and as the home of our very first PIG, it couldn’t be closer to our hearts. It was created by William the Conqueror as a royal hunting ground in 1079, with special laws protecting the hunted deer and wild boar. To this day, ponies, donkeys, cows and even pigs roam freely in the ancient woods and sandy heathland, sometimes pottering through the village streets. As for our setting of Brockenhurst – the name comes from the Celtic for badgers’ home – we’re still very much in love with it. There are fascinating places to visit, such as Beaulieu (home of the Motor Museum) and the sailing town of Lymington, but there is plenty to enjoy here at home. Our house is one of the many lodges built for the groomkeepers who protected the Forest – the original building dated from 1602. With its thick stone walls and handsome proportions, it has a very particular, cosy charm. After 1853, it became a private residence, and from 1950 was a (different) hotel, once run by Brigadier John Doyle of the Conan Doyle family. So much of what we do at THE PIGs started here. It was the lovely old walled Kitchen Garden that inspired us to grow so much of our produce ourselves, and the richness of the local food scene feeds directly into our 25 mile menu. Explore the grounds and you’ll find huts and outhouses, the Potting Shed treatment rooms and, of course, our animals.

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P��t��g �h�� T��a��e�� n� A�� e��m��t��a�� n��e��a�� £1�� AN�I-AGEING �ES�OR��I�E ��CI�L A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. R��U�FA��NG�R��I��C��F��I�� This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

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... through the raised beds, out past our greenhouse and beehives and into our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea.

THE PIG \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

U��E��B��Y �N��N� A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished. M�� O �E This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy. H�� ONE ��S��G� A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. B��P��E �A��AGE We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

R��e��e t�� g� Ever heard of pannage pork? It’s all about letting our pigs out to roam for wild acorns

OF ALL WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR’S ruthless feudal laws, put in place following his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, it was perhaps his forest laws, designed to “leave the English nothing but their eyes to weep with” that were the most severe. In order to protect “the beasts of the chase”, commoners were forbidden to disturb or poach deer, fell trees, clear forest for agricultural use or fence the land, even if it belonged to them. These measures would help create the optimum hunting grounds for the king and his newly minted aristocracy. Hampshire’s New Forest, as it was renamed at the time, was designated purely for such purposes, and rule-breakers risked punishments such as blinding, having a hand cut off or even the death penalty. However, commoners were granted six rights under King William (also known as William the Bastard), one of which we’re extremely grateful still exists in the New Forest today. Pannage, or “common of mast”, is the right for commoners to release domestic pigs into the forest to feed on fallen acorns. THE PIG \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

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Admire the old oak tree at the front of the property. Can you believe it is said to have been planted in 1602 when the ﬁrst brick was laid?

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Pigs love green acorns, which is a plus because they’re poisonous for the ponies and cattle that also graze in the forest. Dogs don’t take too kindly to them either. Better yet, flavour-wise, pannage pork is as good as it gets – the equivalent of salt marsh lamb, if you will. Sadly, however, it’s only around for a short period of time each year. Pigs are only free to roam for 60 days, usually starting around the third week of September, or whenever the acorns begin to fall in any given year. During times of exceptional acorn falls, the pannage season can be extended by the local verderers (forestry officials), which is a blessing – happening upon a pig snuffling around under an oak tree is always a pleasure. During the 19th century, there were often as many as 6,000 pigs let loose on the forest, but these days that number is closer to 600 – another reason why pannage pork has become so prized. We get ours from the wonderful Dave and Sonja Waite who raise British heritage breeds near Beaulieu. It’s superbly tender, juicy and full of forest flavour. It doesn’t appear on our menu for long, though, so look out for pannage pork if you’re dining with us in the autumn and winter months. We often find it goes particularly well with black garlic butter, oyster mushrooms (grown in our Mushroom House in recycled coffee grounds) and purple-sprouting broccoli, for example. Perhaps, the old Duke of Normandy wasn’t so bad after all. Look out for pannage pork, when available, among other seasonal, local produce on the menu at THE PIG.

Put on your wellies and head into the forest straight from our front door. If you don’t have any, you can borrow a pair from us. Feel free to ask for route tips, too.

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Take in more than 800 years of heritage by exploring the nearby village of Beaulieu. It’s famous for its National Motor Museum but also offers plenty of quirky shops and tea rooms.

G�� P�ORI�G... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

HERE AT THE PIG, WE LIKE TO SERVE PANNAGE PORK WITH HOMEGROWN OYSTER MUSHROOMS AND PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI

THE PIG \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

Download one of our favourite walking routes

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE ~ SOUTHAMPTON CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON WILD ISLAND, THE DELICIOUS FRUIT VINEGARS AND OILS MADE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

WE NEVER REALLY INTENDED TO HAVE a city hotel, but when we came across our historic townhouse, a truly unique Grade II listed private residence tucked into Southampton’s ancient walls, we just fell for it. Our hotel was originally built as a private residence around 1820 and owned by the Countess Elizabeth Craven, an author and playwright, although she never actually lived here. In the late 1880s, for a while it was also a brewery and then a cosy pub, the Royal Standard. To create our PIG-in the wall, we also managed to purchase the adjacent house, adding more bedrooms. The Western Esplanade we are nestled in once fronted right onto the water. To the right of our hotel (as you face it) you’ll find the city’s West Gate, built in 1338. It’s through this archway that Henry V and his troops marched on their way to Agincourt in 1415. Along the city walls, you’ll find all manner of plaques and signs leading you on a historic trail through Southampton. From here, it’s effortlessly easy to dip into the city’s storied past, at venues such as the Tudor House & Garden, the Medieval Merchant’s House, and the ruins of Holyrood Church. THE PIG-in the wall is yours to enjoy as a characterful base for making the most of the city and its surroundings. If you fancy taking to the water, we’re also just a short ferry ride from the Isle of Wight.

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WALL THE PIG-IN THE WALL \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

We do things a little differently to the rest of the PIGS... ... We are all about relaxed deli-dining here at THE PIG-in the wall, rather than the full PIG restaurant experience. Being tucked away in the city of Southampton we don’t have our own Kitchen Garden on site, but we are still totally committed to homegrown and local produce! Daily deliveries from the Kitchen Garden at THE PIG, Brockenhurst – which is only 20 minutes’ drive away – and our local suppliers from Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight mean that our menus change just as regularly. Our menu is a pig’n’mix selection of freshly prepared delicounter salads, hearty larger plates, such as the pie of the day, as well as quiche, our snack boards, piggy bits and sweet treats.

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☞ V��I��O�� N�IG�O��ING ��G If you’ve enjoyed lots of the fresh, seasonal produce in our Deli-bar dishes, the chances are some of it was grown in the Kitchen Garden at THE PIG, just 20 minutes down the road from us in the New Forest. Our very ﬁrst PIG is situated in the most bucolic of settings, in a lovely old stone house in the leafy countryside outside Brockenhurst, alongside its abundant walled Kitchen Garden. If you’ve time, why not head over there for lunch, dinner or just a drink in the bar – followed by a mooch around the veg beds!

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• 1 onion squash (or butternut) • 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil • salt and pepper • 2 bunches Tenderstem broccoli • 1 pomegranate

Heat the oven to 220ºC, 200ºC fan (425ºF), Gas Mark 7. Peel and dice the squash then mix it in a bowl with the oil and salt and pepper. Spread it out on a baking tray and cook in the oven for around 20 minutes or until it takes on a good roasted colour. Trim the base of the broccoli stems and place in a pan of boiling salted water. After 3 minutes drain and cool down by plunging into ice-cold water. When both the squash and the broccoli have cooled, mix together in a bowl. If some stems are large, split them lengthways. Cut the pomegranate in half and scoop out the seeds. Mix the seeds with the squash and broccoli, adding more seasoning if you need it.

T�� l�� o��s Meet the Isle of Wight-based producers behind the tasty fruit-infused oils and vinegars that enliven our Deli-bar salads at THE PIG-in the wall

WE ARE BIG FANS OF SMALL local producers at all THE PIGs. And in the case of THE PIG-in the wall, local extends to the nearby Isle of Wight, only a brief boat ride away and bursting with all kinds of natural, seasonal British produce. Those making use of that bounty include Wild Island, an awardwinning small-batch producer of fruit-infused dressings, vinegars and oils (its best-seller is a spiced fig balsamic dressing, which we can heartily recommend). Founded more than a decade ago, the company, which is run by Natasha Wilson, is today part of the Isle of Wight’s The Garlic Farm, a farm, shop and restaurant set in a bucolic spot in the centre of the island. “Our story is about simplicity – we believe that the best food is clean, pure and natural,” says Natasha. “Keeping that inspiration in mind helps us to keep our focus. Being highly attuned to the provenance and subtleties of ingredients is the cornerstone of the Wild Island brand.” Access to quality ingredients aside, Natasha also relishes (no pun intended) life on the Isle of Wight: “Close to the sea and so many beautiful beaches, as well as wild woodland. Wherever you go, every direction has a beautiful view of some kind.” THE PIG-IN THE WALL \ HOGWA HOGWASH SH \ AUTUMN

“O�� o�� a��u��s��p��c��y. W��b��i��e �h�� e b��t �o�� e��, p��e �n��n��u��l” Making use of local produce wherever possible, the brand creates ﬂavoured vinegars and oils that you will come across in Hampshire’s local delis and farm shops, as well as on some of the tempting deli dishes that we serve at THE PIG-in the wall, many of which make the most of the Kitchen Garden goodies from the nearby PIG in Brockenhurst. Ingredients include raspberries, blackberries, cherries, chillies and those tasty figs. Natasha finds it especially satisfying to see chefs like ours make use of Wild Island. “It makes us feel like we’re winning,” she says. If she’s at home, a favourite dish is “homemade focaccia bread, topped with rosemary and garlic, caramelised onions with raspberry balsamic vinegar, and some cherry tomatoes and basil drizzled with chilli oil”. If you’re picking up some Wild Island products while you are in this part of the world to try them on dishes at home, Natasha wants to put a good word in for the newly added honey and thyme dressing, best used “to drizzle over warm new potatoes or freshly grilled fish, or to complement any salad. It’s really versatile.” As for future plans, the brand is gradually expanding – including having recently added a new miniature range – while still keeping things local. A bit like THE PIGs, really. You can try Wild Island vinegars, dressings and oils on dishes at THE PIG-in the wall. Or try our beetroot and blue vinny cheese salad recipe on page 12

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Inspect the D-Day Wall right next to the hotel, to see messages and signatures left by the departing American troops.

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NATASHA WILSON (ABOVE) RUNS WILD ISL AND. BL ACKBERRY BALSAMIC DRESSING ADDS SEASONAL ZEST TO A SAL AD (BELOW )

Enjoy our homemade hot chocolate by the ﬁre – of course we recommend adding marshmallows. And as we get closer to Christmas, why not swap that mug for a glass of mulled wine?

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Hop on a train to visit the Winchester Christmas market, which has more than 100 chalets and is regarded as one of the best in Europe. It returns from 17 November to 21 December, 2023.

G�� P�OR��G... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

A QR code you’ll want to scan

Go straight to Things to Do on our website

THE PIG - IN THE WALL \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ DORSET CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON STUDLAND BAY'S OFF-SEASON SEA SWIMMING AND SAUNA

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PEOPLE OFTEN SAY that the manor house of THE PIG-on the beach looks like a gingerbread or fairy-tale house – and we do have a slightly unreal setting, perched on a cliff, looking out to Old Harry Rocks. Studland is where Enid Blyton used to go on holiday, and this area has a hint of The Famous Five to it, with its golden beaches and bays that spell adventure, and a history of pirate stories. Although Studland is part of the mainland, the area is called the Isle of Purbeck and it certainly has an island vibe. The house was built in 1825 as a seaside bolthole by George Henry Bankes MP, who had a family of 14 children to take on holidays. He spent his retirement enlarging and improving it, hence its higgledy-piggledy appeal. George was a descendant of “Brave Dame Mary” Bankes, who defended Corfe Castle against Cromwell’s troops. Some of the medieval carvings here are believed to have come from the castle. Some others were, shall we say, “rescued” by the MP from the Palace of Westminster, after the fire of 1834. The Bankes family also had a seat at nearby Kingston Lacy, where architect Sir Charles Barry (of Palace of Westminster fame) worked on alterations – many similar gothic revival details can be seen in the hotel. In World War II, the house was a base for senior military personnel, and in 1944 an observational bunker called Fort Henry was built into the clifftop at the bottom of the garden. King George VI, Winston Churchill and President Eisenhower were among those who came here that year to watch the biggest full-scale invasion exercise using live ammunition carried out as a prelude to D-Day. Fort Henry is now open to visitors and run by the National Trust, and it marks the start of the Jurassic Coast Unesco world heritage site, which stretches west along the coast to Devon. Since the 1950s, the house has been run as a private hotel, but had closed in 2012. We opened as THE PIG-on the beach in summer 2014 and haven’t looked back since. While you’re here, make sure to take some time to enjoy our Kitchen Garden. Here, nestled between the more traditional crops, you will find beds of native sea vegetables, such as sea kale, oyster leaf, and sea orach. With some of the best views around, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

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Sheep Hut Treatment Menu All treatments are 60 minutes and £115 ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL This treatment is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, the restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antoxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

Wander down through the gardens...

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... out towards the cliffs and into our warm, rustic retreats: nestled away in the grazing fields with the best views out to sea, our two Sheep Hut treatment rooms are quiet and calm and designed to help you really escape it all. Take inspiration from the green surroundings and our coastal location, and enjoy relaxing treatments with natural and organic products by VOYA. VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use the highest-quality botanical ingredients and aromatherapy oils, and are created using sustainable processes and accredited by the Soil Association. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea. After a day on the beach or a long walk along the headland, wind down with a full body massage or a rejuvenating facial.

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Sheep Hut treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I ﬁll the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

THE PIG - ON THE BE ACH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

UPPER BODY UNWIND A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished. MUM TO BE This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.s HOT STONE MASSAGE A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. BESPOKE MASSAGE We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

Cold calling Sea swimming can be fun whatever the season – especially if there’s a sauna to jump into when you get out

A DIP IN THE DORSET SEA ON A BRIGHT WINTER’S DAY – JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

THE RISE OF SO-CALLED WILD SWIMMING has seen some of us get bolder about taking a dip in the sea year-round, rather than only braving British waters in high summer, if at all. But whether you’re a new convert or a fully signed-up member of the cold-sea swimming brigade, some British beaches are definitely more appealing than others – and here at THE PIG-on the beach, we have one of the loveliest and cleanest stretches of coastline on our doorstep. If you’re a cold-water swimming virgin, it’s especially important to follow the RNLI’s advice before you take the plunge, in order to stay safe and not give your system too much of a shock. Its open-water swimming guide (rnli.org) is full of expert tips. And the growth in popularity of wild swimming means there is now a huge array of wetsuits, Dryrobes, gloves and socks available to add some thermal layers. If you do get into the swing of it, cold-water swimming is thought to boost your mood, thanks to the release of the “happy hormones”, serotonin and dopamine. Wild dippers often talk of a natural endorphin high that raises mood, boosts the senses and creates an urge to dive back in (yes, really!). Water sports, when availble, can be another way to experience that cold-water high. THE PIG-ON THE BE ACH \ HOGWASH HOGWA SH \ \ AUTUMN AUTUMN

“Wild dippers often talk of a natural endorphin high that raises mood and boosts the senses”

IF YOU ONLY HAVE ... ☞ 3 minutes

Head down to Fort Henry, the bunker in what’s now our garden, where in 1944 King George VI, Churchill, Eisenhower and others gathered to watch the Allied Forces preparing for D-Day.

☞ 30 minutes

Ask the reception team about the legend of Agglestone Rock, which is located just a 15-minute walk from our hotel.

By adapting to cold stress, wild swimmers are thought to help reduce inflammation in the body, as well as their chances of suffering from high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Regular cold-water immersion might also help lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Another bonus is that when you’re swimming in cold open water, your brain is forced to stop racing through a bulging inbox or to-do list, and to stop scrolling or staring at a screen. You’re simply plunged into the moment, the here and now – ideally in a stunning natural setting. SWIM AND SAUNA AT STUDLAND BAY With white sand and shallow waters, backed by dunes and heathland, our local beaches here at Studland Bay are perfect for swimming. (In the warmer months, there is also a good range of water-based activities on offer, courtesy of Studland Watersports.) Owned and managed by the National Trust, Studland Bay is actually made up of four beaches: Shell Bay, Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach. If you want to warm up after a cold swim in the Dorset sea, head to Knoll Beach, which is home to Studland Sauna Hut, open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. Saunas prompt increased blood flow, which can help reduce tension in the joints and relieve sore muscles, and sweating can also help to remove toxins from the body. Find out more and book your sauna session at studlandwatersports.co.uk

☞ 3 hours

From nearby Poole, catch a ferry to Brownsea Island. This National Trust reserve is home to rare red squirrels and offers family walking trails, a play area, a café and daily guided tours.

GET EXPLORING... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

THE STUDL AND SAUNA HUT IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND TO WARM UP SEA SWIMMERS

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

THE PIG - ON THE BE ACH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

Download one of our favourite walking routes

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ SOMERSET CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON HOW JAMIE’S FARM IS CHANGING YOUNG LIVES, ONE PAIR OF WELLIES AT A TIME

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NOWHERE ELSE MARRIES MELLOW ENGLISH countryside and buzzing creative energy quite like Somerset, where a dairy farmer invented the world’s most famous music festival and cutting-edge galleries sit amid dreamy meadows. The local cheese isn’t bad either. THE PIG’s suitably laid-back and impossibly romantic home here is Hunstrete House. This Grade II listed building dating from 1820 was once part of an estate belonging to the Abbey of Glastonbury, and known as The Lodge. Built in creamy Bath stone and set in 30 acres of deer park, we find it more than comfortable. Look out from our gardens, though, and you’ll see the ruined arches of a mansion that its owner in the 1800s had hoped – but ultimately failed – to add here. The origin of the name Huntstrete is unclear, but might derive from the Old English hund (hound) and street. Certainly, the area has been inhabited since the earliest times, as confirmed by a flint axe head found locally in Common Wood. At the start of the 17th century, the house was acquired by the family of Sir John Popham, whose descendants owned it until 1977 when it was sold to John and Thea Duypays, who converted it into a hotel. We’re proud to say that today our most extensive Kitchen Garden is here at our Somerset PIG. Its features, including the original greenhouses, were lovingly renovated by our team – ensuring the design laid out by gardeners past was not lost. The Kitchen Garden has also grown with demand for its wonderful produce, and is now double the size it was when we opened in 2014. Our historic property is definitely enjoying a whole new chapter.

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THE PIG-NE AR BATH \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

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Potting Shed Treatment Menu All treatments are 60 minutes and £115 ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

Wander into the walled Kitchen Garden... ... through the raised beds, out past our greenhouse and fruit cages, and into our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea.

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THE PIG - NE AR BATH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

UPPER BODY UNWIND A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished. MUM TO BE This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy. HOT STONE MASSAGE A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. BESPOKE MASSAGE We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

Bet the farm on it From chopping logs to herding sheep, Jamie’s Farm offers young people the life-changing opportunity to experience an outdoor lifestyle

“I DIDN’T REALLY KNOW there was this side to me, to be honest,” says one London schoolchild, after spending five days as part of the team at a working farm set in idyllic countryside just outside Bath. “Most of the time, when I was offered to do things, I would say no. But coming here really opened my mind to new experiences.” Here at THE PIG-near Bath, we’re proud supporters of Jamie’s Farm, a charity that enables young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and inner-city schools, as well as those who are struggling with their behaviour or are at risk of school exclusion, to experience the fun, hard work and satisfaction of an outdoor lifestyle on a working farm. The charity was founded in 2009 by Jamie Feilden, a farmer and teacher, and his psychotherapist mum, Tish Feilden. Today, it helps young people experience life on several farms around the UK, including in Monmouth in Wales, Lewes in Sussex and Skipton in Yorkshire. There’s also a city farm in London’s Waterloo for day visits. “The initial spark came from our experiences of working with vulnerable teenagers who were in school, but not achieving,” says Jamie. “I was convinced we could break down the barriers of these badly behaved, disengaged children through the benefits I experienced as a child, of working and living on a farm. Children are supported to achieve at real jobs with real outcomes.” The Jamie’s Farm programme near Bath, for example, gives a small group from the same school or organisation (up to 12 children and some members of their staff ) the chance to come for a five-day stay that could include learning to herd and look after 400 ewes or 40 cows, chop logs, cook farm-grown meals and even assisting with lambing. All this is with the fuel of fresh, healthy meals and snacks, and plenty of pairs of wellies to go round. To date, the charity has welcomed almost 13,000 young people to its sites, with some impressive results. For many youngsters, a Jamie’s Farm trip is such a positive experience that it can have a lifeTHE PIG-NE AR BATH \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

“The children are supported to achieve at real jobs with real outcomes” changing impact. In the 2021-22 school year, for example, of those referred to Jamie’s Farm to improve their self-esteem, 63 per cent showed improvement six months later. And of those children previously at risk of exclusion from school, 64 per cent were no longer at risk six months after visiting the farm. The trips were also shown to meaningfully boost the engagement of many children beyond the farm. All this is partly because of the follow-up work that Jamie’s Farm does with pupils and teachers, to help embed good habits long after the trip has ended. “This isn’t just a one-off experience that gets lost,” explains Jamie, “but a catalyst to build on when young people go back to their schools and homes. It’s a privilege to see children enjoying themselves – and to watch them transform.” Find out more at jamiesfarm.org.uk

THE PIG-near Bath partners with Jamie’s Farm

~ Here at THE PIG-near Bath, we’re proud to support Jamie’s Farm – by donating to the charity and providing chefs and waiting-staff support for fundraising events. “Jamie’s Farm is a brilliant ﬁt for us,” says our duty manager, Sophie. “The work they do to create a unique experience between farming, food, community and the individual is something that we also strive to achieve.” ~ We also serve Jamie’s Farm lamb when available look out for it on our menu. Jamie’s Farm operates on a sustainable funding model whereby 50 per cent of running costs are covered by earned income across the farms, including from meat with exemplary high standards of welfare. “It’s fantastic to have local support and share what we achieve with guests of THE PIG-near Bath,” says Jamie. “We share a passion and commitment to put growth and nurture at the heart of communities.”

IF YOU ONLY HAVE ... ☞ 3 minutes

Tickle the ivories on our very own grand piano, near the bar – we’ll let you be the judge of whether you’re good enough.

☞ 30 minutes

Enjoy a game or two of American pool (with numbered balls) in our billiard room, and check out the “secret” snooker table while you’re here.

☞ 3 hours

See a movie at The Little Theatre in Bath, a small and atmospheric cinema that dates from the 1930s and is now a Picturehouse. As well as blockbusters, it offers some arthouse ﬁlms that you won’t ﬁnd elsewhere.

GET EXPLORING... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

~ Want to follow our lead? There is no better time to donate to Jamie’s Farm than in its Big Give Christmas Challenge between 28 November and 5 December, when all donations made are doubled. To make your pledge and get involved, visit jfrm.org/pledge23

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE ENJOYING A STAY AT ONE OF JAMIE’S FARMS

THE PIG - NE AR BATH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

Download one of our favourite walking routes

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ DEVON CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR COMBE ESTATE SETTING

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COMBE MEANS WOODED VALLEY – in the Domesday Book you’ll find the Welsh word for the same, “Cwm” – and this leafy part of Devon certainly lives up to the name. This building is probably our “poshest PIG”: a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house, set in 3,500 acres in the Otter Valley, with expansive views towards the Blackdown Hills, and plenty of pheasants pottering about. All sitting on land whose first recorded owner, in 1086, was Bishop Odo – the half-brother of William the Conqueror. We picked up the keys quite some time after that, in October 2015, and worked on restoring, renovating and redesigning the hotel here – Combe House has been a hotel of one kind or another since 1968 – as well as what has become one of the loveliest Kitchen Gardens of all of our PIGs. The terraced garden, set within a mature pinetum, retains original features lovingly renovated by our team, including two Victorian greenhouses. In one, you’ll find a Black Hamburg grape vine that is thought to be more than a century old. We also have a Mushroom House, where we grow and harvest our own mushrooms, and a Smokery for curing and smoking meat and fish. We’ve handled the house and its grounds with great care, breathing new life into the building’s old bones but seeking never to over-restore. We especially love the Folly, our rustic hideaway restaurant that sits in the gardens, and the bedrooms we created in the stable yard behind the main house. We have made the most of other features, such as the original Georgian Kitchen and cavernous cellar where we sometimes host wine tastings – do ask us to show you if you’re curious – and the Elizabethan great hall entrance, dating from 1580, which now holds our lively bar. And while we’ve had plenty of new guests, we’ve also been careful not to bother some of the residents who were already here on-site, including a colony of bats. After all, they found the place before us.

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P��t��g �h�� T��a��e�� n� A�� e��m��t��a�� n��e��a�� £1�� AN�I-AG�ING ��S�OR��I�� C��L A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. RE�U�FA��NG�R��I��CE�F��I�� This highly eﬀective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

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U��E��BO�Y �N��N� A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished. M�M �O �� This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy. HO� ��ON� ��S��GE A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

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... past the raised beds and fruit cages and into the Herb Garden, where you will find our two warm, rustic retreats: the Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments from the sea.

BE�PO�E MA��AG� We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

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SET IN BEAUTIFUL DEVON COUNTRYSIDE, THE ESTATE PROVIDES FERTILE GROUND FOR FORAGING (BELOW)

How well do you know the Combe Estate, the stunning setting for our PIG?

LONG BEFORE ITS OFFICIAL DESIGNATION, there was little argument that East Devon was an area of outstanding natural beauty, with its rolling hills, dramatic coastline and verdant heaths. One need only spend a morning on the East Devon Way, one of the county’s long-distance walking routes, stretching nearly 40 miles between Exmouth and Lyme Regis, to witness that beauty in spades. Along the way, you’d likely venture into the stunning Combe Estate, home to THE PIG-at Combe. Before the hotel became what it is today, it was known as the manor house of Gittisham, home of the Marker family, who are custodians of the 4,000-acre Combe Estate – and nowadays, great friends of ours. Here at THE PIG-at Combe, we see a lot of Justin Lascelles, the Estate manager, in particular – whether he’s keeping us stocked up with firewood or showing us the best spots for foraging. “I remember showing the head chef where to look for mushrooms,” he recalls. “He was picking things that to me screamed, ‘Don’t eat me!’ – bright purple, poisonous-looking amethyst deceivers, for example. He really opened my eyes to what was edible if you actually know what you’re looking for.” THE PIG-AT COMBE \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

“T��r��h�� e��a h��e �n��e��e �n �h�� v��i��y �f �l��a �n�� f��n��o��t�� a��”

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Pause to admire the hand-carved ﬁreplace in our Library - one of many ﬁne original details.

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Stroll the 15-minutes into Gittisham village, stopping to say hello to our animals on the way before enjoying some quiet time looking at the paintings in the village church, which date from 1744.

Likewise, Justin has often spoken at our annual Game Dinners (in Combe and in Bath), educating guests (and indeed us) on the flavour profiles and ecological benefits of wild meat such as pheasant, partridge, venison and rabbit. The Combe Estate provides us with the majority of our game. “Of course, the Estate is used for a variety of different purposes,” says Justin. “Aside from sport, there’s dairy farming, cattle farming, arable farming, meat production and forestry. We lease land to five farms, including Combe Farm, which also has an Arab stud, so it’s up to me to make sure all of those activities complement each other and don’t conflict.” That’s not to mention the Estate’s own farm, which takes great care of the 100-strong “Gittisham herd” of Red Ruby Devon cattle – all while championing innovative regenerative farming techniques. The Estate boasts 250 acres of Pebblebed Heath – considered an important European conservation site due to its rich and varied ecosystems – which provides the perfect fodder for this native breed. In the past 15 years, there has been a huge increase in the variety of flora and fauna on the heath as a direct result of the Estate implementing rotational cattle grazing. We consider the beef from these cattle to be the very best around, but alas, as with most of the finest things, it comes in small quantities. We at THE PIG get our fair share, as does the Combe Farm Shop, but the estate only tends to butcher meat from two or three of the cattle each month. So when the estate’s beef is on the menu, it’s not on for long. “Ours is a mutually beneficial relationship,” says Justin. “As tenants go, THE PIG really is a feather in the cap of the Combe Estate, but it’s also a great brand in the context of the local area and businesses. THE PIG has raised the profile of this small corner of east Devon.”

☞ 3 �o��s

Why not go on a little jaunt to visit our friends at Castlewood Vineyard? They offer tours and tastings of their delicious English wines, but it’s best to book in advance.

GE� E�P�OR��G... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

RED RUBY DEVON CATTLE GRAZE ON THE ESTATE’S HEATHL AND

THE PIG - AT COMBE \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

Download one of our favourite walking routes

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~ THE INSIDE STORY OF SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE

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OUR CORNISH PIG’S HOME IS HARLYN HOUSE, which has been for centuries one of the most prominent houses in an area of the county that is justly famed for its rugged beauty, sandy coves and great produce from sea and land. Its name is said to be derived from the Cornish for “important place by the water” and we are very proud to be its current custodians. Before we picked up the keys in 2018 and opened two years later, in its 600-year-history, only three families had owned this dramatic stone property, set on a breathtaking stretch of coast overlooking Harlyn Bay. The first owners of this 15th-century farmhouse were the Tregoyes or Tregewes (one of whom, Richard Tregew became MP for Cornwall in 1448), followed by “gentlemen-farmers” the Hellyars. The house became ever grander over the years, as new architectural details were added. When a Captain Millar purchased Harlyn in 1947, he thankfully ignored architectural advice that it was “past saving”, instead bringing in master craftsmen to restore it to its former glory. Among the surviving features, although it was heavily overgrown and neglected when we arrived, is our Kitchen Garden. It’s been here for almost 200 years, enclosed by three sides of Cornish slate wall. Our team has lovingly restored it and work year-round to keep it flourishing with vegetables, fresh salads and herbs. We are also growing our own rock samphire, sea kale and sea beet. The many lives and eras of the house are displayed in the exterior stonework, as well as in the flagged floors, heavy wood doors and gorgeous details throughout. Harlyn House has a moody charm all of its own – and simply by staying here, you’re now part of its story.

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All treatments are 60 minutes and £115 R��U�FA��NG�RA�IANC��FA�IA� This highly eﬀective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow. AN�I-AG�ING ��S�ORA�I�� C��L A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow. U��E��B��Y �N��N� A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

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H�� ON� ��S��G� A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away any tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. O�GAN�C �A�� I��D �U��W��P Seaweed from Ireland produces a mud wrap rich in potent antioxidants and minerals, infused with aromatic spices of ginger and orange to revive the senses. This wrap has immediate and noticeable eﬀects on the skin, including firming and toning. It is also a serious detoxifier, metabolism stimulator and a natural anti-ageing boost – a must for the results-conscious guest. O�GAN�C OC��N �S��N�� OTA� �ODY�W��P Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph flow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells. The wrap is an excellent skin rejuvenator, combating the appearance of cellulite and fatigue, while producing a deeply moisturising eﬀect.

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... and wildflower beds and into our warm, rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and our coastal location, and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty and longstanding traditions of Ireland’s northwest coast, three generations of the Walton family have harnessed the healing properties of seaweed to create VOYA’s organic beauty products and treatments. After a day on the beach or a long walk along the headland, wind down with a full body massage or sugar scrub, or feel the restorative power of the sea with a rejuvenating facial.

M�� O �� This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

F��L �O�Y ��GAR ��R�� This refreshing, all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. The treatment finishes with a light cleansing shower, followed by a deeply nourishing all-over body cream.

W��e �f c��n�� Cornish-born charity Surfers Against Sewage is a long-established campaigner for cleaner seas – and we’ve never needed it more

OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has become one of the UK’s most prominent marine conservation charities, coordinating large-scale campaigns that reach the ears of government, as well as hands-on local initiatives such as beach cleans. “We are a campaigning charity made up of water lovers who protect the ocean and all it makes possible,” says Pete Lewis, director of fundraising at SAS. “We take action on the ground that triggers change at the top. Action from the beachfront to the frontbench.” Surfers Against Sewage was founded in 1990, by a group of Cornish surfers, including Chris Hines, as a response from the surfing community to the unedifying experience of encountering raw sewage oﬀ the UK coast. A complaint that’s sadly still as relevant in 2023 as it was in the late 1980s. “We knew what it was like to get a panty liner stuck in your hair,” as Chris once put it. What started as a local Cornish uprising of surfers is now a longstanding network of activists that enjoys the support of surfers, sea swimmers, dog walkers, sandcastle-builders – and simply anyone who enjoys or cares about the British coastline. THE PIG-AT HARLYN BAY \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

“W�’r��a �r��p o��w��e��l��e�� f��h��n��t��c��a��u�� t�� a” Over its 30-plus years of campaigning, SAS has expanded the scope of its mission. “We started rising up on more issues, bringing together more people and using our collective power to drive change,” says Pete. Indeed, campaigning projects have also addressed plastic pollution and the wider climate emergency. “By building and connecting communities motivated to make a diﬀerence, we gather the evidence and give voice to the issues that hold leaders to account.” “A lot has changed in the past three decades, but we’re still a group of water lovers fighting back to clean up the sea. It’s just that now there are more of us, with more corners to fight,” says Pete. Here at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, our lives are totally influenced by our wonderful coastal location and climate, including in the quality of the food we can put on the table, the lifestyle and activities we enjoy and even the friends we keep. It is a part of our story and identity. So in 2023, we’ve been proud to join in with SAS, taking part in some local beach cleaning. Armed with gloves, bags and an unwavering determination, the PIG team scoured the sandy shores of Harlyn Bay, removing the rubbish that threatens this beautiful marine environment. We’ve also donated funds to support the charity’s work, joining in its crusade to care for the health of our sea and coastline. “This support from THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay has had a monumental impact on helping to create positive action on water quality and plastic pollution,” says Pete, “which has been amplified by the team’s engagement with the Million Mile Clean: the campaign that is bringing environmental activists together to clean over 10 million miles of UK landscape by 2030.” Sounds like a plan. Learn more at sas.org.uk

Surfers Against Sewage’s 2030 goals

~ An end to sewage discharge into UK bathing waters and plastic pollution on UK beaches.

~ High protection status for 30 per cent of the ocean and all UK Marine Protected Areas. ~ For the UK to achieve net zero, including the adoption of ocean-based solutions.

I��Y�� NLY�HA�E ... ☞ 3 �i��t��

Spotted or smelled our in-house smokery? The smokery is the repurposed bread oven from Harlyn’s farmhouse days.

☞ 3��m��u��s

Explore the hotel and grounds, keeping an eye out for our date stones on your way. These include one in the old dining room, one on the Snug entrance and one in the Kitchen Garden.

☞ 3 �o��s

Experience the Cornish charm of one of our favourite nearby villages. Options include Charlestown, Polperro and Mevagissey.

G�� P�OR�NG... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at Reception for our map of local walks.

MEMBERS OF SAS MAKING A STAND FOR CLEAN SEAS FOR SURFERS, SWIMMERS AND WILDLIFE

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

THE PIG - AT HARLYN BAY \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

Download one of our favourite walking routes

F RI E NDS OF T H E PIG

DAVID AND A SELECTION OF HIS SCULPTURES, INCLUDING SADDLEBACK AND GLOUCESTER OLD SPOT PIGS

Creature features We’re big fans of David Farrer’s animal sculptures and are happy to say that more will be on their way to our newest PIG

THE PAPIER-MÂCHÉ ANIMAL SCULPTURES of artist David Farrer are often wonderfully lifelike. They almost always have some playful aspects, too: colours a little richer than the real thing; impossibly outsized eyes and eyelashes on a soulful rabbit; or even the surprise of a drink and cigarette in the hands of a cheeky newt (above, bottom left). Most tongue-in-cheek of all are David’s “trophy” heads mounted on wooden shields, some of which hang on the walls at THE PIG in Brockenhurst and THE PIG-near Bath. “I like to subvert, but with a smile on my face,” David explains. “When it comes to mounted, stuffed animal heads in particular, I wanted to provide a sustainable, ecofriendly alternative to the real thing. Because if you are doing it that way rather than being overly preachy, you’re more likely to connect with your audience.” He says he was particularly pleased when a passerby once mistook his animal heads on a gallery wall for the real thing, marched in to complain, then enjoyed the exhibition instead. Growing up in Leeds, David was fascinated by the dusty, taxidermied animals in his local museum. “They weren’t very wellfenced off, so you could stick your fingers in their ears or down their throat,” he remembers, rather fondly. So when two of his much-older siblings moved to South Africa, he was thrilled to suddenly be able to spend some of his school holidays on safari. David was as enthralled by African wildlife as he was horrified by the coffee-table books he often chanced upon as a child, of big-game hunters posing with animals

killed for sport. “You’d flip through and think for a moment it was a nice book of wildlife photos, then it was just, ‘oh no!’ – people standing next to animals they’d killed for no real reason at all. Urgh.” Ever since then, David has continued to travel to Africa whenever he can, including to Namibia and Kenya, as well as spending plenty of time observing British wildlife near his home in rural Oxfordshire. He creates all his sculptures in a large studio at the bottom of his garden. Some of his recent work has been creating new rare-breed pig sculptures to adorn the THE PIG-on the farm, when it opens in a 16thcentury manor house near Stratfordupon-Avon. “I have painted a little mud and dirt and dead bugs onto the pigs – all the kinds of things you would find on the real creatures – and sealed it in with glue,” he says brightly. David’s Yorkshire White and Gloucester Old Spot (above, bottom row) sculptures for THE PIG-on the farm are towards the more realistic end of his spectrum, whereas Saddleback (top left) is decorated with inspirational slogans cut from magazines. “I find that text can be a nice way to divide a sculpture and highlight contours,” he says. “And I love the contrast of taking text from one context and putting it into another. So I’m always saving things from magazines. I once found an interview with John Travolta with the quote, ‘I like to fly twice a day.’ I ended up putting that one on an eagle.” Discover David’s work at davidfarrer.com, and see his pigs at THE PIG-on the farm, when it opens.

“I like to subvert, but with a smile on my face”

HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

TAIL

COCKT

S • COC

F O OD & DR INK

•

Beetroot & blue vinny salad

ILS •

Try mixing up this seasonal cocktail at home. Damson liqueur is like the taste of autumn bottled, and adding a splash of English fizz will get you in the mood for the party season.

Delamain and Damson • 60ml Sapling Gin

This is the perfect winter salad – fantastic as a starter or as a light main course. The beautiful colours of the golden and candy beetroot combined with the bright, fluffy whipped cheese are a classic and comforting combination. Dress it with balsamic vinegar and rapeseed oil. Serves 4–6 (as a starter) For the beetroot

• 25ml Delamain XO Cognac

• 250g (9oz) golden beetroot

• 15ml damson liqueur, or substitute with any berry liqueur

• 250g (9oz) Chioggia

• 15ml honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water)

(candy) beetroot

• 10ml lemon juice

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• English sparkling wine (to top up your glass from)

• 2 sprigs thyme

• a twist of lemon peel to garnish

• 2 cloves garlic • 2 pinches black peppercorns

Take a chilled champagne flute, put all ingredients, apart from the sparkling wine, in the flute and give a quick stir. Top up with the fizz, and garnish with the lemon peel and a berry of your choice.

• 2 pinches coriander seeds • salt and pepper • watercress (to garnish)

For the whipped cheese • 125g (4½oz) Dorset blue vinny cheese, without rind (or stilton)

What to drink with this salad... This recipe’s combination of sweet, savoury and earthy flavours of beetroot and blue cheese is a wine-pairing conundrum, even for a sommelier. So THE PIGs’ heads of wine – Luke, Ed and Greg – have tried and tested three English wines that are a perfect match.

Calancombe Estate Pinot Gris, Devon, 2022

• 75ml (2½ﬂ oz) water • 190ml (6½ﬂ oz) double cream • a squeeze of lemon juice

For the dressing • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or fruit vinegar – we like Wild Island, based on the Isle of Wight, but you can buy online) • 6 tablespoons rapeseed oil

100% pinot gris

With elegant notes of honeysuckle, peach and lemon peel, the Calancombe Estate Pinot Gris strikes a refreshing and aromatic expression. The poised acidity and touch of sweetness on the palate will strike a chord with this dish.

White Castle Pinot Noir Précoce Reserve, Wales, 2021 100% pinot noir précoce

Hailing from a Welsh vineyard near Abergavenny, the White Castle Vineyard Pinot Noir has intriguing notes of bilberry, smoked blackcurrants and cherry juice. The palate is fresh, with a savouriness resembling a classic, old-world style of pinot. This pairing is particularly suited for an autumn celebration, bringing out the best in both the dish and the wine.

Digby Vintage Reserve Brut, Sussex, 2013 65% chardonnay, 25% pinot noir, 10% pinot meunier

The supreme champion of the WineGB 2023 awards, this hits a remarkable balance of flavours and complexity. On the nose, you’ll find enticing notes of ginger, winter savoury, baked apple and pastry. The beautiful ripeness of the fruit harmonises perfectly with the saltiness of the blue cheese. 12

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

Boil the beetroot in separate pans of salted water seasoned with rosemary, thyme, garlic, peppercorns and coriander seeds, until just cooked – roughly 45 minutes. Drain and, using a pair of tongs, carefully roast over an open flame on the gas hob – just enough to nicely char the skin. If you don’t have a gas hob, season and oil the beet and put it under the grill at a high temperature until it starts to blister. Rub the charred skin off the beetroot, then cut into 2½–5cm (1-2 inch) pieces. To make the whipped cheese, combine the blue vinny (or stilton) with the water, and blitz in a blender until smooth. Meanwhile, whisk the double cream with a squeeze of lemon juice until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the smooth cheese, season to taste and decant into a bowl. Place 3 tablespoons of the whipped blue vinny on a plate with the beetroot, as neatly as possible. Dress with the balsamic vinegar and rapeseed oil. Garnish with the watercress and serve.

E THO S

PIG PE O LE

PE OPL

· PIG EO

PLE ·

Jess Porch Restaurant supervisor – and former apprentice – at THE PIG-near Bath Here at THE PIGs, our award-winning apprenticeship schemes help people of all ages and backgrounds gain the skills to excel in a hospitality career. From managing kitchen gardens and foraging to animal husbandry, beekeeping, advanced butchery or leadership training and business finance, we offer all kinds of skills training. Here’s one of our restaurant supervisors, Jess, who passed her apprenticeship with distinctions in every area, on what her journey has been like. WHEN I WAS AT BATH COLLEGE, I knew about THE PIGnear Bath and I always wanted to work here. Steph Young from the restaurant had come in and worked with us at the college, and she was so fun and passionate – I thought I really wanted to work with people like that. I FIRST JOINED THE PIG-NEAR BATH as a junior chef de rang (a waiter in charge of a restaurant section), then was promoted to senior chef de rang. At that point, management asked if I’d be interested in the apprentice programme. I decided to go for it, and that enabled me to become a restaurant supervisor two years after joining the team. THE APPRENTICE PROGRAMME TAUGHT ME A LOT. I kept all my notes and I refer back to them when I need to. It really helps you learn about what it means to be a leader of a team, for example. I had support to know what my new position would involve and how to do it well. It was hard work and included explaining my sustainability project for a 40-minute spoken section of the final exam, which isn’t something I’d ever have done before. But putting in the effort really pays off. MY WORKING DAY OFTEN STARTS with a handover with the manager who is coming off shift before me. We will look at what we need to concentrate on that day – the menu, any changes and how we communicate that to the team. Trying dishes is always a perk of the job. NOW THAT I AM SUPERVISOR, I am more involved with the whole team. I love organising team briefings, when we get everyone together, and making them fun. If it’s a sunny day, we can do them out in the garden. It’s about getting everyone ready for the shift ahead, and I love it.

IT’S A

PIG

THING TO BE THE FUTURE OF

CARING A N D CON SIDE R E D HOSPITALITY

AT HEART, THE PIGs are restaurants with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden. Our gardeners and chefs work hand in hand to create menus brimful of the freshest seasonal flavours. What we can’t grow ourselves, we source from our local heroes – the best farmers, fishermen and foragers we know, who are the foundation of our 25 mile menu. We are obsessive recyclers and restorers: from vintage fabrics and china to DIY on-site smokeries and upcycled chicken sheds, we love anything homemade and ultra-local. Each of our eight PIGs is totally different – we always go with the grain of the place, taking our lead from the spirit of the building to create somewhere that feels lived-in and well loved. The bedrooms are pretty comfy, too! Rooted in some of the most stunning parts of the English countryside, the places that we are lucky enough to call home are pretty special – with endless things to do and see, tight-knit communities and loads of talent all around. It’s important to us to play a positive role, whether it’s providing employment, sourcing local ingredients, forging links with nearby schools and charities or simply being the go-to place for our neighbours to celebrate their special moments. It’s a privilege to work so collaboratively with all

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

Join THE PIG s and find the right path for you...

of these local heroes that we count as friends and to play our part in these strong, supportive local communities. Our PIG people are what really make us tick. We believe that our team of almost 1,000 talented professionals working across our hotels – chefs, kitchen gardeners, waiters, sommeliers, bar teams, housekeepers and everyone behind the scenes – is helping to shape the future of caring and considered hospitality. From the newest apprentice to the most experienced manager, they are what make THE PIG a happy place to be and the reason our guests enjoy their time with us. We couldn’t be more proud of them – and you couldn’t be more welcome here!

HAPPY TALK: OUR TEAM IS THE REASON THE PIGS ARE SUCH FRIENDLY, WELCOMING PL ACES TO BE

AND HOW ABOUT THESE PIG PERKS? As well as some free stays in our hotels, staff benefits include access to financial advisors, lifestyle coaches, remote GPs, physiotherapy and mental-health support, as well as paid volunteering days. Now that we have two more hotels in the pipeline, there’s never been a more exciting (or fun!) time to join our teams.

We take hospita lity seriously (b ut we don’t take ourselves too seriously). With decades of experience behind us, we su ppor t career development th rough a mix of handpicked local training pa rtners and our own bespoke programmes. Jo ining THE PIGs is not all about going “up the lad der”; it’s more about choosing right path for yo the u. We suppor t our PIG people’ development th s rough our ﬁve pathways, which be linked and re can visited, to crea te ongoing career development pl ans.

OUR PIG PATH WAYS ARE AC CESSIBLE TO EVERYONE W HO WORKS W ITH US 1. Hone your

craft through ou r wide range of course s and qualiﬁcatio ns, and enjoy trips to learn about our suppliers. Craf t training is part of our DNA. 2. Sign up to a PIG apprentices hip programme to suppor t you as you progress , gaining professional qu aliﬁcations as you go. 3. Join our mon thly PLANT in-house leade rship development se ssions. 4. Our Home Gr own Entrepreneur sc heme aims to develop multi-s killed leaders who could one run our hotels – or their own! 5. We believe in Upskilling Lead ers to suppor t develo pment at ever y career stage.

To learn more abou t joining us, head to jobs.thepig hotel.com

HOGWASH \ AUTUMN

HALL OF FAM

THE TAMWORTH TWO

Spotter’s guide: bramblings Bramblings are seasonal visitors to the UK that are easily mistaken for chaffinches – they’re about the same size and shape. Females have a brown head, but look for the orange bars on their wings and a pale orange chest. Males have a grey-blue head, but look otherwise similar (at least in winter; males turn brighter in spring). Look for bramblings when you see beech trees, as the trees’ seeds are among their favourite foods. On the way to Agincourt in 1415,

BEFORE IT WAS A PIG...

Henry V marched his troops through an archway that still stands today. Which PIG is it next to?

HOLD THE BACK PAGE

[Answer on page 3]

To help support bird life, we have installed 149 nesting boxes across our PIGs.

As a matter of fact The New Forest has one of the highest concentrations in western Europe of … what? A) Ancient trees B) Wild ponies C) Wild pigs [Answer on page 3]

PIG HACKS NO. 2 How to make a Christmas wreath from foliage...

The next time you’re going for a walk in the woods, gather some foliage to make your own Christmas wreath, following these instructions from Jo Macina, who makes many of ours. 1. Build the base of your wreath using long vines or twigs. Willow, hazel and silver birch are nice and bendy, which makes them easier to weave into a circle. 2. If required, use twine to secure the base; this will also help when it comes to the next layer of foliage. 3. Twist in blue spruce, eucalyptus, holly or ivy (any pretty sprigs will do) to add some festive texture. 4. To decorate your wreath, attach some rosehips, dried crab apples, winter berries or fir cones. 5. Finish by adding a festive bow.

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN

The year 2023 marks 25 years since two Tamworth pigs escaped from a Wiltshire abattoir and swam the River Avon to freedom – spending a week on the run and becoming an international news story before being captured. Saved from slaughter by popular demand, the pair lived out the rest of their days as celebrities at the Rare Breeds Centre, Kent.

THE PIG IN NUMBERS...

122,136 glasses of English fizz

416

served in 2022

2 new PIGs on their way

Brussels sprout seedlings sown in 2023

... find out more here

Designed and edited by Uncommonly, 30 - 32 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU (uncommonly.co.uk). Printed in East Sussex by Pureprint, a CarbonNeutral ® Company. The paper is carbon balanced with the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity. With special thanks to all of our partners and those in THE PIG team that have contributed to this issue.

OVER AND OUT