IT might seem a long way to go for a meal, but the Eagle Inn at Ross on Wye is well worth the journey through the Wye Valley.

We chose to eat in the bar but could have gone for the more refined atmosphere of the brasserie.

My main course was penne pasta with fresh parmesan and pesto, served with a roasted Mediterranean vegetable sauce. My companion chose half a pint of golden scampi, served with homemade tartare sauce, chips and salad.

Both were presented well and cooked to perfection. The tartare sauce had bite and the dressing on the salad was light and tasty.

For dessert we went for a sticky toffee pudding, which was piping hot, very sticky and probably worth at least three days' worth of Weight Watchers' points.

The staff were friendly and the service prompt without being overbearingly fast. Choosing to eat in the bar meant the evening got livelier as time went by. Go early if you want peace and conversation, later if you fancy music and pool.

The menu was fairly extensive in the bar, more so in the brasserie, and a friend who lives nearby says the inn's Sunday lunches are very good.

The meal, with a glass of wine, a coffee and a couple of soft drinks, came to just over £25. Great food, great value. Caroline Woollard