Only three miles from the busy city of Lancaster, Conder Green, located on the Lune Estuary near its confluence with the River Conder is a Mecca for walkers and cyclists. The Lune Millennium Cycleway runs through the hamlet and there are many less formal paths through the beautiful Lancashire countryside.

After a hard morning's walking or cycling, there's nothing better (I think) than to have a nice beer and lunch at a lovely old country pub. Conder Green's Stork Inn fulfils this requirement perfectly. My girlfriend and I visited after a wonderful spring walk in the local area.

The pub has an enviable location, overlooking the tidal saltmarshes of the River Conder, only a few yards from the Millennium Cycleway; there are beautiful views both from inside the inn and from the nice tables outside. Despite lying next to a main road, the beer garden is shielded from the traffic by extensive shrubbery, so traffic noise should not be too intrusive.

The Stork is a beautiful building, dating back to 1660. This was originally a coaching inn and still retains a classical appearance with its bright whitewashed walls and imposing dark wooden beams.

The interior is tastefully decorated, in keeping with its long history, with dark wooden tables and benches, and roaring log fires in the winter. This is a warm and welcoming place in which to eat and drink. It is obvious that the owners are proud of their establishment; the place was clean and tidy, despite being quite busy, when we visited. Walkers, cyclists, bikers and dogs are all welcome.

I am a real fan of real ale so was pleased to find that the Stork specialises in quality beers. A good range of beers was on sale; I tasted a few and found them to be really tasty. That The Stork sells quality beer is not only my opinion, the inn is accredited to the "Cask Marque" scheme run by the Cask Marque Trust. A range of quality wines is also on offer, as well as a good range of non-alcoholic drinks for the designated drivers.

After settling down, with a nice drink, at one of the window seats, we perused the menu. We were surprised to find that, as well as traditional English fare, there were a range of South African dishes on offer. The owners have family connections to that country and the food does sound delicious. Meals such as Bo-kaap mutton, boerewors, and lamb Kerrie were tempting, but in the end, we decided to stick with what we know.

I plumped for fish and chips (£9.95) whilst my girlfriend chose the lamb cutlets (£9.95). The haddock was covered in crispy, ale batter. The fish was moist and bone free and complemented beautifully by hand cut chips and some nice mushy peas. The lamb was very tasty, very tender, and served with a delicious sweet potato stew. Both of us really enjoyed our meals and though that, because of the high quality of the food, the prices were more than acceptable.

The range of food on offer really is extensive. Quite a few vegetarian meals are on the menu, many of the meals are gluten free, and, of course, sandwiches are sold, if you don't want a full meal.

The staff were really pleasant and helpful, offering advice on the food and beer, asking if we needed anything whilst we were eating, and seeming to appreciate the fact that we'd really enjoyed our meal. They also took time to say goodbye to us as we left, which is always nice.

As well as the facilities we'd enjoyed, The Stork has even more to offer. The beer garden has a large children's play area, and a barbeque. The inn also has nine rooms for bed and breakfast guests to stay in. Non-residents can stop in for breakfast, too.

This is a lovely country pub with much to recommend it. It is located in a wonderful walking area, it has a great beer garden, and nice views across the estuary. The excellent food and beer makes this a great place to stop for lunch or tea after exploring the wonderful Lancashire countryside.