I HAVE an affinity for Clumber Park. It started in my childhood and continues to this day.

I've lost count of the times I've walked around Clumber Lake but I never tire of it. Then again, I'm not alone as thousands of people visit every year.

Now under the umbrella of the National Trust, it really is a park for all seasons with a variety of things to do, see or take part in.

In all this time, however, apart from the odd snack and drinks, I've never really taken time out to sample the food from the restaurant.
Time to put that right, especially as they were celebrating British Food Fortnight and also getting ready to launch a new autumn menu, which is now up and running, although it wasn't at the time of our visit.

Clumber, which is situated near Worksop, has a famed walled kitchen garden, a real grow-your-own four-acre site which was developed in 1772 to supply the Duke of Newcastle with fruit and veg.

This year alone the crops, some of which are Heritage varieties, have included purple, green, yellow and 'graffiti' cauliflowers, salad blue potatoes, courgettes, runner beans, onions, salad leaves, radishes, tomatoes, carrots and an abundance of soft fruits including strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants.

There are numerous varieties of apples and there's a chance to sample them at the Apple Days next weekend from 11am to 2pm.

With all this to hand, it's no wonder chef supervisor Clive Goudercourt is one happy man!

"To be able to use all this organically-grown local produce is a real bonus," he said. "It means the customer is getting the best quality and the freshest and it also helps reduce our carbon footprint.

"Around 80 per cent of the products on offer in the restaurant are hand-made on the premises and the emphasis for our menu is always fresh, local, seasonal and organic," he added.

Other suppliers are carefully sourced and are usually within a 30-mile radius. One of them is Hardwick Park Farm shop, which is in the grounds of Hardwick Hall and provides the majority of the meat, including the awesome rare breed pork and sage sausages (see article below).

For size and flavour, they are up there with the best of them and more than justified my decision to go for bangers and mash (£7.25) on the 'summer' menu.

It's a long, long time since I tasted sausages this good. Two large, thick links laid on top of a bed of creamy mash potato and covered in a rich gravy.

M decided to go with the individual home-made rabbit pie (£7.50) – good-sized chunks of meat and diced carrot and swede with a crispy pastry topping although, flavour-wise, she felt it needed a little more oomph.

Both dishes came complete with broccoli – some of it was slightly overcooked in M's case – and green beans.

Not surprisingly, the sausage and mash remain on the autumn menu alongside game casserole with herb dumplings, chicken breast filled with wild mushrooms, steak, mushroom and red wine pie, bacon and rosemary wrapped lamb and two vegetarian options – cheese-topped roasted vegetable flan and stilton and mushroom puff pastry parcels. Prices range from £6.50 to £8.95.

The sausage and mash is included on the innovative children's menu alongside toad in the hole and home-made fishcakes.

For dessert, neither of us could resist the rhubarb and ginger crumble (£2.80) which proved a real flavour-bursting experience.

First of all there's the tartness of the rhubarb, then the ginger kicks in and hits the back of the throat, followed by the crunch of the crumble and finally the Thayer's ice cream cools it all down.

This has now been replaced by pear and butterscotch crumble, traditional apple pie and steamed treacle sponge and custard.

There's waitress service for people ordering hot meals – you're given a number – but unforeseen problems in the kitchen on the day we went meant it was unpredictable and a little slow.

One of the three dining rooms is very child-friendly with a small play area, a microwave to heat up baby food and a bottle warmer.

The self-service restaurant also provides an assortment of freshly-prepared sandwiches, cakes, biscuits and other home-baked goodies plus numerous hot and cold drinks.

The total cost of food together with two coffees (£2 each) came to £24.35.

Verdict: Clumber cheer. I'd definitely go back again just for a taste of those wonderful sausages. The menu is all about making the most of fresh, home-grown produce at value-for-money prices. A definite plus for the healthy eaters, both young and old.
Opening hours: Hot meals served between noon and 3pm every day.
Clumber Park Restaurant, near Worksop, telephone 01909 544915. For more details on what's going on at Clumber Park, telephone 01909 544917 or email clumberpark@nationaltrust.org.uk