After a tough couple of weeks we booked a night away and stayed here. Staff were lovely, our room was great clean and tidy. Food was good value and tasty. We enjoyed the much needed rest. Thanks to the team at the pub.
Disappointed! We popped in for lunch, lovely decor and good service. However Ham Egg and chips had only one egg and one slice of ham. Cottage pie looked great but the mince had a bite to it and the peas were hard. It was flavourless and all needed seasoning.
We loved this pub! We had two dinners and drinks here. The staff were friendly, fun and helpful. The ambience was cozy and comfortable, perfect for our group of 5. The food was well prepared and delicious.
October 2025 We stated here with friends to enjoy the nearby Calke Abbey and some local walks. Stumbled across the place when looking for a place to stay near Calke Abbey. Comfortable rooms and beds, plenty of hot water, excellent breakfasts and hospitality. Jane even sorted taxis out for us to visit friends in a nearby village. Nothing was too much trouble. Highly recommend for a traditional pub welcome.
We had a group of 37 booked to eat here to celebrate a 60th birthday, and everything was absolutely fantastic! The food was beautiful – proper homemade and full of flavour. The staff were friendly and polite, and the management couldn’t have been more helpful. Everything ran so smoothly, with perfect timing on all the dishes – even the kids were served first, which was such a thoughtful touch. We’ll definitely be returning. A huge thank you to everyone for making our visit so enjoyable!
Visited around 2-3pm on Thursday 16th Feb. Very nice pub, with a well kept garden. Excellent service. The person that served us was extremely welcoming, friendly and helpful, even bringing treats to the table for our dogs. Food was nice, the gourmet burger was delicious, I have no idea how they do it for the price in the current economic climate, incredible value for money. 100% will make this our regular port of call when we walk the reservoirs in future...
Opens at 12 most days and serves lunches to 4, and dinner from 5. Small but well stocked bar and separate tiled dining area inside for dog walkers. Plastic over shoes provided for walkers. Food served outside when enough staff is on hand. Good sized beer garden for sunny days. Lunch items are tasty!
Excellent country pub with goodvegetarisn options as well as an amazing homemade steak pie, according to my husband. We booked for lunch as we were walking and wanted to be sure of a meal at the half-way point. The staff were friendly and welcoming and they cater for walkers and dog owners. We had to wait 30mins for the food but we didn't mind as we had ordered the homemade dishes and the beer was good! The pub began to fill as we waited and it has a lovely atmosphere. The food was worth the wait. Healthy, wholesome and plenty of it. Definitely recommend and will return.
Brilliant meal with friends. Service second to none. Very polite and truly helpful. Great prices Meals big enough to share. Only sorry it's not closer to home. Will be going back when I can.
The Staff Of Life is located at 7 High St, Ticknall, Derby DE73 7JH, UK
You can contact The Staff Of Life at +44 1332 862479
You can find directions to The Staff Of Life by following this map link