With smartl interiors and imaginative, locally sourced, restaurant-quality food, this dog-friendly country inn on the Lowther Estate is a happy mix of pub informality and country-house comforts.

Bring the dog, bring the kids, revel in the gorgeous scenery and the great outdoors at this ‘lifestyle hotel’ with private shorefront on Ullswater and plenty of activities on offer. It's the old, staid Rampsbeck Hotel reinvented (out with the chintz and swags, on with the wetsuits or hiking boots!)

Banish images of fast-food outlets and slot machines when you break your journey at Tebay on wild and woolly Shap Fell, 60 miles from the Scottish border.

A Regency beauty with spectacular views from the balconies, this stylish, dog-friendly country-house hotel has a relaxed vibe, beautifully designed bedrooms, and a fine-dining restaurant.

To find a gem in a quiet corner of the visitor-thronged Lake District is not easy, but this smart village inn in the lovely Lyth valley offers 'top-notch food', 'great service' and country-style bedrooms.

In 'England's book town', under mighty Howgill Fells on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is just the place for a drover's platter and a pint – or Korean beef, shiso and sesame with a shot of wasabi vodka.

The South African Leeu Collection's Edwardian country house in wooded, landscaped grounds above Windermere is a haven of civilised living, with casual and fine dining options, woodland hot-tub suites, and views to take the breath away.

Refreshingly different from some more traditional Lake District offerings, this contemporary hotel is in a beautiful setting overlooking Grasmere.

Guests staying at this beautifully furnished and dog friendly pub can enjoy hearty, locally sourced fare or dine at sister property Another Place where they have use of all facilities.

In a Lyth valley village on the edge of the Lake District, Becky and Ash Dewar have transformed a 16th-century hostelry into a welcoming village pub. The beamed bar in the former 16th-century hostelry has cask ales, craft beers and cocktails made with locally produced spirits.

Cosy, low-ceilinged and fire-warmed, this smartly refurbished 17th-century pub in the centre of a Lake District village has walks from the door and is just a short stroll from the Michelin-starred restaurant at Askham Hall (see entry).

Outside Grasmere's village centre, this period property boasts original Victorian features alongside boutique decor in the bedrooms.

A 'sprawling, traditional building in a beautiful setting' at the tip of Windermere, this family and dog-friendly hotel has easy access to lake-based activities as well as a spa.

In the tranquil Lorton Vale north of Buttermere, this whitewashed farmhouse B&B and popular wedding venue with lawned gardens mixes rustic authenticity with modern comforts in its spacious bedrooms with oak beams, exposed stone and antiques.

Set in wooded gardens on the River Rothay, this Victorian slate-built country-house hotel and spa, just a stroll from the village, has smart contemporary bedrooms, many with a terrace or balcony, and a short but appealing menu served in the glass-walled restaurant.

In three wooded acres, this former private country house, now a charmingly traditional hotel, combines spacious accommodation, contemporary comforts, spectacular valley views and a restaurant showcasing Cumbrian produce.

Every bedrooms is special at this impressive red-sandstone mansion, home to a dog-friendly, country-house guesthouse on a wooded estate overlooking the River Eden, where at night in the elegant dining room, guests sit down to a home-cooked dinner of locally sourced produce.

Once home to naturalist and cartographer Joseph Flintoft, this Victorian gentleman's residence on the lower slopes of Skiddaw is a family owned and run hotel with bedrooms mixing traditional and contemporary style, a menu of classic and more contemporary dishes, and great walks from the doorstep.

After more than 42 years in the care of the Varley family, this 18th-century, dog-friendly manor house B&B, with views over the Cartmel valley, has undergone a smart makeover under new owners David and Sharon Haythornthwaite, with no loss to the warmth of welcome or essential personality.