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. Although more gastropub (with produce from their village farm, and damsons from owner Richard Rose's garden) than drinkers' pub, the bar has local ales as well as champagne by the glass. The kitchen produces modern British dishes that might include roasted cod in vermouth sauce with leek and shrimp or yeast-roasted celeriac. Lemon tart with local damson sorbet is a favourite. Eat in the atmospheric beamed bar with its flagged floor and log-burner, or in the more formal dining room. On warm days, the terrace, with views over the neighbouring church, is a lovely spot for drinks or tea and homemade scones. Bedrooms – some with beams, others with valley views – all offer king or super-king beds, rich fabrics, and vintage or solid-oak furniture. Inviting bathrooms have tongue-and-groove panelling, roll-top baths and under-floor heating. 'One of our favourite places to eat.' (Ralph Wilson, JM)