Banish images of fast-food outlets and slot machines when you break your journey at Tebay, the perfect stopover near wild and woolly Shap Fell, 60 miles from the Scottish border. In 1972, when the M6 carved through the Dunning family's hill farm, they diversified and created unique roadside services with a farm shop and an affordable hotel. Many readers return to this 'island of comfort and welcome' that is 'consistently good' over and over again. There are 'views towards the fells' from most of the 'spacious, well-appointed' bedrooms, which have 'shortbread, comfortable beds, good functional bathrooms'. There is 'a feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, with not a hint of motorway'. You can eat 'really top quality and local' meals in the lounge by a log fire, or in the restaurant. The lamb cutlet and braised shoulder gets a thumbs up and the 'pan-fried cod loin with kedgeree, hen's egg, samphire and smoked curried oil was particularly good'. Morning brings more good food: 'The kipper for breakfast was perfect.' 'The service was excellent and the staff very friendly – as they are in the farm shop, reflecting the ethos of the Dunning family owners.' (Simon and Mithra Tonking, Bill Wood, Richard Bright, and others)