In a quiet corner of Cumbria, close to Hadrian’s Wall, this long-established hotel exudes the traditional comforts of a country house but with a modern elegance.

Away from the Lake District’s hot spots, in quiet Lorton Vale north of Buttermere, this whitewashed farmhouse B&B mixes rustic authenticity with modern comforts.

With its indulgent bedrooms, Michelin-starred dining, attentive staff and guaranteed privacy, many look to Gilpin as the ultimate in Lakeland luxury.

With its towers and battlements this Victorian-folly castle, in 15 acres of grounds, looks imposing yet is ‘a wonderful place to relax, kick back and take it easy’.

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 is, as one reader reports, ‘always a favourite’.

In landscaped grounds, Jamie and Jenna Shail’s Grade II listed manor house pleases, inside and out.

In a Lyth valley village on the edge of the Lake District, Becky and Ash Dewar transformed a 16th-century hostelry into this family-friendly village pub.

‘This hotel ranks amongst the very best that we have stayed in,’ says a reader about this Victorian Gothic mansion with its cool, relaxed style, vast kitchen garden and inspired culinary creations.

By a stone arched bridge, this ‘imposing edifice’ is in an idyllic waterside spot, surrounded by gardens that sweep down to the River Leven.