In a pretty village where once trod Beatrix Potter, between Lake Windermere and Hawkshead, a characterful 18th-century inn offers fuss-free country hospitality. Muddy dogs and walkers join the throng in the convivial bar (wood-burning stove, garlands of hops) and dining room, for local ales and traditional pub fare including steak and Kendal creamy cheese pie, home-cured ham with duck eggs. Most of the modern, simply decorated bedrooms are in an annexe attached to the main building; family rooms have a screened-off area for children; superior rooms have a roll-top bath in a smartly refurbished bathroom. Come evening, the old stables’ squashy sofas, games and log-burning stove create a cosy retreat.