In a Lyth valley village on the edge of the Lake District, Becky and Ash Dewar have transformed a 16th-century hostelry into an 'always welcoming' village pub. The beamed bar in the former 16th-century hostelry has cask ales, craft beers and cocktails made with locally produced spirits. 'The food is always spot on,' writes a reader of the pub classics (burgers, pizzas, grills) served in the bright restaurant and on the terrace. Upstairs, and in a spacious barn annexe, contemporary, country-style bedrooms have freshly baked brownies, ground coffee and Cumbrian-made toiletries. At breakfast: fresh fruit, local bread, a choice of hot dishes cooked to order. There are knolls and fells to walk in the area, and the revered topiary of Levens Hall close by. (Ralph Wilson)