The Punch Bowl Inn

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’. Although more gastropub than drinkers’ pub (with produce from their village farm, and damsons from owner Richard Rose’s garden), the bar has local ales as well as champagne by the glass. The six-strong kitchen brigade produces Modern British dishes that might include duck with orange and glazed carrots, or pan-roasted cod with mash, with cider and mussel sauce. 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 – and for the guests’ welcome of tea and home-made scones. Light-coloured, country-style bedrooms are pleasingly different – some with beams, others with valley views – but 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.