This 'splendid old inn' in a market town between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales deftly mixes historic charm – beams, crackling fires and exposed stonework – with an updated, modern touch. Step into a welcoming low-beamed, dog-friendly bar serving local ales, with light colours and a wood-burning stove; beyond is a smart, newly refurbished dining area in soft greens and pale woods. Food includes pub classics as well as dishes such as braised featherblade with creamed mash and potato and leek terrine. Bedrooms, which have kept their original features, have been stylishly refurbished with handmade wooden furniture, local artwork, country colours and comfy chairs. A reader who spent 'four glorious nights' here praised the bigger rooms, which he thought reasonably priced, light and airy, with 'large beds and every mod con'. And guests loved the setting: the view 'over the beautiful churchyard is a good-for-the-soul treat'. Bright, white bathrooms, most with bath as well as shower, are stocked with sweet-smelling soaps from the local producer, Bath House. A generous buffet at breakfast is followed by well-prepared hot dishes, while staff were unfailingly 'welcoming and helpful'. (AW, and others)