The Black Bull Shortlist*
Sedbergh, Cumbria
Good Hotel Guide Review
‘A great deal of care and attention’ has gone into this sleekly revamped 17th-century inn, in a small, book-loving town at the foot of the Howgill Fells. It is owned and run by chef/patron Nina Matsunaga and her husband, James Ratcliffe, a Dales native. Wood flooring and dark banquettes pair with pots of moss and fern on the tables in the bar and restaurant; at mealtimes, modern, Asian-inspired field-to-fork dishes (perhaps Howgill Herdwick lamb loin, crapaudine beetroot, scarlet elf cup) ‘burst with bold flavours’. Upstairs, serene bedrooms have locally made wool blankets and photographs of the surrounding landscape; hi-spec bathrooms with see-through glass walls are stocked with essential-oil toiletries.
Hotel details
Address
44 Main Street
Sedbergh
Cumbria
LA10 5BL
England
Telephone
015396 20264
Bedrooms
18.
Open
all year.
Facilities
bar, restaurant, in-room TV, 1-acre garden, bar and restaurant wheelchair accessible.
Background music
in public spaces.
Children
all ages welcomed.
Dogs
in 3 bedrooms, bar, not in restaurant.
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
per room B&B single £112.50–£172, double £125–£205. À la carte £34. 1-night bookings refused Sat in high season.