‘Stunning views’ towards Skiddaw, and glimpses of red squirrels, are served with the ‘superb dinner’ at Kath and Liam Berney’s ‘idyllic’ restaurant-with-rooms on the Whinlatter Pass. The Cottage in question is a 17th-century coaching inn; the Wood is England’s only true mountain forest. ‘The owners have translated their passion and hard work through to the staff. The enthusiasm is addictive,’ report readers in 2018. ‘It was like staying with friends.’ New chef Ben Wilkinson’s northern European-style dishes reflect the wooded Lakeland location, often with a pine-infused flavour. The Herdwick hogget remains a perennial favourite. ‘The tasting menu was superb; the wines exquisite.’ In some rooms, original features sit alongside slick, contemporary flourishes. While those in the main house can be small, even ‘tiny’, they have ‘all the comforts’. The loft room allows stargazing from your bed, while the ‘generously proportioned, luxurious’ garden room offers a seating area and striking wet room. ‘A lot of thoughtful touches’ is the conclusion of two readers, who, at breakfast, were asked ‘if they preferred their scrambled eggs creamy or firmer – the first time that has ever happened!’. (Neil Leaver, RO, and others)