A former village pub in the Derbyshire Dales whose bovine paintings and milk-churn stools at the copper-topped bar honour its name might not be a place you'd expect to specialise in seafood. But chef Nathan Senior hails from Cornwall and arranges for fish to be delivered overnight from his home county so it can feature on the menu alongside Derbyshire beef and plant-based menus. 'Good overnight rest after a smashing meal,' a reader enthused. Our inspector's ground-floor room was 'spacious, with lots of chunky light oak, neutral painted walls, a massive, padded headboard'. It had fresh milk and water in a fridge, blackout curtains, an over-bath shower and a somewhat impractical modern basin. All ground-floor rooms are dog friendly, with a furnished patio. Luxuries include a coffee machine, Molton Brown toiletries. In the dining room, where plain cream and exposed brick walls are hung with a selection of old paintings, the 'simple but very good fare' included 'tasty crab cakes, battered hake with the best chips ever'. At breakfast there was 'haddock with poached egg; crushed avocado; a full English'. Service was 'friendly and efficient'. (Michael Maynard, and others)