Readers this year ‘ran out of superlatives’ after a ‘rather splendid visit’ to this thatched gastropub in ‘a delightful village’. The bar is pure country local, with beams, exposed brick, log-burner, wooden tables and chairs – if you want just a pint and a pickled egg, that’s fine. But the big attraction is the Michelin-starred modern British cooking of chef/proprietors Guy and Brittany Manning, using the freshest local and home-grown ingredients. Our readers enjoyed ‘truly scrumptious’ Cornish crab tart; carrot and sweet potato velouté; pumpkin risotto; slow-cooked lamb shoulder, charred leeks, mash, lamb sauce; crème brûlée. The staff are ‘friendly and on the ball’. In fine weather you can eat alfresco in the garden. Bedrooms, in the Troutbeck Guesthouse, a bungalow across the road, are ‘decorated with enthusiasm and flair’. Each has a private deck overlooking a peaceful stretch of the River Avon. Dog-friendly Manser room was ‘very well appointed, with excellent bathroom’. At breakfast there are eggs from the Red Lion’s rescued hens, a ‘splendid full English’, smoked salmon, home-made breads and jams, all ‘beautifully presented’. (Chris and Erica Savory, J T-P)