The Lion

The owners of this ancient inn undertook a meticulous restoration by adding 16 spanking new bedrooms in the grounds – some dog-friendly plus a suite for groups or families – and remodelling the bar and dining areas to let the light flood in. The result is fresh and pleasing with cosy corners in front of glowing fires and a beamed bar where you can join locals sipping Cheshire ales and gins.

The kitchen team pride themselves on crafting dishes of gourmet comfort food. Produce is mostly sourced from a 20-mile radius including locally reared meat and game cooked over the coals of the Josper grill, proper pies and sharing quiches, and bread from a local bakery. You wander over to the pub for breakfast in the bright and airy dining room – full English and good options for veggies and vegans – before setting out to explore Cheshire.

Historic Chester is close or you can hop over the border to rural north Wales.