Halfway Bridge Inn

Find warm interiors, local ales waiting in the bar, delicious food that draws a crowd, peaceful bedrooms for a good night’s sleep. Walk in to a cosy world of original wood floors, whitewashed walls, smouldering fires, low beamed ceilings. It’s small but perfectly formed, with snug rooms giving a Dickensian feel. It dates to the mid-1700s and while a 21st-century makeover brought colour and style it has lost none of its original charm.

The airy bar has an open fire and 25 wines by the glass, then board games and doors onto a terrace for lunch in the sun. Big bedrooms (each with its own front door) are in a separate building by a quiet country lane. Expect very comfortable beds, good bathrooms, beams and panelled walls. Breakfast on muffins with scrambled eggs, the full Monty, smoked haddock.

Well-crafted modern dishes show respect for British classics but will also suit those craving a global twist. You’ll eat very well.