The Red Lion, Burnsall

It’s quite something to maintain a reputation for as long as the Red Lion has, especially in a region known for its age-old pubs and inns. Sure, it looks the part – old beams, sloping floors – but the mainstay of Burnsall, a couple of miles outside the honeypot village of Grassington, has built a loyal following around its food for the last thirty years or so. The feel is more restaurant than pub, more creative than straight-up classic, so expect changing seasonal choices, local meat and game, fish from the coast and inventive ways with veggie and other special dishes. You’ll probably want to book to eat, unless you’re just dropping by for a drink, which is no bad thing in itself. Burnsall is a gorgeous spot on the River Wharfe – largely unchanged – which makes a night at this extended old coaching inn a bit of a treat, certainly if you’re after some real country peace and quiet. There are rooms in the pub or in the associated Manor House B&B, most with the sort of views over river and fells that make you want to bound out of bed and head off to work up an appetite for another go at the menu.