You're away from Lake Windermere in a small village encircled by a tangle of lanes that defeat most tourists. A church stands next door; the odd bride ambles out in summer, bell ringers practise on Friday mornings. But while the Punch Bowl sits in a sleepy village lost to the world – and doubles up as the post office – it is actually a seriously fancy inn. It was rescued from neglect and after a top-to-toe renovation it now sparkles. Outside, honeysuckle climbs on old stone walls, inside four fires keep you warm in winter. A clipped elegance runs throughout: leather sofas in a beamed sitting room, candles in vases on dining room tables. Head chef Alex Beard works wonders with the likes of pan fried scallops or Lancashire cheese soufflé, slow cooked pork belly or crispy cauliflower, then banana and passion fruit soufflé or the Punchbowl lemon tart.