The Cartford Inn

This quirky inn is full of its own delights, not least its stylish interiors, fabulous food and helpful staff. This might explain why it was named Best Inn in Britain in 2016, a richly deserved award. Julie and Patrick love their world and can’t stop spending money on it. Last year they opened a gorgeous deli on the terrace, this year, they’ve built two gob-smacking suites on stilts overlooking the river. It’s a mecca for locals, who come to eat, drink and gossip. Outside, views stretch across to the Trough of Bowland. Inside, delicious food waits, perhaps fresh crab gnocchi, roasted Lytham poussin, Ovaltine panna cotta with dark chocolate mousse. The bar, with its cool art and roaring fire, is a great place to linger over a pint of local ale, but a courtyard garden will draw you out in good weather. Bedrooms have style in spades: gilded sleigh beds, signature wallpapers, river views, perhaps a roll-top bath in the room; the penthouse has a rooftop terrace, too. You can follow the river on a two-mile circular walk. Don’t miss Blackpool, a proper northern town. Brilliant.