George & Dragon, Yorkshire
This stone-walled pub doesn’t only have cracking views over beautiful Swaledale. It’s also a community hub – actually, the villagers own it – featuring a local shop, library and allotments. Even better, it has its own brewery (ask for a Livebrew) and fabulous Yorkshire pies – wild rabbit with mushrooms and leeks is a favourite. Excellent walks let you burn off the calories, including trails through oak, lime ash and beech trees in the National Trust’s Hudswell Woods. Alternatively, go down the 300-plus Hudswell Steps lining the valley, or tackle a circular route along the sinuous River Swale to Richmond, overlooked by a ruined 11th-century castle. georgeanddragonhudswell.co.uk