The Cottage in the Wood

The name fits this whitewashed 17th-century inn high up in the pine-covered Whinlatter Forest, where mesmerising views and vigorous birdlife enchant. Spruced up by Jack Bond (Great British Menu 2026 finalist) and his sommelier wife Beth, it feels fresh and very much of its location: tones of mossy, sage greens, wood, stone, slate, and natural fabrics. Dinner tends to be booked well in advance. We found a table at lunch easier to come by, and the five-course taster (plus two snacks) proved a great-value bonus at £80 (the seven-course dinner is £130). Bond’s cooking is exceptional, refined but playful and impeccably sourced. Chefs on rotation bring out the dishes and staff (superb) are good at judging whether guests want the full ‘name of the duck’ story or just a quick outline. Indeed, the duck was our dish of the day: salt-aged, rotisseried breast brushed with malt gastrique, a memorable Madeira jus, fudgy, sticky, beetroot seasoned with blackcurrant wood oil, and a sausage roll (made from duck leg). Much of the wine list is sourced from local merchants rather than the obvious big names. If you've got £50 to spend on a bottle, there's room for manoeuvre – and there's a good choice by the glass. Would we go back? In a heartbeat.