The Drunken Duck has all the hallmarks of a classic Lakeland inn – stone walls, crackling fires and just eleven rooms – but the kitchen is what stands out. The menu shifts with the seasons, yet comforting favourites like cider-braised rabbit pudding or braised steak with caramelised shallots and thyme mash remain reason enough to take the scenic route home.

Bought by Beatrix Potter in 1905 with royalties from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Hill Top is where fiction quite literally grew from the garden. The 17th-century farmhouse, vegetable patch and winding paths inspired many of her little books, with familiar corners from Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck still hiding in plain sight.

A hybrid bakery, café and craft store nestled alongside the River Brathay. The local store stocks handmade pottery from nearby crafters, a selection of jarred preserves and picnic goodies, while the café serves rhubarb-and-custard brioche and red-berry scones for breakfast, followed by quiche, sandwiches and hearty salad bowls at lunchtime. Grab a seat on the deck and soak up the calming countryside ambience.

Base, helmed by Lisa and Rob Berry, is a pizzeria serving Neapolitan pizza to a hungry host of locals. A slow-rising, 48-hour-fermented dough is topped with fior di latte and a range of toppings before being thrown into a roaring wood-fired oven. A delicious taste of Italy, much closer to the English fells.