The Crooklands, BW Signature Collection

Crooklands sits in the green band of South Lakeland where the Lake District gives way to the Yorkshire Dales, with the Lancaster Canal running quietly across the road. The Crooklands hotel began as a farmhouse in the 1750s and is still family-run by brothers who have spent years restoring its beams, log fires and comfortable rooms. The Inn is the soul of the place, all wooden beams and crackling fires and local real ales, with a quieter restaurant alongside under a central skylight. It is the sort of welcome that has kept travellers stopping here for generations, just a mile from the M6 yet a world away in feel. Walkers can step straight onto the canal towpath, and Windermere is only 15 minutes off. The topiary gardens of Levens Hall are close, and two national parks sit within easy reach in either direction. Book your stay at The Crooklands, BW Signature Collection and discover a welcoming base between the Lakes and the Dales.