Fletland Mill and Holiday Hamlet - 18th century watermill, in stunning location near Stamford

The Olive Branch is a picture-postcard village pub, with a fine stone exterior and rustic interior design that boasts the obligatory wooden beams and roaring fire which make country inns so inviting. Its cooking is comfortingly traditional in basis, with well-executed versions of confit duck leg, fish & chips and more hearty classics; local sourcing is key too, with suppliers proudly name-checked and vegetables coming from their garden. Over the road, you'll find Beech House, where guests can stay the night while exploring the surrounding countryside.

Set in the orangery of the Haycock Manor Hotel, a lovingly restored former coaching inn, this bright, colourful restaurant sports bird cage chandeliers, pergolas and a faux olive tree. Choose from three set menus of up to 8 courses, which demonstrate the precision of the chefs and a keen understanding of their quality ingredients. Natural flavours are allowed to shine and the sauces and consommés are a real highlight, like a rich, appetisingly glossy duck jus.

There are few more inviting sights in Britain than a proper thatched pub. The Chubby Castor is a fine example, a 400-year-old village inn whose chocolate-box exterior belies its more modern, bright and somewhat glitzy interior design that stretches from a smart lounge into the intimate, linen-laid dining room. The cooking, overseen by experienced chef-owner Adebola Adeshina, is centred around time-honoured recipes that deliver on flavour. For dessert, look out for the wonderful Firetree chocolate with peanuts and caramel.