If you're journeying in the north of the UK, check out pubs as a place to stay. Three that are worth trying (each for different reasons), are the Railway Hotel, in Rothbury, Alston House, in Alston, and the Ancient Unicorn, in Bowes. These are within 100 miles of each other, and well positioned for touring, hiking, and other English holiday pursuits.
Briefly, the Railway Hotel is relatively inexpensive, on the banks of the Tyne, with clean en-suite rooms, and no frills. They also have an extensive DVD collection and DVD players in every room. They serve real ale only in the summer, which was a disapointment.
Alston House (actually on the edge of Cumbria) has very comfortable beds and an odd decorating style featuring Myan suns and huge empty pots. They offer an exceptional breakfast, real ale, and home cooked meals. Joe High School preferred this place because of the quality of the breakfast and evening meal.
The Ancient Unicorn, in the little village of Bowes (which has its own castle keep which you can enter), has real ale, rooms in a converted stables, upscale evening meals, and a coal fire. The pub and restaurant are very popular with locals and visitors.
For those who don't know what constitutes an English breakfast: eggs, toast, sausages (those at the Alston House are local and particularly good), bacon (Canadian bacon, for you Yankees), baked beans, fried tomatoes, and fried mushrooms. Most places provide cold cereal and juice. Some pubs will add local delicacies, such as fried bread, black pudding (don't ask), fried potatoes, and other stuff. I estimate I took at least three years off my life eating a full English breakfast three days in a row. But you save on lunch....
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