The Whistle-Stop Grand Tour of Great British Pubs and Inns

View the map of the tour here

Where you start is up to you. Our own arbitrary start point is the West Country - partly because it's a particular favourite of ours, chock-a-block with lovely pubs.

You can't visit Cornwall without seeing the Eden Project, that space-age climate capsule filled with many of the world's most striking plants. On a nice day, or even a stormy one, a nearby seaside pub fills the bill for lunch - the Rashleigh at Polkerris. Another good nearby choice is the Crown at Lanlivery (which does have bedrooms). Or you might prefer to go up to the wilder north coast and stay at the Port Gaverne Inn near Port Isaac - or on the way the Plume of Feathers at Mitchell.

Then head back through Devon, to the Rock at Haytor Vale right in the heart of Dartmoor: a very civilised place to stay the night, loads of walks nearby.

Continuing on through Somerset and Wiltshire, Longleat is a favourite with visitors. Nearby, the venerable George in Norton St Philip is just as appealing as when Samuel Pepys stayed there over 300 years ago - it was already centuries old then. If you divert to the glorious Regency city of Bath (not to mention its Roman Baths), don't miss the Old Green Tree for lunch - and loads of atmosphere. Alternatively, head across Salisbury Plain and pass Stonehenge. The nicest nearby lunch break is the Malet Arms at Newton Tony.

In this part of the world, the Cotswolds have a special appeal. Tetbury makes a good gateway, packed with intriguing antiques shops, and the Prince of Wales's new Highgrove organic shop. The Snooty Fox here is a fine place to stay in, and you'd enjoy eating at the Trouble House out on the A433 which leads straight into the heart of the Cotswolds. Other smashing Cotswolds dining pubs and inns are the Kings Head at Bledington, Horse & Groom at Bourton-on-the-Hill, Fox at Lower Oddington, and Churchill Arms at Paxford. Burford is full of interesting and attractive pubs: the Lamb has the most atmosphere of all, the Highway is a good place to stay in, with good food. Any one of this group of pubs and inns would make a good base if you plan to visit Stratford.

Though some of the nicest Welsh pubs are in the South and centre, there's no denying that for most visitors the grandeur of the North wins out - and it has many of the main visitor attractions. Our favourite place to stay here is the Groes at T'yn-y-Groes in the Conwy Valley, not far from Conwy Castle; we'd also heartily recommend the Pen-y-Gwryd on the flanks of Mount Snowdon above Llanberis.

From here it's a short drive to the intriguing ancient walled city of Chester; a must-see pub here is the Albion, and you might like the Old Harkers Arms too. The Olde Boot is right in the heart of The Rows, wonderfully preserved 17th-century streets.

Fast motorways take you quickly North from here. You can stop off to stay comfortably at the Horns at Goosnargh - or better, go a little further off the M6 to the Inn at Whitewell, a great place in glorious scenery.

Then you are in the Lake District. Here, the top pick as a place to stay is the Drunken Duck in the hills just above Hawkshead. You could happily spend a week exploring the area's hill walks, the lakes themselves (boat trips on Windermere are one of Britain's best-loved outings), and its many distinctive pubs and inns. The Masons Arms on Cartmel Fell, the Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite, the Gate at Yanwath and the Pheasant near Bassenthwaite Lake are all particularly rewarding.

Next stop Edinburgh, in Scotland. Though you can get there quickly and painlessly without leaving the motorways, it's prettier and more relaxing to angle across the hills instead, perhaps staying at the Traquair Arms in Innerleithen on the way. Edinburgh itself has more good interesting bars and pubs than any other similarly-sized city in the

world. We are especially fond of the Bow Bar up near the Castle at the top of the Royal Mile, and the Cafe Royal and Guildford Arms, but there are dozens of others worth seeking out.

Scotland's West Coast is gloriously beautiful - at least in good weather. But if the weather does close in, you'd be perfectly content hunkered down in the Applecross Inn at Applecross or the Plockton Hotel in Plockton. And the Isle of Skye, all too easily reached now on that newish bridge, has quite a clutch of enticing pubs and inns, headed by the remote Stein Inn.

Driving down South again, the inland roads take you through more beautiful scenery than the fast A1. In the Borders, the Wheatsheaf at Swinton makes a good overnight stop, with great food. The best road South is the A68: Burts Hotel in Melrose, Battlesteads at Wark and the Manor House at Carterway Heads are all rewarding turn-offs, and the Lord Crewe Arms at Blanchland is an amazing fortified survivor from the days when this part of the world was bandit country. The Roman Wall is nearby.

You now come into the Yorkshire Dales, which many people reckon to have the grandest walks and drives in the country. Prime places to stay in and/or eat at are the Charles Bathurst near Langthwaite, Bridge Inn opposite the 'Cathedral of the Dales' in Grinton, Blue Lion at East Witton, Sportsmans Arms at Wath in Nidderdale and Durham Ox below the castle at Crayke.

Over to the East, the Yorkshire Moors have a different appeal, though sharing with the Dales the hauntingly evocative beauty of the ruined abbeys and the old-world bustle of the market towns. And the area has some terrific pubs and inns, such as the Star at Harome, Moors at Appleton-le-Moors and - not too far from spectacular Castle Howard - the Fox & Hounds at Sinnington.

York itself can't be missed. The pedestrian-friendly centre has plenty of worthwhile pubs to pop into, including the Maltings, Black Swan, Olde Starre, Blue Bell, Ackhorne, York Arms and Brigantes.

Driving South down the M1 or A1, an optional diversion is along the A47 to North Norfolk - an unexpected coast of vast skies and beaches, with thousands of birds thronging the tidal flats. Some really civilised and comfortable places to stay are the White Horse at Brancaster Staithe, Rose & Crown in Snettisham, Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, and Victoria at Holkham.

Otherwise, head straight back down to London. What many visitors to London never discover - and indeed most people who live there don't even know - is that hidden away here are some very special pubs. The Prospect of Whitby (E1) and George Inn in Southwark (SE1) are probably the best known and do get, and deserve, their fair share of tourists. Less well known discoveries are the Jerusalem Tavern and Olde Mitre (both EC1), Grenadier (SW1), Cittie of Yorke (WC1), Lamb & Flag (WC2) and Olde Cheshire Cheese (EC4).

Of course there are loads of other interesting destinations which we haven't included in this whirlwind tour - Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton all spring to mind, all spiced up by lively pubs. Two places on almost everyone's list of must-see places are Canterbury, for its Cathedral, and Windsor, for its Castle. If you go to Canterbury, try and make time for the side trip to the highly individual Red Lion at Stodmarsh; there's good food too a little further South at the Timber Batts, Bodsham - handy for the drive back to London on the M20. Near Windsor, the Fox & Hounds at Englefield Green is handy for the Great Park, and the handsome old Hinds Head in Bray has unusually good traditional English food.