Providence Inn

Pitching up by a pub – that’s always a fine idea. Settle in for a tasty dinner, and as many drinks as you wish, then simply stroll across the garden to get to your bed without any worries over who’s going to drive.

And it’s an even finer idea if the pub in question is a cosy, friendly place like the Providence Inn in the village of Yedingham, around a 15-minute drive from Malton. There’s a cheery Yorkshire welcome for all guests here, be they families, groups, couples or single travellers – the folk on site just request that all visitors respect each other (and the neighbours) by keeping the hubbub down after midnight. (Please do note that there is likely to be a bit of noise from the pub/beer garden in the evenings though – such is the way with pubs…)

Life here is pretty relaxed and informal – guests can pick their pitches, and are welcome to light up barbecues or build fires in firepits (as long as they're kept off the grass). Along with basic bathroom facilities (cleaned twice daily), there’s access to the River Derwent for those who’ve brought along a fishing licence and asked permission. Pike are the most likely catch, but there have been sightings of other slippery species around here too.

And so to dinner… home-cooked food is served seven days a week in the pub, and it gets a thumbs up from the locals, who have been known to drive a considerable number of miles to get their dinner here. There’s a good-sized beer garden for alfresco drinks on fine days, and a generous play area to keep kids entertained while the grownups nurse their drinks nearby.