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It is not uncommon to find historical places in England that go back many centuries, but few can probably come close to The Black Lion Hotel in Little Walsingham which has been around as early as the 14th century. It started out this incredible journey by taking care of the needs of medieval pilgrims who were on their way to visit the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and today it is a delightfully restored hotel with seven tastefully decorated bedrooms, a lovely dining area and lounge as well as a rear courtyard garden.

Their restaurant offers a selection of delicious traditional British dishes so expect to enjoy grilled butterfly sardines with lemon or breaded Melton with honey balsamic salad. There's also a streak of modern taste in the local free range chicken with roasted potatoes, vegetables and gravy and for dessert, don't miss the hot chocolate fondant with strawberry liqueur compote. The bar is stocked with a fantastic selection of hand pulled ales and continental lagers and beers.

The Lion also serves all day 'tapas' and some favourites are spicy pork belly in lemon and parsley; prawn fritters with lemon, roasted sweet onions with balsamic, and locally made chipolatas with sticky honey glaze.

The Old Bakehouse is a charming guesthouse with three spacious and comfortable bedrooms and it is located in the delightful village of Little Walsingham on the Norfolk Coast, which has a rich historical background, with numerous people visiting to see the 14th century priory ruins or even to simply enjoy a breath of fresh country air. As the name suggests, this used to be a bakery in the olden days and a part of it still remains as the dining room where a full English breakfast is served in the mornings.

During the day, there is a traditional tea room where guests can try some of their homemade cakes, scones, soups or even a cream tea. There is also a selection of fresh cream cakes and delectable gateaux which can be enjoyed alongside some piping hot savouries. An interesting range of fruit and herbal teas helps considerably in the reviving process.

Where I say 'British' I was almost tempted to use instead 'English', but stopped to wonder if I was becoming jingoistic. Then I decided that I was really only thinking of a part of the world which is heaven on earth to me, and where I am delighted that a new initiative is making real inroads into the much vaunted local products line, that sometimes may not always be quite as local as you might be given to understand.

The whole is a combination of something delightfully old fitting in so well with a new concept that echoes the way things had to be done centuries ago.

Little Walsingham, a place of pilgrimage since the 11th century, following alleged sightings of the Virgin Mary, the old established Walsingham estate with farming tenants hit hard by all the things that seem to have hit the farming community in recent decades, all looking for a solution.

Well, part of that solution is the Norfolk Riddle, a restaurant run by the Walsingham Farms Shop Partnership, which also operates the fish and chip shop by the entrance. The décor is simple and warm, service delightful; all adding strength to Gordon Ramsay's recent dictum that all you need to run a successful restaurant is high- quality ingredients and simple dishes.

Expect to find a menu with pan-seared scallops with celeriac sauce, smoked salmon, and Caesar salad topped with prawns amongst the starters. Oven-roast chicken supreme with apricot stuffing, moules marinere, and duck leg confit with lemon and orange sauce beckon from the mains, whilst mango pavlova, chocolate cake, or ice cream sundae offer a concluding temptation.

Prices are not of this world, this includes the wine. And it's good drinking stuff.

Mark Palmer, writing for the Daily Telegraph, said recently of The Norfolk Riddle, "This is the sort of restaurant that restores your faith - in everything".