THE people of Yorkshire are famous for their warm welcome. And nowhere was this better illustrated than when we fell into the reception of The White Swan Inn at Pickering on a cold and dark November evening following a six-hour crawl up the M1 from London.

It seemed the world and his wife had set their satnavs due north that Friday night and, after our bumper-to-bumper journey, the cosy interior of this 16th-century coaching inn was a paradise of old English charm where our weekend could finally begin.

The inn is a tasteful mix of old and new, with stone-flagged flooring, roaring fires, comfy sofas and plush modern furnishings. Guests have a choice of accommodation in the main building, or in one of the contemporary new rooms housed in the converted stables which we were booked into.

Everything had been thought of to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Our room was decked out with flat screen TV, DVD and CD player (a selection of films is available from reception), a king-sized bed scattered with cushions, stone floor with underfloor heating, and a sparkling white bathroom, with separate wide-head shower, an enormous bath surrounded with candles and a selection of luxurious Elemis products to complete the pamper package.

But it is in the restaurant where The White Swan really excels. We began our meal with a pre-dinner drink in the snug bar and lounge area where, naturally, there is a choice of real Yorkshire ales, and a roaring open fire to keep the winter chills at bay. The menu is impressive - I would have been happy with any of the dishes - and offers an extensive choice of modern classics made mostly with locally sourced ingredients. Starters included seared, hand-dived king scallops (delicious), butternut squash and thyme risotto, carpaccio of pigeon and a generous serving of steamed Shetland mussels in white wine and garlic that my partner thought excellent.

Main courses varied from slow roasted leg of pork or pan-fried lemon sole to posh fish and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce. My pan-fried venison paunch came beautifully presented and cooked to perfection, as was his rich and tasty casserole of herb-roasted chicken breast, Toulouse sausage and smoked bacon.

Victor Buchanan, the owner, is apparently mad about wine and consequently the wine list is about as extensive as it gets, with no fewer than 25 varieties of grapes from Saint Emilion alone, a region that he particularly specialises in. With this in mind, we just had to treat ourselves to a wonderfully full-bodied St Emilion from the house specialities.

The town of Pickering itself is relatively small, although its main high street is packed full of shops and there is an impressive ruined castle that is well worth an amble around. However, it is its close proximity to the unkempt beauty of the Yorkshire Moors that makes it an ideal destination to explore from. The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway chugs into the National Park from Pickering, and Castle Howard and the seaside resorts of Whitby and Scarborough are all a short drive away.

And if all this sounds like the perfect weekend getaway, here's your chance to win a two-night stay at The White Swan Inn. Simply answer the following question and fill in the form below.

Contact The White Swan Inn on 01751 472288 or visit www.white-swan.co.uk