AN INDIAN inspired bed and breakfast has opened in the Yorkshire Dales.
The Malabar, located at the foot of the Howgill Fells and close to Sedbergh, is housed in an 18th century barn that has been fully renovated by owners, Graham and Fiona Lappin.
The Lappins spent 16 years in India and the Far East before moving to Cumbria and have brought a slice of their former lives back with them.
As Graham grew up in Kerala where two generations of his family ran tea estates, the drink is a big part of the experience at The Malabar. The Lappins have worked with Farrers in Kendal to create a special Malabar house blend as well as offering a tea menu featuring a selection of 12 loose leaf teas.
Fiona Lappin said: "The Western Dales certainly wasn't the first place that came to mind when we were looking to move back to the UK but to be honest, that was a big part of the appeal.
"The Howgills are slightly wild and non-touristy and you can see for miles across the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. The sense of freedom and escapism when you visit our little corner of Cumbria is just something else."
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