NO-ONE appreciates good hearty food more than walkers and cyclists out on a day's trek in the Dales.

Which may explain why Elaine's Tearooms, in the tiny hamlet of Feizor, between Austwick and Settle, has garnered a solid word-of-mouth reputation for home-cooked fare despite being a little way off the main A65 road.

Owner Elaine Knowles made the decision to turn the living room of her farmhouse - at the junction of several walking and biking trails - into a tearoom back in 2005.

Elaine's Tearoom was successful right from the start and the business grew steadily - so much so that Elaine made the decision to move her home on to the top floor of the farmhouse to free up space for more customers downstairs.

Nowadays there is seating for 60 customers inside the tearoom, with seating for 40 more outside in summer.

Elaine says: "Even though we have been going for almost 10 years, people still come in and say they can't believe it's a tearoom in someone's house!"

It's probably that traditional unpretentiousness - and wholesome home cooking - that is the key to the establishment's success so far.

Elaine's full meals proved a winner right from the off, with giant Yorkshire puddings with beef, meat and potato pie, chicken and vegetable pie, and gammon keeping walkers well fuelled. Sunday's roast beef dinners have also proved hugely popular, while there are specials every day.

The huge full English breakfast - served until noon for those wanting to fill up for an afternoon walk - is also much appreciated.

And as much of the meat in Elaine's comes from the Hereford cattle herd at the nearby farm run by the Knowles family, her food is also helping to keep "food miles" to a minimum.

Various sandwiches and baguettes, jacket potatoes and hearty soups are also on the menu.

And as no meal is complete without a tasty pudding, Elaine provides a wide choice of home-made fruit pies and crumbles with ice cream and custard.

There is also a selection of fruit teas and coffees to wash it all down, while for those who like something a little stronger, the etsblishment's alcohol licence means it can also provide fruit ciders and various bottles beers, including those from Skipton's renowned Copper Dragon brewery.

In keeping with the ongoing success of the tearooms, Elaine recently took the decision to update the business by asking children from Austwick Primary School to design a logo.

Now the winning design, by ten-year-old pupil Grace Chenery, is emblazoned on the staff's aprons. Elaine and Austwick parish vicar, the Reverend Canon Ian Greenhalgh, chose the winner from entries by all the school's pupils. Runners-up were Amelia Heseltine and Rebecca Hutchinson

Elaine said: "It was a really difficult job as all the entries were excellent but we thought Grace's effort stood out. I am so pleased that the business has a logo at last!"