Visiting Yorkshire, question on restaurants

Good afternoon. I posted in this forum last year, enquiring about a bridge I had seen on All Creatures Great and Small, as we were hoping to visit the Yorkshire area autumn of 2009. That did not happen. It looks as if we will go this September, 2010. I definitely want to spend time touring the Dales and find that cute bridge(it is on the road between Reeth and Langthwaite), and take a drive out Swale Dale, towards Gunnerside and drive through the towns of Crackpot and Booze. Our first few nights we plan on staying near Harrogate at North Dockenbush b&b(if they have a room, we have not booked yet). I would not mind spending a night or two in the Dales but not having been there before, am wondering about the restaurants. I'd hate to get a room and find we have to drive an hour to get a decent meal. We would rather not eat in a pub/bar-type place, as I would assume it would be smokey and noisy. Can you tell me what to expect in the way of places to eat? We are certainly not looking for fancy, just not noisy.

  And when driving the Dales, the distances on the Michelin map look not very long but should we plan on the drive taking longer than we think? If we stayed in Harrogate, would it be a long drive back if we spent the day at the Dales? Perhaps a b&b outside Richmond would be a better choice after we have been to Fountains Abbey et al. Would Richmond have a selection of restaurants for dinner? 

Nancy

Smoking isn't allowed in public buildings so I don't think you'll find smoky pubs.  If I were travelling around, I'd go for a quiet country pub where you can have a drink and a nice meal. I wouldn't think you'd have much trouble finding nice restaurants too.  Then there's always fish and chip shops for a change as well, say for lunch.

When I had a number of friends visiting from the US last year, lunch and dinners were invariably at pubs along the way, and I don't think they were disappointed with the ones in the South here.