It's another one of those Friday to Sunday breaks (such a hard life) but this one comes with plenty of fresh air and a few fields. A nice relaxing country break where everything happens in slow motion was very much needed!

Luggage bag packed with plenty of winter threads we headed over to Bolton Abbey in North Yorkshire. The Abbey was founded in 1154 and remains in ruins because of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The Bolton Abbey estate is picture perfect and you'll find yourself staring at a massive house (you’ll know which one we mean when you see it) thinking... "I wouldn't mind putting myself under that roof and calling it home"! Well, this whole estate formerly belonged to the Dukes of Devonshire!

 

Hotel

Within the Bolton Abbey estate you'll find a really nice hotel called "The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel" equipped with 40 individually designed bedrooms, Spa, Michelin Star restaurant and a Brasserie!

There is also a rather dapper guy dressed in tweed who takes your bags from you in the car park (This could have been a rather clever criminal but luckily it wasn't). The hotel itself is very quirky and stylish inside with unusual wallpaper designs, log burning fires and wine cellars on view.

The Spa is well worth a visit after a long day of walking through the country side. You'll have a swimming pool, sauna, and steam room to keep you occupied!

 

Food

When walking around the countryside here you will most definitely stumble across the Cavendish Pavilion. Here they serve up some proper country style treats to keep you warm on your walks. The soup of the day on our visit was an apple and parsnip soup which surprisingly was very tasty (tip: don't try and remake this at home thinking it will taste just as nice...It won't!).

For the evening there's the Devonshire Arms Brasserie (we recommend the cheeseboard for dessert) or if you're really into your food the refined Burlington restaurant (with Michelin star) is highly unlikely to disappoint.

 

Walks

If you're like us and not pro walkers so prefer to keep things rather short distance you're in for a treat.

Near the Abbey there are 57 stepping stones going across the river where back in the old days this was the only way to get across. Nowadays there's a better way to get across which goes by the name of 'bridge' but where’s the fun in that?!

A short walk away you'll find a waterfall trickling down a large rock face. This is a prime pebble skimming spot, but look out for ducks before you launch your pebbles (you could end up with crying kids on your hands and an angry groundsman).

4 skims was the record of the day but of course that number will be more like 14 skims when we retell this story to our friends!

 

 

Words by Craig Landale