Friday, 22 June 2018

Cringletie House, Peebles



Cringletie House, Peebles



Why it is great

Peaceful, Relaxing & Tranquillity

Cringletie House is a beautiful former Scottish Baronial Castle, located on the Scottish Borders and only ½ an hour from Edinburgh.  The house is set deep the countryside near the pleasant border town of Peebles, where beautifully landscaped parkland melts into the nearby hills. 

As you approach Cringletie House for the first time, you will get a foretaste of its beautiful grounds and gardens – sweeping manicured lawns, 28 acres of mature woodland, grazing sheep, watchful horses and pitch and putt course.



There is also a walled garden with its 400-year-old yew hedge, reputed to the oldest in Scotland.  Guests can play boules or outdoor chess.


The first thing that strikes you on entry is how warmly decorated the house is with welcoming log fires and service bells which are connected to the original butler panel.   Each room retains its original antique furniture which makes you feel like you are being transported back in time.

The check-in is met with a warm welcome with what seems like your own personal butler.



The Food bit
The Cringletie dining room is the perfect dining experience with high quality which is locally sourced or even grown within the walled garden.

We were spoilt for choice with the menu but eventually managed to decide.  My fiancé and I started the meal with a selection of breads,


For our starters we opted for the charred line caught mackerel with spiced puffed wheat, beetroot infused apple and dill pickled vegetables.   We also tried the Marbled roulade of chicken with goats’ cheese and roast red pepper.


For our mains we had glazed breast of Gartmorn Farm duck with a confit leg croquette.  We also tried the grilled fillet of prime Scottish beef with chunky fries.




For our desserts we tried the Cringletie gardens rhubarb crumble and textures of chocolate and cherries.


The whole meal was outstanding, the flavours delivered, the cooking was deft and you could tell it was locally sourced.

For our breakfast we both chose the traditional Scottish breakfast with locally sourced ingredients.


The staff were attentive, discrete and very welcoming.   We had the opportunity to test the Scottish sense of humour which was excellent.
  

The Rooms
They have every comfort, from a beautiful bathroom full of every product you could need on an overnight stay.   The rooms featured a four-poster bed, fantastic views of the gardens and rolling hills and very spacious.  Due to its location it was incredibly peaceful.  Our room featured a Nespresso machine and a flask of whisky for a nightcap.


What’s Nearby
If you feel need to leave the wonderful property and gardens then there are a number of experiences at your disposal e.g. bagpipe making, highland dancing, fly fishing, whisky tasting and kilt making.

The Royal Borough of Peebles in Tweed Valley is one of Scotland’s royal and ancient boroughs and only 2 miles away.  The town is surrounded on all sides by beautiful countryside.  The main street is very attractive. with many buildings of historical interest.

The wonderful capital city of Edinburgh is also within easy reach.   We spent the day in Edinburgh exploring the Royal mile, Edinburgh’s magnificent castle and a walk-up Arthurs Seat which is steeper than looks from a distance 😊

In summary

If you’re looking to escape the hectic pace of life for a few days then a stay at Cringletie House is just what the Doctor ordered.  In a nutshell, peace, relaxation & tranquillity in bucket loads.

www.cringletie.com 

Sunday, 15 April 2018

The Vicarage - Cheshire



The Vicarage, Cheshire

Why it is great
The Vicarage, Cheshire is a refurbished 17th Century Grade II listed Country Pub & Hotel.

Located in a beautiful part of middle England this charming converted vicarage represents a “home-away-from-home” and your favourite country pub you never wanted to leave. 

The first thing that strikes you on entry is how warmly decorated the conversion is with some interesting artefacts on the walls of the restaurant and hotel for example a shrine to polo through to an interesting collection of violins.

The check-in is met with a warm welcome and then it is straight up to the sizable bedrooms.

Three words sum it up:  warm, welcoming & relaxing



The Food bit
Cheshire is an area of such riches that the chefs at Vicarage, under the watchful eye of Steven Tukes, are spoiled for choice – and this drives their ethos of a locally sourced menu with exciting, magical contemporary twists.

We were spoilt for choice with the menu but eventually managed to decide.  My fiancé and I started the meal with a selection of breads, balsamic reduction, olive oil infused with garlic and freshly ground Dukkah.  Such a simple selection but it tasted amazing, there wasn’t a crumb left! 

For starters I opted for Tempura King Prawns with pineapple, chilli & coriander sauce and my fiancé chose Confit duck; a crisp leg pickled broccoli, golden sultana slaw & sticky plums.  For mains I eventually decided upon Pork Belly; slow confit, pearl barley, braised pig’s cheek, pancetta, black pudding and glazed honey carrots.  David had steak & chips; a flat iron rump, rocket & balsamic dressing, confit tomato with parmesan & white truffe fries.




The whole meal was outstanding, the flavours delivered, the cooking was deft and the produce outstanding.



The breakfast featured fine local bacon and sausages, vivid yolk eggs and pastries that tasted so good we wanted to take them all home.

The service
The staff are attentive ensuring that your every need is met but more importantly discrete which allows for you relax away.


The Rooms
They have every comfort, from a beautiful bathroom full of every product you could need on an overnight stay, a selection of tea and coffee with delicious home-made cookies and a ginormous and comfortable bed.  It has an ambience where you could also be in your own home with lovely creature comforts enhancing your overall stay.



What’s Nearby
The Vicarage is positioned in a beautiful Cheshire setting.  5 minutes walk from the village of Holmes Chapel, on the A50 heading north. It is conveniently located for easy access to the North West and Manchester airport – just 1 mile from Holmes chapel train station, which has direct links to/from Crewe, Manchester and Manchester Airport

Holmes Chapel is an attractive village overlooking the Dane Valley, a picturesque region that is popular with walkers and cyclists. If you enjoy walking in the freshest air, you couldn’t be in a better place. 

The area is also home to the world-famous Jodrell Bank Science Centre, which houses the Lovell Radio Telescope, one of the biggest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world complete with new Space Pavilion, Galaxy Garden, gift shop and cafe.

The cost
Dinner, Bed & Breakfast starts from £165; includes a 3 course dinner to the value of £25 per person (excluding drinks),a cracking freshly cooked breakfast, overnight accommodation, wifi and free parking.

http://www.thevicaragecheshire.com/

Check out great deals here: The Vicarage Cheshire