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British Travel Journal | Summer 2022

Those who recognise the view of Godrevy Lighthouse from our front cover won’t be surprised to hear our focus this edition is North Cornwall. We love to get the first scoop on exciting UK travel news here at British Travel Journal, so the launch of Una St Ives made it to the top of our travel agenda, as did one of our all-time favourite hotels, The Headland, Newquay – with the launch of their luxurious £10 million Aqua Club swimming and spa sanctuary. While in Cornwall's beautiful Carbis Bay we had the pleasure of meeting renowned British chef Adam Handling at his latest restaurant, Ugly Butterfly and chatted to him about cooking and his passion for zero-waste. Whether you want to go glamping, have a house to yourself or discover the latest hotels this summer, we tell you where to look in our Travel News and suggest ten incredible summer staycation ideas in our Unique Luxury Breaks. From new gardening, cycling and surf-school experiences to food, drink and vineyard tours we are spoilt for choice this year!

Those who recognise the view of Godrevy Lighthouse from our front cover won’t be surprised to hear our focus this edition is North Cornwall. We love to get the first scoop on exciting UK travel news here at British Travel Journal, so the launch of Una St Ives made it to the top of our travel agenda, as did one of our all-time favourite hotels, The Headland, Newquay – with the launch of their luxurious £10 million Aqua Club swimming and spa sanctuary.
While in Cornwall's beautiful Carbis Bay we had the pleasure of meeting renowned British chef Adam Handling at his latest restaurant, Ugly Butterfly and chatted to him about cooking and his passion for zero-waste. Whether you want to go glamping, have a house to yourself or discover the latest hotels this summer, we tell you where to look in our Travel News and suggest ten incredible summer staycation ideas in our Unique Luxury Breaks. From new gardening, cycling and surf-school experiences to food, drink and vineyard tours we are spoilt for choice this year!

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BRITISH TRAVEL<br />

JOURNAL<br />

SUMMER <strong>2022</strong> | ISSUE 12<br />

BRITISHTRAVELJOURNAL.COM<br />

UNIQUE LUXURY<br />

BREAKS<br />

FROM CYCLING TOURS IN<br />

SUSSEX TO FOREST BATHING<br />

IN THE COTSWOLDS<br />

NORTH CORNWALL<br />

BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND<br />

INSPIRING ART IN ST IVES<br />

I N<br />

W<br />

A N<br />

*<br />

W<br />

I N<br />

*<br />

W<br />

WIN<br />

an indulgent<br />

Champagne<br />

afternoon tea<br />

in a luxury<br />

hotel<br />

I N<br />

T E A !<br />

A F T E R N OO N<br />

£6.75<br />

+ TRAVEL NEWS | BEACHES | INTERVIEWS | HOTELS | SUMMER FESTIVALS


REDISCOVER TIME TO BE<br />

Tresco is a unique, family-owned island at<br />

the heart of the Isles of Scilly archipelago.<br />

28 miles off the Cornish coast.<br />

Somewhere else altogether.<br />

A subtropical garden and a soul-soothing<br />

spa; beachfront dining and awardwinning<br />

accommodation; deserted bays<br />

and aquamarine seas. Time to be.<br />

TRESCO.CO.UK<br />

ACCOMMODATION | DINING | GARDEN | SPA


CONTRIBUTIONS<br />

BRITISH TRAVEL<br />

JOURNAL<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com<br />

EDITORS<br />

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jessica Way<br />

FEATURES EDITOR Samantha Rutherford<br />

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Angela Harding<br />

HEAD OF DIGITAL Adrian Wilkinson<br />

CONTRIBUTORS<br />

Chantal Borciani, Martin Dorey,<br />

Sophie Farrah, Jane Knight, Sophie Minto,<br />

Adrian Mourby, Karyn Noble, Natalie Paris<br />

COVER PHOTO<br />

—<br />

View of Godrevy Lighthouse in St Ives Bay<br />

taken from the headland of Gwithian Beach<br />

© Image Editor's own<br />

Published by<br />

CONTISTA MEDIA<br />

Unit 6, Basepoint, Andersons Road,<br />

Southampton, SO14 5FE<br />

01489 660680<br />

contistamedia.co.uk<br />

Welcome<br />

EDITOR’S LETTER<br />

—<br />

Those who recognise the view of<br />

Godrevy Lighthouse from our front<br />

cover won’t be surprised to hear our<br />

focus this edition is on North Cornwall.<br />

We love to get the first scoop on exciting UK<br />

travel news here at <strong>British</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>, so the<br />

launch of Una St Ives (page 68) made it to the<br />

top of our travel agenda, as did one of our all-time<br />

favourite hotels, The Headland, Newquay (page 92) – with the<br />

launch of their luxurious £10 million Aqua Club swimming and<br />

spa sanctuary.<br />

While in Cornwall's beautiful Carbis Bay we had the<br />

pleasure of meeting renowned <strong>British</strong> chef Adam Handling at<br />

his latest restaurant, Ugly Butterfly (page 42) and chatted to<br />

him about cooking and his passion for zero-waste.<br />

Whether you want to go glamping, have a house to yourself<br />

or discover the latest hotels this summer, we tell you where to<br />

look in our <strong>Travel</strong> News (page 9) and suggest ten incredible<br />

summer staycation ideas in our Unique Luxury Breaks (page 60).<br />

From new gardening, cycling and surf-school experiences to<br />

food, drink and vineyard tours we are spoilt for choice this year.<br />

Have you heard of Boho Gelato, Treleavens or Ruby Violet?<br />

Get a taste of these wonderful artisan ice-creams and gelati,<br />

including where to find them and where to stay, in our Cream of<br />

the Crop summer special (page 34).<br />

Plus, don’t miss our adventures on The Northumberland<br />

Coast (page 86), our interview with <strong>British</strong> hotelier Robin<br />

Hutson – owner of the PIGs hotels (page 24) – and our Festivals<br />

Calender (page 74). And finally, in celebration as you raise a<br />

glass for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend this June, we<br />

urge you to do so with a Great <strong>British</strong> Drink (page 76).<br />

Phew! It’s going to be a buzzing summer – enjoy.<br />

Jessica x<br />

JESSICA WAY<br />

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br />

–<br />

All rights reserved by Contista Media Ltd. Copyright is either<br />

owned by or licenced to Contista Media Ltd, or permitted by the<br />

original copyright holder. Reproduction in whole or part without<br />

written permission is strictly prohibited. While every care is taken<br />

prices and details are subject to change and Contista Media Ltd<br />

take no responsibility for omissions or errors. Views expressed by<br />

authors are not necessarily those of the publisher.<br />

@<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong><br />

@<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong><br />

@B<strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong><br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 3


Inspiring<br />

Destinations. -<br />

Glenapp Castle - Scotland<br />

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experience the best places to eat, stay and unwind within the <strong>British</strong> Isles.<br />

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CONTENTS<br />

SUMMER <strong>2022</strong> | ISSUE 12<br />

09<br />

56<br />

JOTTINGS<br />

09<br />

TRAVEL NEWS<br />

We look at new accommodation (everything from 13thcentury<br />

castles to refurbished Georgian country inns) spanning<br />

hotels, self-catering and glamping, as well as exciting activities<br />

to enjoy this summer, whether it be a vodka school or a cliffside<br />

sauna.<br />

PRIDE OF BRITAIN COMPETITION<br />

32 There are four prizes up for grabs: enter for your chance<br />

to win an indulgent Champagne afternoon tea for two at a<br />

luxurious Pride of Britain hotel.<br />

10 OF THE BEST UNIQUE LUXURY BREAKS<br />

60 This is our pick of the ultimate summer experiences,<br />

whether you fancy water sports in Cornwall, wine in<br />

Buckinghamshire, forest bathing in the Cotswolds, or even a<br />

Bridgerton-themed walking tour in Bath.<br />

FESTIVALS CALENDAR<br />

74 From summer-solstice-themed events to the world’s oldest<br />

golf tournament, these festivals old and new are the cream of the<br />

crop for summer.<br />

GREAT BRITISH DRINKS<br />

76 Need to stock the drinks cabinet for the Platinum Jubilee<br />

celebrations or take an impressive bottle to a BBQ? We have four<br />

delicious, very <strong>British</strong>, suggestions.<br />

FOR YOUR JOURNEY<br />

98 Our summer book recommendations for your beach bag,<br />

as well as crossword fun.<br />

FEATURES<br />

34<br />

CREAM OF THE CROP<br />

This round-up of the best independent producers<br />

of gelato and ice cream comes complete with nearby cool<br />

getaway suggestions to make the most of your summer gourmet<br />

expedition.<br />

WALKING TOUR IN BRISTOL<br />

50 We take a stroll of Bristol’s Georgian port, uncovering the<br />

city’s secrets, its historical glory and stately architecture, and<br />

provide recommendations for where to eat and stay.<br />

RETREAT EAST<br />

56 Head to Sussex for a tranquil getaway amid 35 acres<br />

of countryside; Retreat East is the ultimate destination for<br />

pampering and relaxation.<br />

48 HOURS IN UNA ST IVES, CARBIS BAY<br />

68 The new Una St Ives luxury resort is even more reason to<br />

visit Cornwall; editor Jessica Way takes her family on a two-day<br />

adventure by the beach.<br />

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ANNE BOLEYN<br />

78 Want to live like Anne Boleyn (without the unhappy<br />

ending, obviously)? Step back in time to Kent’s Hever Castle and<br />

the gardens where she spent childhood or to luxurious Thornbury<br />

Castle in Gloucestershire and sleep in the Henry VIII suite she<br />

once shared with her husband.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 5


E D I T O R<br />

L O V E S<br />

The new signature Kew Gin and Tonic<br />

and vodka-based Botanical Spritz,<br />

made with the help of East London<br />

Liquor Co, taste as fresh and delicious<br />

as their colourful can suggests.<br />

Ready to drink cocktail cans are<br />

available in Kew’s shops, Kew in West<br />

London and Kew's wild botanic garden in<br />

Wakehurst, West Sussex, priced £4.50.<br />

shop.kew.org/kew-organic-gin-new<br />

Launching this June, Terrein is the<br />

world’s first hiking boot to react to<br />

movement three times faster than the<br />

human body to reduce ankle injury<br />

– the perfect boot to wear on hiking<br />

holidays, expeditions and adventures.<br />

Terrein is available to purchase from 20<br />

June <strong>2022</strong> for men and women, in two<br />

striking colour ways, sand and turquoise,<br />

priced £180.<br />

terrein-footwear.com<br />

THE NORTHUMBERLAND<br />

86 COAST<br />

We take a road trip to the underrated<br />

Northumberland Coast and find beguiling<br />

beauty and diversity, serene beaches and<br />

rugged wildernes.<br />

48 HOURS IN THE HEADLAND<br />

92 HOTEL AND SPA, NEWQUAY<br />

With its exquisite clifftop setting and grand<br />

Victorian architecture, the Headland Hotel<br />

& Spa in Cornwall is one of Britain’s finest<br />

destinations, and now with a new £10 million<br />

swimming and wellbeing complex called The<br />

Aqua Club, there are even more reasons to visit.<br />

INTERVIEWS<br />

24<br />

ROBIN HUTSON<br />

64<br />

Renowned for THE PIG hotel empire,<br />

Robin Hutson OBE has redefined <strong>British</strong><br />

staycations with his boutique country-garden<br />

properties that champion local produce and<br />

producers. He chats to us about his new book<br />

and much-anticipated vineyard.<br />

ADAM HANDLING<br />

42 We take a trip to the sublime Carbis<br />

Bay Hotel & Estate in Cornwall and chat to<br />

Adam Handling, chef of its Ugly Butterfly<br />

restaurant about his zero-waste policy and<br />

sustainable ethos.<br />

85<br />

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92<br />

6 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


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LOOKING AHEAD...<br />

TRAVEL NEWS<br />

Whether you want to go glamping, have a house to yourself or<br />

discover the latest hotels this summer, we tell you where to look<br />

Text by Jane Knight<br />

HOTELS<br />

SELF-CATERING<br />

GLAMPING<br />

ATTRACTIONS<br />

from page 10 from page 14<br />

from page 18 from page 20<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 9


Hotels<br />

BERKSHIRE<br />

Hare and Hounds<br />

They’ve had a lot of fun playing on the name<br />

of this beautifully refurbished Georgian<br />

coaching inn. Expect portraits of military<br />

personnel with dogs’ heads, hares’ ears sticking<br />

out from lampshades, plus hunting-themed<br />

fabrics and wallpaper. The pub’s proximity<br />

to Newbury explains the stable door in its<br />

enormous timber-frame dining room, with<br />

horse-head sculptures and bridle accessories.<br />

Some of the 30 well-designed bedrooms<br />

are in the real stables outside; all come with<br />

complimentary gin and Bramley toiletries. And<br />

if you want to visit Highclere, aka Downton<br />

Abbey, it’s just ten minutes’ drive away. Rooms<br />

from £120 a night, with breakfast. ◆<br />

hareandhoundsnewbury.co.uk<br />

SCOTLAND<br />

Mingary Castle<br />

Possibly Scotland’s most unique restaurant with rooms, this 13thcentury<br />

fortress is the place to enjoy chef patron Colin Nicholson’s<br />

six-course tasting menu before retiring to one of four bedrooms.<br />

Each named after a Scottish clan, they have hand-carved four<br />

posters, one with a private battlement. From £360 with breakfast. ◆<br />

mingarycastle.co.uk<br />

NORFOLK<br />

Congham Hall<br />

Book one of the new Orchard Cabins at Congham and you get a<br />

stylish summer base from which to visit nearby Sandringham, with<br />

its exhibition on the royal family’s relationship with the house.<br />

Rooms have an outdoor tub and a wall of windows. From £475<br />

with dinner for two and breakfast. ◆<br />

conghamhallhotel.co.uk<br />

10 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


BEXHILL-ON-SEA<br />

The Relais Cooden Beach<br />

This summer sees the transformation of a 1930s beach resort to<br />

become hotelier Grace Leo’s second Relais property. The first of<br />

45 rooms are already redesigned in coastal blues, with the rest<br />

finished by September. Rooms from £295 with breakfast.<br />

thecoodenbeachhotel.co.uk<br />

LONDON<br />

Lost Property<br />

You’re virtually sleeping on the steps of St Paul’s<br />

at the latest Hilton Curio Collection property,<br />

opening in July. Behind the Grade-II-listed<br />

Creed Court building façade lie 145 rooms,<br />

some with cathedral views. In keeping with<br />

the name, the decor celebrates London’s lost<br />

railway stations, historic fashion trends and old<br />

city professions. The restaurant, called Found,<br />

holds an eight-metre bright-blue resin bar and<br />

a Murano glass chandelier featuring figurines<br />

of extinct birds, which together form the shape<br />

of a two-metre eagle in flight. Classic dishes<br />

include prawn cocktail, roast duck breast and<br />

Eton mess. Rooms from £170 with breakfast. ◆<br />

lostpropertyhotel.com<br />

YORK<br />

Guesthouse No 1 York<br />

If you love vinyls, this fun hotel is the place to<br />

come, with a record library, turntables in the<br />

rooms, and DJ Upside Your Mind playing every<br />

Friday evening in the summer on the heated<br />

terrace. A toy train runs through the bar, and<br />

rooms have coffee machines hidden in dolls’<br />

houses. Rooms from £165. ◆<br />

guesthousehotels.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 11


Hotels<br />

EDINBURGH<br />

Virgin Hotel<br />

It’s been a long time coming, but Richard<br />

Branson’s first UK hotel opens near Edinburgh<br />

Castle in June, seven years after Virgin’s first<br />

hotel launched in Chicago. Delayed after<br />

10th-century remains were found on the site,<br />

it promises to be worth the wait. Some of the<br />

222 rooms have views of the castle, which is<br />

also on show from a rooftop sanctuary.<br />

They all have Virgin Hotels’ signature<br />

layout, with a dressing room and bathroom<br />

rolled into one and a red Smeg fridge in the<br />

bedroom. Downstairs is a members-style<br />

social club and an all-day dining space.<br />

Rooms from £330, with breakfast. ◆<br />

virginhotels.com<br />

DEDHAM<br />

Talbooth House and Spa<br />

After adding a spa by its outdoor pool, the former Maison<br />

Talbooth has rebranded itself to show its new focus on<br />

wellness. Top-to-toe Elemis treatments are on offer, or you<br />

can just lounge in the outdoor hot tub. Stay overnight in<br />

one of 12 bedrooms from £300 with breakfast. ◆<br />

milsomhotels.com<br />

SURREY<br />

The Georgian, Coppa Club<br />

The all-day lifestyle ethos of Coppa Club has just arrived in the<br />

market town of Haslemere. In a Grade-II-listed property, the<br />

venue has spaces to work, eat, drink, and relax (with CBDinfused<br />

cocktails). You can stay in one of 13 bedrooms, which<br />

cost from £90 with breakfast. ◆<br />

coppaclub.co.uk<br />

12 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


SCOTLAND<br />

Royal Marine Hotel, Brora<br />

Tartan fabrics and a stripped-back style give a Scandi-Scottish<br />

feel to this hotel’s 21 rooms, following a multimillion pound refurb.<br />

On the popular North Coast 500 coastal route, it’s just an hour<br />

from Inverness. Rooms from £224 with breakfast.<br />

royalmarinebrora.com<br />

WEST SUSSEX<br />

Leonardslee<br />

The Michelin-starred menu created by chef<br />

Jean Delport at Restaurant Interlude is up<br />

to 21 courses. It’s good, then, that after<br />

dishes such as pork with lobster and wild<br />

garlic and brown choux with dandelion<br />

and hazelnut you now only need to stagger<br />

up the stairs at this 19th-century Italianate<br />

mansion. Along a magnificent hallway and<br />

galleried landing ten elegant rooms mix<br />

antiques with contemporary art. Outside<br />

are 240 acres of garden to walk off the<br />

excesses of the night before, with a wallaby<br />

enclosure, an ornamental rock garden, a<br />

sculpture park and seven interlaced lakes.<br />

Dinner £145pp, rooms from £350. ◆<br />

leonardsleegardens.co.uk<br />

WALES<br />

Grove of Narbeth<br />

This boutique bolthole near the Pembrokeshire coast<br />

is looking fresh from a complete refurbishment, which<br />

started in the public areas and finished in<br />

April with the last of its bedrooms. A Pride of Britain<br />

member, its rooms blend traditional styles and<br />

textures with contemporary comforts, and are<br />

from £260 with breakfast. ◆<br />

grovenarberth.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 13


Self-Catering<br />

SCOTLAND<br />

Kirnan Estate<br />

Get back to nature at the 400-acre Kirnan<br />

Estate on the west coast of Scotland, about<br />

two hours from Glasgow. As well as two lochs<br />

and a picturesque glen, Kirnan now has three<br />

newly renovated cottages. Pick from one-bed<br />

Torrnalaich Cottage; Chapel Cottage, with<br />

two double bedrooms plus a third room for<br />

four singles; or Kirnan Beg, a Scandi-inspired<br />

wooden cabin. Then head off on one of the<br />

many walks, try clay pigeon shooting, or fly<br />

fishing on the River Add, which runs through<br />

the estate. Yoga and wild swimming are on<br />

offer too. From £200 a night for two. ◆<br />

kirnanestate.com<br />

CORNWALL<br />

Gwithian Lookout<br />

When you can enjoy views of a lighthouse from the<br />

outdoor shower, from the table on the large terrace,<br />

or from the master bedroom, you know your holiday<br />

rental is going to be pretty special. At this chic beach<br />

bolthole, it’s even more special, as the building on show<br />

is Godrevy Lighthouse, which Virginia Woolf first visited<br />

in 1892 and which inspired her novel To The Lighthouse.<br />

Accommodation has clearly changed a lot since then.<br />

This cedar-clad beach house with a wall of glass has<br />

an open-plan kitchen/living area with wooden ladders<br />

leading to further seating in two mezzanine areas. The<br />

three bedrooms are stripped back and simple. The<br />

master room has its own en suite while the other two<br />

(one of which is a single) share a shower room.<br />

The Lookout is just 100 metres from the beach, from<br />

where you can take a boat trip to the lighthouse, as<br />

Woolf did herself. Or try to catch a wave with the help<br />

of one of the local surf schools. Just down the coast is<br />

the blue flag beach at Carbis Bay, and walkers can join<br />

the nearby South West Coast Path. Seven nights for five<br />

people costs from £2,560. ◆<br />

luxurycoastal.co.uk<br />

14 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


THE COTSWOLDS<br />

The Lakes by YOO at Cotswolds Waters<br />

If you’ve always fancied owning a lakeside holiday home, take<br />

a look at this development by the original Lakes by YOO estate.<br />

Reservations are now open and estate tours are available to<br />

book, with a show house opening later this year. Prices start from<br />

£765,000 for a stunning two-bedroom lake-view apartment.<br />

thelakesatcotswoldswaters.co.uk<br />

THE COTSWOLDS<br />

Daylesford Houses<br />

Joining the litter at The Wild Rabbit’s countrycottage<br />

collection are two larger properties for<br />

groups. With reclaimed timber beams, exposed<br />

Cotswold stone walls, and country-chic<br />

interiors, they are just as lovely as their smaller<br />

siblings. Fowler’s House sleeps eight adults and<br />

four children, with a wooden table for 12 in the<br />

farmhouse kitchen, two spacious sitting rooms<br />

and a sweeping rear terrace. It costs from<br />

£7,000 a week. The 17th-century Old House<br />

has four double bedrooms, is surrounded by its<br />

own walled garden, and costs from £5,500 a<br />

week. Guests also have access to the Bamford<br />

Wellness Spa. ◆<br />

thewildrabbit.co.uk<br />

ESSEX<br />

Hedingham Castle<br />

It’s the ultimate romantic escape – the only bedroom in<br />

a Norman castle with a four-poster bed and a bath for<br />

two. Explore the grounds or book the escape room, then<br />

retreat to the Royal Chamber at the top of the keep,<br />

which costs £395, with Champagne and continental<br />

breakfast. Opens July. ◆<br />

hedinghamcastle.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 15


NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE<br />

Sawcliffe Manor<br />

Groups of two to 46 people can stay at Sawcliffe, which has just opened<br />

the doors of its historic house and cottages to guests after a careful<br />

restoration. Try axe throwing or hit the giant yurt for an on-site party.<br />

Cottages from £150, manor for 24 from £1,500 a night.<br />

sawcliffemanor.com<br />

CORNWALL<br />

Rosehill in Padstow<br />

We’re not sure if Charles Dickens actually<br />

stayed here when visiting his friend, who<br />

owned the property, but we are sure of<br />

Rosehill’s fantastic location. Within walking<br />

distance of the beach and all the foodie<br />

restaurants that Padstow has to offer, it<br />

comes with its own parking space and<br />

garden. Inside the Grade-II-listed building,<br />

as well as a comfy living room and openplan<br />

kitchen diner, there’s also an attic<br />

room, ideal for a snug. It has the same<br />

views of the Camel Estuary you get from the<br />

master bedroom, one of five rooms. A week<br />

for eight from £3,328. ◆<br />

boutique-retreats.co.uk<br />

LONDON<br />

The Other House<br />

Stay for a night or a year at this apartment-style<br />

club with hotel services, opening on 5 July.<br />

Book studios with kitchenettes from £270 or<br />

Club Combos sleeping ten with their own front<br />

door, from £1,500. There’s an all-day café,<br />

two bars, and a gym with vitality pool and<br />

wellbeing classes, too. ◆<br />

otherhouse.com<br />

16 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


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*T&Cs apply and are subject to availability. Brochure price shown is per person based on two sharing a ‘classic’ room on a 7-night UK Self-Guided walking holiday. Non-member fee £30pp applies. Please go online for our most up-to-date offers and prices plus full details: hfholidays.co.uk


Glamping<br />

EAST SUSSEX<br />

Dixie the Daydream<br />

Caravan<br />

Think caravans are boring and old<br />

fashioned? Then take a look at Dixie<br />

Daydream, which has been beautifully done<br />

out by two stylists using products from online<br />

store Wayfair. Cassandra Doyle and Diana<br />

Civil aka The Style Producers have totally<br />

transformed the three-bedroom caravan at<br />

Camber Sands, adding a copper sink and a<br />

contemporary built-in fireplace along with<br />

statement furniture and decor. If you like<br />

the look, you can shop online for individual<br />

elements. From £180 a night for six. ◆<br />

airbnb.com<br />

DEVON<br />

Lake pods at Clawford Lakes<br />

Fish from the deck of these lake pods on an 80-acre wildlife<br />

haven that opened in April with a range of accommodation,<br />

from floating cabins to lakeside lodges – close to two National<br />

Parks and a spectacular coastline. A pool will open later this<br />

summer. The pods sleep two from £340. ◆<br />

clawfordlakes.co.uk<br />

KENT<br />

The Little Cabin Dungeness<br />

Twin railway carriages make a quirky new holiday retreat<br />

amid the unique Dungeness Nature Reserve, with<br />

uninterrupted views of the shingle beach. Created by artist Sara<br />

Newman, The Log Cabin sleeps six in three bedrooms.<br />

Three nights cost from £885. ◆<br />

tlcdungeness.com<br />

18 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


CORNWALL<br />

Airstream Dolly at the Eden Project<br />

Vintage caravans, bell tents and pods make up the YHA’s new<br />

glamping site at the Eden Project, where you can eat at The Hub<br />

or cook for yourself on a BBQ firepit. Sleeping just two people,<br />

Dolly costs from £59.<br />

yha.org.uk<br />

LINCOLNSHIRE<br />

Bainland Lodge Retreats<br />

Safari tents and shepherds’ huts already<br />

abound at Bainland, a 45-acre country<br />

estate near Woodhall Spa. Now, for the<br />

perfect romantic break, they also have<br />

a one-bedroom treehouse with lakeside<br />

views and a hot tub on the deck. Cook in<br />

the kitchen or use the new Copper Goose<br />

delivery service, with food delivered to<br />

the door by electric cart — you can even<br />

order it by app from the hot tub. There are<br />

plenty of activities on site, from cycling<br />

to swimming; you can book the pool for<br />

private use for £30 an hour. Stay three<br />

nights in summer from £1,049. ◆<br />

bainland.co.uk<br />

SOUTH WILTSHIRE<br />

Pythouse Kitchen Garden<br />

You’ve heard of restaurants with rooms – now we<br />

bring you the restaurant with a glamping village.<br />

Six bell tents and a cosy shepherds’ hut sit in an<br />

orchard near this lunchtime-only restaurant.<br />

They share showers, a cocktail area, a kitchen and a<br />

dining area. Two nights for six people from<br />

£950 on weekdays. ◆<br />

pythousekitchengarden.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 19


Attractions<br />

UK BEACHES<br />

Surf Wood for Good<br />

Been to the beach and seen a discarded<br />

broken bodyboard? More than 16,000<br />

polystyrene bodyboards are left on UK<br />

beaches each year, releasing myriad micro<br />

polystyrene balls into the coastal ecosystem,<br />

according to Keep Britain Tidy. Jamie<br />

Johnstone from Dick Pearce Bellyboards<br />

felt compelled to act after seeing the sheer<br />

volume of snapped boards at his local beach.<br />

He came up with a brilliant solution in the<br />

form of the Surf Wood for Good campaign.<br />

Through it, wooden boards can be hired<br />

free of charge in 24 locations around the UK<br />

coast, allowing everyone to enjoy sustainable<br />

surf and seaside fun. ◆<br />

dickpearce.com<br />

CHESHIRE<br />

Jodrell Bank<br />

Launch your own digital Sputnik, experience a meteor show or<br />

try ‘driving’ a radio telescope at the interactive exhibition in the<br />

observatory’s First Light Pavilion, which opens on 4 June. The<br />

76-metre grass-topped dome mirrors the shape and scale of the<br />

Lovell Telescope and will also feature planetarium-style shows. ◆<br />

jodrellbank.net<br />

SUSSEX AND YORKSHIRE<br />

Duck and puffin trails<br />

Follow an art trail of 30 five-foot rubber duck sculptures<br />

along the Sussex coast from Hastings to Bexhill from June.<br />

Each has been painted by a local artist and will host a wellbeing<br />

activity. In Yorkshire, look out for giant puffins from July,<br />

with 40 sculptures placed along the coast. ◆<br />

followthatduck.co.uk / puffinsgalore.co.uk<br />

20 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


WEST SUFFOLK<br />

Racing at Newmarket<br />

Go behind the scenes at the races before taking your seat in<br />

the private enclosure during the Champions Lawn Race Day<br />

Experience, with dates throughout the summer, for £65pp. Pay an<br />

extra £10pp for the tour, evening racing and a top-name concert.<br />

discovernewmarket.co.uk<br />

CORNWALL<br />

Cliffside Saunas<br />

Sweat it out this summer in a sauna with a<br />

view, looking out over beautiful Watergate<br />

Bay. You can hire the Canadian cedarwood<br />

cabin for your group of up to ten people or<br />

join a communal session. Either way, there<br />

is a range of complimentary essential oils to<br />

enhance the experience, a freshwater rainfall<br />

shower outside to cool down afterwards<br />

and even cold-water immersion if you’re<br />

feeling brave. A series of workshops are also<br />

planned, dealing with breathwork, hot and<br />

cold immersion and holistic health. From<br />

£20pp for an 8am communal session or £95<br />

for an hour’s private hire. ◆<br />

sauna-society.com<br />

CORNWALL<br />

Colwith Farm Distillery<br />

Done your share of gin distilleries and want<br />

something different? Then try a plough-to-bottle<br />

vodka school, using Cornish potatoes. The<br />

two-hour class (£79pp) looks at the history and<br />

origins of vodka and then lets you try your hand at<br />

blending botanicals to your own taste and filling<br />

your own 70cl bottle. ◆<br />

colwithfarmdistillery.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 21


Matilda The Musical<br />

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY<br />

Make time for Matilda as part of your trip to London this summer<br />

Matilda The Musical is the<br />

record-breaking production<br />

from the Royal Shakespeare<br />

Company which has<br />

been performed in countries including<br />

Australia, New Zealand, South Korea,<br />

USA and more.<br />

Adapted from the much-loved Roald<br />

Dahl book, the globally acclaimed<br />

musical has won 99 international awards<br />

including 24 for Best Musical and has<br />

been seen by more than 10 million people<br />

across more than 90 cities worldwide.<br />

Matilda The Musical premiered at the<br />

RSC’s Courtyard Theatre in Stratfordupon-Avon<br />

in November 2010, playing<br />

to sold-out audiences before transferring<br />

to London’s West End, opening at the<br />

Cambridge Theatre on the corner of<br />

Earlham Street facing Seven Dials in<br />

October 2011, and is currently taking<br />

bookings until the end of May 2023.<br />

With book by Dennis Kelly and original<br />

songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical<br />

is the story of an extraordinary little girl,<br />

armed with a vivid imagination and a<br />

sharp mind, who dares to take a stand<br />

22 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


SPECIAL FEATURE<br />

Photos by Manual Harlan<br />

and change her own destiny.<br />

A tonic for audiences of all ages, this<br />

anarchic production continues Roald Dahl's<br />

theme of bravery and standing up for what<br />

you believe in, inspiring young audiences<br />

all over the world. The London production<br />

has welcomed over 4 million audience<br />

members to the Cambridge Theatre, where<br />

it recently celebrated 10 years in the West<br />

End. Your visit to London this summer just<br />

isn’t complete without a trip to experience<br />

Matilda The Musical. ◆<br />

HOW TO BOOK TICKETS<br />

Matilda The Musical is now<br />

taking bookings until 28 May<br />

2023 with excellent group rates<br />

available midweek throughout<br />

the summer holidays.<br />

Tickets priced from £20.<br />

Call 020 3925 2998 to book.<br />

For the full performance<br />

schedule visit;<br />

matildathemusical.com<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 23


INTERVIEW WITH<br />

ROBIN HUTSON<br />

One of Britain’s most influential hoteliers, Robin Hutson<br />

OBE, tells <strong>British</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> about his renowned PIG hotels,<br />

brand-new book, and much-anticipated vineyard<br />

Text by Sophie Farrah | Images by Jake Eastham<br />

They say that from little acorns great oaks<br />

grow, but in the case of Robin Hutson, the<br />

starting point was in fact a few weeds and a<br />

couple of carrots.<br />

After selling his hugely successful hotel chain Hotel<br />

du Vin in 2004, Robin was ready to kick back and<br />

relax, but a chance encounter in the New Forest quickly<br />

changed all that.<br />

“I was planning to put my feet up!” he laughs.<br />

“Then I got a call from Jim Ratcliffe who asked me to<br />

help him get Lime Wood (a five-star hotel in the New<br />

Forest) open. I was looking at other bits of property<br />

that the hotel owned; tidying things up, closing and<br />

selling, and there was this little hotel in Brockenhurst<br />

called Whitley Ridge…” he recalls. “I went there to have<br />

it valued for sale, but when I walked into the kitchen<br />

garden I had a lightbulb moment, I suppose. This small<br />

but perfectly formed garden had two carrots and a<br />

few weeds growing in it, and I just suddenly thought, I<br />

wonder if there’s a way of bringing the kitchen garden<br />

right to the fore of everything?”<br />

And with that seed firmly sown, great hotels began<br />

to grow. Robin and his wife Judy transformed Whitley<br />

Ridge and in 2011 it reopened as THE PIG. Since then,<br />

the litter has expanded considerably, and there are<br />

now a further seven PIG hotels spread across every<br />

county along the south coast of England. Today,<br />

Robin, who earlier in <strong>2022</strong> was awarded an OBE for<br />

services to the hospitality industry and philanthropy, is<br />

one of the most influential hoteliers in the country. He<br />

is deeply admired by his peers and, most importantly,<br />

well-liked, and it’s easy to see why; when we speak, he<br />

is full of warmth, sincerity and has a palpable sense of<br />

fun, much like his hotels.<br />

“Coming from a background of five-star properties, I<br />

was aware that the country-house sector was peddling<br />

an out-of-date concept, really. It was all rather formal<br />

and stuffy – punters were scared to go up the drive,” he<br />

explains.<br />

“Not being too grand was central to what we<br />

wanted to do. That’s really where the name THE PIG<br />

comes from. I wanted it to have an agricultural <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 25


connotation because of the garden, but I also thought – it<br />

sounds a bit like a pub, people aren’t scared of going to<br />

pubs. It was never going to be ‘the something-something<br />

grand manor hotel’, or anything that sounds too posh.”<br />

Having weathered the recent pandemic storm, Robin’s<br />

unique porcine properties have been at the forefront of the<br />

UK hotel scene for over a decade now. Widely celebrated<br />

for their laid-back ethos and distinctive sense of organic<br />

style, THE PIG offers guests a luxurious, yet unpretentious<br />

stay immersed in the bucolic <strong>British</strong> countryside, with<br />

plenty of delicious sustenance on offer. This same recipe<br />

for success (and the perfect weekend break) has now<br />

been applied to PIGs in Somerset, Southampton, Dorset,<br />

Devon, Kent, Cornwall and Sussex, but despite this<br />

impressive expansion, much of what was first sown in the<br />

New Forest way back when remains part of the glorious<br />

experience today; the walled garden, the Potting Shed<br />

Elizabethan manor, nestled in Devon’s green and pleasant<br />

Otter Valley. Its bedrooms are characteristically PIG, with<br />

rich and cosy fabrics, reclaimed textures and wood, rolltop<br />

baths, locally stocked ‘larders’ and each one totally<br />

unique. There are also three bountiful walled gardens, one<br />

home to an old stone folly, now a scenic spot designed for<br />

‘quaffing and troughing’, as is positively encouraged.<br />

“I always say that the hotels are like kids and that you<br />

can’t have a favourite, but there are certain ones that have<br />

particular significance. Brockenhurst was the first, so that<br />

makes it very special, and the last one you do is fresh in<br />

your mind, as you live it night and day for so long,” Robin<br />

explains.<br />

“But Bridge Place (in Kent) is very special – Judy, my<br />

wife, lived in the village of Bridge throughout her teenage<br />

years, so we knew that beautiful building very well.”<br />

Today, each hotel is undeniably shaped by the historic<br />

“<br />

There are common elements to all the hotels – the restaurants follow a theme,<br />

but we allow the buildings themselves to dictate how we lay the rest out. We don’t<br />

fight the building; we allow it to give us the clues as to what we should do.<br />

”<br />

treatment rooms, roaring open fires, upcycled furniture,<br />

resident animals and the hotel’s highly acclaimed 25-mile<br />

menus, which use ingredients sourced from within a 25-<br />

mile radius alongside fresh, seasonal produce harvested<br />

from the kitchen garden.<br />

“We let the garden inform everything that we do, from<br />

the menu to the design and decor and so on. I want it to<br />

feel very natural, comfortable, friendly, not too designed,<br />

and somewhere you can put your feet up on the table if<br />

you want to and have fun,” Robin enthuses.<br />

Ingeniously, while retaining the unique formula of the<br />

first, each PIG also has its own distinct sense of identity.<br />

They share the same handwriting, but each one has its<br />

own unique signature. Because of this, most regular<br />

guests are known to have a favourite, from THE PIG-on<br />

the Beach, which overlooks the golden sands of Dorset's<br />

sweeping Studland Bay, to THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay in<br />

Cornwall, with its abundance of original features and<br />

indulgent outdoor dining hotspot, The Lobster Shed.<br />

I love THE PIG-at Coombe; a secluded, Grade-I-listed<br />

property that it inhabits. These grand old buildings are<br />

carefully hand-picked by Robin and Judy, who is also<br />

responsible for the group’s celebrated interior design.<br />

“We look at loads of properties all the time, and I get<br />

a gut feeling. Sometimes I don’t even get out of the car,”<br />

Robin laughs.<br />

“There are common elements to all the hotels – the<br />

restaurants follow a theme, but we allow the buildings<br />

themselves to dictate how we lay the rest out. We don’t<br />

fight the building; we allow it to give us the clues as to<br />

what we should do,” he explains.<br />

“And our design philosophy is very personal – Judy and<br />

I just choose stuff that we like. Our dining room table at<br />

home is always full of swatches and things, every surface is<br />

covered. It drives me nuts sometimes!”<br />

The couple’s latest transformation is THE PIG-in the<br />

South Downs, a beautiful old dower house tucked away<br />

near the ancient market town of Arundel in Sussex.<br />

Much to Robin’s delight, it is home to THE PIG’s very first<br />

vineyard. <br />

26 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


“It’s my train set,” he says, grinning from<br />

ear to ear.<br />

“Wine is a bit of a passion of mine, I<br />

am quite partial to the odd glass. So, it's<br />

very exciting. All the team are involved<br />

in the pruning and picking, and we’ve all<br />

adopted a row.”<br />

With Robin’s eyes firmly on the vines, it<br />

is son Ollie who oversees THE PIG’s allimportant<br />

kitchen gardens and has done<br />

ever since their conception. Robin's other<br />

son, tattoo artist Will, has also recently<br />

made his distinctive mark by creating<br />

striking treasure map-esque illustrations<br />

that feature in the hotel group’s brand-new<br />

book, THE PIG: 500 Miles of Food, Friends<br />

and Local Legends (see page 98).<br />

Released in May <strong>2022</strong>, this lively and<br />

energetic coffee-table compendium<br />

celebrates the several counties that THE<br />

PIGs now call home, shining a spotlight<br />

on the unique produce and flavours<br />

associated with each one and the cast of<br />

characters that all play their part, from<br />

scallop divers and surfers to farmers and<br />

foragers.<br />

FIRST PAGE: ROBIN AND<br />

JUDY HUTSON. PREVIOUS<br />

PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM<br />

TOP: BEDROOM AT THE<br />

PIG-AT COMBE; WISTERIA<br />

AT THE PIG-NEAR BATH;<br />

RESIDENT PIGLETS; CHEFS<br />

FORAGING AT THE<br />

PIG-AT HARLYN BAY;<br />

PICTURED CLOCKWISE<br />

FROM LEFT: A MEAL<br />

AT THE LOBSTER SHED<br />

AT THE PIG-AT HARLYN<br />

BAY FRESH EGGS<br />

FOR BREAKFAST; THE<br />

VINEYARD AT THE PIG-IN<br />

THE SOUTH DOWNS;<br />

HERB GARDEN AT THE PIG-<br />

AT COMBE


“<br />

For those who prefer glamping there are<br />

six brand-new shepherd huts, each with built-in stargazing roofs and wood<br />

fires.<br />

”<br />

“<br />

[The vineyard] is [like] my train set. Wine is a bit of a passion of mine, I am<br />

quite partial to the odd glass. So, it’s very exciting. All the team are involved in<br />

the pruning and picking, and we’ve all adopted a row.<br />

”<br />

“We like to work with people that we like to work<br />

with, and I hope that comes through in the book. There<br />

are some very interesting, wonderful characters,” Robin<br />

explains affectionately.<br />

As well as mouth-watering recipes and some handy<br />

gardening tips, the book also provides a potted history<br />

of each remarkable building, and some truly riveting and<br />

often heart-warming stories and anecdotes of how Robin<br />

and Judy are connected to each one, making THE PIG feel<br />

even more personal than ever.<br />

“We’ve opened three new hotels since the last book<br />

(THE PIG: Tales and Recipes from the Kitchen Garden and<br />

Beyond), and I felt it was time for an update. I was proud of<br />

the first book, and I like it a lot, but I felt it was safe. It was<br />

a bit 'John Constable' for me. A bit sweet! I felt that there<br />

was more of a story to tell.” Indeed, there is. And how<br />

about the next chapter? Before we part ways I ask if there<br />

are plans afoot for further additions to the much-loved<br />

piggy litter? “Yep,” says Robin, smiling. “And there could<br />

be more vineyards too…”<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 29


CELTIC ROUTES<br />

Discover the Celtic Spirit in West Wales and Ireland’s Ancient East<br />

You’ll find it in the land, the sea, and the sky. You’ll<br />

find it in the people, their languages, and their<br />

stories. And you’ll find it in the rivers, the trees, and<br />

the stones. But what is it? We call it the Celtic Spirit.<br />

It’s hard to describe, but if you travel to West Wales and Ireland’s<br />

Ancient East, it’s easy to discover.<br />

Recent years have been difficult for all of us. Now in <strong>2022</strong>,<br />

we are ready to discover new places. And for many it’s about<br />

finding lands where we can feel closer to nature and history.<br />

Places to restore a sense of balance and harmony in this<br />

pressured and sometimes scary world. But there is no need to<br />

travel a long way to feel a million miles away from the everyday.<br />

Celtic Routes is a collection of authentic Celtic experiences.<br />

They offer fresh ideas and inspiration to discover the counties<br />

of Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow in South-East Ireland and<br />

Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in West Wales.<br />

Celtic Routes encourage visitors to go beyond tourism<br />

honeypots and take roads less travelled. In Wales,<br />

Pembrokeshire is a popular destination but it’s still possible to<br />

avoid the crowds and really get to know the county. In the Preseli<br />

Hills you can walk ancient tracks through captivating prehistoric<br />

landscapes – it’s known in Welsh as Gwlad Hud a Lledrith,<br />

meaning ‘Land of Magic and Enchantment’. If you visit Pentre<br />

Ifan Burial Chamber, particularly at dawn or dusk, you really<br />

30 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


‘<br />

There is no need to travel a long<br />

way to feel a million miles away from<br />

the everyday... Celtic Routes encourage<br />

visitors to go beyond tourism honeypots<br />

and take roads less travelled.<br />

’<br />

SPECIAL FEATURE<br />

have a sense of time of place. The hustle and bustle of modern<br />

life will feel a world away.<br />

North Pembrokeshire shares many characteristics with<br />

Ceredigion, its neighbour to the north. A dramatic and beautiful<br />

coastline, wild and wonderful uplands and a strong Welsh<br />

culture. Visitors to Ceredigion who decide to leave the coast<br />

and head for hills will be rewarded with an area of astounding<br />

natural beauty, otherwise known as the Cambrian Mountains.<br />

Here you will feel close to the land as you tread in the footsteps<br />

of ancient pilgrims enroute to ruined Strata Florida Abbey. And<br />

as you enjoy the tranquillity of the Teifi pools, you are more<br />

likely to hear skylarks and the whistling call of Red Kites soaring<br />

above, rather than the constant hum of traffic.<br />

Carmarthenshire is farming country. Agriculture has<br />

always been important, so you’ll find plenty of places serving<br />

food and drink from the area, locally sourced, prepared<br />

with care and presented with passion. Towns in the county<br />

are blossoming, alive with independent shops and full of<br />

products and stories connected to the county. You can also<br />

find your lunch in the wild. On a foraging experience along the<br />

Carmarthenshire coastline, you’ll learn how to find prawns,<br />

mussels, cockles, wild samphire, sea anemones and scarlet elf<br />

cup mushrooms. The reward for your efforts is your very own<br />

zero-waste, organic lunch on the beach.<br />

Southeast Ireland is less visited than some other parts.<br />

But a visit to Ireland is not complete without venturing to this<br />

corner known as Ireland’s Ancient East.<br />

Visitors to Dublin can head to the nearby Wicklow<br />

mountains to get a real sense of being in the “Emerald Isle”. In<br />

the foothills lies scenic Blessington Lakes. As well as being the<br />

main source of drinking water for Dublin, it’s a popular base<br />

for water-based activities like fishing, boating and kayaking.<br />

You can walk or cycle the Blessington Greenway along the<br />

lakeshore and into natural woodland. Or drive the 26km<br />

route around the valley. Novelist and poet Brendan Behan<br />

described his trip to the area as a ‘journey to the jewel of<br />

Wicklow’.<br />

Perched on a green hill overlooking the River Bann in north<br />

Wexford is a special place. Ferns is special because here, the<br />

many strands of ancient stories which shape modern Ireland,<br />

come together. In this Ancient Capital of Leinster, you can<br />

trace the steps of Saints, Celts, Vikings, and Normans who<br />

have all influenced the nation we know today. Stay in nearby<br />

Enniscorthy and visit the castle which has played a key role in<br />

Irelands turbulent history.<br />

Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city and has attracted visited<br />

for 1000’s of years. In 914 a fleet of Viking ships landed in<br />

what is now Waterford City. They settled, forged alliances and<br />

established trading routes and became an important part of<br />

Ireland’s story. If you join The Epic Tour of the Viking Triangle,<br />

you’ll discover six national monuments that date from 1190<br />

AD to 1783. This is a wonderful way for visitors to get an<br />

overview of Irish history in Waterford. ◆<br />

If you are planning on visiting Ireland or Wales in <strong>2022</strong>,<br />

make sure you take a Celtic Route and truly discover the Celtic<br />

Spirit; celticroutes.info<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 31


WIN!<br />

PRIDE of BRITAIN<br />

Enter our competition to win one of four indulgent<br />

Champagne afternoon teas for two at a luxury hotel<br />

In a year that celebrates Her Majesty becoming the<br />

first <strong>British</strong> Monarch to reach the Platinum Jubilee<br />

milestone of 70 years of service, there is even more<br />

reason to indulge in a spot of tea or raise your<br />

Champagne glass – and there is nothing quite like sitting<br />

down for afternoon tea: the warming tea blends, sweet<br />

and savoury treats.<br />

<strong>British</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> has teamed up with Pride of Britain<br />

Hotels to offer you the opportunity to win one of four<br />

Champagne afternoon teas in a luxury hotel with<br />

glorious gardens.<br />

Our fortunate winners will be hosted in one of four<br />

gorgeous hotel settings: Mediterranean-inspired luxury<br />

hideaway Feversham Arms in North Yorkshire; four acres<br />

32 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


of English cottage garden at The Priory,<br />

on the banks of the River Frome in Dorset;<br />

the romantic restored 17th-century parterre,<br />

lily pond and rose gardens of Bodysgallen<br />

in North Wales; or the secluded three-acre<br />

rose garden of Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa<br />

in Newmarket, while looking out to one of<br />

the world’s most famous racecourse and<br />

stables.<br />

Enjoy the tradition of Afternoon Tea at<br />

The Priory, served in the relaxed comfort of<br />

either The John Turner Restaurant or on The<br />

River Terrace in the summertime. Afternoon<br />

tea here includes a selection of traditional<br />

finger sandwiches; delicious home-made<br />

cakes, and scones, jam and clotted cream,<br />

served with a pot of your choice of Hoogly<br />

Tea blend. At Bodysgallen, afternoon tea is<br />

served in their oak-panelled hall, library or<br />

drawing room, or on warm summer days<br />

outside on the terrace.<br />

Bodysgallen’s Traditional Afternoon<br />

Tea includes a selection of finger<br />

sandwiches, freshly baked scones with<br />

clotted cream and strawberry jam, cakes<br />

and pastries and a choice of freshly<br />

brewed teas. Afternoon tea at Bedford<br />

Lodge Hotel & Spa, popularised by their<br />

very own Anna Maria, The Duchess of<br />

Bedford, is served daily and can be taken<br />

in Squires Restaurant, Roxana Bar, or on<br />

the sun terrace overlooking the stunning<br />

lawns and rose gardens at the hotel – the<br />

choice is yours. ◆<br />

H O W T O E N T E R<br />

ON OUR WEBSITE<br />

britishtraveljournal.com<br />

Pride of Britain Hotels is a<br />

collection made up of the finest<br />

properties; each one unique and<br />

characterful. With manor homes,<br />

castles, woodland retreats,<br />

elegant lodges and city boltholes<br />

on offer, there is a special experience<br />

awaiting every guest. Experience<br />

the best places to eat, stay and<br />

unwind within the <strong>British</strong> Isles.<br />

Last entries August 31 <strong>2022</strong>.<br />

Prize is to be taken before 20<br />

December <strong>2022</strong>.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 33


34 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


CREAM<br />

OF THE<br />

CROP<br />

From artisanal ices and locally churned velvety<br />

scoops to family recipes dating back decades, Britain’s<br />

top independent ice cream and gelato makers provide<br />

the perfect accompaniment to a long, hot summer<br />

Text by Chantal Borciani<br />

Swoon<br />

Traditional gelato is said to be smoother,<br />

creamier and carries less fat content<br />

than ice cream. At Swoon it's made from<br />

scratch and churned fresh using Somerset<br />

milk. Set up by the latest generation in<br />

a family of gelato makers going back<br />

120 years, the first Swoon store opened<br />

its doors on College Green in Bristol in<br />

2016. The family-run company now has<br />

outposts in Bath, Oxford, Selfridge’s in<br />

London and will be opening its newest<br />

swish set-up in Cardiff this summer.<br />

Ingredients such as lemons, hazelnuts<br />

and pistachio are sourced direct from Italy,<br />

and Swoon offers ten traditional flavours<br />

and six monthly changing seasonal<br />

varieties, alongside a selection of gelato<br />

cakes and artisan coffee from Naples. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 35


Flavours on offer include pistachio, dark chocolate<br />

sorbetto (vegan) and Bacio (chocolate and hazelnut) with<br />

a selection of dairy free and vegan sorbetto options.<br />

Visit: We love the decor and vibe of the Swoon store in<br />

Bristol for an eat-in parlour experience but if you prefer<br />

to head out into the sunshine with a towering cone, take<br />

a rug and relax on College Green overlooking Bristol<br />

Cathedral or pile a tub high and chill out in Bath’s Green<br />

Park overlooking the Avon.<br />

Stay: The Aspiring Cook is the newest addition to a clutch<br />

of luxury self-catering boltholes in Bath renovated by The<br />

Curated Collection. A short walk from the city centre,<br />

this cosy flat is perfect for a couple and sits among a<br />

handsome row of classic Georgian terrace houses, built<br />

around 1790 by Thomas Baldwin.<br />

thecuratedcollection.co.uk<br />

Visit: While it seems churlish to not enjoy at least one<br />

scoop on Brighton’s famous pebble beach, why not also<br />

take a picnic out of town and head for the Devil’s Dyke,<br />

a 100-metre-deep V-shaped valley on the South Downs<br />

laced with beautiful walking trails offering incredible views<br />

of the Sussex countryside.<br />

Stay: The Garden Room sleeps two and is set at the foot<br />

of the South Downs – meaning guests can enjoy the best<br />

of countryside and coast in one vacation. Exquisitely<br />

appointed, the romantic hideaway features a secluded<br />

garden complete with hot tub.<br />

ruralretreats.co.uk<br />

Boho Gelato<br />

Boho Gelato has been producing Italian-style ice cream,<br />

sorbet and vegan gelato on site in Brighton for 12 years.<br />

Gelatiere Seb Cole and his team use Sussex-produced milk<br />

and cream as well as ingredients from around the world<br />

(such as Sicilian DOP Bronte pistachio and Indian alfonso<br />

mangoes) to make 24 ever-changing flavours daily. All<br />

flavours are suitable for vegetarians and Boho also offers a<br />

selection of gluten-free and vegan scoops.<br />

Now with outposts in Weymouth and Worthing, the<br />

award-winning gelato producer has created more than 500<br />

flavours over the years. Some cool new additions include<br />

malted miso choc nougat, coconut cocoa nib, strawberry,<br />

basil and black pepper, and hazelnut custard pie.<br />

Treleavens<br />

Having started as a small enterprise in Looe, Cornwall,<br />

Treleavens ice cream is now made in a custom-built<br />

premises on Tretoil Farm in the north Cornish countryside.<br />

Keeping things local is still key – all of Treleavens’ dairy<br />

ice creams have a base of Rodda’s clotted cream and<br />

ingredients are sourced locally as much as possible,<br />

including Cornish sea salt for its moreish salted caramel<br />

ice cream. Treleavens dairy ice creams are made with<br />

Trewithen Dairy milk – sourced from 25 farms within 25<br />

miles. The award-winning ice cream maker has around 50<br />

flavours in total with a few new vegan flavours launched<br />

recently, including mint choc chip, Biscoff, salted caramel<br />

and raspberry ripple. Small theatre tubs of vegan vanilla<br />

and a vegan chocolate are also available.<br />

Visit: St Ives Coffee and Ice Cream nestled in the pictureperfect<br />

Cornish harbour town incorporates Treleavens’ ice<br />

cream into milkshakes, crepes, and epic sundaes.<br />

36 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


Or hit the surf off Watergate Bay and head shoreside to<br />

the coastal bolthole hotel for an ice cream.<br />

Stay: Molesworth Manor is an exquisitely restored 17thcentury<br />

manor house just a short walk from Padstow on<br />

the north Cornwall coast. Sleeping 14 guests in seven ensuite<br />

bedrooms, this Cornish hideaway is complete with a<br />

games room, a garden room, a banqueting hall, two cedar<br />

clad six-seater hot tubs and a cinema room – perfect for a<br />

film and your favourite scoops.<br />

cornishgems.com<br />

Baboo Gelato<br />

Baboo Gelato was set up in 2015 by Annie Hanbury, a<br />

trained gelatiere, who wanted to combine her passion for<br />

ice cream with the glut of fabulous ripe fruit she found<br />

at her new home’s overflowing and abandoned market<br />

garden near the Dorset town of Bridport. Today, Baboo’s<br />

artisanal gelato is still handmade using fresh, seasonal<br />

fruit and local organic milk. A lot of the fruit is still sourced<br />

locally, whether it is plums from North Perrott Fruit Farm,<br />

pears from Ellwell Farm, elderflowers from the local<br />

hedgerows, or gooseberries from Forde Abbey.<br />

The artisanal gelato comes in scoops, tubs, or chocolatecoated<br />

ice cream ‘Baboos’ bites. All Baboo ice creams are<br />

suitable for vegetarians and all its sorbets are suitable for<br />

vegans. Visitors can head to the Baboo Gelato kiosks in<br />

West Bay, Weymouth, Morcombelake and Lyme Regis.<br />

Doggy Doggy Yum Yum<br />

Baboo’s fabulous doggy offshoot is its Doggy Doggy Yum<br />

Yum – a frozen treat made with bananas, coconut yogurt,<br />

agave syrup and 100% peanut butter.<br />

Made for dogs who want a cool treat in the summer<br />

heat, Doggy Doggy Yum Yum is 100% organic and uses<br />

no artificial flavours or refined sugars. It is also suitable for<br />

vegetarian and vegan pups. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 37


Visit: Ice cream lovers can head to the Baboo Gelato<br />

kiosks in West Bay, Weymouth, Morcombelake and Lyme<br />

Regis, with their canine pals in tow of course.<br />

Don’t miss a spot of fossil hunting at Monmouth<br />

beach (particularly for ammonites), and East Cliff beach<br />

between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.<br />

Stay: The Beach House is perfectly located for exploring<br />

the Jurassic coastline and has been renovated with<br />

a sublime coastal palette running through the guest<br />

areas. The captivating family homestay sleeps four and<br />

sits between Lyme Bay and West Bay – ideal for beach<br />

hopping.<br />

boutique-retreats.co.uk<br />

New Forest Ice Cream<br />

Born and bred in the New Forest and a family-run business<br />

to this day, New Forest Ice Cream was founded over<br />

36 years ago, with the velvety ice cream now sold to<br />

restaurants, pubs, cafés and kiosks across the UK and<br />

beyond. Of course, you can’t venture far in Hampshire’s<br />

spectacular New Forest without seeing a sign for its velvety<br />

ice cream. Since 2012, New Forest Ice Cream has received<br />

at least one new gold star for a product every year in the<br />

prestigious Great Taste Awards, with a total of 17 product<br />

awards to date. Winners include the company’s vanilla ice<br />

cream, liquorice ice cream and sambuca sorbet.<br />

Visit: A stone’s throw from New Forest Ice Cream’s HQ,<br />

the bunting-lined harbour town of Lymington has cobbled<br />

streets, a pretty quayside and a breakwater walking trail<br />

38 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


with far-reaching views across the Solent. The town is also<br />

home to a host of ice cream parlours and cafes, selling<br />

locally churned New Forest Ice Cream.<br />

Stay: The sublimely romantic Undercastle Cottage in<br />

the heart of the New Forest has magnificent views with<br />

gardens that gently roll down to the river's edge.<br />

The three-bedroom oak-framed cottage is also home to<br />

half a mile of exclusive private fishing.<br />

boutique-retreats.co.uk<br />

Rossi’s<br />

Weymouth’s Rossi’s Ice Cream was established in 1937 by<br />

Fioravanti Figliolini and is currently run by his grandson<br />

Fulvio Figliolini. All the ice cream is still handmade using<br />

the same traditional method and uses the same closely<br />

guarded family recipe.<br />

Rossi’s doesn’t use vanilla of any kind – saying that<br />

its natural ice cream creates its own flavour while being<br />

cooked. Other flavours include chocolate, coffee, banana,<br />

peppermint & dark chocolate, mango, and more.<br />

In addition to tubs, cones, and sundaes, Rossi’s serves<br />

up pancakes, waffles and cream teas and is a fantastic<br />

spot right on Weymouth’s Western Esplanade.<br />

Visit: Weymouth beach is literally on Rossi’s doorstep<br />

while the famed Chesil Beach lies around the headland. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 39


DON’T MISS<br />

Against the backdrop<br />

of a renowned collection<br />

Rossetti’s experience Portraits<br />

critically acclaimed<br />

until exhibitions<br />

9 January of<br />

<strong>2022</strong><br />

historical and<br />

The contemporary Tudors: Passion, art, lectures, Power<br />

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workshops and<br />

28 events January or indulge to 8 May in <strong>2022</strong><br />

our<br />

Garden Café.<br />

2019 HIGHLIGHTS<br />

George Shaw<br />

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Against the backdrop<br />

of a renowned Édouard Vuillard collection<br />

experience The Poetry critically of the Everyday acclaimed<br />

exhibitions Lauren of Child historical and<br />

The Art of Illustration<br />

contemporary art, lectures,<br />

Rembrandt<br />

concerts, workshops and<br />

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events or indulge in our<br />

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Master of Line<br />

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www.holburne.org A Corner of a Foreign Field<br />

2019 HIGHLIGHTS<br />

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The Poetry of the Everyday<br />

Lauren Child<br />

The Art of Illustration<br />

Rembrandt<br />

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Master of Line<br />

Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DB<br />

www.holburne.org<br />

Biscuit-themed Events, Exhibitions and more:<br />

VISIT-READING.COM/BISCUITTOWN<br />

Official <strong>Travel</strong> Partner


For a quieter day out head for the captivating water-lily<br />

ponds, adorned gazebos and Monet-style bridges of the<br />

eight-acre Bennetts Water Gardens.<br />

Stay: A spectacular barn conversion ensconced in the Dorset<br />

countryside, Merry Hill Barn is a wonderful jumping-off point<br />

to explore the Jurassic coast – well positioned for Weymouth,<br />

Chesil Beach and West Bay and features exposed stone<br />

walls, original beams and contemporary flair.<br />

ruralretreats.co.uk<br />

Ruby Violet<br />

What started as a culinary passion project has grown to a<br />

famed London ice cream name with a devoted following.<br />

Named after her maternal grandmother – who loved a<br />

choc ice – Julie Fisher started Ruby Violet from her kitchen.<br />

Currently the capital is home to just one Ruby Violet<br />

parlour, in King’s Cross – though there are plans for it to<br />

reopen a second in North London.<br />

Visit: Head to Ruby Violet’s King’s Cross parlour for its<br />

unique afternoon tea experience. Alongside savoury<br />

treats, the menu serves up an array of tasty morsels<br />

including mini Genovese sponge ice cream sandwiches,<br />

Belgian chocolate shells, raspberry rosewater and<br />

Prosecco lollipops, rounded off with a three-tiered ice<br />

cream cake and ice cream chocolates.<br />

Stay: Put your feet up just around the corner at one of<br />

London’s most recognisable hotels.<br />

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel originally opened in 1873<br />

and following its extensive renovation now marries historic<br />

finery with modern luxury.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 41


42 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


MEET<br />

THE<br />

CHEF<br />

Sustainable cooking has never looked – or tasted<br />

– this good. We speak to chef Adam Handling on<br />

taking eco to new heights in Cornwall's Carbis Bay<br />

and catering for presidents and prime ministers<br />

Text by Chantal Borciani<br />

Winding down the hill towards Carbis Bay Hotel & Estate, it’s<br />

hard to picture a more perfect Cornish setting. The emerald<br />

bay, glinting in warm shimmering sunshine, dominates the<br />

vista as the horizon reveals itself like blue-green pages of a<br />

book falling open. The steep valley sides are dotted with white-washed homes<br />

and verdant foliage and Carbis Bay Hotel & Estate sits snug right in the<br />

centre of this cosiest of Cornish nooks.<br />

A presidential enclave<br />

Privacy is one of the hotel’s calling cards, not least because the luxury coastal<br />

boutique hotel hosted the2021 G7 Summit. The presidential motorcades were<br />

quite the sight as they rumbled into the quiet Cornish hamlet last summer yet<br />

it’s easy to see why the estate was selected as the venue to showcase to the<br />

world the beauty of Cornwall.<br />

We, like Macron, Merkel, Johnson and friends, stayed in the extraordinary<br />

beachfront lodges. The chic, neutral-toned desirable residences wisely makes<br />

the most of the sea views at every opportunity, spanning three sweeping<br />

floors. The hot tubs and roof terraces overlook the surf, and spiral stone<br />

staircases lead down to sumptuous bedrooms where you can laze and <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 43


“<br />

When you walk into the restaurant, you have that<br />

view, which is a million dollars,” says Adam. “I don’t<br />

think there’s a more beautiful place in the world.<br />

”<br />

listen to the waves from your bed. A capacious open-plan living space with full<br />

kitchen, a fireplace, a grand dining table, and a private garden leads down to the<br />

butter-coloured sand. While the main hotel building has a traditional luxurious<br />

appeal, and was built by celebrated Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail, the newly<br />

built lodges are more modern-Scandinavian in style than seaside bolthole, offering<br />

exclusive living with only the best roll-top baths and sea views. High-quality natural<br />

materials used throughout lend a soothing quality to the swoon-worthy decor.<br />

The spectacular living room features floor-to-ceiling sliding doors so, from sunrise<br />

to sunset, the captivating light from the water fills the space. Light again cascades<br />

into the bedrooms where yet more floor-to-ceiling glass frames the uninterrupted<br />

sea view. Two of our three bedrooms feature a wide connecting balcony, bringing<br />

the picturesque shore even closer. The balcony proved a perfect spot for a morning<br />

coffee overlooking the rolling waves. A lodge concierge is on hand for everything –<br />

aperitifs and signature canapes at sundown, bountiful breakfast hampers served at<br />

a time of your choice with the finest of Cornish ingredients and oven-warm bread,<br />

dinner reservations and turn-down services.<br />

New beginnings<br />

Alongside the hamlet of Carbis Bay’s luxury beach lodges, and just steps from the<br />

main house, is the Ugly Butterfly. The new restaurant on the estate is the brainchild<br />

of revered chef, Adam Handling. Ugly Butterfly opened in August 2021 and sits<br />

elevated above the beach with uninterrupted views of the ocean so breathtaking<br />

that walking in feels like a cinematic experience in itself. Full-height windows<br />

run the entire length of the vast restaurant and bar space, filling the view to the<br />

metaphorical brim with sand, sea, surf and sky. This is one restaurant to book for<br />

lunch or an early dinner so your jaw can suitably drop.<br />

“When you walk into the restaurant, you have that view, which is a million<br />

dollars,” says Adam. “I don’t think there’s a more beautiful place in the world.”<br />

Ugly Butterfly embodies three crucial elements for Adam: sustainable, local and<br />

luxurious. The restaurant focus on sustainability means using every ingredient,<br />

creating food that is both artistic and theatrical. “We only use items sourced in<br />

Cornwall. We hope to look after and work with the locals, because if it isn’t in<br />

Cornwall we aren’t using it.”<br />

Adam says he strives to make menus that are delectable and the highest culinary<br />

experience, in spite of them being zero-waste.<br />

44 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


“I love luxury. I love to eat really good food. And I like to drink<br />

really good wine. And I like to know that I'm doing something good<br />

for the environment and good for the planet. But lazy chefs just put<br />

fermented food on everything and call it sustainable, because all<br />

they know how to do is ferment it.”<br />

During the G7, Adam and his team oversaw all the presidential<br />

requests, including private lunches and breakfasts for the delegates.<br />

“It's always exciting, it's always nerve-wracking, it's always scary.<br />

But it was great to be able to showcase that sustainable can be<br />

luxurious,” he says.<br />

“I wanted to utilise as much zero-waste as possible, but in a way<br />

where it's still luxury enough and tasty enough to serve to world<br />

leaders. Sitting down and speaking to the leaders about that sort of<br />

stuff, and them enjoying it was really quite really special.” <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 45


Hero of zero<br />

Ugly Butterfly is Adam’s newest restaurant, he also has Frog in Covent Garden and<br />

The Loch & The Tyne in Windsor. “We lost four restaurants in the group during the<br />

lockdown,” Adam continues. “When it came to reopening, I went down a different<br />

route. Everyone with a passion thinks they're invincible but nowadays, learning from<br />

the mistakes of the past, we said instead of opening a lot of restaurants quickly, we're<br />

just going to strip it back. I want each of my restaurants to have its own identity,<br />

rather than having a number two of a number one restaurant.”<br />

“I don't want people to think, ‘oh, he just put his name on another luxury property<br />

and popped off’. I have a house in Cornwall and a house in London and I split my<br />

time 50/50. We spent months finding the right Cornish suppliers. This isn’t just a<br />

concept, it’s years of experimenting coming to the fore.”<br />

The chef’s favourite dish on the menu is the ‘lobster, beef fat’, a dish that hails<br />

from another of Adam’s restaurants. “Many years ago, I bought a whole Wagyu cow<br />

from Highland Wagyu in Scotland. This dish was created because these 1,300 kilo<br />

animals have a lot of fat and one of the challenges was what we could do to utilise all<br />

the fat.”<br />

The solution was to use the Wagyu fat to cook the fresh lobster. “Here, we now<br />

use a Cornish dairy that’s around five minutes from the doorstep.” The lobsters, we<br />

are told by our excellent waiter, are caught under the lighthouse we can see in the<br />

distance through the window of the restaurant.<br />

46 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


“<br />

I don't want<br />

people to<br />

think, ‘oh,<br />

he just put<br />

his name<br />

on another<br />

luxury<br />

property and<br />

popped off.<br />

”<br />

“It's just really wonderful to build up such a<br />

relationship with suppliers, a stone's throw away from<br />

the restaurant door, and use wonderful things from<br />

what they're doing in imaginative ways that they<br />

hadn't thought of doing either.<br />

So you excite both the supplier, the chef, and<br />

fundamentally of course you excite the guests, because<br />

they feel like ‘this is so cool’. But it's cool in a way where<br />

you’re actually having a great experience. It doesn't<br />

taste like garbage, and it's been sustainable. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 47


“<br />

People think I'm a<br />

bit bizarre because<br />

I'm a chef yet I'm<br />

more front-of-house<br />

focused because, for<br />

me, it's all about how<br />

a guest is made to<br />

feel as soon as they<br />

walk in this place.<br />

”<br />

And I say that doesn't taste like garbage quite literally,<br />

because I can't stand bowls of fermented foods. I<br />

understand it's zero-waste but when I'm spending a lot of<br />

money, I want a delicious mouth-watering meal. I don't<br />

want to just be eating sour fermented stuff because it's<br />

saving the planet, I still need the experience, I still want the<br />

luxury.”<br />

We can attest that nothing tastes dodgy or sour at the<br />

Ugly Butterfly. Fresh, local and zero-waste – the philosophy<br />

runs deep and works – even the fantastical cocktail menu<br />

features takes on classics but uses ‘waste’ from the kitchen:<br />

herbs, shrubs, peels and ingredients that infuse and produce<br />

the most wonderful distillates and flavours.<br />

Luxury and connections<br />

The food is also a spectacular journey full of real standout<br />

moments. The ‘snacks’ – a table laden with achingly<br />

pretty and elegantly precise dishes is a triumph and sets<br />

the bar exceedingly high for the tasting menu proper,<br />

featuring tastes Adam loves, including a crisp duck and<br />

plum sauce, a flavour bomb cheese doughnut, and a<br />

punchy beef and kimchi roll.<br />

The tasting menu is one of a kind – if you’re going<br />

to invest in a special meal, this is where ours would be.<br />

The execution is elevated and intricate, while the food is<br />

unpretentious and delicious. The ‘Bread, chicken butter’<br />

dish is inspired by Adam’s fussy eater sister resolving only<br />

ever to eat roast chicken for Sunday lunch when they were<br />

kids.<br />

The deliciously salty bowls of yellow butter topped with<br />

crispy chicken skin and IPA-infused sourdough arrives<br />

with a note that reads: ‘But Mondays were my favourite.<br />

Leftover chicken in a white floury Scottish bap with loads<br />

of salty butter. This is my take on the happy memories of<br />

that Monday morning roast chicken sandwich.’<br />

Cornish crab with apple and jasmine is the prettiest<br />

plate – light and with a taste of both the sea and Cornish<br />

orchards tangy Victoria plum, beetroot and luxuriant<br />

English truffle accompanies salt-aged duck with crisp<br />

skin; while playful heart-shaped waffles top local salmon<br />

and sturgeon.<br />

“Nostalgia, relatability, connection with dishes – it’s so<br />

important,” says Adam. “I think the way that you're made<br />

to feel in a restaurant is equally as important as how the<br />

food tastes. If you have great food somewhere but you’re<br />

treated like dirt, it’s never going to be a good experience.<br />

I want the diners to have a very one-to-one intimate<br />

experience at the Ugly Butterfly. For it to be memorable.<br />

People think I'm a bit bizarre because I'm a chef yet I'm<br />

more front-of-house focused because, for me, it's all about<br />

how a guest is made to feel as soon as they walk in this<br />

place.” Fortunately, it’s clear his team are imbued with the<br />

same passion and ethos, keenly sharing titbits of Adam’s<br />

stories, menu revelations and details of the ingredients<br />

48 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


FIRST PAGE: ADAM HANDLING.<br />

SECOND PAGE FROM TOP:<br />

ADAM HANDLING WITH HEAD<br />

CHEF JAMIE PARK; BEACH<br />

LODGE. PREVIOUS PAGE<br />

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:<br />

SEAFOOD PLATTER FROM<br />

THE BEACH CLUB; CHICKEN<br />

& CHIPS, COURGETTE, BASIL;<br />

SMOKED COD; BEEF AND<br />

KIMCHI; SPA AND OUTDOOR<br />

POOL; CORNISH CRAB TART;<br />

DISPLAY OF DISHES INCLUDING<br />

CRAB CORONATION, CHEESE<br />

DOUGHNUTS AND MORE;<br />

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: THE<br />

UGLY BUTTERFLY BAR; THE<br />

UGLY BUTTERFLY DINING<br />

without it being forced, laboured or overbearing.<br />

Following a belt-busting meal, the hotel has a host of relaxing offerings for<br />

guests to enjoy. A beautiful seafront orangery and patio is perfect for morning<br />

coffees and afternoon teas, while the hotel’s C-Bay Spa is recently renovated and<br />

features a spine-soothing infinity pool and open air Jacuzzi, with tiered decking<br />

offering private hideouts from which to drink in the glorious views.<br />

The South West Coast Path passes across the hotel grounds – ideal for avid<br />

walkers. St Ives, with its mix of tea shops, galleries and shops, is an easy mile<br />

and a half (2.5km) hike along the breathtaking hills or eight minutes by the<br />

equally charming branch-line train that chugs into the Carbis Bay station just<br />

up the hill from the hotel.<br />

All told, for a slice of Cornwall and one of the most innovative restaurants in<br />

Britain to date, Carbis Bay is a perfect seafront escape.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 49


WALKING TOUR IN THE CITY OF...<br />

Bristol<br />

From the imposing heights of<br />

Clifton Gorge down to this city's lovely<br />

reclaimed harbours, Bristol is a beautiful<br />

Georgian port full of energy and colour.<br />

Join us for a stroll around its streets<br />

Text by Adrian Mourby | Illustrations by Sophie Minto<br />

of 19th-century buildings that gaze out at the bridge. First<br />

comes the old Clifton Rock Railway, a funicular that used<br />

to drop tourists down to the Hotwells volcanic springs<br />

on the banks of the River Avon. Next is the Avon Gorge<br />

Hotel, which opened in 1896 as the Grand Clifton Spa and<br />

Hydropathic Institution, using water pumped up from those<br />

wells to provide an efficacious Turkish bath for guests.<br />

START IN ONE of England’s grandest suburbs at<br />

the Clifton Observatory, a former windmill that<br />

was converted into a camera obscura in 1828.<br />

From here, there are impressive views across the<br />

Avon Gorge (300 feet deep at this point) and of<br />

Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge that has spanned it since<br />

1864. Taking the path down Sion Hill, you pass a complex<br />

These buildings form one end of a 19th-century terrace<br />

that was intended to rival Bath’s Royal Crescent. It was<br />

named Prince’s Buildings but was left incomplete. Today,<br />

single-storey extensions fill the gaps between grand town<br />

houses.<br />

50 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


One of them displays a coat of arms depicting St<br />

George killing a dragon under the Prince of Wales’ feathers,<br />

confirming that the prince in question was indeed the Prince<br />

Regent, England’s future George IV.<br />

At the end of Prince’s Buildings on the right-hand side<br />

there is a lovely crescent, almost hidden from passers-by.<br />

It’s known as The Paragon and, like many houses in Clifton,<br />

it enjoys wonderful views across Bristol and its harbours.<br />

This row of houses is also remarkable for its unusual semicircular<br />

vestibules with their different coloured doors. It was<br />

‘<br />

At the end of Prince’s Buildings on the<br />

right-hand side there is a lovely crescent,<br />

almost hidden from passers-by.<br />

’<br />

constructed between 1809–1814 during the Napoleonic<br />

Wars. The builder John Drew went bankrupt halfway<br />

through the project, something that happened to many<br />

speculators in those turbulent times.<br />

The same fate befell the builder of Royal York Terrace,<br />

which branches off from the left-hand side of Prince’s<br />

Buildings. Begun in 1791 as the longest terrace in Europe,<br />

this graceful stretch of Regency town houses was designed<br />

by Bristol architect William Paty and stands on a huge<br />

plinth that had to be constructed first to mitigate against<br />

the steep slopes of Clifton. Only completed in 1820, Royal<br />

York Terrace was where novelist Angela Carter lived (at No<br />

38) during the Swinging Sixties.<br />

At the end of this terrace turn right into Regent Street,<br />

where Victorian Bristol suddenly appears in a series of<br />

closely packed Clifton shops. When they end, at Clifton <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 51


WHERE TO STAY<br />

AVON GORGE BY HOTEL DU VIN<br />

–<br />

High above the Avon Gorge stands this 78-bedroom hotel with<br />

the best views of Clifton’s Suspension Bridge from its dining room.<br />

Opened in 1896, the Avon Gorge is now run by Hotel du Vin,<br />

which means that the interiors have the HdV signature features<br />

we’ve come to love: dark walls with bright downlighters, moody<br />

bedrooms with white-tiled bathrooms and lots of irreverent art.<br />

hotelduvin.com<br />

MARRIOTT ROYAL HOTEL<br />

–<br />

Bristol’s grandest 19th-century hotel opened in 1868 on College<br />

Green, overlooking the Floating Harbour. For many years, the<br />

Royal was hotel of choice for visiting celebrities like Laurel and<br />

Hardy, Gracie Fields, Winston Churchill and Cary Grant. Closed<br />

for decades, the hotel only recently reopened with its original<br />

Palm Court majestically restored. A four-storey car park dug into<br />

the ground beneath the property is one of the many<br />

modern conveniences of this 241-room hotel.<br />

marriott.com<br />

THE BERKELEY SQUARE HOTEL<br />

–<br />

In a dignified square between Cabot Tower and Bristol University’s<br />

Wills Building stands the Berkeley Square Hotel, an amalgam of two<br />

Georgian town houses that was once the home of Sir Frank Wills,<br />

the man whose family endowed so much of the university. It’s a lively,<br />

modern hotel with a commitment to modern art and a kitchen that<br />

serves excellent food. Leave your windows open at night and you’ll<br />

hear 'Big George' tolling in the university's bell tower.<br />

cliftonhotels.com<br />

<br />

<br />

WHERE TO EAT<br />

FISHERS RESTAURANT<br />

–<br />

Fishers is a Clifton original, founded by Alison Brown in 2001.<br />

If you like fish and seafood, head here for an unforgettable meal.<br />

From the outside, it’s a small, unremarkable whitewashed building<br />

with blue awnings. Inside it’s low-key too, with small tables and<br />

some touches of nautical decor but superb food and wine.<br />

If you fancy a picnic ask about the Fishers’ Champagne &<br />

Oyster Hamper Box (£59).<br />

fishers-restaurant.com<br />

AQUA<br />

–<br />

High up on Whiteladies Road and down on the quayside at Welsh<br />

Back are two outlets of this family-run mini-chain of cheery West<br />

Country restaurants. Aqua was founded in 1998 by Richard<br />

Smithson and is now run by his son, Ben. Monday to Friday there<br />

is a great three-course lunch menu for £18 that extends till 7pm –<br />

ideal if you are catching a show. There are also two-for-one<br />

Bellinis available from 12pm till 7pm.<br />

aqua-restaurant.com<br />

COPPA CLUB CLIFTON VILLAGE<br />

–<br />

Taking over an old Clifton department store, the Coppa Club's<br />

huge plate-glass windows look out on to Regent Street while inside<br />

a modern mezzanine floor has comfortable sofas for sitting with<br />

your laptop. The Coppa ethos is to combine a bar, a restaurant, a<br />

workspace, and café in one welcoming space. The all-day menu<br />

focuses on uncomplicated dishes, from Coppa Vegan Burger to<br />

Lamb Rump and Flash Steaks plus excellent cocktails.<br />

coppaclub.co.uk/clifton<br />

<br />

52 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


Road, the street curves east with Cabot Tower in the far<br />

distance. Bristol consists of a number of hills of which<br />

Clifton is the tallest. Cabot Tower, which commemorates<br />

John Cabot’s journey to Canada from Bristol in 1497, stands<br />

across a valley on nearby Brandon Hill. To get to it from<br />

Clifton it’s necessary to walk down Constitution Hill – one of<br />

the steepest in the city – to cross Jacob’s Well Road and then<br />

climb up through Brandon Park.<br />

Georgian House Museum. It was built in 1790 for a sugar<br />

merchant and plantation owner in the West Indies. Many<br />

believe that it was here that the poets William Wordsworth<br />

and Samuel Taylor Coleridge first met in 1795.<br />

From Great George Street turn right down Whiteladies<br />

Road, another steep hill where no two shops have rooflines<br />

at the same height. The road gets its name from the White<br />

Ladies public house that once stood on this major route<br />

between Clifton and Bristol docks. Look left up the hill and<br />

you’ll see the monumental bell tower of Bristol University,<br />

completed in 1925. It’s 223 feet high and was the last neo-<br />

Gothic structure erected in Britain. Walking downhill to the<br />

right brings you to College Green and Bristol’s Cathedral.<br />

But first at the top of Constitution Hill stands Goldney<br />

Hall, which was built in the 1860s by a Quaker family who,<br />

among other ventures, financed the voyage that rescued<br />

Alexander Selkirk (the original Robinson Crusoe) from his<br />

desert island. Starting down the hill, there’s a sprinkling of<br />

pretty 18th-century cottages that reflect how rural Clifton<br />

was before the Regency building spree.<br />

On the other side of busy Jacob’s Well Road, Brandon<br />

Hill has been kept as a large, inner-city nature reserve. It’s<br />

topped by Cabot Tower, a 105-foot monument built in 1897<br />

with panoramic views from its Venetian-style balcony. After<br />

visiting, leave the park by walking down Charlotte Street to<br />

Great George Street, which contains some very imposing<br />

houses from the reign of George III. One of these is now the<br />

Because it was successively built, destroyed, and rebuilt<br />

from Norman times right up until the Bristol Blitz of 1942,<br />

this cathedral seems to contain every style and period of<br />

English architecture, although it was all cleverly knitted<br />

together in the 19th century.<br />

Take a while to look inside. It’s a perfect place to rest<br />

your feet after all those hills.<br />

Next Issue: We take a walk around the medieval walls of York,<br />

a city that combines Roman, Viking and Georgian architecture<br />

with one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Britain.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 53


SPECIAL FEATURE<br />

Hidden London Tours<br />

Are you bored of visiting the same old places on days<br />

out? Are you on the hunt to explore somewhere new?<br />

If so, why not take a look at the Hidden London tour<br />

programme run by London Transport Museum<br />

Hidden London tours are<br />

a fascinating collection<br />

of tours run by London<br />

Transport Museum giving<br />

guests exclusive access to disused and<br />

abandoned Tube stations and sites<br />

across the London Underground. Many<br />

people are unaware that behind many<br />

inconspicuous doors and vents there are<br />

often secret passageways and tunnels<br />

from bygone eras just waiting to be<br />

explored with the Museum’s expert team.<br />

Many of these unique sites have<br />

remained untouched for decades. Down<br />

Street station, situated between Hyde<br />

Park Corner and Green Park stations,<br />

had a short life a as working station from<br />

1907 to 1932.<br />

However, it became critical to winning<br />

the Second World War when it was<br />

covertly transformed into the Railway<br />

Executive Committee’s bomb-proof<br />

headquarters where Prime Minister<br />

Winston Churchill secretly took refuge<br />

during the height of the Blitz.<br />

Think you’re familiar with Charing<br />

Cross station? Think again. On a Hidden<br />

London tour, you can go behind the<br />

scenes to see exclusive disused areas<br />

of the station normally off-limits to<br />

54 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


the public, including the chance to walk<br />

underneath Trafalgar Square! As part of<br />

a tour, you will get to explore the Jubilee<br />

line platforms at Charing Cross that<br />

have been closed to the public since 1999<br />

which are now frequently used for filming<br />

purposes, including blockbuster movies<br />

such as Skyfall and Paddington Bear.<br />

Other tour locations include Aldwych,<br />

Clapham South, Euston, Moorgate and<br />

Piccadilly Circus stations and Kingsway<br />

Tram Tunnel. Each group has a limited<br />

number of people per tour so you will get<br />

to see these spaces without the crowds.<br />

Tours are lead by the Museum's expert<br />

guides telling you all you want to know<br />

about the history and design used to<br />

create these iconic spaces.<br />

As well as in-person tours, London<br />

Transport Museum runs a variety of<br />

virtual tours too, meaning you can join<br />

a tour from the comfort of your home<br />

anywhere in the world. Conducted over<br />

Zoom, guides will talk to you about secret<br />

stations including King William Street and<br />

Brompton Road stations through a gallery<br />

of contemporary photos, archival images<br />

and never before seen footage.<br />

Access to many sites on the virtual<br />

tour roster are so restricted that in-person<br />

Hidden London tours will never be<br />

possible, making these virtual experiences<br />

particularly special.<br />

For any transport fans, Hidden London<br />

tours include a number of locations<br />

featured on UKTV’s popular Secrets of<br />

the London Underground series. Fans<br />

of the show can follow in the footsteps<br />

of presenters Siddy Holloway and Tim<br />

Dunn to explore these special sites for<br />

themselves. The much anticipated second<br />

series of the hit documentary returns to<br />

Yesterday channel on Thursday 5 May at<br />

8PM, and on catch-up at UKTV Play. ◆<br />

Tickets for all Hidden London tours<br />

are on sale now. To book head to<br />

ltmuseum.co.uk/hidden-london<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 55


IDYLLIC ESCAPE<br />

RETREAT<br />

EAST<br />

Quiet and secluded, Retreat East offers a<br />

tranquil experience, both day and night. Spend<br />

some time enjoying this à la mode Suffolk<br />

hideaway and you are guaranteed to leave<br />

feeling both pampered and restored<br />

Text by Jessica Way<br />

Easily accessible from London, Retreat East is situated in the heart<br />

of Suffolk, surrounded by 35 acres of pristine <strong>British</strong> countryside.<br />

It is no wonder it has quickly gained popularity with celebrities<br />

– from football freestyler Jeremy Lynch to reality TV star Millie<br />

Mackintosh, who recently celebrated her 30th birthday at the<br />

retreat. Previously a working 16th-century farm, the site has been converted<br />

into a luxurious spa resort with 15 beautifully appointed eco-conscious<br />

barns, including their first barns to have private outdoor baths under<br />

canopies with sun loungers (launched this summer), and a further eight<br />

coming soon, some with their own wood-burning fires and four-poster<br />

king-size beds. Ranging from cosy sleeps for two, such as The Piggery, a<br />

large romantic barn with a fantastic sculptural bath and private sunny and<br />

sheltered courtyard twice the size as the barn itself, to four-bed farmhouses<br />

like the Cow House, the oldest barn with enormous kitchen and dining area<br />

and a luxurious double shower with underfloor heated pebbles – the barn<br />

stays are eco-luxury at its finest. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 57


Retreat East was the vision of Dominic Richards who,<br />

20 years ago, bought a house in the beautiful Suffolk<br />

countryside. His home became incredibly popular with the<br />

friends he had left behind in the London Spitalfields area.<br />

It was the countryside residence they all wanted to visit<br />

as it offered them an opportunity to recharge, enjoy the<br />

clear skies, fresh air and artisan seasonal food.<br />

This gave Dominic an idea, and when a nearby<br />

redundant dairy farm came up for sale he immediately<br />

identified its potential as a retreat for more sapped<br />

Londoners. The farm had certainly seen better days; its<br />

16th-century farmhouse, historic barns and surrounding<br />

fields needed a lot of work, but the challenge was not<br />

enough to deter Dominic – he was determined and had<br />

already identified the potential with urbanites looking to<br />

get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.<br />

THE RETREAT<br />

Guests check-in at the reception area, which doubles up<br />

as Retreat East’s farm and coffee shop, selling delicious<br />

farmyard essentials and locally made gifts such as<br />

Loggigue candles, Framlingham soaps, Pump Street<br />

chocolate and Tiptree cakes.<br />

On the accommodation side, in the heart of the retreat<br />

is the historic picturesque four-bedroom farmhouse.<br />

Perfect for multigenerational family stays, group stays<br />

and weddings, the timber-framed property has its own<br />

private garden and is packed with character.<br />

We stayed in The Granary, an authentic eco-luxurious<br />

converted dairy barn with its own private terrace<br />

overlooking the Suffolk meadows. Luxury touches<br />

include a heated floor throughout, a wood burner, a<br />

stylish farmhouse-style kitchen complete with SMEG<br />

fridge, a Nespresso coffee machine and, in the bathroom,<br />

a state-of-the-art walk-in shower. The interiors are<br />

homely. Think laid-back woven rugs, rustic brickwork<br />

and wooden beams throughout (dividing the otherwise<br />

open-plan living spaces), pretty throws and cushions,<br />

modern artwork and contemporary furnishings. Natural<br />

light floods in from the Velux window above and there’s a<br />

spacious dining room with patio doors out to the terrace.<br />

Offering a very warm welcome to guests and locals<br />

alike, the triple-height Great Barn restaurant is a fabulous<br />

foodie experience. Seasonal menus feature an array<br />

of beautiful dishes, prepared using ingredients from<br />

local artisan producers. Choose from chicken liver pâté,<br />

scallops, organic rainbow chard, fennel, smoked scallop<br />

roe or green curry. Take your time to savour, leaving<br />

some space for dessert; on the menu during our visit was<br />

banana and spiced rum baked Alaska with caramelised<br />

pecans and smoked caramel sauce – the flavour was<br />

divine. The Great Barn is open for breakfast, lunch and<br />

dinner (including Sunday lunch). You might visit to simply<br />

enjoy a cocktail, one made with Suffolk Distillery gin<br />

perhaps – and you can choose to wine or dine al fresco on<br />

the south-facing terrace while sipping some bubbles and<br />

watching the sun go down.<br />

Talking of bubbles, the south-facing terrace is also<br />

where you will find the retreat's outdoor hot tub and spa<br />

facilities – and watch this space, as the retreat has plans<br />

to extend the spa area. Unwind and experience a tranquil<br />

moment of pure relaxation with a treatment. I opted for<br />

their Five Element Aroma signature massage and felt the<br />

58 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


home-baked cakes, and exploring the stunning Shrubland<br />

Park. There are plenty of walking-route maps for you to<br />

enjoy during your stay from the front desk, and bike hire is<br />

complimentary to guests.<br />

Retreat East is pooch friendly throughout, including<br />

in the restaurant, with all properties allowing up to two<br />

dogs (other than The Little Warren & The Little Hive).<br />

There is even an impressive doggy shower for muddy dogs<br />

returning from their countryside walks. Plus, they sell local<br />

dog products from Pooches and Sniffe & Likket in their<br />

farm shop.<br />

Prices from £130 for Little Hive & Little Warren barn<br />

rooms, £225 for a one-bedroom barn and £325 for a<br />

two-bedroom barn; retreateast.co.uk<br />

tension in my shoulders melt away. An in-barn massage<br />

service is also available.<br />

Take a tour of the wild flower meadow, farm and the<br />

kitchen gardens that supply organic produce for use in<br />

their restaurant. Little ones will love meeting the ducks by<br />

the pond, stroking the farm chickens and watching the<br />

bees at work in their hive. Guests can also take part in clay<br />

pigeon shooting, axe throwing, archery, yoga, floristry<br />

classes, meditation, and chocolate making.<br />

Popular local footpaths pass through the retreat<br />

grounds. Favoured walks include strolling the fields to the<br />

pretty village of Coddenham for a cup of tea and some<br />

SURROUNDING AREA<br />

—<br />

Whether you're looking to get out and about and<br />

explore by road or by foot, there are some must-visit<br />

places within very easy reach.<br />

Ipswich Ipswich is just under 20 minutes' drive<br />

away from Retreat East. With direct rail links from<br />

London, it's a great option if you're travelling to<br />

Retreat East by train.<br />

Woodbridge Woodbridge is a pretty market town<br />

that sits along the River Deben. It'll take you around<br />

25 minutes to get there, but it is more than worth the<br />

journey.<br />

Southwold A quaint and pretty little seaside town,<br />

home to the famous Adnams Brewery. Southwold is<br />

ideal for beer, wine and spirits lovers to take a tour of<br />

Adnams Brewery brewing and distillery plants, or to<br />

enjoy a walk along the beach.<br />

Aldeburgh The drive is around 40 minutes but a visit<br />

to Aldeburgh is worth it. Perfect open beaches for<br />

a nice long dog walk and some of the best seafood<br />

restaurants around.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 59


10 OF THE BEST<br />

UNIQUE LUXURY<br />

BREAKS<br />

Need inspiration for a short break? We bring you the most interesting<br />

experiences to book now, for exploration that is more memorable this summer<br />

Text by Natalie Paris<br />

60 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


1<br />

WATERSPORTS IN WATERGATE BAY<br />

Perfectly positioned on a two-mile beach in<br />

northern Cornwall and a firm favourite with<br />

families, the Watergate Bay Hotel is well-known for<br />

its surf school. This summer, however, there is even<br />

more to tempt water-sports enthusiasts. A recent<br />

expansion means that hotel guests can add everything<br />

from paddleboarding to beach yoga and outdoor fitness<br />

sessions to their active break. These are run by local<br />

Wavehunters instructors who take pride in knowing the<br />

sea here really well. They recommend the big, sandy<br />

break as being gentle, so great for beginner surfers.<br />

Both private and group lessons are available. Time<br />

away from the beach can be spent watching the rollers<br />

from one of the varied hotel restaurants or from the<br />

glass-fronted indoor pool. Alternatively, have a soak in a<br />

clifftop hot tub or enjoy a hot rocks massage or pedicure.<br />

watergatebay.co.uk<br />

Two nights from £250 per person<br />

2<br />

A SPARKLING TIME IN<br />

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE<br />

English wine has enjoyed a vintage few years,<br />

with certain winemakers growing in stature and<br />

producing bottles to really treasure. For an insight<br />

into the creation of award-winning English<br />

wine, head to Horwood House in the Buckinghamshire<br />

countryside. The hotel is a 20-minute drive from the familyrun<br />

23-acre Chafor wine estate, where guests who book<br />

a Grape Escapes experience are welcomed with a glass of<br />

Chafor’s top-rated Vintage Cuvée Sparkling Wine.<br />

They are then taken on a tour of the vineyard and winery,<br />

wandering among the rows of gnarled vines while listening<br />

to head winemaker Tim Chafor talk about the estate’s<br />

history, his grapes and the winery’s signature style.<br />

A tasting and cheeseboard follows, after which guests<br />

can retreat to the hotel to try its new spa, with a swimming<br />

pool, a sauna and steam rooms. Dinner at the hotel<br />

restaurant is also included.<br />

horwoodhouse.co.uk<br />

One night from £325 per person<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 61


S UFFOLK<br />

Idyllic escapes in the heart of Suffolk<br />

Nestled amongst 35 acres of rambling countryside Retreat East is the ultimate<br />

escape. Savour the moments with wildflower walks, hot tub dips, tranquil<br />

treatments, delicious dinners and cosy nights in your character barn...<br />

SLEEP | EAT | RETREAT<br />

Have a four<br />

legged friend?<br />

We are a dog friendly<br />

hotel so you are<br />

welcome to bring<br />

them too!<br />

WWW.RETREATEAST.CO.UK 01449 760480<br />

Experience<br />

Experience<br />

the<br />

the<br />

new<br />

new<br />

menus Experience by Executive the new Chef<br />

Ricki menus Weston by Executive and his Chef team<br />

Ricki Weston and his team<br />

Bursting Bursting with flavour. with flavour. Choose Choose either either the<br />

Michelin-starred Michelin-starred restaurant ‘The Dining Room’,<br />

Bursting with<br />

restaurant<br />

flavour. Choose<br />

‘The Dining<br />

either<br />

Room’,<br />

the<br />

Grey’s or Brasserie.<br />

Grey’s<br />

Michelin-starred<br />

Brasserie.<br />

restaurant ‘The Dining Room’,<br />

or Grey’s Brasserie.<br />

joy a Enjoy one-night a one-night break break with dinner in<br />

Grey’s Brasserie from £449.<br />

Enjoy a one-night break with dinner in<br />

Grey’s Brasserie from £449.<br />

Or the Michelin star experience with<br />

dinner in The Dining Room from £784.<br />

Or the Michelin star experience with<br />

dinner in The Dining Room from £784.<br />

Book online whatleymanor.com<br />

ok online whatleymanor.com<br />

or call reservations on 01666 822 888<br />

or call reservations Book online whatleymanor.com<br />

01666 822 888<br />

or call reservations on 01666 822 888<br />

Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa Easton Grey Malmesbury SN16 0RB<br />

whatleymanor.com


3ELECTRIC CYCLING THROUGH<br />

THE COUNTRYSIDE<br />

A gentle way of exploring the rambling Sussex<br />

countryside, from hills to coast, is offered by<br />

Ockenden Manor and Bailiffscourt hotels,<br />

who invite guests to take electric bicycles<br />

out on a new, well-planned route. The starting point at<br />

Ockenden Manor, a hotel with a spa and Michelin-star<br />

restaurant in the High Weald, has guests on the ‘Cycling<br />

for Softies’ tour will riding to Climping, which is the<br />

location of Bailiffscourt, a second spa hotel on the coast<br />

(40 miles). The route then continues onto the South<br />

Downs and The Spread Eagle, another historic hotel in<br />

the charming market town of Midhurst, for the final night<br />

(25 miles). The journey wheels along country lanes, river<br />

and coastal paths. Pedalling is a breeze on these bikes,<br />

with GPS routes included for ease and a luggage transfer<br />

service provided between each night’s accommodation.<br />

prideofbritainhotels.com<br />

Three nights from £1,034 per person<br />

4<br />

‘FOREST BATHING’ IN THE<br />

COTSWOLDS<br />

The summer months are a great time to explore<br />

the patchwork of fields and rolling hills that<br />

make up the Cotswolds. The region’s impossibly<br />

pretty villages are a highlight, built from<br />

honeyed stone and hiding quaint teahouses and oak-beamed<br />

pubs up quiet, cobbled lanes. Guests at Whatley Manor on<br />

a ‘Cotswold Explorer’ break can enjoy a genteel, end-ofthe-week<br />

stay that includes afternoon tea. It also offers the<br />

chance to indulge in the <strong>British</strong> equivalent of forest bathing,<br />

by including two entrance tickets to Westonbirt, the National<br />

Arboretum. Here, visitors can stroll between 2,500 different<br />

species of tree, grown all over the world.<br />

The hotel, set a short drive from the arboretum on<br />

the edge of the Cotswolds, also has a newly appointed<br />

Executive Chef who has been awarded a Michelin star<br />

for The Dining Room restaurant, which guests can book<br />

separately for another night if they wish.<br />

whatleymanor.com<br />

Two nights from £456 per person<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 63


5<br />

A SUMMER FESTIVAL WITH<br />

STYLISH WHEELS<br />

As camper vans combine freedom with little<br />

luxuries, they make a savvy choice for a<br />

music festival. In fact, some say the campervan<br />

field is where the real fun happens when<br />

the stage lights dim. Highlights for the forthcoming<br />

festival season include Bigfoot, in Buckinghamshire,<br />

where the artisan drinks and food are as important as<br />

the music, or Wilderness in Oxfordshire, where revellers<br />

relax in a lakeside spa in between acts. Alternatively,<br />

a weekend at Latitude – known for its strong spoken<br />

word programme – can be combined with a few days<br />

exploring sand dunes along the Suffolk coast. The<br />

smart vans from new, Dorset-based company OTBT,<br />

for example, are stylishly put together, containing tiled<br />

kitchens with leather cupboard handles and oiled wood<br />

surfaces, as well as a cleverly hidden away boot area,<br />

solar panels and a hammock swing.<br />

yescapa.co.uk<br />

Three nights from £468 in OTBT’s Maya van<br />

6<br />

THE WONDERS OF LOCH NESS<br />

Those whose knowledge of Loch Ness<br />

is limited to the legend of a waterborne<br />

monster might be surprised to learn<br />

that this Scottish beauty has many more<br />

secrets. From castles and battlefields<br />

to standing stones and tumbling waterfalls, the<br />

best way to explore this enigmatic body of water is<br />

by going on a day tour of the lake with an expert.<br />

It is not all walking either, with picturesque drives<br />

included, as well as a boat cruise across the deep,<br />

mysterious water. Ness Walk is a five-star hotel<br />

located in Inverness, not far from the loch. Its<br />

‘Wonders of Loch Ness’ break includes a picnic lunch<br />

and visits to Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns,<br />

Urquhart Castle and Divach Falls, which is where J<br />

M Barrie wrote Peter Pan. Round off the day in fine<br />

style with a dram or two of local whisky back at the<br />

hotel, which sits on the banks of the River Ness and<br />

was once a 19th-century house.<br />

nesswalk.com<br />

Three nights from £735 per person<br />

64 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


7<br />

SCOTTISH FOOD AND DRINK<br />

TRAIL<br />

From whisky to lobster, it’s possible to<br />

sample some of the best of Scotland’s<br />

culinary treasures on a luxury tour that<br />

uses a private chauffeur. Guests of both<br />

the Edinburgh hotel Prestonfield and The Witchery by<br />

the Castle – an oak-panelled restaurant with suites –<br />

can be driven to destinations within two hours of the<br />

city as part of a new Taste of Scotland trail. Locations<br />

visited include Dunbar Harbour, to see the seafood<br />

catch arrive and learn about sustainable fishing from<br />

Belhaven Lobster; East Lothian for a distillery tasting<br />

and a foraged-food-pairing workshop with Buck<br />

& Birch; Old Leckie farm for a quad-bike or tractor<br />

tour and Scotland’s oldest working distillery, The<br />

Glenturret. Here guests can expect a tour and lunch at<br />

Michelin-starred The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant.<br />

Dinner back at the accommodation will feature plenty<br />

of the day’s produce.<br />

sleigh.co.uk<br />

Two nights from £1,720 per person<br />

8<br />

A JUBILEE VIEWING OF THE<br />

CROWN JEWELS<br />

What could be better during Her<br />

Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee<br />

celebrations than a private tour to<br />

marvel at the Crown Jewels, travelling in<br />

a chauffeur-driven Daimler car that once belonged<br />

to the Queen Mother? This very exclusive luxury<br />

break has been masterminded by London’s Hotel<br />

Café Royal to provide an unforgettable experience<br />

for guests who check into the two-bedroom Royal<br />

Suite. On arrival at the Tower of London, a tour is<br />

conducted by a Beefeater, before a private viewing<br />

of the Crown Jewels and Royal Collection takes<br />

place.<br />

Those who visit during the weekend of 4 or 5 June<br />

will not only get to enjoy being inside a Royal Palace<br />

during the jubilee celebrations but will also receive<br />

a Champagne reception on arrival and the chance<br />

to extend the visit by booking dinner afterwards in a<br />

private dining room at the Tower.<br />

hotelcaferoyal.com<br />

One night from £6,147 per person<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 65


9BE A GARDENER AND CHEF<br />

AT THE NEWT<br />

The gardens at Hadspen House, first<br />

designed by Penelope Hobhouse, have<br />

been transformed by luxury hotel The Newt<br />

into one of the south’s must-visit estates.<br />

With an apple-tree maze, a 'beezantium', deer quietly<br />

milling about in the woods and an interactive gardening<br />

museum, not only is there much to see on the average<br />

day here but the hotel is offering gastronomes an extra<br />

treat this summer.<br />

Taking a tour of the edible garden area, guests can,<br />

with the help of the estate’s head chef and a head<br />

gardener, pick their own lunch. They can then take their<br />

produce-laden trugs up to a spot above the wildflower<br />

meadow, where a fire will be lit. Under chef’s guidance,<br />

guests can create dishes and then help cook their finds,<br />

for a slap-up picnic lunch that is as inventive as it is fresh.<br />

thenewtinsomerset.com<br />

Two nights from £720 per person<br />

IMAGE © LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX / VISITBRITAIN/ANDREW WELSHER<br />

10<br />

GEORGIAN SPLENDOUR IN<br />

BATH<br />

The television drama Bridgerton has<br />

gripped the nation recently, stirring<br />

up interest in the lives of high society<br />

during the Regency period. There is<br />

nowhere better to imagine the whirlwind of balls and<br />

park strolls loved by characters from Bridgerton than in<br />

Bath, with its dashing Georgian buildings that were used<br />

as a backdrop during filming. To spot key sites from the<br />

show, and to learn about this Unesco-heritage city at the<br />

same time, the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is offering<br />

guests a private Bridgerton-themed walking tour, plus a<br />

Champagne afternoon tea as part of a package called<br />

‘Promenade like a Bridgerton’. The hotel is located at<br />

the heart of the sweeping Royal Crescent, the city’s bestknown<br />

architectural masterpiece.<br />

prideofbritainhotels.com<br />

Two nights from £260 per person<br />

66 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


Indigo Barn, Norfolk<br />

Find your special place<br />

From luxury contemporary barn conversions to charming thatched cottages,<br />

we’ve hand-picked the very best to bring you holiday memories to treasure.<br />

A portfolio of over<br />

600 luxury, self-catering<br />

holiday properties<br />

in the UK and<br />

Northern Ireland<br />

01386 897 959<br />

ruralretreats.co.uk


68 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


48 HOURS IN<br />

UNA<br />

ST IVES<br />

CARBIS BAY<br />

Coastal walks, sandy beaches, surfing and art galleries: there’s<br />

many reasons to visit St Ives, north of Penzance. With the<br />

opening of Una St Ives luxury resort it is now easier than ever<br />

to plan your perfect trip to this much-loved destination<br />

Text by Jessica Way<br />

Situated on the north coast of Cornwall within<br />

easy reach of the white sands of Carbis Bay<br />

and buzz of St Ives town, Una St Ives is an<br />

idyllic holiday village delivering laid-back<br />

indulgence in one of the county's most desirable hot<br />

spots. <strong>British</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> first wrote about Una St<br />

Ives in our Spring 2021 edition, featuring the resort<br />

as one of the most exciting new coastal launches<br />

in the UK. It is no surprise then, that given the first<br />

opportunity to stay in one of their brand-new luxury<br />

lodges, we had our suitcases packed.<br />

Named ‘Una’ after the first boat to win the<br />

Cornish Gig Rowing Championships and built with<br />

beautiful Cornish stone amid stunning landscaped<br />

grounds, the resort has taken its Cornish heritage and<br />

artistic influences to heart. The design is consistent<br />

throughout the lodges, leisure facilities, restaurants<br />

and spa, with spacious and creative spaces and<br />

contemporary furnishings, inspiring coastal living.<br />

Packing is made easy as your home-from-home lodge<br />

is kitted out with items you might need, including a<br />

washer/dryer and all your bathroom luxuries. It is<br />

so easy to put down your bags and let your holiday<br />

begin, whether by making yourself a cuppa in the<br />

kitchen, relaxing in the dining area, putting your feet<br />

up on the sofa, or unwinding on your private terrace.<br />

The Scandi-influenced ecolodges, using solar<br />

panels and lamb's wool insulation, range from one-,<br />

two-, three- and four-bedroom properties. The<br />

exciting next phase of development will see a further<br />

27 high-end two- and three-bedroom villas with private<br />

hot tubs, a 20-metre heated outdoor lido with an <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 69


additional kids’ pool, an outdoor kitchen, a bar and<br />

restaurant serving barbequed burritos, rotisserie chicken<br />

and flat iron steaks prepared al fresco over charcoal to<br />

create a street-food-festival vibe by the pool, along with<br />

a games room and padel-tennis courts. Plus, there's a<br />

55-bedroom apartment–hotel with its own central piazza,<br />

bar, restaurant and further leisure facilities in the pipeline<br />

– in total there will be 93 new luxury villas to be completed<br />

by the end of 2023, making it the largest luxury resort in the<br />

south-west and a spectacular jewel in Cornwall’s crown.<br />

Yet, even with just the newly completed lodges and<br />

Atrium (home to the the leisure club and Una Kitchen<br />

restaurant), and some construction work taking place<br />

around us, it was already a fabulous resort – far exceeding<br />

our expectations. (The new villas are also available to<br />

purchase under a holiday-home-ownership scheme.)<br />

DAY ONE<br />

After a restorative night’s sleep in the super-comfortable<br />

beds, the tranquility and calm continued through the<br />

morning, helped largely by a stocked fridge following our<br />

pre-arranged supermarket delivery the night before. It was<br />

weekend breakfast-as-usual only in a much brighter, more<br />

uplifting setting than our usual Hampshire abode.<br />

It had been such a long time since I had been to a spa<br />

(due to COVID-19) that I was delighted to kick-start my<br />

holiday wellness with an ELEMIS bespoke deep-tissue<br />

body massage while my husband and daughters enjoyed<br />

the swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms. Following a<br />

Cornish coffee espresso and slice of home-made banana<br />

cake from Una Kitchen we jumped in a taxi to St Ives (to<br />

avoid parking on a Saturday – it costs around £5 for the<br />

journey), excited to explore the picturesque town.<br />

70 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


‘<br />

One of Cornwall’s best-loved and most<br />

visited places, St Ives is famed for the artists,<br />

past and present, who have visited and<br />

settled here.<br />

’<br />

Perched above the town, Tate St Ives looks<br />

over Porthmeor Beach. Part of the famous Tate<br />

family, with siblings Tate Britain, Tate Modern<br />

and Tate Liverpool, this landmark is recognised as<br />

an international showcase for modern art, with a<br />

permanent collection and regular contemporary<br />

exhibitions. It epitomises the unique culture of St<br />

Ives, celebrating the artists associated with the<br />

town, including Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo,<br />

Alfred Wallis and Mark Rothko. Join in one of the<br />

guided tours or stop for a light lunch while enjoying<br />

the sea views and activity below.<br />

Contrasting with the space and openness of<br />

Tate St Ives is the intimacy of the neighbouring<br />

former home and studio of Barbara Hepworth (one<br />

of Britain’s most recognised 20th-century artists)<br />

known as the Barbara Hepworth Museum and<br />

Sculpture Garden. Here you can wander among<br />

the stunning sculptures, perfectly placed in their<br />

garden setting, take time to sit and reflect and feel<br />

yourself getting to know and understand the great<br />

sculptor. The shade, solitude and sheer beauty of<br />

the garden is there to inspire, refresh and enliven<br />

any art lover or green-fingered visitor.<br />

Just a short journey from this buzzing art scene is<br />

another of Cornwall’s top tourist attractions: The<br />

Minack Theatre. In 11931, local Rowena Cade, who<br />

lived at Minack House, felt that the cliffs she saw <br />

One of Cornwall’s best-loved and most-visited places, St Ives<br />

is famed for the artists, past and present, who have visited and<br />

settled here. This isn’t surprising given its natural charm and beauty<br />

and, important to any painter, its crystal-clear light. Hugging the<br />

shore is the town itself, with higgledy-piggledy lanes presenting no<br />

end of treasures. Around every corner, a tiny workshop, gallery or<br />

studio beckons, and there are many independent boutiques selling<br />

fashionable seaside clothing brands, handmade gifts, chocolates<br />

and other artisan creations.<br />

We wandered down the cobbled streets before stumbling upon<br />

Noall Square, a pretty courtyard with coloured flags, a rock shop, a<br />

record shop, and a tea room where we had some lunch.<br />

By the time we arrived at the picturesque harbourside it was<br />

time for an ice cream, which we enjoyed on Town Beach before<br />

meandering back through town to the opposite coastline to discover<br />

Tate St Ives – the world-renowned must-visit attraction.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 71


‘<br />

...if you like your sea-to-fork fish dishes,<br />

the Una Kitchen Seafood Chowder is tasty<br />

enough to give Rick Stein a good run for<br />

his money...<br />

’<br />

from her garden would be the perfect setting for a<br />

production of The Tempest. After that performance,<br />

the theatre was established and today attracts<br />

audiences from all over the world. There's no better<br />

backdrop for any play or musical performance than<br />

a sun-kissed shore, a Cornish sunset and distant<br />

waves.<br />

For us, though, it was time to get back to Una<br />

St Ives for our dinner reservation at Una Kitchen.<br />

Led by multiple AA-Rosette-winning Cornish chef<br />

Glenn Gatland, Una Kitchen’s Mediterraneaninspired<br />

seasonal menus have been quick to<br />

impress. So much so, that at the recent Cornwall<br />

Tourism Awards they were declared the winners<br />

of the highly acclaimed Restaurant of the Year<br />

award. Starters include much-loved favourites<br />

like sticky chicken wings and salt & pepper squid,<br />

and for the mains, if you like your sea-to-fork fish<br />

dishes, the Una Kitchen Seafood Chowder is tasty<br />

enough to give Rick Stein a good run for his money,<br />

while children are likely to be fans of their woodfired<br />

Gozney-oven-cooked pizzas. To finish off we<br />

devoured some chocolate ganache and strawberry<br />

and cream pavlova.<br />

Guests are also welcome in the evening to enjoy<br />

the bar, which offers a wide selection of wines,<br />

local beers and handcrafted cocktails with Cornish<br />

Orchards Gold cider, Alba IPA or Hella Pale Ale<br />

from St Ives Brewery, and St Ives Blood Orange gin.<br />

DAY TWO<br />

Eager to explore the many beautiful beaches,<br />

including Gwithian, Hayle, Porthmister and<br />

Porthmeor, all within easy reach of Una St Ives,<br />

we got dressed into our wetsuits. Together with<br />

our beach bags and our Dick Pearce wooden<br />

bellyboards from Newquay, (see my article on page<br />

92) we were ready for a day of wave riding. We had<br />

been told by one of the locals about The Towans<br />

(Cornish for ‘dune’) – a three-mile stretch of sand<br />

linking Godrevy Beach at the eastern tip of St Ives<br />

Bay to Gwithian Beach, all the way to Hayle Sands.<br />

We headed to Gwithian and couldn’t believe our<br />

luck: white sand, turquoise water, dramatic cliffs,<br />

glistening rockpools and rolling dunes.<br />

72 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


FIRST PAGE: UNA ST IVES LODGE. PREVIOUS PAGE LEFT TO<br />

RIGHT: TOWN BEACH, ST IVES; TATE ST IVES; THE MINACK<br />

THEATRE. PICTURED CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: UNA<br />

KITCHEN SEAFOOD CHOWDER; GODREVY LIGHTHOUSE;<br />

JESSICA HEADS TO GWITHIAN BEACH; UNA KITCHEN<br />

The sun was shining and we hit the surf under the<br />

backdrop of Godrevy Lighthouse – the inspiration for<br />

Virginia Woolf’s seminal novel To the Lighthouse.<br />

There were a few dog walkers and surfers, but for one<br />

of Cornwall’s best-loved and most visited coastlines it was<br />

surprisingly uncrowded. We might have been lucky due to<br />

the time of year (it was late April), but possibly it is the vast<br />

natural wilderness and expansive coastline that helps keep<br />

it so peaceful. We weren’t lucky enough, but you might<br />

see dolphins in the waves here, and seals are frequently<br />

spotted in the rocky shallows.<br />

For lunch or light snacks there’s the Sunset Surf Cafe<br />

adjacent to the Gwithian Beach car park, or if you fancy<br />

a wild clifftop walk, head towards Godrevy on the South<br />

West Coast Path in search of The Rockpool (20 to 25<br />

minutes). Both beach cafes have a laid-back and rustic<br />

vibe, catering for surfers, wild swimmers and dogs, while<br />

the kitchens serve great, fresh Cornish food with both<br />

indoor and outdoor seating, and incredible beach views.<br />

For wild sea swimming you just can’t beat the glistening<br />

waters of Carbis Bay, an absolutely gorgeous spot, with<br />

golden sand surrounded by subtropical plants, just 15<br />

minutes by foot or five minutes by car from the villas. In<br />

complete contrast to The Towans beaches we had visited<br />

earlier in the day, the coastline here rarely has big waves,<br />

so, rather than attracting adrenaline-seeking surfers,<br />

families and sunbathers come here in search of relaxation<br />

– and we were happy to leave our bellyboards behind.<br />

I urge all Una St Ives guests to feel the sand here<br />

between their toes – it comes as no surprise that this<br />

stunning beach is listed as one of the world’s best by<br />

the Most Beautiful Bays in the World organisation. You<br />

know you have arrived as you hear or see a train pulling<br />

into the picturesque railway station, and you cross the<br />

line over a pretty bridge to a convenient coastal path<br />

taking you down onto the golden sands. It wasn't quite<br />

yet summer and the water was cold, but knowing the hot<br />

tub was bubbling away back at the ranch gave me the<br />

encouragement to fully submerge, in true Wim Hof style.<br />

At low tide you can walk across to Porthkidney Sands,<br />

where you’ll find an RSPB bird sanctuary, an important<br />

habitat for seabirds.<br />

If an afternoon walk is more your scene than swimming<br />

in the Atlantic Ocean, there are many excellent hikes from<br />

Una St Ives too, including winding your way to Trencrom<br />

Hill where you are rewarded for your effort by the farreaching<br />

vistas across to St Ives Bay in one direction and St<br />

Michaels Mount in the other. Or, another local favourite is<br />

the path to Porthkidney Beach, the former home of artist<br />

John Miller, famous for his series of beach landscapes.<br />

Una St Ives certainly lived up to my expectation<br />

and was the wellness break I had needed; memorable,<br />

rejuvenating and life-affirming.<br />

Prices to stay self-catering in a one-bedroom lodge at<br />

Una St Ives from £180 per night for a three-night break,<br />

including leisure club access; unastives.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 73


Festivals<br />

Calendar<br />

With music, art, cars, yoga – and a goat, Britain is celebrating this<br />

summer in glorious style. So pack shorts or tuxedos and join us on<br />

our journey from Edinburgh to Cornwall to find the best festivals<br />

JUNE<br />

17-19<br />

BIRCH ARISING<br />

This <strong>Summer</strong> Solstice at<br />

the Birch, Hertfordshire<br />

there's a brand new and<br />

exciting three-day-long<br />

summer festival with<br />

live music and DJs,<br />

incredible food feasts,<br />

chefs, producers, pool<br />

parties, restorative<br />

wellness experiences<br />

and a comfy bed to lay<br />

your head on at the<br />

end of the night.<br />

birchcommunity.com<br />

JULY<br />

4-9<br />

RHS HAMPTON COURT PALACE<br />

GARDEN FESTIVAL<br />

Nursery exhibits, workshops<br />

and talks, rare and wild world<br />

plants and exotic living spaces.<br />

rhs.org.uk<br />

6-10<br />

HENLEY FESTIVAL, RIVER THAMES<br />

Don a black tie and tux or slinky<br />

maxi dress for this year's headliners,<br />

including The Script and Tom Jones.<br />

henley-festival.co.uk<br />

14-17<br />

150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP<br />

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of<br />

the world’s oldest golf tournament<br />

at The Open in St Andrews, Scotland.<br />

theopen.com/st-andrews<br />

74 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


AUGUST<br />

4-7<br />

WILDERNESS, OXFORDSHIRE<br />

Set in 5,000 acres, the wellness,<br />

sporting, themes and food lineup<br />

is as strong as the music.<br />

wildernessfestival.com<br />

10-14<br />

BOARDMASTERS,<br />

CORNWALL<br />

There's surfing,<br />

skateboarding and<br />

BMX bike riding<br />

on Fistral Beach<br />

Beach along with<br />

gigs up the coast<br />

at Watergate Bay,<br />

with shuttle buses<br />

between the two.<br />

18-21<br />

GREEN MAN FESTIVAL IN THE<br />

BRECON BEACONS<br />

Nestled in the picturesque<br />

South Wales’ National Park.<br />

greenman.net<br />

26-28<br />

JUPITER RISING FESTIVAL,<br />

EDINBURGH<br />

Rock around the<br />

installations at the<br />

art-and-music festival<br />

in Jupiter Artland, the<br />

contemporary sculpture<br />

park. Focusing on<br />

emerging artists,<br />

highlights include the<br />

Durban duo, Destruction<br />

Boyz, who bring their<br />

Gqom music (electronic<br />

dance with repetitive<br />

sounds and heavy base<br />

beats) to Scotland,<br />

and don't miss Antony<br />

Gormley’s 1019 steel<br />

balls or Anish Kapoor’s<br />

caged metal chute.<br />

jupiterrising.art<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 75


Great<br />

<strong>British</strong> Drinks<br />

There are going to be big celebrations of the Queen’s Platinum<br />

Jubilee during the weekend of 2 to 5 June, so here's a range of<br />

delicious Great <strong>British</strong> drinks from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and<br />

England for when you are raising your glass for a toast<br />

Limited Edition<br />

HIGH POINT RUBY<br />

The world’s first premium nonalcoholic<br />

fermented aperitif,<br />

made with natural ingredients<br />

from the surrounding Cornish<br />

countryside, £19.99.<br />

highpointdrinks.co.uk<br />

COTSWOLDS PLATINUM<br />

JUBILEE GIN<br />

The limited-edition<br />

Platinum Jubilee<br />

Gin is bursting with<br />

fruity notes of jammy<br />

raspberry, strawberry<br />

and fresh citrus, leaving<br />

a delicious taste of<br />

smooth vanilla ice<br />

cream, £34.95.<br />

majestic.co.uk<br />

MERMAID GIN<br />

Produced at the Isle of Wight<br />

Distillery, the first and only<br />

distillery on the island, a small<br />

batch, beach-to-bottle London<br />

Dry Gin with a hint of sea air, £38.<br />

harveynichols.com<br />

THE GLADSTONE AXE<br />

Created in honour of William<br />

Gladstone, four-times Prime<br />

Minister during the reign of<br />

Queen Victoria. There are two<br />

whiskies in the range, from £32.<br />

masterofmalt.com<br />

76 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF<br />

ANNE<br />

BOLEYN<br />

Enjoy exclusive access in the gardens where the Tudor queen grew up<br />

when you stay the night in the Tudor Village at Kent’s Hever Castle, and<br />

spend an evening in the same room where she slept with Henry VIII at<br />

Thornbury Castle in Gloucestershire<br />

Text by Jane Knight<br />

night at Hever Castle get exclusive use of the grounds<br />

before they open to the public and after everyone else<br />

has gone home.<br />

It’s a delicious feeling having all this history to<br />

yourself, imagining Anne strolling along with Henry<br />

VIII, the Tudor king she so enraptured that he broke<br />

with Rome and set up the Church of England just so<br />

he could marry her. The story might not have ended<br />

It’s so quiet as I stroll along Anne Boleyn’s walk that<br />

I fancy I can hear the swish of her skirt skimming<br />

the grass. To my left is the fairy-tale castle where<br />

she grew up and the formal Italian garden; ahead<br />

lies the lake, with its pleasant hour-long circuit by the<br />

water. The only person I meet on my early-morning<br />

perambulations is a gardener; guests staying the<br />

78 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


enamoured pair may have promenaded, two of the illfated<br />

Queen’s prayer books, one exhorting the reader<br />

to ‘remember me when you doth pray’, and the room<br />

believed to have been slept in by the Tudor king.<br />

I wouldn’t mind curling up in the four poster there,<br />

but visitors to Hever can’t stay in the castle. Instead, <br />

well – Anne was one of Henry’s two wives who were<br />

beheaded – but it still never fails to entrance me.<br />

At opening time, I’m first through the door of her<br />

crenelated, moated home, where the door to the great<br />

hall with its huge fireplace, wood ceiling and minstrels’<br />

gallery still has the lock Henry brought with him to<br />

ensure his safety. Upstairs is the long gallery where the<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 79


FIRST PAGE TOP RIGHT: FEATURE<br />

ROOM AT HEVER CASTLE.<br />

BELOW: KING HENRY VIII SUITE AT<br />

THORNBURY CASTLE<br />

I’m just next door, in the Tudor Village<br />

(now called the Astor Wing) created<br />

for guests of its 20th-century owner<br />

William Waldorf Astor. It’s a long way<br />

from slumming it – Astor really did things<br />

properly when he ploughed some of<br />

his vast fortune into restoring Hever,<br />

landscaping its gardens and creating the<br />

lake. Insisting on only using materials and<br />

methods current in 16th-century Britain,<br />

his guest extension featured rooms with<br />

half-timbered or elaborate plastered<br />

ceilings that have welcomed everyone<br />

from Winston Churchill and Arthur<br />

Conan Doyle to Elizabeth Taylor and<br />

Grace Kelly. Even the least expensive of<br />

the 28 rooms are beautifully done out.<br />

Henry VIII himself would have surely<br />

felt at home in the Tudor Village’s dining<br />

room with its enormous fireplace, brocade<br />

curtains, oak panelling and ribbed wood<br />

vaulted ceiling. While they don’t serve<br />

dinner here (for that you need to stroll to<br />

the Henry VIII pub through the grounds<br />

or drive further afield), the breakfasts are<br />

particularly impressive. After consuming<br />

what feels like my body weight of fresh<br />

fruit, yogurt with granola, cheese, pastries<br />

and avocado on sourdough, I feel a bit<br />

like bluff king Hal myself.<br />

So much for eating like a king, but if<br />

you want to truly live like one you need to<br />

drive west for three hours to Thornbury<br />

Castle in Gloucestershire, the only Tudor<br />

castle that operates as a luxury hotel, and<br />

is now a member of the prestigious Relais<br />

& Châteaux group.<br />

Here, I hit the jackpot and sleep in<br />

the very room that Anne Boleyn shared<br />

with Henry for ten days during their<br />

royal progress in 1535. Up a spiral stone<br />

staircase with steps worn deep by the<br />

imprint of footsteps over the centuries,<br />

the Henry VIII suite is magnificent, <br />

80 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


‘<br />

Here, I hit the jackpot and sleep in the very room that Anne Boleyn<br />

shared with Henry for ten days during their royal progress in 1535.<br />

’<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 81


with an ornate ceiling, a four-poster bed and the<br />

original garderobe toilet (thankfully now with<br />

plumbing). When the royal couple visited, Henry was<br />

already beginning to tire of his second wife – he had<br />

her beheaded in 1536 and married Jane Seymour, who<br />

didn’t stay at Thornbury but still has a room named<br />

after her, just beneath this one in the octagonal stone<br />

tower.<br />

Right at the top of the tower, up a dizzying 77 steps,<br />

lies the most opulent suite of all, named after Henry’s<br />

first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The enormous tenfoot<br />

by six-foot bed here is surely big enough for all of<br />

Henry’s six wives beneath its canopy of 24-carat inlay,<br />

while the capacious bathroom could have held all their<br />

ladies in waiting too.<br />

You don’t need to pay a king’s ransom to stay here<br />

though; even the least expensive of the 26 rooms have<br />

a regal feel, some with four posters or a seating area in<br />

the oriel window area. Like the rest of the castle, they<br />

are fresh from a multimillion-pound facelift after the<br />

Emirati Khamas group bought it in 2019. Under the<br />

watchful eye of English Heritage, it has been restored<br />

sympathetically, adding contemporary comfort<br />

to the Tudor trappings. Carpets have been peeled<br />

back to reveal Tudor flagstones, Victorian tiling and<br />

floorboards; furnishings were overhauled, plumbing<br />

and electricity upgraded, and discreet modern frescoes<br />

added.<br />

You certainly get a lot of history with your hotel<br />

here. Thornbury was one of the last castles to be built<br />

before firearms rendered them obsolete, so while it has<br />

the traditional crenelated walls, turrets and arrow slits,<br />

there is a distinct palatial side to it, with 12-foot red<br />

brick chimneys and luxurious apartments.<br />

The most lavish of all is the double-height drawing<br />

room, its elaborate oriel windows framed by crimsonand-gold<br />

curtains. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy<br />

pre-dinner canapes and cocktails, and although its<br />

twinkling chandeliers wouldn’t have been around in<br />

Tudor times, they certainly add to the atmosphere.<br />

Carved into the ornate arched doorway and the<br />

enormous fireplace surrounds I can make out the Stafford<br />

knot, the emblem of Edward Stafford, the third Duke of<br />

Buckingham. It was Stafford’s pretensions to grandeur<br />

and probably the throne (he was a descendant of Edward<br />

III) that led to his downfall. Fearing for his throne, and<br />

fancying the castle for himself, Henry effectively cried<br />

“off with his head” by signing the duke’s death warrant<br />

before nabbing Thornbury. After he visited with Anne, his<br />

daughter, Mary Tudor, spent part of her childhood there.<br />

Moving from the drawing room into the woodpanelled<br />

restaurant, the arrow slit in the four-foot castle<br />

walls by my table reminds me that I’m still in a castle,<br />

albeit a palatial one. It’s a lovely place to savour the sixcourse<br />

tasting menu, which becomes quite ceremonial<br />

with a succession of perfectly cooked dishes along with<br />

a matching flight of wines.<br />

82 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


BELOW: THE LOUNGE AT<br />

THORNBURY CASTLE<br />

IMAGE © VISITENGLAND/SUDELEY<br />

CASTLE/CLIVE BURLING<br />

Daytime brings the chance to explore other Tudor<br />

castles nearby. Berkeley Castle, which also belonged to<br />

Henry, is just nine miles away. While the king and Anne<br />

probably didn’t stay here, their daughter, Elizabeth I<br />

did – and left behind her bedspread when she stormed<br />

off after a row about hunting. An hour’s drive from<br />

Thornbury takes you to Sudeley Castle, which Henry<br />

and Anne visited, but which is better known as the<br />

home and resting place of Henry’s last wife,<br />

Catherine Parr, the Queen who outlived him.<br />

Back at Thornbury, there is falconry and archery on<br />

offer by way of regal pursuits, or afternoon tea beneath<br />

the minstrels’ gallery. Here, too, are gorgeous gardens,<br />

with ancient yew hedges, sections for roses and herbs<br />

and a particularly pretty walled garden. In Tudor times,<br />

its creeper-clad walls were topped by a timber gallery,<br />

allowing the duke to walk from his rooms to his pew in<br />

the adjacent St Mary’s church without mixing with the<br />

hoi polloi.<br />

Now, as I walk at ground level around a flower bed<br />

carefully planted in the shape of the Stafford knot, my<br />

thoughts turn to Anne again. She too must have walked<br />

here, probably aware that she was losing the king’s favour.<br />

Her story doesn’t end at Thornbury, but at the Tower<br />

of London, where she was taken by barge, passing<br />

through the shudder-inducing Traitors Gate. It’s no<br />

surprise that after she was executed on Tower Green and<br />

buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula that<br />

people frequently report seeing her ghost there.<br />

I prefer to think of it at Hever instead, running<br />

around in the garden, happy and smiling outside her<br />

childhood home.<br />

Rooms at Hever Castle cost from £175, B&B,<br />

including access to the castle and grounds during the<br />

stay; hevercastle.co.uk. Thornbury Castle rooms start<br />

from £249, B&B, with the Henry VIII suite from £559;<br />

thornburycastle.co.uk<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 83


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THE<br />

NORTHUMBERLAND<br />

COAST<br />

86 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


Author Martin Dorey headed north in search of solitude<br />

on a road trip to England’s least-populated county and<br />

a coastline that’s beautiful and often overlooked.<br />

Between the summer crowds he found just what he was<br />

looking for and more. And that can only mean one thing:<br />

a bracing dip in the North Sea<br />

Text and Images by Martin Dorey<br />

We parked the van at Beadnell<br />

Bay, a long, sandy bay to the<br />

south of Seahouses, in a little<br />

car park behind the dunes.<br />

We were looking for solitude, in a year when<br />

solitude was hard to find; seeking out the<br />

kind of places where most people don’t go.<br />

I wanted to prove that it is still possible to<br />

get ‘off the beaten track’ in England in 2021,<br />

the year we all stayed at home. Happily, it is.<br />

Northumberland, by many standards,<br />

is one of those places where the majority of<br />

people don’t go. It has the lowest population<br />

density of any English county and remains<br />

resolutely off the radar for many, despite a<br />

coastline that’s sparsely populated, rugged,<br />

diverse and often achingly beautiful. Between<br />

the hotspots of Holy Island, Bamburgh,<br />

Seahouses and Amble, there is still plenty<br />

of space, especially when you compare it to<br />

other places: Northumberland welcomed<br />

10 million visitors in 2018 compared with 47<br />

million for the Lake District (on the wetter,<br />

western side of England). The county might<br />

not have the lakes or the mountains but it<br />

more than makes up for it with castles, <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 87


ancient sites, beaches, puffins and dark skies.<br />

And did I mention the beaches? A drive up the<br />

coast from Whitley Bay to Berwick will take<br />

you to them all. Give yourself time and dawdle.<br />

Lizzy took off her shoes to walk through the<br />

dunes to the beach. It was a warm day, with<br />

thin, wispy cloud and little wind.<br />

When we emerged from the tall marram<br />

grasses we looked out at a low-tide beach with<br />

maybe three or four people on it. Most of them<br />

were walking. Lizzy led me off to the south to<br />

show me a beach she had wanted to explore.<br />

We let the coast path take us around a<br />

low headland of rocks, across cool, still-damp<br />

sand, and through more marram, to another<br />

small arc of beach with a rocky reef in the<br />

middle and points on either side. Below the<br />

tideline, and between the rocks, flat sand.<br />

The beach was deserted, save for a few<br />

gulls pecking at seaweed. A couple walked<br />

along the coast path, away from us and<br />

around to the next bay. A few small waves<br />

broke on the sand in a small clean swell.<br />

If ever there was a time to embrace the<br />

North Sea this was it. The water, though chilly,<br />

was bearable. I blew out as I submerged to<br />

avoid the risk of cold-water shock – something<br />

to remember – and allowed my breathing to<br />

slow back to normal.<br />

The beach was gently shelving so it took<br />

us a while to get deep enough to dive in and<br />

swim. My skin fizzed as I got used to the cold<br />

and swam a few strokes out into the bay.<br />

We swam a little more and then, once back<br />

in our dry clothes, walked back up the beach<br />

hand in hand, feeling the warmth from the sun<br />

on our backs. With the beach to ourselves it<br />

was a good sign we were, truly, off the beaten<br />

track, especially considering it was August.<br />

PREVIOUS PAGE LEFT<br />

TO RIGHT: LIZZY AT<br />

BEADNELL BAY; ST<br />

MARY'S LIGHTHOUSE;<br />

MARTIN HEADING FOR<br />

SURF AT COCKLAWBURN.<br />

CLOCKWISE FROM<br />

TOP LEFT: SNIPE AT<br />

LINDISFARNE; THE<br />

ABBEY AND CASTLE,<br />

HOLY ISLAND; WILD<br />

TEASEL; LIZZY SWIMS AT<br />

SNOOK. NEXT PAGE LEFT<br />

TO RIGHT: THE RIVER<br />

TWEED; BEACH HUTS AT<br />

AMBLE; NORHAM CASTLE<br />

ON THE RIVER TWEED.<br />

88 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


‘<br />

I loved the wildness and the fact that, with a little effort, we could find a<br />

slice of heaven to ourselves. That’s a rare quality. And it made me feel truly<br />

alive and happy at a time when so much was uncertain.<br />

’<br />

This experience was the<br />

peak of my time exploring the<br />

Northumberland coast: I loved<br />

the wildness and the fact that,<br />

with a little effort, we could find<br />

a slice of heaven to ourselves.<br />

That’s a rare quality. And it<br />

made me feel truly alive and<br />

happy at a time when so much<br />

was uncertain.<br />

I have been to<br />

Northumberland in the depths<br />

of winter and found it to be<br />

beguiling even then. But in<br />

summer it was truly lovely.<br />

We surfed on a tiny beach<br />

behind the railway lines near<br />

Cocklawburn while a few<br />

walkers trudged up the sands<br />

and a woman played in the<br />

waves with her children. We<br />

bought kippers in Craster. We<br />

strolled through Amble. We<br />

got ‘that picture’ of Bamburgh<br />

Castle reflected in the<br />

shimmering shallows. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 89


We strolled on empty sands and<br />

swam in empty seas. We cycled in<br />

Kielder Forest and got completely lost<br />

in the vast nothing of the Otterburn<br />

Ranges. What more could you ask of<br />

a road trip?<br />

When it came to visiting Holy<br />

Island – the hugely popular island of<br />

Lindisfarne – we employed a tactic<br />

divulged to us by a fellow camper: he<br />

waited for a day with a midday high<br />

tide. This meant that any visitors to<br />

the island would have been cut off all<br />

day by the tidal causeway, unable to<br />

return to the mainland until the water<br />

receded in the evening. Waiting on<br />

the mainland for the tide to ebb away,<br />

he drove across to Lindisfarne when<br />

everyone else was leaving. It worked<br />

for us too. We arrived at about six<br />

o’clock on a clear, sunny evening. Sure<br />

enough, idling on the island side, we<br />

found a queue of cars.<br />

As they streamed off the island, we<br />

cruised on, enjoying a quiet evening of<br />

spiritual wandering as the sun set.<br />

Our final stop, Berwick, was as<br />

surprising as the rest of it. We found<br />

the lovely beach at Spittal by accident<br />

while trying to find the (brilliantly<br />

located) Caravan and Motorhome<br />

Club Site. It is a quiet, sandy beach,<br />

backed by beautiful, elegant stone<br />

houses and terraces of neat cottages.<br />

Some had gardens that led onto the<br />

promenade. Bound by the railway<br />

and cliffs, Spittal is a dead end kept<br />

quiet by a lack of through traffic. I<br />

fell in love with its wide, quiet streets<br />

90 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


MARTIN IS ALSO<br />

THE AUTHOR OF<br />

THE TAKE THE<br />

SLOW ROAD SERIES,<br />

WHICH FEATURES<br />

INSPIRATIONAL<br />

JOURNEYS BY<br />

CAMPER VAN AND<br />

MOTORHOME. THE<br />

SERIES INCLUDES<br />

SCOTLAND,<br />

ENGLAND AND<br />

WALES, IRELAND<br />

AND FRANCE<br />

straight away. There were probably no more than<br />

20 people on the sand. It passed the ‘I could live<br />

here’ test. And that’s a big ask: I live in Cornwall.<br />

Sadly, Berwick was as far as we’d get on this<br />

trip. It didn’t really matter that we’d stopped short<br />

of Scotland.<br />

Northumberland was wild enough without<br />

heading for the NC500, the Trossachs or the<br />

Outer Hebrides.<br />

And with all the driving we’d save, there was<br />

always time for one last cool swim. Breathe out as<br />

you submerge.<br />

Off the Beaten Track:<br />

England and Wales<br />

Off the Beaten Track:<br />

England and Wales is a book<br />

about getting away from it<br />

all. Martin drove the length<br />

and breadth of England and<br />

Wales to find places that are<br />

forgotten, overlooked or simply dropped off the<br />

map. With sections on how to do it the hard way<br />

or the easy way, Martin kayaked the Tweed, hiked<br />

river valleys to the sea, cycled up mountains and<br />

fished remote wilderness lakes in search of that<br />

rarest of commodities: solitude. Did he find it? You<br />

bet he did.<br />

Martin Dorey is the author of Off the Beaten Track:<br />

England and Wales and The Camper Van Bible: The<br />

Glovebox Edition, published by Conway and out now.<br />

CHECK IT OUT ON THE WAY<br />

—<br />

Craster<br />

The home of the Craster Kipper is a<br />

must! Go early. Parking is easier – and<br />

pick up a freshly smoked kipper from the<br />

quayside. There's a great coastal walk to<br />

Dunstanburgh Castle too.<br />

Amble<br />

There are many good reasons to amble<br />

around the fishing town of Amble. The<br />

harbour village prides itself on being<br />

the ‘friendliest port in England’, and its<br />

annual puffin festival, brightly coloured<br />

beach huts and seafood shacks are just a<br />

few of its quirks.<br />

Warkworth Castle<br />

Stunning castle on a bend in the river,<br />

owned by the National Trust. View the<br />

awe-inspiring keep as you wander around<br />

the nearly intact circuit of towered wall.<br />

Bamburgh Castle<br />

Experience a different level of<br />

Northumberland at England's finest<br />

fortress, home of the real Last Kingdom of<br />

Bebbanburg. Great views, overlooking a<br />

beautiful, white sand beach.<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 91


48 HOURS IN NEWQUAY<br />

THE HEADLAND<br />

HOTEL AND SPA<br />

Set on an exclusive clifftop overlooking the famous sands of<br />

Fistral Beach, The Headland is, without doubt, one of the<br />

grandest and finest hotels in the <strong>British</strong> Isles. Although you<br />

don’t need a reason to stay here, the brand new £10 million<br />

Aqua Club could be your motivation to check-in this summer<br />

Text by Jessica Way<br />

92 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


Dramatic, unapologetic and<br />

authentic, The Headland Hotel &<br />

Spa is an Victorian architectural<br />

masterpiece, made famous by<br />

Roald Dahl’s movie The Witches.<br />

The striking red-brick façade and imposing<br />

peninsula position on Fistral Bay’s rugged cliffs<br />

simply demands attention.<br />

It was in June 1900 when the first guests stayed<br />

in this beautiful Duchy of Cornwall landmark,<br />

when the hotel was at the height of luxury for its<br />

time, with lavishly decorated rooms, hot and cold<br />

running water and electric lights.<br />

Fast forward 122 years with the opening of a<br />

brand new state-of-the-art Aqua Club, and we<br />

are seeing history repeating itself, as this awardwinning,<br />

much-loved five-star hotel once again<br />

raises the bar high.<br />

It has been far from straightforward, however.<br />

The Headland’s owners, John and Carolyn<br />

Armstrong, have invested over £45 million since<br />

taking on the hotel in 1979.<br />

Despite joyful beginnings that lasted through<br />

the fruitful twenties, the combination of postwar<br />

rationing and owners unable to invest in the<br />

property, left it neglected, creaky and dilapidated.<br />

Despite its run-down state, peeling paint and<br />

rotting wood, John and Carolyn were ready to take<br />

on the challenge, which included a serious amount<br />

of structural work and interior refurbishment. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 93


The phenomenal husband-and-wife<br />

team still own the hotel today, and<br />

have stopped at nothing to reinvent<br />

The Headland as a modern, luxurious<br />

destination of distinction.<br />

Their labour of love, making<br />

improvements and restoring the hotel<br />

might have taken four decades, but it<br />

has now paid off. The Headland Hotel<br />

& Spa is now a multi-award-winning,<br />

five-star 88-bedroom property, with<br />

a state-of-the-art gym, a five-bubble<br />

spa, a six-pool wellness centre, three<br />

restaurants and the best sea views in<br />

Cornwall.<br />

If you want to impress your kids,<br />

book hotel rooms 223, 227 or 205,<br />

as these were used in the bedroom<br />

scenes of The Witches. Or for a special<br />

occasion, you might want to stay in<br />

a Fistral suite, Ocean suite or Best<br />

suite. We struck it lucky in room 210,<br />

an absolutely beautiful suite with its<br />

own private balcony, separate lounge<br />

with electric fireplace, an exquisite<br />

bathroom and spectacular sea views.<br />

If you would prefer something more<br />

private, in 2020 the hotel launched<br />

their ultra-stylish exclusive guest village<br />

with a selection of contempary one-,<br />

94 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


FIRST PAGE: FISTRAL BEACH. CLOCKWISE<br />

FROM LEFT: THE HEADLAND HOTEL & SPA;<br />

AQUA CLUB; JESSICA IN HER HOTEL SUITE<br />

two- and three-bedroom self-catering<br />

cottages and apartments. Whether in<br />

one of the cottages, apartments or the<br />

hotel itself, all guests are welcome to<br />

enjoy the hotel's new Aqua Club.<br />

Three years in the making, the<br />

eagerly anticipated Aqua Club is a<br />

no-luxury-spared swimming and wellbeing<br />

complex situated adjacent to the<br />

hotel. The new facility has six stunning<br />

pools (both indoor and outdoor), a<br />

sun terrace overlooking the ocean, and<br />

a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant<br />

named The Deck.<br />

Outside on the sun terrace, there<br />

is a heated sunset spa encircled by<br />

an infinity-edge pool. There is also a<br />

heated outdoor vitality pool that has a<br />

Cornish granite menhir at its centre –<br />

the perfect spot to let go of the stresses<br />

and strains of everyday life.<br />

Don’t disregard The Headland’s<br />

original spa sanctuary located inside<br />

the heart of the hotel, however,<br />

where there’s a sumptuous relaxation<br />

suite and further treatment rooms, a<br />

Rhassoul mud chamber, a Swedish<br />

sauna, a Cornish salt steam room,<br />

aromatherapy showers, hydrotherapy<br />

pool and a state-of-the-art gym.<br />

In celebration of the Queen’s<br />

incredible 70 years of service this<br />

summer, you might also enjoy<br />

devouring a decadent Platinum<br />

Jubilee afternoon tea. The Headland<br />

chefs have created a menu of<br />

quintessentially <strong>British</strong> treats and<br />

light bites, including cucumber,<br />

cream cheese and coronation<br />

chicken sandwiches and The Queen's<br />

Chocolate Cake. <br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 95


‘<br />

There are not many hotels in the world that can claim this level of enchantment<br />

for their guests, and this makes The Headland a very special hotel indeed...<br />

’<br />

With an old-fashioned charm and<br />

attentive staff throughout the hotel's<br />

restaurants, you are made to feel like<br />

royality wherever you are, from double-<br />

A-Rosette-awarded dining in The<br />

Samphire restaurant to sampling the<br />

Mediterranean-inspired menu in The<br />

Deck and enjoying sundown cocktails<br />

on The Terrace. Menus change with the<br />

seasons, reflecting the best regional<br />

produce with a selection of fresh local<br />

seafood, chargrilled cuts of the finest<br />

meats and irresistible daily specials,<br />

along with expertly mixed cocktails.<br />

The Headland is remarkable in<br />

how it has maintained a traditional<br />

service and charisma from the early<br />

1900s, when royals King Edward VII<br />

and Queen Alexandra stayed at the<br />

hotel, and it is no surprise that the<br />

current Prince of Wales and Princess<br />

Royal have also enjoyed several visits<br />

in recent years, along with celebrity<br />

royalty George Clooney.<br />

To really appreciate the history of<br />

the place, take some time out to dwell<br />

in the sitting room, where vintage<br />

photos, hotel memorabilia and press<br />

cuttings from days gone by adorn the<br />

walls and antique furniture.<br />

You acquire a sense of timeless<br />

connection to those who have stepped<br />

the same footprint before you at The<br />

Headland, from standing on the<br />

balcony sharing the same mesmerising<br />

experience of losing yourself in the<br />

96 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


LEFT TO RIGHT: THE HEADLAND HOTEL<br />

BEDROOM SUITE; JESSICA RIDES THE WAVES<br />

OF FISTRAL BEACH WITH WORLD BELLYBOARD<br />

CHAMPION, JAMIE JOHNSTONE<br />

sights and sounds of the perpetual<br />

waves to the glamorous feeling of<br />

gracefully winding your way down the<br />

grand sweeping staircase.<br />

You know that, while this is your<br />

moment to enjoy the charm of the<br />

hotel, it comes with the familiarity<br />

of these ageless qualities, the<br />

breathtaking views and preserved<br />

architectural beauty, having been<br />

enjoyed for over a century by others<br />

before you.<br />

There are not many hotels in the<br />

world that can claim this level of<br />

enchantment for their guests, and this<br />

makes The Headland a very special<br />

hotel indeed, especially when you<br />

consider its remarkable achievement<br />

of modernising the hotel with à la<br />

mode luxuries without compromising<br />

this exceptional quality. And if this<br />

historical significance isn’t spinetingling<br />

enough for you, the hotel's<br />

unrivalled location just a stone’s throw<br />

from the golden sands of Fistral Beach,<br />

offers every reason to brace the sea<br />

and enjoy the waves.<br />

Head down to the Surf Sanctuary<br />

to get kitted out – introductory surf<br />

classes, equipment hire and private<br />

lessons, as well as all you need for<br />

coasteering, kite surfing and standup<br />

paddleboarding; it's all available<br />

here. And, Fistral, although positively<br />

popular with the surf professionals,<br />

is extremely welcoming to everyone,<br />

no matter your level of experience or<br />

confidence in the water.<br />

We picked up one of Dick Pearce's<br />

environment-friendly wooden<br />

bellyboards, loaned to hotel guests on<br />

a complimentary basis. Founder and<br />

World Bellyboard Champion, Jamie<br />

Johnstone and his team make the ecoconscious<br />

handmade boards at their<br />

workshop just a short stroll from the<br />

hotel in Hope’s Yard. Take some time<br />

to visit the two-storey studio and surf<br />

shop to see the sanding, smoothing,<br />

varnishing and painting, and to treat<br />

yourself to a gift or two. As well as<br />

selling the surfboards, at the shop<br />

you'll find fashionable artwork prints,<br />

t-shirts, blankets, books and more.<br />

(Read all about Jamie’s Surf Wood<br />

for Good campaign in our <strong>Travel</strong><br />

News, page 20.)<br />

If surfing and wave-riding has left<br />

you feeling hungry on the sand dunes,<br />

a delicious Cornish pasty from the<br />

Fistral Beach Pasty Shack should hit<br />

the spot, or for Rick Stein’s famous fish<br />

& chips there’s a laid-back restaurant<br />

with the option to take-away.<br />

The Headland Hotel & Spa really<br />

does have it all: the spas, the sea,<br />

and the incredible hospitality. But<br />

transcending its glitz and glamour, for<br />

me, it has become more than just a<br />

hotel. It's a place that makes you feel<br />

so special during your stay, giving you<br />

such a sense of place in all its alluring<br />

history that your memories become<br />

even more magical. In a similar way<br />

to cherishing an heirloom, you feel a<br />

desire to savour these moments and to<br />

enjoy The Headland with your family,<br />

who will hopefully continue to pass the<br />

tradition down, perhaps even sharing<br />

their family holiday memories with<br />

their own children – from generation to<br />

generation – in the same spot, and with<br />

the same ocean view as you.<br />

Jessica Way was hosted by The<br />

Headland Hotel, a member of Pride<br />

of Britain Hotels, a very fine collection<br />

of hotels dotted around the <strong>British</strong><br />

Isles. The carefully curated collection<br />

includes privately owned properties,<br />

each one unique and characterful.<br />

Prices for an overnight stay start from<br />

£210 per night based on two people<br />

sharing, including breakfast. Contact<br />

Pride of Britain Hotels on 0800 089<br />

3929. prideofbritainhotels.com<br />

<strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com 97


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98 <strong>British</strong><strong>Travel</strong><strong>Journal</strong>.com


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