Relax and take things slowly, and hunt out the early signs of Spring; this is a time of year where the joys are subtle and yet hugely significant at the same time. We’re always reading mindfulness is good for our wellbeing – now is the time to put it into practice, (with the added benefit of doing so from a luxuriously cosseting base to enhance the happiness).

Watch out for the first shoots of spring, Catkins and the tiny pointy teardrop shaped shoots of Wild Garlic can be seen in our grounds very early in the year. We use the Garlic in some of our seasonal dishes, such as Risottos, or reduced to a vivid green oil for garnishes and bread dipping. It’s pungent, hot, and utterly delicious. If it doesn’t smell of garlic, it’s not – that’s the easy identifier. At the right time of Spring it grows among hundreds of vivid red Moss Cups, sometimes known as Elf Cups.

We’ve planted a lot of native trees but we still have a lot of mature Beech trees – the benefit of which is the scattering of thousands of seeds on the ground beneath them, which local Finch flocks know about and use as Winter feeding grounds. Just stay quiet and still and watch them at work in their dozens.
Notice the Winter life in the Temperate Rainforests nearby. Without full leaf cover the native trees here are covered in frilly layers of ferns, lichens and mosses – all of which continue to purify the air all year round.

We can recommend a worthwhile gallery visit – our nearby neighbours Lakeland Arts Trust reopened Abbot Hall in the Summer 2023 after a lengthy closure. This gem of an art gallery, housed in a striking Georgian Mansion in Kendal offers a small and concentrated visual treat. The ground floor contains much of the original furniture and period paintings, we’d compare it to a mini Wallace collection – the highlight of which is a dramatic Turner watercolour, vying with a vivacious Romney portrait of Emma Hamilton, Admiral Nelson’s famous mistress).
Upstairs is the exhibition space, and the galleries strong on British Modern and Contemporary Art. As with all of their venues they have a great gift shop.

Whether you’ve spent an hour or so happily pottering around the grounds, maybe ventured further afield for culture or adventure – we have loads of information for you about Things To Do – you return to the welcome comforts indoors. Roaring log fires, arguably one of the best hotel bars going, and loads of choice when it comes to food, (if we think about it, we’re almost overdoing how much we find ways to offer you food). From the lounge menu with sandwiches, fish & chips, and our towering burger, iconic Afternoon Tea, The Bistro at lunchtime and dinner – plus the thoughtfully honed and edited £70 per person set menu in the Lake Edge Restaurant in the evening.

Take time to look at things in a different way, value the little things and the things that make you happy – we hope we see you soon.