Following a season of BBC programmes on the issues surrounding mental health, and particularly how sport or exercise can benefit our psychological well-being, we feel privileged that ex-serviceman, Ryan, participating in a Help for Heroes expedition to the Lake District has shared his story with us.
One in four people in the UK experience mental health problems each year, and yet it can still carry a stigma and cause the sufferer to feel isolated and alone. As courageous individuals start to open up about how mental health issues have affected them, and how they have found the road to recovery, hopefully more people will be encouraged to seek that all-important help that can combat this often hidden and silent illness.
A Promising Career
I joined the army in 2013 and completed my basic training. I learned new skills like field craft, shooting, map reading, first aid and drill. I was really pleased to receive the Harris trophy award for top student in education. Moving on to phase 2 of my training at the Royal Logistic Corps, I got almost to the end of the training when I had to leave for health reasons.
Mental Health Can be Isolating
When I got out of army I had a break down suffering with mental health problems. I felt isolated and like I had no one to turn to. Eventually I pushed myself to approach Help for Heroes and started getting the support I needed. In association with the North East Military Vehicle Club, they were organising a trip to the Lake District, including water sports activities at Low Wood Bay and a trip to Honister Slate Mine. I put my name down and was really pleased when I got accepted.
Low Wood Bay Hosts Lake District Adventure Break for Help for Heroes
Doris and David Forster and the team were so lovely and very encouraging and got me through the week with no problem. If it wasn’t for such a supportive team I would not have had the confidence to take part. I’ve kept in touch with the Forsters since and all I can say is that Doris and David have a special place in my heart because they are such lovely people.
Low Wood Bay Hosts Lake District Adventure Break for Help for Heroes
If it hadn’t been for Help for Heroes and the North East Military Vehicle Club I really don’t know where I would be right now. I am going back to the Lake District Hotels in May this year and really looking forward to another challenging adventure.
Getting kitted out to do the Via Ferrata
The expedition to Honister Slate Mine
Low Wood Bay Watersports
We are open seven days a week from 1st April to 31st October and we have an extensive range of watersports in a fabulous location. Our experienced team to help you to get out on the lake to have some fun and discover your potential. Contact us on 015394 39441 for more information.
English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues are delighted that UNESCO have agreed with the Lake District bid and have elevated our much-loved land and rich culture to World Heritage status.
When we consider the English Lake District, our immediate thoughts are the people that have created and maintained the heritage of this compelling and beautiful part of the world. English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues celebrates that inheritance every day as we extend a welcome to visitors from near and far to share in the rich culture and landscapes that we will never take for granted.
History of Lake District Tourism
It was the natural beauty of the Lake District that first brought visitors to the area. The advertising of the day was through the Romantic Movement, when poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge incorporated vivid description of this beauty in their writings.
William Wordsworth
Writing about his Lake District home, Wordsworth described it as
Majesty, and beauty and repose,
A blended holiness of earth and sky.
…
A termination and a last retreat,
A Centre, come from wheresoe’er you will,
A Whole, without dependence or defect,
Made for itself and happy in itself,
Perfect Contentment, Unity entire.
(‘Home at Grasmere’, 143-51)
Lake District Guide Books followed – Wordsworth wrote five volumes in all – and the trickle of pioneer travellers became a stream. Today we welcome around sixteen million visitors to the Lake District each year.
Humble Beginnings
Brochure of ‘Logan’s Low-wood Hotel, Windermere’ c.1940
Brochure of ‘Logan’s Low-wood Hotel, Windermere’ c.1940English Lakes history stretches back four generations and has its roots in the hard work and dedication of Robert Buckley, an orphan who was determined that his family would have opportunities in life that he did not have. Low Wood Bay, originally a Coaching Inn frequented by, amongst others, the Lake District poets and writers including William Wordsworth, was purchased in 1952 as a fairly modest seasonal hotel. With hard work, dedication and investment Low Wood Bay is today the Lake District’s first world class resort hotel, and is one of the five hotels that earned us the title Family Business of the Year 2016
Rich Pickings
As you would expect from a cultural heritage location, The Lake District has a wealth of fantastic suppliers, everything from Cumberland Sausage to Kendal Mint Cake.
We are committed to featuring locally-sourced products on our menus and in the hotels. Not only that, these suppliers are very often neighbours and friends and we have been doing business together for many years, and some, like Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread, for several generations.
Sarah was the creative, hardworking woman who invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854. Sarah’s culinary skills were soon enjoyed by Lady Maria Farquhar’s household and guests and sometime
in the winter of 1854 Sarah perfected her gingerbread recipe – quite unique and very different from other cakes and biscuits of the day. The reputation for the spicy-sweet chewy biscuit/cake spread first around the village, and then further afield.
Today each Waterhead bedroom has their own packed slices of Grasmere Gingerbread® for guests to enjoy. Commenting on our Waterhead welcome cuppa, Grasmere Gingerbread’s owner, Joanne, commented,
It is the best hospitality tray I’ve seen, because as well as Grasmere Gingerbread®, you get a mug and proper coffee!
We Did Honour to the Puddings Indeed!
Even earlier than Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread recipe, Low Wood Bay were serving up some fine desserts. As early as 1825 an author named John Briggs wrote in glowing terms of Low Wood puddings. The hotel still serves a traditional Low Wood sweet toffee pudding and offers interested diners a copy of the recipe.
… you will remember, Tom, the glowing description, which Mr Benfield gave of the Low Wood puddings when he paid us a visit, on his return from a lake tour. And my uncle, though not an epicure, thought we might as well taste them, since opportunity was so favourable. You know, brother, that curiosity is inseparable from the tourist; we therefore all agreed to my Uncle’s proposal, and some Low Wood puddings were ordered in as a part of the supper.
We sat down to supper; and you will perhaps believe me, when I assure you that we did honour to the Puddings. Indeed, Mr Harrison paid them an extraordinary compliment, for he devoured two of them. They were certainly excellent …
Extract from ‘Letters form the Lakes’ By John Briggs.
Conserving our Future
The beauty of the local landscape and wonderful wildlife are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, but the effect of this footfall does have an impact upon the environment. Our Chairman and Managing Director, Simon Berry, was instrumental in talks that led to the formation of Nurture Lakeland, a charity set up to protect the landscape and environment of Cumbria and the Lake District.
One simple and effective way that English Lakes helps to conserve the land is through our Visitor Giving Scheme. Each guest is invited to give a voluntary donation of £1 at the end of their stay. Most folks are happy to contribute in the knowledge that the money raised is working hard to protect and maintain the landscape for future generations. To date, through this scheme, we have contributed over £185,000.
The logo celebrating the World Heritage status of the Lake District
An increasing number of English Lakes Conference guests are discovering that once the business in the conference room is done for the day, there’s still time to explore their beautiful surroundings in the Lake District and even participate in activities or light-hearted events.
Here’s a few examples of how groups have made the most of our stunning Lake District Hotels and Lancashire scenery.
Cosy Retreat
Undermillbeck, the perfect conference facility at The Wild Boar
A team of delegates linked to the medical profession, and gathering from across the country, were very impressed with Undermillbeck, The Wild Boar’s purpose-built meeting and conference facility. With a cosy inglenook fire and located next to our on-site micro-brewery and the Inn’s Smokehouse, Chris commented;
“What an excellent location, we could smell the beer brewing in the micro-brewery next door!”
A Wee Dram
That evening we hosted our regular Whisky Tasting evening with George, The Wild Boar’s Master of Malt. This was open to Conference and leisure guests as well as our local whisky connoisseurs.
Learning New Skills Together
A half day sailing event on Windermere, around Low Wood Bay, the perfect activity to enjoy in the Lake District.
“We learnt some basic sailing skills whilst taking in the scenery around the Lake”
Survival Challenge in The Wild Boar Woods
After that it was on to our Survival Challenge – archery, axe throwing, fire lighting and shelter building.
“Then back to The Wild Boar for a lovely meal – tired but glad we had packed so much into our day.”
Lake District Dash
Car Clubs are regular visitors to both our Lake District Hotels and Lancashire Hotels. Chelsea Car Club held their Lake District Dash at Low Wood Bay.
They did take time out of the driver’s seat to enjoy all that the hotel had to offer, but spent quite a bit of time on what they described as …
“some of the most thrilling and challenging driving you will find on UK roads”
A Vintage View
At a more leisurely pace, perhaps, The Midland is no stranger to welcoming vintage cars clubs throughout the year. They make quite a sight against the magnificent backdrop of Morecambe Bay.
Coast to Coast
The Best Conferences are Informative and Fun
Conference at Low Wood Bay
Popular with our corporate clients – Clay Pigeon Shooting at The Wild Boar
There is something to suit every business meeting and conference requirement within the English Lakes family of hotels.
Whether you are a retail business or a property refurbishment company.
Once business is concluded, there are numerous options for team building and social events.
Our conference sales team are happy to chat with you about your specific requirements.
Telephone: 015394 39440
Or Click the links below to view more information on our venues
Lancaster House | Low Wood Bay | Waterhead | The Midland | The Wild Boar
Stuck for inspiration for Mother’s Day? Here are a few suggestions you may not have considered yet. Whether you think she’d like an adrenaline rush, new skill for life, a stylish cocktail or sumptuous Sunday lunch, we hope something here will inspire you…
Arrive ‘n’ Drive
One for High-energy Mums! Arrive ‘n’ Drive karting is a 30-minute spin around the Club Circuit in a Honda powered Le Mans Twin 200GX kart. The Three Sister’s Circuit is the North West’s most challenging outdoor race track and go karting circuit. No previous experience necessary and it is fun, fun, fun!
Price: £40, vouchers available
Three, Two, One, Bake Off!
Remember John Whaite, previous Great British Bake Off winner? Who wouldn’t love to spend a day in his kitchen learning how to create the perfect Afternoon Tea or scrumptious puddings and pies? John Whaites Kitchen is based in Wrightington in the heart of rural Lancashire. There’s a range of hands-on classes from fine patisserie to rustic home cooking. The classes, taught by John, start with breakfast and coffee. After the day’s lesson, the group sit down together and enjoy the fruit of their labours with a glass of fizz.
Tact alert: This is not a mother’s day present ‘because Mum can’t bake’, but ‘because Mum loves to bake’.
Price: £200
Cocktails at The Ravilious Rotunda
An afternoon or evening of sophisticated glamour at The Midland, our sea-side art deco gem. Jamie, our Rotunda Bar Manager, has been concocting some very special sassy cocktails. Whether yours is a Midland Manhattan, Apple Pie Margharita, Jack Frost or the Cocktail of the Week, there’s something for every Mummy. Enjoy them in the laid back atmosphere of The Ravilious Rotunda overlooking the bay.
Price: from £7
Blacksmith for a Day
Traditional blacksmithing is a craft that has deep and enduring roots in our culture and history. Located at Yew Tree Barn near Grange-over-Sand, Bespokers Forge is home to Artist Blacksmith John Law. He has opened up the forge to give people the opportunity to try this ancient craft for themselves, under his expert guidance. A one day course for a maximum of 4 people includes lunch and drinks. Basic blacksmithing techniques are taught in the morning, and the afternoon is spent on ‘a project’ of your choosing.
Price: £90
Sunday Roast – Mum’s Day Off
Treat Mum to a Sunday Roast Sharing Board at The Foodworks, Lancaster House. Choose from roasted rump of beef and Yorkshires, or loin of pork and crispy crackling. Enjoy with mash and roast potatoes, carrot, swede and savoy cabbage, with lashings of gravy of course. Other choices available from our Sunday menu. Just because it’s Mother’s Day… a free glass of bubbly for Mum on arrival.
Great news for you too… there’s no washing up!
Price: For two people £28.00; family of four (2 Adults 2 Kids) £35.00
To book call 01524 844822
Whether Mum is someone who loves outdoor adventure, or more inclined to coffee and a good read, there is something in the Lake District to make Mother’s Day just right for her. Here are a few suggestions from English Lakes Hotels that you may not have considered yet…
An Afternoon of Opera
Sink into the comfy cinema seats at Fellini’s and be transported to the Royal Opera House to experience Carmen, one of the most famous operas ever composed. Part of the Royal Opera House encore screening series, the performance is in four acts, sung in French, with English sub-titles. The Director, Barrie Kosky, has given a whole new perspective to the opera, devising a far-from-traditional version. This lends a new voice to the opera’s endlessly fascinating central character.
Where: Fellinis, Ambleside
When: Sunday 11th March, 2.00pm
Price: Adults £17.50 Children 12 & Under £10.00
Head for the Hills
Something for the more adventurous family members. Sign up for a Beginners Navigation Course. This could be the start of a whole new Wainwright Bagging experience – either if Mum wants to escape to the hills solo, or discover a new found confidence to lead the whole family on weekend treks. A one-day practical navigation course where you will learn map reading, planning and following a route, how to use a compass and how to navigate in poor or limited visibility.
Where: To be advised on booking
When: Sunday 11th March, 10 am
Price: £40
Bike the Eskdale Trail
A family cycling day with a difference! Load your bikes onto a converted carriage of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, or more affectionately named, Lal Ratty. Then ride back down to Ravenglass past riverside pastures, meadows and the historic oak woods of Eskdale Valley. Fourteen kilometres of mostly easy pedalling, family fun and beautiful scenery. Look out for red squrrels, roe deer and buzzards.
Where: Ravenglass
When: Sunday, 11th March, from 10.25 am
Price: Adult and bike, £12.45; Child and bike, £9.10
(must be pre-booked 01229 717171)
‘Snug Treat’
The ultimate in relaxation at The Snug, Low Wood Bay. Greeted with complimentary robe, towel and slippers, enjoy 30 minute full body wrap followed by a personalised express facial. Then two hours to take full advantage of the Low Wood Bay Health Club facilities, including pool, hot tub, Jacuzzi and infra-red sauna.
Where: The Health Club at Low Wood Bay
When: Sunday, 11th March. Call 015394 39344 to make a reservation
Price: £59
Afternoon Tea Overlooking the Lake
Choice of two stunning locations – Low Wood Bay or Waterhead. Both serve up a sumptuous Afternoon Tea in comfortable, laid back surroundings. The photographs say it all…
Where: Low Wood Bay (015394 33338) or Waterhead (015394 30708)
When: Sunday 11th March, 1pm – 5pm
Price: £16.50 Low Wood Bay; £18.95 Waterhead
Lancaster House is sharing it’s biggest secret – The Forest of Bowland.
‘Grandeur’, ‘Isolation’, ‘Outstanding Natural Beauty’ are words and phrases used to describe this spectacular area right on the doorstep of Lancaster House. It is a place that will tick most people’s holiday wish list. Here are just five of the many wonderful walks available. Packed with intriguing history, rural villages, art, wild life, protected species, wonderful views. Enough to have you looking out those boots at the back of the cupboard.
Bell Sykes Hay Meadow Walk
A walk through flower rich meadows. Starting at the village of Slaidburn, surrounded by the Bowland Fells, the meadows at Bell Sykes are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest because of the wide variety of meadow species they contain. Here it is possible to be entirely surrounded by one of the rarest habitats in England. There is an abundance of flower species as well as the attendant butterflies, insects and swallows. Distance: 2 miles (3.3 km)
Time: 2 Hrs
Grid Ref: SD 7136 5235
Aitken Wood and Pendle Sculpture Tramper Trail
A short woodland walk loaded with history, art and intrigue in the shadow of Pendle Hill. The history of the Pendle Witches of 1612 was the inspiration of four artists who have created a range of sculptures in wood, steel and stone including Phillippe Handford’s curving tree sculptures. The route through Aitken Wood is at times moderately steep but you will be rewarded with great views of Pendle Hill and you may well spot any number of carefully protected bird species, or hear the Goldcrest, our smallest breeding bird, weighing only 5 or 6 grams. Listen out for its very high-pitched trill which it uses whilst moving through the tops of the trees.
Distance: 2.75miles (4.5 km)
Time: 2 Hrs
Grid Ref: SD 8231 4034
Downham, Worsaw Hill, and Chatburn
We are grateful to Mike Brockhurst, The Walking Englishman, for the next two walks. Known as Lancashire’s prettiest village, Downham is the starting point of this 5 mile circular route. It was the scene of iconic black and white 1960s film Whistle Down the Wind, starring Hayley Mills. A scene from Wuthering Heights was also shot nearby. By design, it remains relatively unchanged over the years – you won’t find any overhead wires, satellite dishes or road signs in this haven from the past.
The first part of the walk along footpaths and lanes is overlooked by Pendle Hill, home to the ten so-called witches sentenced to death in 1612.
Expansive green and undulating landscapes take you past Chatburn, another pretty Lancashire village. Highlights along the route are Fairy Bridge, a beautiful small stone packhorse bridge, and a pretty limestone knoll near Downham Mill.
Distance: 5.2 miles (8.4 km)
Time: 2 – 3 hours
Grid Ref: SD785441
Cross of Greet Bridge, Bowland Knotts, Raven’s Castle and Cloven Stones
Stunning views in every direction, this circular walk gives particularly good vistas north to the Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks. The route starts at Cross of Greet Bridge and to begin with follows the River Hodder. There are warnings of boggy ground at times throughout the course of the route, very much depending on weather conditions in the weeks leading up to your walk.
Highlights include the 160 m climb to Hasgill Fell and the fine views as a result. Bowland Knotts, a series of jagged outcrops, evokes a sense of remoteness and tranquillity, again with views south to Forest of Bowland fells, west to the Lake District fells and north to a particularly good view of the Three Peaks – Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent.
Distance: 7.7 miles (12.4 km)
Time: 3 – 4 hours
Grid Ref: SD702589
Roeburndale
Not for the faint hearted, this walk contains some steep sections and you will need sturdy footwear. An extensive valley of trees and breeding birds. The eastern edge is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest containing a wide range of ancient woodland and a range of breeding birds including Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart and Green Woodpecker. The names Roeburn, Harterbeck and Bowskill Wood all give clues to this areas rich history as a vast hunting ground. Even the name Barkin Wood relates to the strange barking calls made by the deer.
Distance: 8 miles (12.9 km)
Time: 3 – 4 hours
Grid Ref: SD 6060 6747
A Warm Lancashire Welcome
Just four miles to the edge of the Forest of Bowland, Lancaster House is the perfect place to come home to. Fabulous local produce, the most comfortable beds, gym, swimming pool and outdoor hot tub. We have everything to complete your holiday adventures in The Forest of Bowland. Call 0333 220 3107 to start your forest adventure.
‘Grandeur’, ‘Isolation’, ‘Outstanding Natural Beauty’ are words and phrases used to describe the spectacular Forest of Bowland, which is right on the doorstep of Lancaster House.
It may not be an area that immediately springs to mind when planning a holiday, but we’d like to show you in a series of blogs why this is a place that will tick most people’s holiday wish list. Here’s ten facts about the Forest of Bowland to whet your appetite.
Ten Interesting Facts About The Forest of Bowland
1. The geographical centre of Great Britain can be found at the heart of the Forest of Bowland.
2. The area has been dubbed ‘Switzerland of England’ or ‘Little Switzerland’
3. Forest’ here does not refer to a swathe of land with densely populated trees as you would expect. It means ‘Royal Hunting Ground’. Much of the land is heather and sweeping moorland.
4. The Village of Downham has remained unchanged for centuries. As such it was the perfect backdrop to the 1960s film starring Hayley Mills, Whistle Down the Wind, and more recently, the tv series Born and Bred.
5. Thirteen per cent of the 312 square miles is designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest. Distinct areas are designated for breeding Merlin and Hen Harriers (the Forest of Bowland logo).
6. There are an astonishing eighteen Cheese producers in the Forest of Bowland. Many have won international awards for the quality of their cheese
7. Forest of Bowland is home to no less than 500 listed buildings and monuments.
8. Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunting is also the patron saint of the Forest of Bowland. There’s a chapel dedicated to him at Dunsop Bridge.
9. The Forest of Bowland has 17 caves and 585m underground passages. The more notable caves are Hell Hole, Whitewell Cave and Whitewell Pot. Access to the caves is by permit from the Council of Northern Caving Clubs (CNCC).
10. Whilst spending time at Stonyhurst College in the Ribble Valley J R R Tolkien was inspired to write The Lord of the Rings. Arthur Conan Doyle was a former pupil at the College.
A Warm Lancashire Welcome
Just four miles to the edge of the forest, Lancaster House is the perfect place to come home to. Fabulous local produce, the most comfortable beds, gym, swimming pool and outdoor hot tub. We have everything to complete your holiday adventures in The Forest of Bowland. Call 0333 220 3107 to start your Forest of Bowland adventure.
Steve Darvill of The Handmade Ice Cream Company is producing delicious ice cream for both The Wild Boar and Blue Smoke on The Bay. We caught up with him on a recent trip to The Wild Boar. Chef had agreed to smoke the almonds he needed for the Blue Smoke Smoked Almond and Maple Syrup recipe. We asked him what makes his ice cream oh so scrumptious…
Why Ice Cream?
I started off as a Pastry Chef in restaurants and hotels in the south of England for fifteen years. My passion has always been creating beautiful ice creams and sorbets so I wanted to develop this in to a company that sells small batch artisan ice creams with completely natural ingredients.
When did you move to The Lake District?
For as long as I remember The Lake District had been my favourite place. I simply fell in love with the area during family holidays. Making the big move, I relocated to the north about nine years ago.
A Gap in the Market
Handmade Ice Cream started in 2012. I saw a real gap in the market. Chefs generally want to deliver creative desserts accompanied by the best quality home-made ice cream. Time restraints and high equipment costs can mean that it is not possible to make their own ice cream. The only alternative in the past was mass produced ice cream full of artificial flavours colours and pumped full of air, more like frozen mousse than real ice cream.
What gives your recipes the edge?
We use absolutely the best and freshest ingredients we can – really good quality thick double cream, pure Belgian chocolate, Madagascan vanilla pods, fresh fruit and real alcohol. We also bake/ make all our own fruit purees, compotes, gingerbreads, caramels. You will certainly not find any artificial flavours or colours in any of our ice creams.
We source our milk and cream locally and also try and work with other small companies to make collaboration ice creams including Kin Toffee Vodka and The English lakes tea and coffee company
We supply to a number of companies around the North West, restaurants, hotels, retail and wholesale, from Farm Shops to Booths supermarket.
Blue Smoke on the Bay Ice Cream
We worked with the Chefs at Blue Smoke on the Bay to create two bespoke ice creams – Goslings Black Seal Rum and Raisin and Smoked Almond and Maple Syrup. It’s an ongoing relationship so we are constantly developing new flavours with the team of chefs.
HOT APPLE, SULTANA AND ALMOND STRUDEL with Smoked Almond and Maple Syrup Ice Cream
Goslings Black Seal Rum and Raisin features best quality raisins that we’ve soak in Gosling’s rum for up to three months. Once they are fully plump and full of flavour we combine with a rich double-cream mix.
Smoked Almonds from The Wild Boar Smokehouse
The Smoked Almond and Maple Syrup ice cream uses almonds smoked at The Wild Boar Smokehouse, chopped and coated in maple syrup to add a sweet caramel flavour to the nuts. Then the sweetened, smoky nuts are added to double-cream.
Save Room for The Best Bit
Book a table and enjoy Handmade Ice Cream at either The Wild Boar Inn, Grill and Smokehouse or Blue Smoke on the Bay.
The Wild Boar 015394 45225
Blue Smoke on the Bay 015394 33338
Remember our local residents and regular visitors who have a Relish Card can enjoy 10% Discount off all meals and drinks, as well as some great seasonal special offers.
We all love a good cup of coffee, and we believe there’s none finer than Lonton’s coffee served at Norman’s, Low Wood Bay’s Juice and Coffee Bar.
A Coffee Obsession
Coffee is all about great taste. Sit back, cafetiere to hand, and we’ll tell you the story of Lontons Coffee, where it comes from and the coffee-loving friends that are happy to share their obsession nationwide and beyond.
Coffee Roasting down on the Farm
Scott and Sarah, husband and wife team, live with their Alpacas on a homestead in Lonton, a village bordering North Yorkshire and County Durham. For over twenty-five years Scott worked as a wine merchant. As you can imagine, he’d tasted a vintage or two and as a result had developed a finely tuned and delicately balanced palate. Realising that the prospect of developing his own vineyard in County Durham was perhaps a little bit unrealistic, Scott turned his heightened sense of taste and smell to coffee. And we’re very glad he did!
My job as a wine merchant took me to many high end retailers around the world. I was experiencing the best on offer from fine wineries but what always astonished me was that, despite the quality of the wine, the coffee on offer as I waited to meet clients or during our discussions was often, to put it bluntly, bad.
One weekend, sledge hammer in hand, Scott set to and started some fairly basic alterations to a disused cow shed on the farm. Over six weekends he transformed it into their Coffee Roastery and a new cottage industry came into being.
We have discovered a new level of creativity and we just love the process of developing interesting and previously untasted.
From Cocktails to Coffee
The team has grown and they were delighted when Sam joined the duo. Previously a multi-talented and creative Mixologist working in a Cocktail Bar, he fancied a bit of a change. They were certainly able to offer him that down on the farm! He offered them his expertise and his willingness to take their coffee knowledge much further by enrolling at the London School of Coffee (yes folks, there’s a school for coffee making!)
In the last six months, Gary, (when he’s not touring with his rockerbilly band) joined the team as Head Roaster, and their coffee family has rounded out – without diluting any of their passion and enthusiasm.
We are purists and decided to invest in a Diedrich IR-12 coffee roasting machine. It uses revolutionary infrared burner technology and its unique heat exchanger process makes it possible to manipulate the complex chemistry of the bean to make advanced roast profiles that produce speciality coffee. A normal roasting machine might roast about 100 kg – ours roasts only 4 kg. I think that highlights the order of scale of our passion for the best possible coffee taste.
Green Credentials
The Diedrich also makes roasting coffee 50-60% more energy efficient and cleaner than any other roaster on the market. As well as that, Sarah is in charge of design and packaging and has ensured that all packaging is 100% compostable.
The environmental aspect of the business is very important to the team and key to their future development in the coffee market. The green beans are sourced from various countries in South America. Scott prides himself on knowing each and every farm and farmer that supplies the beans. In many cases he also knows the specific field from which the crops came.
A Cup of Coffee and the Best View Around
Drop in to Low Wood Bay and enjoy a cup of Lonton’s coffee. We’ll serve you in The Atrium with a stunning view over the lake.
Adding an activity to your wedding plans can be a fantastic way of entertaining wedding guests, or perfect as a pre-wedding get together. The Wild Boar has several outdoor activities to get your Wild wedding plans off to a great start.
Popular Wedding Entertainment in The Wild Boar woods
Meet Mike Coates, part of The Wild Boar family and supplier of clay pigeon shooting for individuals, families and events. This has become a very popular wedding activity and a fun sport that can easily be incorporated into any of our Wild Boar weddings. Here, we ask Mike to tell us a little about his business and why couples are choosing to make shooting part of their wedding plans.
Mike Coates at The Wild Boar
How did you get into shooting?
I have been shooting at The Wild Boar for many years now. I used to work for the hotel group and when we acquired the woodland next to the Inn, we began clearing the very overgrown area and making it the much-loved environment it is today. The shooting grew from there, and when I went self-employed I continued to work with the hotel and ran shoots for them on the land.
Great Wedding Entertainment
Having a shoot during you wedding is a fantastic way to bring families together before, during or after the wedding. It can also be a great activity for the chaps on the morning of the wedding, and keep them out of the bar! A Clay pigeon shooting session gives guests something really special to remember about the day. The wonderful photo opportunities in the grounds of The Wild Boar are also worth a mention.
Photo Credit: Rachel Hayton Photography
Photo Credit: Rachel Hayton Photography
Is it mostly for men?
Brides can get just as involved as the grooms. We teach a lot of female shooters and they often wipe the floor with the boys. We carry vests with recoil pads, and guns and cartridges with low kick back and will go through things very slowly if you are a little nervous (this applies to the gents too).
Do you offer any other wedding activities?
Archery is another sport that can work well as a wedding activity, alongside clay pigeon shooting. Another activity growing in popularity is Axe Throwing which we also offer as a Wild Boar woods activity. Axe throwing can be added to shooting and archery, and we give detailed instructions on stance and technique to give the best chance of hitting the target.
Your most memorable Wild Boar wedding?
My most memorable wedding was when Storm Desmond hit. It is the only time I have EVER cancelled a shoot. Instead of shooting I spent the day rescuing stranded wedding guests in my Landrover, as cars were unable to get through and had to be abandoned. We managed to get everybody where they needed to be and the wedding went ahead. The bride and groom came and shot with me a few months later.
Wedding Showcase at The Wild Boar
Come along to The Wild Boar Wedding Showcase on 27th February and chat to Mike and many of our wedding suppliers. Try your hand at clay pigeon shooting and see for yourself how it can be incorporated into your big day. We’d like to help make your ‘I do’ dreams a reality.
Photo credit: Rachel Hayton Photography
