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Swinton Park - Masham

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Classy luxury in the Yorkshire Dales

Luxurious and classy, and yet set in some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer – the award-winning Swinton Park is a great place to pamper yourself far from exhausting city life. The hotel (a ?? castle) is set in 200 acres of its own parkland, lakes and gardens and is probably the closest you’ll ever get to playing Lord or Lady of the Manor.

Thirty sumptuous bedrooms - all with great bathrooms, complete with lush Jo Malone toiletries – have been individually designed, with light and airy furnishings and great big windows overlooking the Estate. The cream of the crop has to be the Turret Suite – three rooms over three levels linked by a swish spiral staircase.

If you’re really after a pampering break, the hotel has its own conservatory spa, with Jacuzzi pool, rain showers and treatment rooms. Or, if you’re past caring what you look like in a bikini, Swinton Park’s great restaurant is light and airy, serving up dishes based on local and seasonal produce – much of which comes from the Estate’s huge kitchen gardens. Yum.

Where is it?

Swinton Park sits in gorgeous Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Beauty, on the edges of the Yorkshire Dales. The town of Masham sits close by, with its enormous market square and two… yes, two… breweries – the Black Sheep brewery and Theakstons. It’s a lovely little town, with two markets a week (there’s been a market here since 1393!), antiques shops, tea rooms and pubs. One of the best times to visit Masham is at the end of September, when the square fills with thousands of woolies for the annual Masham Sheep Fair.

Of course, nothing is worth seeing more than the huge expanse of The Yorkshire Dales National Park that lies right on Masham’s doorstep. Think Last of the Summer Wine (without annoying old men in runaway bathtubs) and you’re only halfway to appreciating the beauty of this area. Covering 680 square miles and straddling the Pennines, you can find hills, valleys, waterfalls, ruins, forests here – so it goes without saying that it’s heaven for anyone fancying a bit of a ramble.

Click on to The Weekenders destination guide to The Yorkshire Dales for a run-down of the highlights in this stunning area.

Where can I eat?

Swinton Park has a super restaurant, offering fresh and sophisticated dishes under the guidance of award-winning chef, Simon Crannage. The menu is full of ingredients found on the hotel’s huge Estate (including fresh trout, venison and rabbit) and is great value for such high quality. The hotel has also been recognized by the Tea Guild as one of the best places in the UK to enjoy afternoon cream tea…

For something a bit heartier, try the restaurant at Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery (www.blacksheepbrewery.com Tel: 01765 680101) for delicious home-cooked food and the full range of Black Sheep’s ales. It’s name? The Bistro and Baa...r. Obviously.

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Luxurious and classy, and yet set in some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer – the award-winning Swinton Park is a great place to pamper yourself far from exhausting city life.