THE EPICUREAN CLUB: A PASSPORT TO THE BRITISH STAYCATION

The 2020 pandemic may have momentarily stopped the travel industry in it’s tracks, but if theres is one good thing that has emerged from this year so far, its the opportunity it has afforded us all to slow down and really notice our local areas. To take a closer look into our own ‘backyards’. With travel corridors opening and closing faster than you can say ‘quarantine’, many of us are now turning to the humble UK staycation to safely soothe our itchy feet. And we have to say while fa-flung destinations have their charms, there’s something so wonderful about simply packing the car up/ jumping on a train and heading off for an adventure in your own country. It’s that same blissful holiday feel without the hassle of airports, passports, currency exchange and foreign language tangles.
Being long-time enthusiasts of local jaunts, we are always on the lookout for new hotels and ideas on areas to explore. So when the opportunity came up to work with The Epicurean Club on their new staycation ‘Passports’, we were selfishly thrilled to investigate their collection of inns and itineraries.

THE LOWDOWN ON THE EPICUREAN CLUB

epicurean
[ ep-i-kyoo-ree-uhn, -kyoor-ee- ]
adjective Fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.

Your passport to the British countryside; The Epicurean Club, was founded out of a passion for the great British inn and pub, the British countryside and everything that it relates to. The Club — which is free to join! (always a bonus) — is designed to help us all travel and explore the British countryside through a nationwide Collection of inns. The team have personally curated a collection of 160 of the best boutique spots across Britain and provide guests with guaranteed best rates, as well as a selection of curated itineraries and experiences. As friends of Epicurean there are also great perks like free welcome drinks and reward nights (every 6th stay is free) to look forward to.

WHAT IS THE EPICUREAN CLUB PASSPORT?

In reaction to the current situation The Epicurean Club has teamed up with a handful of great partners for their new pre-paid ‘Passport’ vouchers which include some swanky extras. The Passports are available in 3 tiers £250, £500 and £1000 and are redeemable until 2022, giving you total flexibility on when you travel (because hey: 2020), while still supporting the local inns right now. If you purchase the top tier passport voucher you are treated to a loan of a brand new Volvo, a G&T welcome drink for each night of your stay and a Musto Clothing jacket. In support of the #TreatOurNHS campaign (a hospitality industry initiative) Epicurean are also currently donating a night to an NHS worker for every Passport sold. For a closer look at the nitty gritty details or to nominate an NHS hero, head to www.epicurean.club/passports.

But for now, it’s on to our trip! Make yourself a cup of tea, and settle in for some travel inspiration as we recap our great British staycation with The Epicurean Club.

DAY 1 - YORK TO PICKERING FOR THE NYMR STEAM TRAIN TO WHITBY AND ROBIN HOOD’S BAY

Before our trip we had just spent a lazy weekend wandering the cobble-stone laneways of York, so it was from the city centre that we headed off early on Sunday morning, feeling relaxed and ready to start our countryside adventure. The drive from York to the historical market town of Pickering is an easy 30 minute hop and we soon found ourselves sitting down to a Full English in a little cafe tucked away off the main street. We needed to fuel up for what was by far the biggest day of our itinerary (and the one that took up the most room on our camera rolls!). A journey on the volunteer-run North Yorkshire Moors Railway steam train, out to the coastal towns of Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay. We had so many photos to share of this mini adventure that we popped them in a separate post, which you can read here.

THE WHITE SWAN INN, PICKERING

The September Chronicles x The Epicurean Club

Our first stop on the trip was the White Swan - a 16th century (16th century!) coaching inn where we stayed in a spacious ‘Hideaway room’. The hotel is perfectly located for anyone embarking on the NYMR steam train journey and after a full day travelling our weary feet were very thankful the Inn was just a short stroll from the railway station.

We arrived back in Pickering at around 6pm so there was just enough time for a bubble bath and outfit change before heading to the main building for dinner. The NYMR had been lovely a way to kick off our Passport experience, so we toasted to a great day with our Epicurean welcome drinks and then settled in for a two course meal - the highlight of which was a delicious baked brie starter that we still have cheese fantasies about. Afterwards, we waddled our full stomachs back to bed and called it an early night.

DAY 2 - PICKERING TO ROMALDKIRK

We’d unknowingly timed our visit to Pickering perfectly as Monday is market day. So after a sit down breakfast at the Inn we stepped outside to find the main street lined with an assortment of stalls and locals out enjoying the pockets of sunshine. It never takes us long to to relax into the pace of country life and we were happy to spend the rest of the morning aimlessly strolling the shopfronts and markets. Around lunchtime we bid adieu to the The White Swan Inn and took a train and taxi combo north west to our next stop of Romaldkirk.

THE ROSE & CROWN, ROMALDKIRK

Walking into the Rose & Crown is like a warm embrace. This cosy bolthole is the physical embodiment of most people’s romantic ideal of an English Pub. Candle-lit nooks, worn wooden furniture and comfy chairs to sink into for a few hours with a glass of wine in hand. The encompassing village is equally idyllic, with a smattering of stone cottages and a glimpse of the Yorkshire fells in the distance. As our taxi meandered down into the dales we could already tell this is one corner of England we would love to return to. We can just imagine after a long day driving (or walking) the surrounding winding roads and trails, this is the spot you want to return to for a cosy dinner by the fire.

Speaking of dinner, the oak panelled dining room was the perfect setting for a romantic date night. We indulged in 3 courses of beautiful seasonal food, topped off with a slice of white chocolate cheesecake & a scoop brown sugar ice-cream (bowl-licking good). We were lucky to lay our heads in ‘Monks Cottage’, a 17th century cottage tucked around the corner from the main inn with a beautiful view towards the Saxon church which stands next door - you might have spotted said window on our Instagram feed!

DAY 3 - ROMALDKIRK TO CLIFTON, VIA BARNARD CASTLE

Not wanting to miss a chance to explore the surrounding countryside — that we could so tantalisingly glimpse from the cottage windows — we managed to force ourselves from our warm bed early and out into the wild for a walk. We arrived in the breakfast room a couple of hours later feeling invigorated but hungry. So we were happy to find the food on offer was again delicious and hearty, something we were quickly realising was a hallmark of Epicurean properties. We relocated to a snug room down the hallway for a final pot of tea before hitting the road once more.

BARNARD CASTLE

Conveniently located directly across from the The Rose & Crown is a bus stop which will take you to the nearby market town of Barnard Castle in less than 20 minutes. You may have heard the name of this beauty spot in the headlines recently, but once you visit it becomes apparent this is certainly an unexpected spot for a political drama. The town hugs the shores of the River Tees and the quiet streets are lined with antique shops and homely locals going about their business. Perched on a high rock watching over it all are the ruins of the 12th century castle that gives the town it’s name.
The castle is currently open to pre booked visitors only, so we gave it a miss, but we really enjoyed having a nosey in a couple of the vintage and antique stores on the main street and could of easily lost a few more hours on the hunt for hidden treasures!

THE GEORGE & DRAGON, CLIFTON

After a very foggy but beautiful drive west, we arrived at the laid back George & Dragon and immediately commandeered a cosy corner of the dining room for lunch. This gastropub is located at the edge of the Lake District in Cumbria and has earned a reputation for providing some of the best food in the area. In fact The George grow and rear as much of their own produce as possible, in their own gardens and surrounding fields. And have a philosophy around sustainability, simplicity and taste. While our room was small, the ample space downstairs and the good food made up for it and we had a great nights sleep after another flavourful meal.

DAY 4 - CLIFTON TO SEDBERGH

We took advantage of a lull in our itinerary for a lazy start and a long breakfast at the George before packing our bags in to a taxi for one final stop on our Passport adventure.

THE BLACK BULL, SEDBERGH

A true hidden gem on the edge of the Lake district —and one heck of a lovely end to our trip — The Black Bull at Sedbergh was an unexpected delight for us. From the moment we arrived, to the moment they called us a taxi for the station at the end, the staff provided exemplary service and warmth. We felt so welcome that it was more like we were staying at a friend of a friend’s country house rather than a pub in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales.

The town of Sedbergh is also a delight to visit in it’s own right. The cluster of little streets around the hotel were picture-perfect and had a good mix of shops and eateries for such a small town. Visually, the stone buildings and and cobble stone lanes are a photographers dream! Especially with the glorious Howgill Fells providing a living backdrop. There are plenty of walks and hikes to do in the surrounds and if you have a car this would be a perfect base for exploring more of both the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

Our ‘Luxury Winder’ room was spacious and comfortable. After a week travelling we wanted to sink into the bed and not move for another week. The bathroom came with an enchanting view to the fells and obviously we weren’t going to pass up an opportunity for one last bubble bath!

Before dinner we took a walk following one of the maps provided by the hotel. The scenery here is so lush and beautiful we felt like we were walking around inside a Tolkien novel. This was also the first chance we got to try out or new Musto jackets - another partner perk of the top tier Epicurean Passport.

Time for one last holiday meal (it’s going to be stretchy pants only after this week) and a final G&T cheer’s before a restful nights sleep up in our cosy room.

After breakfast we took a last look around town and then sadly gathered our suitcases and waved goodbye to Sedbergh, London bound once more. Our only complaint about our visit to The Black Bull is that we would have loved to stay longer! And we certainly hope to return to this corner of the world someday when we have more time up our sleeves. It was the perfect end to a memorable week on the road with The Epicurean Club.

If you’re interested in organising a similar trip yourself, or want a closer look at any of the pubs and Inns we’ve mentioned, please head over to The Epicurean Club website where you’ll find everything you need to start planning your next British staycation!

We worked in partnership with The Epicurean Club for this trip, but as always, our opinions are our own