Out In The Cold At Coniston!

There is a rugged landscape photograph mounted on the wall of room 20 in the Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa just outside Skipton in North Yorkshire.

Nothing unusual about that, you might think, until you spy a small tent card sitting on the circular writing table at the other side of the room. It advises: “Please refrain from touching the photography…..for your own safety!”

The clue is not in the canvas or, indeed, the artistic work itself, but in the small, blue infra-red dot located at the bottom right-hand corner of the barren scene.

Masquerading as art, the framed scene is also one of the room’s heating sources – a wall-mounted heater - explaining, in part, why the Coniston, just up the road from the quaint village of Coniston Cold, and with legitimate reason to be cool courtesy of its expansive rural setting, is anything but, leaving guests as snug as a bug in a rug with the inside temperature always set at a comfortable 22 degrees….all in the name of art of course!

That is unless you are of a brave nature and decide to don your swimming costume and begin your journey to infinity and beyond: the outside ‘infinity’ jacuzzi with views to die for!

The Coniston, nestled in the heart of a 1,400-acre estate, is already well-known for its off-road Land Rover Experience, excellent dining and stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales not forgetting, of course, that it is also home to one of the UK’s best shooting grounds and a spa experience guaranteed to leave you in a relaxed heap at the side of the pool!

The award-winning Nàdarra Spa, with its indoor swimming and bubble pools, along with a raft of steam and sauna options – Himalayan, infrared or Finnish (depending on your discerning preference!) - also offers a selection of indulgent experiences including pampering and soothing spa treatments: some involve an overnight stay – you can opt for a room or a cottage - while others allow you to ‘dip into’ the Coniston experience: relax, rejuvenate, dine, relax again then head off back to the rigours of daily life.

Meaning 'Natural' in Scottish Gaelic, the Nàdarra Spa makes the most of its idyllic location, enabling people to completely chill out and, thanks to its enviable location, reconnect with nature.

“We’ve just come over from Colne for brunch and a spa then we’ll be on our way this afternoon,” said the two friendly ladies sitting in the infinity pool with me and my wife.

A younger woman opposite grinned at her handsome boyfriend. “It’s my 30th birthday present to ‘him’” she said coyly. “We stayed over last night. Lovely.”

The Bannister family bought the neglected Coniston Hall estate in 1969, later transforming it into a hotel.

A second cousin of the four-minute mile legend, Roger Bannister, Michael Bannister, who was born in 1933, set up the Boundary Mill retail empire in Colne before moving into the hospitality business.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The family spent considerable time developing the estate while living at Coniston Cold. They opened a trout fishery, smokehouse, farm shop, tearooms, shoot, quad biking course, Land Rover driving experience, conference centre, spa and restaurant. The hotel would eventually evolve into one of the area’s leading wedding and events venues.

A (Culinary) View To Die For!
Its AA Rosette awarded ‘The View’ restaurant, so aptly named, celebrates the very best of the Yorkshire Dales, serving showstopping dishes carefully crafted using the finest seasonal produce.

Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows with stylish décor, The View is a chic yet relaxed space in which to dine and admire the spectacular rolling scenery of the Dales and the property’s own private lake.

It features a centrepiece open fire and doubles as the morning breakfast venue where, I have to say, it is a welcome place to enjoy the morning Full English!

The entire hotel is like an extended bungalow with the reception, dining and drink areas, along with a number of rooms, seamlessly flowing into one! You might also be left thinking that someone connected to the Coniston likes art!

In 2019, when the hotel celebrated its 50th anniversary, local artist Linda Mellin was commissioned to create a set of unique paintings that captured the essence of life on the estate. Her bright, vibrant, fun canvasses of local landscapes and Northern market towns, now hang in corridors throughout the hotel, offering an interesting interlude as you waft between the spa, your room and the dining / drink areas.

“I’m sure this is Asian,” said my Filipino wife! We had been expecting ‘afternoon tea’ but got something very different but equally nice. However, sandwiches and scones with jam it was not.

We were in the Blossom Kitchen where Yorkshire ingredients fuse with Asian flair to create delicate South East Asian dishes that can be enjoyed whilst still in your spa dressing gown! A tasty alternative for the afternoon palette.

Never a man to miss the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, I called my pension adviser in Gargrave while I was staying at the Coniston: wasn’t it time for a catch up?

“Oh, you are at the Coniston,” said Mark, “I will meet you in Macleod's Bar & Lounge. I catch up with clients there all the time!”

And so it was to pass: drinks with the pension adviser with a bit of financial advice to boot!

Macleod’s is the perfect place to relax and refresh, boasting a well-stocked bar and mouth-watering menu.

You can enjoy afternoon coffee, watch live sport, or partake in a pre or post-dinner tipple. Open to both residents and non-residents alike, it is also a great place for a coffee-style meeting……with the pension adviser!

If I have passed the Coniston once I have passed it a thousand times en route to somewhere or nowhere!

My stay was most pleasurable and can I let you into a little secret? I have booked a meal in The View for two friends as a wedding gift. That’s probably all the recommendation you need!

Telephone: 01756 748080
www.theconistonhotel.com