As the autumn season kicks in and we start to see a change in the weather, it’s always nice to have something to look forward to.
Our writer, Rachel McAlley had afternoon tea planned at The Coniston Hotel and boy oh boy was she looking forward to it. It was an autumnal Saturday afternoon as she headed towards Skipton and the Yorkshire Dales to The Coniston Hotel Country Estate in Coniston Cold.
A wedding was taking place at the hotel and everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives. The sun had been shining earlier in the day, which made everything rather lovely for the couple’s special day.
The Afternoon Tea
Whisked into The View Restaurant at The Consiton Hotel we were shown to our table near the window. The View is a bright and airy room, with a floor to ceiling fireplace in the centre of the restaurant, and vast windows looking over the lake.
Our very friendly waiter came and brought us the menu before taking our drinks order. We didn’t have to wait long until our tea, coffee and soft drinks arrived.
Luckily, we had already ordered, so we knew what to expect, but here’s a little rundown of the delicious savoury dishes included. We enjoyed whipped goats cheese and fig chutney brioche, coronation chicken sandwich, and a cheese scone with whipped pancetta maple butter. Plus an outrageously delicious sweetcorn, sundried tomato, oregano, and Parma ham focaccia. This was a definite winner alongside the whipped goats cheese brioche.
The sweet desserts, cakes, and scones were in abundance. Our 3-tiered cake stand could barely hold up with the weight of our amazing sweet treats. They consisted of traditional scones, which were served with strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and of course clotted cream. The piece-de-resistance was the top tier, which held peach melba with raspberry gel and vanilla cremeux, an apple crumble pot with vanilla cremeux and blackberry gel. Furthermore, it included fig cake with jasmine cremeux, and a chocolate and chestnut choux au craqelin.
Our favourites were the fig cake, and the apple crumble pots, which were the perfect dessert to finish with. Both delicate and packed with flavour, it was hard to pick which was the best!
The Hotel & Restaurant
The View Restaurant was buzzing with atmosphere, as there were other guests enjoying afternoon tea. Equally, a number of visitors were tucking into a late lunch. The wedding party kept sneaking out of their reception room, which meant we could see the bride’s beautiful gown, and the cute bridesmaid dresses. There were even some walkers, who had stopped off for a pot of tea at The Coniston before embarking on their walk into the Yorkshire Dales.
It was a wonderful afternoon that was filled with tasty food, great coffee, and an excellent atmosphere.
The Coniston Hotel Afternoon Tea is served daily between 3pm and 4.15pm, and is priced at £30 per person. There is an additional cost if a glass of bubbly is added to the tea.
Visit The Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa to book a room, a restaurant table, afternoon tea, or spa treatment.
Wonderful Afternoon Tea at The Coniston Hotel – Words by Rachel McAlley / @LadyRach
