WINTER AT THE LORD CREWE ARMS, BLANCHLAND

IN ONE LINE

An ancient country bolthole in the Northumberland Moors that could pass as a set for a medieval movie

SETTING THE SCENE

Just before Christmas, after spending a long weekend in Edinburgh, we decided to take advantage of being up North and detoured into the Northumberland Moors before returning home to London. Secluded away in the sleepy village of Blanchland, The Lord Crewe Arms was built almost a thousand (1000!) years ago as a guest house and is the sort of spot where time seems to have almost stood still. Original features abound inside and out and the village is also equally beautiful and largely unchanged from it’s beginnings centuries ago.

Lord Crewe is part of the Calcot Collection and having stayed at their sister hotel The Painswick this Autumn we already knew we were in for a lovely experience. Sadly we were both feeling a little run down during our visit but it actually ended up being the perfect place for us to hunker down for a few days of rest and fresh air, with no need to “do” anything other than just enjoying the scenery and cosy vibes.

THE ROOMS

The hotel has 21 rooms in 4 categories; Cosy, Canny, Champion and Suite. We were in a “Canny Room” which faced the main square and while small and a little dark, it was super snug and warm with a big bath tub to sink in to. It was also wonderfully quiet with a large comfortable bed and homely touches, like fresh baked biscuits and fudge on tap. As we ended up spending so much time resting in the room we did slightly wish for a little more space to stretch out and mourned not having a log fire to sit by through the dark winter nights. So if you’re anything like us we’d suggest upgrading to a Suite or Champion Room which feature much larger living spaces along with some free standing roll tops and wood burners. This is especially true if you plan to stay longer than a night or 2.

FOOD AND DRINK

As you might expect the food here is hearty and warming with pub classics on the menu. The downstairs stone dining room, featuring an ancient fireplace big enough to stand inside, was without a doubt our favourite nook at LCA. It was also here where we indulged in a fireside afternoon tea, which was fresh and plentiful.

Breakfast was a tasty affair too, served upstairs in a much more bright & airy room overlooking the fields behind. With a mix of light pastries and cereals available buffet style, guests can additionally choose from a small selection of hot cooked meals.

And finally the quirky “Crypt Bar” for a pint and a side of history & country charm.

WHAT TO DO

Lord Crewe is one of those place where you don’t have to do anything, the sleepy village of Blanchland very easily lends itself to settling down and just enjoying a few lazy days of rest and relaxation. However there are also some beautiful walks to do in the area and if you are visting with a car there are a number of scenic spots within an easy drive like Corbridge or Hadrians Wall.

THE HIGHS AND LOWS

H: Every inch of this hotel is entrenched in history, from the huge hearth in the dining room to the stone floors and wooden beams which made this feel like a really unique hideaway. The stunning village, and the surrounding countryside also feature on our highlights

L: Although we really enjoyed the quiet surroundings, sometimes it was almost eerily quiet inside the main building. There wasn’t ever any music playing when we dined and the staff didn’t stop to chat so we found ourselves whispering to each, almost tip toeing around lest we disturb the peace.

GOOD TO KNOW

Dog friendly room options are available
Wellington boots are on hand if you fancy a walk but don’t want to overpack
Theres a lovely tea room in town with a very impressive cake selection and friendly staff
There is also a Post office / small store should you need any essentials and a sweet little gift store with locally made bits and bobs

HOW TO GET THERE

If arriving by train the nearest station is Hexham, about a 25min drive away (it’s best to prebook a taxi and one should cost around £25 from the station - we can recommend “Executive Taxis”). Newcastle is a 30minute journey via train and from there you can connect to direct trains to Edinburgh (90mins) or London (just shy of 3hrs). Driving direct from London is around 6 hours, from York 2 hours and from Edinburgh 3 hours.

We were invited guests of the hotel but as always our thoughts and opinions are our own