Swinton Park
Masham
Ripon
North Yorkshire HG4 4JH
01765 680900 www.swintonpark.com

Swinton Park, the luxury castle hotel in the Yorkshire Dales, has announced its dates for the 2010 Spring and Autumn Alfresco Food Festivals. These are to be held on 31st May and 12th September.

The Alfresco Food Festival concept was launched in 2009, with two highly successful events that ran in the 200 acres of parkland that surrounds the hotel. The concept of the event is to make the connection between the countryside and food real. By serving the food in an alfresco style in a beautiful 18th century landscape, visitors can appreciate the freshness and quality of the produce and the important role that the Yorkshire countryside plays in it.

The parkland provides a spectacular setting, with a Victorian Deerhouse, woodland, follies and standing stones, five lakes and gardens. During the May festival the grounds are ablaze with rhododendron and azalea blossom, and in September the autumn colours put on a vivid show. The restored four acre walled garden also plays a central role, showcasing the extensive range of produce that the hotel grows for its restaurant and cookery school kitchens.

Visitors follow a culinary trail through the grounds, enjoying tasting dishes served at alfresco kitchens en route, with the Full Moon Café in the woodland and an artisan craft area. Guided tours on Edible Wild Food (by Chris Bax of Taste the Wild) and Walled Garden Produce (by garden designer Susan Cunliffe-Lister) are given en route. There is also a Gourmet Retail Marquee, Real Ale Bar, demonstrations from chefs and local food producers, and children’s activities such as falconry displays and pony rides.

Local artists, youth groups and schools are also taking part in a Tree Dressing Competition, the theme being The Green Shoots of Spring. The winning entry is selected by visitors, who are asked to vote for their choice of winner at the end of the culinary trail.

Entry costs £10 per person, and includes a tasting meal, the culinary trail and all tours and demonstrations. Outdoor clothing recommended.

Swinton Park, the luxury castle hotel in the Yorkshire Dales, is offering accommodation, spa, cookery school and fine dining romance for Valentines 2010. Details are as follows :

Accommodation

The two night Romance Package (which includes a 10% discount off all spa treatments over the Valentines weekend) offers an indulgent combination of fine dining, luxury accommodation and extra romantic gifts and trimmings.

Romantic Break Deluxe
Enjoy two nights’ accommodation in one of our lavish Dukes rooms or Suites (including the Turret on three circular floors!), with dinner on both nights and also the following :
• Champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate in your room on arrival
• Jo Malone Toiletries in your room
• A Tasting Menu dinner on the evening of your choice
• A Swinton Park romantic gift on your second night
• Lazy late check-out
All inclusive price £685.00

Romantic Break
Enjoy two nights’ accommodation in one of our spacious Knights, Barons or Earls rooms, with dinner on both nights and also the following :
• Champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate in your room on arrival
• A Swinton Park romantic gift on your second night
All inclusive price £530.00
Stay for Half Price on Valentine’s Night
This offer applies to all guests who are booked to stay with us on the Friday and Saturday night of the Valentine’s Weekend, who can stay the night of Sunday 14th February and pay only 50% of our room rates. Offer applies only to rack rate DB&B bookings for all three nights, and Knights rooms are excluded from this offer.

Spa Day Indulgence

Enjoy an hour’s top to toe full body aromatherapy massage for both of you, an hour in the exclusive use spa (with sauna and Jacuzzi) and a two course lunch. Includes a wholesome smoothie, and a gift of home made chocolates on departure.
£85 per person. (Sunday 7th – Saturday 20th February)

Cookery School
Food of Love Cookery School Day Course
Indulge your taste buds, with a tasty concoction of exotic food. Enjoy some quality time together, appreciating the finer things in life! £140 per person, including lunch. 13th & 14th February.

Fine Dining
Table for Two
Treat yourselves to a three course lunch from our new Castle Menu, and for a sense of occasion enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival, a gift of home made chocolates on departure and a voucher for a 25% discount off treatments or products from our Spa
From £21.00 per person (Monday 8th – Friday 19th February, spa voucher valid until end February)

Swinton Park is offering FIVE new ideas and events for Mother’s Day gift ideas in 2010 :

1. Mother’s Day Cookery Course (13th & 14th March) : This is a day in the cookery school at Swinton Park, ideal for Mothers wanting to spend time with friends or relatives. Revisit some of the old favourites, which we have reinterpreted with a modern twist for today’s family food, try out some new techniques and styles of food, and catch up on old times! £140 per person, for a day course including lunch. £30 for guests joining the course for lunch.

2. Orchid Lunch Sunday 21st March: Join local orchid expert, Ray Creek, for a talk and lunch, with orchid display and sales. £35 per person, which includes the gift of an orchid to take home.

3. Spa Lunch Monday 22nd March – Join us for an introduction to what’s new in the world of beauty and body products from the world of , with a demonstration, goody bags and two course lunch, and a discount for treatments booked on the day. £25 per person.

4. The English Country House Garden with Matthew Wilson – Monday 7th June – A talk, tour and lunch with Matthew Wilson, a regular columnist in the national papers and author of New Gardening; How to Garden in a Changing Climate which was awarded Practical Book of the Year 2007 by the Garden Writers Guild. Matthew has carved out a new approach to gardening with exceptional results and during his talk he will give an overview of the origins of the landscape and design of the English Country House Garden, with specific examples of gardens that he knows well. He will also consider the future of our great gardens, with particular focus on how they can work in harmony with the environment and climate. The talk includes a tour with Matthew of the 18th century landscaped parkland and grounds at Swinton Park. £50 per guest.

5. Garden Design Days – Summer 2010 – Join the garden designer, Susan Cunliffe-Lister, for a Garden Design Day and learn about planting, planning and designing both a kitchen garden and the gardens in the parkland. The day will include an account of Susan’s experiences of designing two very different walled gardens – the award winning ornamental one at Burton Agnes in East Yorkshire, and the highly productive one at Swinton Park designed for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for the hotel’s kitchen and cookery school. The history and design of the 18th Century landscaped parkland at Swinton Park is also covered, including the story of its restoration following 30 years of neglect. Throughout the day practical and constructive tips and suggestions are given for both planting and cultivation. £100 per guest.

Swinton Park is offering FIVE new ideas and events for Mother’s Day gift ideas in 2010 :

1. Mother’s Day Cookery Course (13th & 14th March) : This is a day in the cookery school at Swinton Park, ideal for Mothers wanting to spend time with friends or relatives. Revisit some of the old favourites, which we have reinterpreted with a modern twist for today’s family food, try out some new techniques and styles of food, and catch up on old times! £140 per person, for a day course including lunch. £30 for guests joining the course for lunch.

2. Orchid Lunch Sunday 21st March: Join local orchid expert, Ray Creek, for a talk and lunch, with orchid display and sales. £35 per person, which includes the gift of an orchid to take home.

3. Spa Lunch Monday 22nd March – Join us for an introduction to what’s new in the world of beauty and body products from the world of , with a demonstration, goody bags and two course lunch, and a discount for treatments booked on the day. £25 per person.

4. The English Country House Garden with Matthew Wilson – Monday 7th June – A talk, tour and lunch with Matthew Wilson, a regular columnist in the national papers and author of New Gardening; How to Garden in a Changing Climate which was awarded Practical Book of the Year 2007 by the Garden Writers Guild. Matthew has carved out a new approach to gardening with exceptional results and during his talk he will give an overview of the origins of the landscape and design of the English Country House Garden, with specific examples of gardens that he knows well. He will also consider the future of our great gardens, with particular focus on how they can work in harmony with the environment and climate. The talk includes a tour with Matthew of the 18th century landscaped parkland and grounds at Swinton Park. £50 per guest.

5. Garden Design Days – Summer 2010 – Join the garden designer, Susan Cunliffe-Lister, for a Garden Design Day and learn about planting, planning and designing both a kitchen garden and the gardens in the parkland. The day will include an account of Susan’s experiences of designing two very different walled gardens – the award winning ornamental one at Burton Agnes in East Yorkshire, and the highly productive one at Swinton Park designed for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for the hotel’s kitchen and cookery school. The history and design of the 18th Century landscaped parkland at Swinton Park is also covered, including the story of its restoration following 30 years of neglect. Throughout the day practical and constructive tips and suggestions are given for both planting and cultivation. £100 per guest.

Swinton Park is celebrating its success at the White Rose Awards, held on 19th October. The awards were organised by the tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, and over 800 guests attended the event at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, for the presentation of the tourism “Oscars” for the region.

The hotel was awarded Hotel of the Year 2009 in the category of Hotels 50 bedrooms and under, having demonstrated the highest commitment to excellence, both in customer care, accommodation and dining, and also to staff training and marketing. Swinton Park was also Highly Commended as one of the nominees for the Sustainability Award.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this accolade”, commented owner Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, “the whole team at Swinton Park have worked particularly hard this year to maintain standards in the face of some very challenging times, and I am very proud of them.”

The hotel will now be put forward for the national Enjoy England Awards, which Swinton Park previously won in 2004.