The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are well-known for their Chatsworth estate in Derbyshire but they are perhaps less well-known as the owners of The Devonshire Hotels & Restaurants located at their Derbyshire estate and also at Bolton Abbey in North Yorkshire. We were lucky enough to have a weekend enjoying the sumptuous surroundings and fine dining at the two North Yorkshire hotels: The Devonshire Arms and The Devonshire Fell.
Accommodation
The Devonshire Fell has a contemporary, colourful interior with many interesting pieces of modern art reflecting scenes from the local area. The rooms and suites are individually styled with an eclectic mix of tasteful antiques, modern art and flat-screen televisions.
Our suite, ‘Bellbusk’, boasted two en suite shower rooms: providing real ‘his and hers’ luxury and we also enjoyed a view of Burnsall village and the rolling countryside. Once we’d unpacked, we relaxed in the lounge which shares the same front-facing view. The relaxed atmosphere was just what we needed to re-charge our batteries, letting us leave our everyday cares behind as we soaked up the glorious Dales countryside.
Dining at The Devonshire Fell
After a delicious Ploughman’s lunch with local ham, cheese and superb quince jelly with walnuts, washed down by a refreshing cup of Yorkshire tea, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the village and over the bridge. Our dining experience at the Fell was simply stunning. By good fortune, we were able to sample an eight course tasting menu (not always available). And, we also enjoyed some delicious canapés which were served with our cocktails. The ‘Winter truffle macaroon’ (which I always thought was a ‘macaron’), melted in the mouth and treated the taste buds to a heady combination of earthy truffle and sweet meringue. It was one of the culinary highlights of the evening for me. Our amuse bouche was a succulent lamb kofta served with braised gem lettuce, aubergine, yoghurt and mint. A pleasurable way to kick off what turned out to be quite a delectable culinary journey. Next stop on the journey was a stunning fish dish, equal to the macaron in terms of taste, style and impact: a beautifully presented warm salmon fillet coated in fennel seeds and sumac, served with fennel, radish and mint salad.
The main course featured slightly pink, juicy Goosenargh duck breast served with smoked celeriac, griottines cherries, red wine jus and the ingenious addition of caramelised figs. And then followed the cheeseboard which featured both international and local cheeses, including a lovely Yorkshire Blue. This was served in the traditional way with a glass of port. A cheeky pre-dessert was served: a twist on Pimms and lemonade with jelly and crushed ice, followed by the real dessert of Apple crème brûlée with the most stunning apple sorbet imaginable. It was as if the chef had become an alchemist with the ability to capture the very essence of apple. With tea, coffee and Petit Fours to enjoy before retiring, I can say we truly dined like royalty. It was a meal fit for the Duke and Duchess and no mistake.
Afternoon tea at The Devonshire Arms
The next day, we headed to the sister hotel, The Devonshire Arms: a more traditional country house hotel, where we enjoyed a sumptuous afternoon tea created by award-winning chef, Adam Smith. At the age of twenty four, Adam (then premier sous chef at The Ritz London) won the 2012 Roux Scholarship and, in the same year he also won the Observer Food Monthly Young Chef of the Year award. With nine years’ experience at The Ritz under his belt, he left to lead the team at the Devonshire Arms’ Burlington Restaurant. The afternoon tea arrived with a selection of delicious sandwiches, accompanied by a glass of Prosecco, a pot of tea and complemented by an array of show-stopping, elegant pâtisseries which looked almost too good to eat. But for me it was the light, fluffy scones which stole the show.
Spa
After tea, it was time for me to head across the road to the Devonshire Spa housed within the former barn. The spa offers guests a range of wet and dry facilities: pool, spa pool, steam room, sauna, plunge pool, relaxation lounge and beauty therapy rooms. I’d recommend booking ahead as you would not want to miss out on this treat. I felt totally relaxed after my massage and enjoyed a little snooze before getting ready for dinner.
Dining at the Burlington Restaurant
We enjoyed an aperitif in the stylish Cocktail Lounge whilst perusing the menu. There were so many mouth-watering options but indecisive guests need not worry for there is a six course ‘surprise menu’ option. In the spirit of adventure, we plumped for that and asked the sommelier to make our wins choices for each course too. With Adam’s creative menu and Ben’s extensive wine knowledge, we knew we were in for a real treat.
First up was a smoked eel appetiser followed by a delicious marinated scallop with avocado, radish and pig’s head croquette which was accompanied by a crisp Australian Pinot Gris. Next was duck egg with Tunworth soldiers and celeriac a tasty treat but quite difficult to match in terms of wine, I would have thought as I always think of boiled egg as more of a breakfast food. However, Ben cleverly matched it with a glass of Burgundy – Puligny-Montrachet Le Miex Oliver Leflaive. The main course was a divine combination of perfectly cooked turbot dressed with oysters, mussels and caviar. For me, food doesn’t get much better than this exquisite, extravagant combination. As well as looking and smelling heavenly, the dish tasted sublime: a magnificent symphony of flavours.
The Lux Traveller Loves: The relaxed air at the Devonshire Fell and fine dining at the Devonshire Arms – especially the turbot with caviar and the superb wine-matching recommendations.
The Lux Traveller Doesn’t Like: Having to come home!
All In All: If you’re looking for somewhere to re-charge the batteries and enjoy some of Yorkshire’s most stunning scenery, then either of these hotels fit the bill.
How to get to the Bolton Abbey Estate
The Devonshire Fell and The Devonshire Arms hotels are located on the edge of the Duke of Devonshire’s 50 square mile Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales – one of the most scenic places in England. They are a few minutes’ drive apart and The Devonshire Health Barn is situated across the road from The Devonshire Arms Hotel.
Both hotels are approximately 5 miles east of Skipton and 16 miles west of Harrogate. It is on the B6160 approximately 250 yards north of the junction with the A59. The hotel is 23 miles from Leeds city centre. For more information and to download maps, please visit: http://www.devonshirefell.co.uk/location and http://www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk/location
By air:
The Devonshire Arms has a heli-pad. The grid reference of the hotel is SE 071 532. Latitude: 53.97434 | Longitude: -1.894112 Leeds/Bradford airport is 15 miles. Manchester Airport is 66 miles.
By rail:
Inter-city services call at Leeds & York. Local rail services from Leeds connect with Ilkley & Skipton.
