If you can 'spa' the time
Words & Images: Jennie Sim
...we instantly feel at home and are soon relaxing in the comfy armchairs in the lounge enjoying our cafetière of coffee. Our next stop the Spa and we head straight to the hot tub situated outside with the incredible view of the Peak District countryside.
When someone asks me what I do to relax I struggle to answer.
Two businesses and a busy household with mum's taxi service to various clubs most nights relaxing isn’t an option… if there are five free minutes in my day, I fill it with something other than on myself!
The secret ingredient to relaxing is good company... or so I am told. My very good friend Rachel’s birthday was coming up and like me she had been nonstop working and juggling what life throws at her, so we decided enough was enough, a catch up was needed - some quality time together was long overdue.
Our day started at The Eating House Calver for brunch, a small stone-built café that if you blink you could miss on your way into the peaks. As soon as you enter this quaint hidden gem of an eatery the smell hits you of baked goods mixed with the sweetness of cakes and the rich aroma of fresh coffee.
The menu is fabulous with a vast array of yummy cakes also catering for those following a Vegan and Coeliac diet. It’s such a lovely day we opt for takeout and head off on our journey to visit Treak Cliff Cavern.
You can take the cave tour for starting at Treak Cliff Cavern in Castleton and expect a 60 – 90-minute adventure for £15. The tour guides are super animated and really keep your interest with the highlight polishing your own piece of Blue John. After the 90-minute tour there is only one thing on our mind… bubbles… In the form of a hot tub and Prosecco – double bubble.
Off to our final destination we head through the village of Hope which is as picturesque as it sounds and has a beautiful gift shop, florist and a few other quaint village shops well worth a visit. We have pre booked the twilight spa package at Losehill House hotel and Spa, Edale Rd, Hope Valley, for £60.00 you get use of the Spa between 4 and 8pm with robes, towel and slippers provided a three course meal in the restaurant and a pot of fresh coffee on arrival, a pretty sweet deal! As soon as we enter the venue we are greeted wonderfully by the receptionist, we instantly feel at home and are soon relaxing in the comfy armchairs in the lounge enjoying our cafetière of coffee. Our next stop the Spa and we head straight to the hot tub situated outside with the incredible view of the Peak District countryside. Of course, we had a glass of fizz whilst talking nonstop… in fact I am surprised we had time to drink – who am I kidding!
My advice – treat yourself and find out what it means to truly relax whilst taking in the beautiful Peak District.
The pool is indoor and heated and what’s great is after using the hot tub the pool is a temperature that doesn’t make you jump out of your skin when climbing back in. We do a lap or two of the pool, sauna, steam room and back to the hot tub then decide we are suitably relaxed and more to the point starving!
Our order is taken in the lounge and canapés are bought over before we are shown to our table.
The food, service, attention to detail is second to none, this is truly fine dining at its best! No detail is spared with my vegan menu from canapés to the little sweets bought out after our dessert. I ordered the broccoli soup which included a broccoli floret in scrumptious light batter, mains were a roast onion tartlet and dessert a coconut panacotta. The waiters and waitresses were extremely knowledgeable answering queries before I had even asked them, the service quality and attentiveness just right. You can eat in the restaurant without the spa…but why would you? My advice – treat yourself and find out what it means to truly relax whilst taking in the beautiful Peak District.
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