After watching Wuthering Heights and dreaming about being swept into the Dales in Jacob Elordi’s arms, a staycation to the Yorkshire Dales suddenly seemed very appealing. Except, of course, there was no Jacob Elordi (no shade to my boyfriend), and my stay was perhaps a little more “indoorsy” than running around the hills like Cathy. However, the Coniston Hotel & Spa did offer a sprinkle of Wuthering Heights magic with its hilly backdrop and moody, Gothic charm…
Set just a mile from the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, the hotel is surrounded by 1,000 acres of farmland, giving it a remote, rural feel without being too far off the beaten track. Having already had my city dose exploring York the previous day, I was ready for some countryside air. For me, the next 24 hours revolved entirely around warm food, being snug in my spa robe and drinking wine on a Friday evening…
Saying that, this wasn’t just a weekend for bubbly pools, though. There was an adventure on offer too, making it more than just the typical couples’ retreat.
Cathy-inspired
On arrival, my first impression of the hotel was how much land surrounded the hotel, which instantly gave me Wuthering Heights flashbacks. In my Cathy feelings, we were then given a tour of the grounds and an introduction to the rich history of the Coniston family. There were many activity stations on offer, such as shooting grounds, archery and the Land Rover experience, elevating the complex to be the ultimate staycation.
We were given a Dales Room, which I would recommend for the best night’s sleep with its bright and modern interior. Complete with a super-king Hypnos bed, a gorgeous lake view, and a mini private patio, there was lots of privacy, but still it was very central to get everywhere, such as the spa or restaurant. The one tip I will say is definitely bring some old shoes you don’t mind getting muddy. While my boyfriend ventured outside to explore, I couldn’t justify sacrificing my new trainers, but he did manage to take some photos while roaming outside our room.
Do not disturb mode
The core hours of our afternoon were spent lounging around at the Nàdarra Spa. The name derives from the word for “nature,” which fits perfectly as the spa is surrounded by hills and centred on a lake – plus it’s basically a 5-minute walk from reception, making it super quick to grab your robes from your room and head on over.
Before our treatments, we went to Blossom Kitchen for a bite to eat. The restaurant offers a Pan-Asian flair, bringing together traditional Yorkshire flavours with Asian influence. For a bit of healthy nourishment, we started with colourful smoothies and cinnamon-flavoured coffees before moving on to Gochujang belly pork and teriyaki chicken bao buns. To be honest, it was a filling lunch that sent us into a bit of a food coma, but the home-grown ingredients were full of comfort and a change from your usual spa lunch menu.
Ready to relax, we then went in for our spa treatments. I chose a hot stone massage while my boyfriend went for a more intense deep tissue massage. My treatment combined basalt stones and seaweed oil to melt away aching muscles, while the warm eye compress almost sent me to sleep. Tomas’ massage used recovery oil and natural anti-inflammatories to work on deeper pressure points. While I felt totally relaxed after mine, Tomas’ definitely was more intense, but to this day he has proclaimed it to be the ”best massage he’s ever had”.
After a huge lunch and a treatment, it was time to spend two hours in the spa itself. The five-star facilities didn’t disappoint with an indoor pool, three saunas, a steam room, and two outdoor infinity pools, so we were spoilt for choice. My spot of choice was the warm, outdoor pool looking out over the hills, with the steam from the water in the cold air making everything feel extra cosy. There’s plenty of loungers to chill out on, meaning it doesn’t feel over-crowded (and it was a Friday afternoon, meaning it was fairly busy!) so we spent a bit of time sitting and reading our books… I wish every Friday afternoon were like this.
The View (of my steak and wine)
After a quick rest, we headed to our dinner reservation at The View. To start, we opted for a Sauvignon Blanc with its Chilean notes to complement the meal. For starters, I had the Whitby crab on toasted brioche while Tom went for the smoked Yorkshire duck. We also shared the estate pheasant goujons, which had the same consistency as fried chicken wings.
For mains, we chose rump steaks with a side of “Yorkshire fries” which the menu cheekily clarifies are actually just proper chips, because in this part of the world, they don’t do fries (some local food lore). Although we were full, Tom had the sticky toffee parkin for pudding, and I had the gooey chocolate brownie. Unlike the sometimes rushed dining in London, having two hours to sit and sip wine was a real part of the relaxation. The restaurant space was quite big with its high ceiling, meaning you weren’t crowded into tables, which can sometimes be the case at hotel restaurants.
Off-roading
Heading back down to The View restaurant, the morning spread was laid out neatly with everything from cinnamon rolls to colourful chia seed puddings. We paired those with a full fry-up, including crispy hash browns and of course, plenty of coffee to fuel us up for the morning adventure ahead of us.
Typically, after a spa weekend, it’s time to head home, but we still had one plan on the agenda: an off-roading adventure in a Land Rover. Self-confession, I don’t actually drive, so for me this was more about being the passenger princess and holding on for dear life in the back…
Tomas was keen to get in the driver’s seat after the instructor took us on a precarious practice route. Parts of the drive included going up steep hills, trudging through water and accelerating over steps and to be honest, the drive was surprisingly very smooth in the giant car. The scariest part for me was the car tipping to the side, but we were reassured it wouldn’t fall over (thank goodness), and I’ve lived to tell the tale. An extra special mention is for our instructor who put us at ease and occasionally held Tom back from thinking he was Lewis Hamilton on the acceleration over the steep hills.
After the adrenaline of the Land Rover, it was time to drive home and scroll through the endless photos of the Wuthering Heights-themed weekend. If you plan an overnight stay at The Coniston, I would definitely recommend a trip to York as well, which is only an hour away and makes the visit even more worth it.
Iona’s travel tips:
Pack walking shoes: I regretted not doing this, as there are some very beautiful trails you can walk on outside the hotel.
London to Skipton: The train is only four hours direct from London to Skipton, followed by a short taxi ride, making it very accessible.
Bulk up your itinerary: Whether it is off-roading, an escorted tour, shooting, or fishing, adding an extra activity to the itinerary really gives you the full experience of staying here.
Stay for longer: While we didn’t have time to stay another day, Skipton offers a historic castle, canal, and cute market for day activities.
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