Hill hikes and spa days make the Lake District a perfect weekender

LOUNGING in the laconium – a warm room with heated stone beds that relax my muscles faster than any massage ever has – I decide Brimstone is the best hotel spa I’ve ever been to.

My friend Roop and I are on stop five of seven thermal experiences, and have hardly seen another soul as we hop between ice fountains, herbal steam rooms, salt saunas and a dedicated hydrotherapy foot bath.

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There’s something magical about spa-ing in a storm, and sipping bubbly in the heated indoor/outdoor pool surrounded by trees gives forest bathing a whole new meaning.

Poet’s corner 

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We eventually tear ourselves away to visit the nearby Wordsworth museum, where we tour Dove Cottage – AKA William Wordsworth’s family home.

He penned many of his poems here, and walking through the quaint rooms, exploring the orchard and trying our hand at writing with a feathered quill is fascinating.

Entry costs £14 for adults (Wordsworth.org.uk). 

In Grasmere itself, you’ll find the famous gingerbread bakery, plus Baldry’s Tearoom with its 30-plus brews.

The blood orange tea is a must-try and each morning they make fresh bread and cakes – our delicious, oversized scones, £3.95 each, prove to be an absolute bargain (Baldrysgrasmere.com). 

It’s rained non-stop since we arrived and we are completely unprepared.

Thankfully, Brimstone Hotel, which is one of two hotels on the 35-acre Langdale Estate, has a boot room stocked with waterproofs, hiking boots and rucksacks to borrow, plus there’s a bookable electric BMW iX to whizz about in.

Under the guidance of the hotel’s helpful tweed-clad staff, the next morning we set out on an hour-and-a-half walking loop to Skelwith Bridge.

A Britannia Blonde, £5.50, at The Britannia Inn along the way helps power us on, plus the scenery is so picturesque it feels like we’re walking through an oil painting (Thebritanniainn.com).

Reading room raid

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At Brimstone’s restaurant, Stove, we share succulent garlic and chilli prawns and enjoy an incredible forager’s risotto with wild mushrooms, truffle and goat’s cheese, £10.50 each.

The cod and smoked pancetta main, £22, is more special than it sounds, and the sticky toffee pudding, £7.95, is huge.

Before retiring, we pick up a bottle of red from the Reading Room, where complimentary snacks (including an impressive cheese board) and drinks are topped up through the day.

There’s even a cocktail delivered to your room before dinner here!

On the way home, we explore Ambleside, a 15-minute drive away, where we find Bath House, a chic local fragrance and skincare brand.

I fall for the Bergamot & Amber Cologne, £55 for 100ml, before we hit Kindred Spirits, a family-owned shop selling small-batch spirits 

in personalised bottles (K-spirits.co.uk).

The Coffee Rum and Treacle Toffee Vodka taste far too good to be alcoholic! Christmas shopping sorted…