Gardens and Grounds
Above a bluff over the River Petteril sit the formal gardens, grounds and fields of Birkmere Hall Estate.
You can laze here for hours and admire the views across the Eden Valley and the nearby Lakeland fells. Fish for brown trout in the tributary to the River Petteril located in the neighbouring field, shoot clay pigeons nearby or just take a pre-prandial stroll. In the evening, take a walk to the Boot and Shoe pub in Greystoke and cap another great day in the Eden Valley.
Living Spaces
Get everyone down to Birkmere Hall Estate and enjoy the luxury of having space to be together or spaces to be apart.
Perfect for a gathering. Birkmere Hall Estate comes with sumptuous interiors that invite milling around with drinks in happy groups just as much as curling up with a good book on squishy sofas by the wood burning stove. Superbly presented communal rooms include the games room, ideal for enjoying an apertif over a game of snooker.
The solar is a stunning space, taking up the whole first floor on one wing of the castle.
The kitchen in Birkmere Hall is huge and packed to the gunwales with culinary aids. Once you’ve cooked up a storm (or been cooked for), the splendid dining room is the place to enjoy it, with its bucolic views through the French windows.
Cooking and Dining
At Birkmere Hall a huge kitchen comes fully loaded, with four-door oven-gas Aga, separate hob and electric oven. There are two American-style side-by-side refridgerators, a microwave, two dishwashers, a washing machine and tumble dryer. If you prefer to dine with the sun on your back, a Weber barbecue awaits you sizzling steaks.
At Birkmere Barn unleash the inner Heston on the four-oven Aga, gas hob and electric oven and microwave, supplemented by a massive American fridge/freezer and massive, granite-topped cooking island. Or don’t, and let us do it all instead.
Want to put your feet up? We can recommend fabulous local caterers who can prepare and serve a feast with fresh local ingredients. There’s range of menus to pick from including Lynn Hilditch Catering and Ribble Valley Hog Roasts. They’ll even wash up afterwards.
Alternatively, arrange for Lynn Hilditch’s drop-off service. Your meals are ready when you are – hearty fare without the hassle.
Sainsbury’s or Tesco will deliver groceries, or you can tuck in to speciality meats and veg bought right to your door. Try delicious Staffield Hall meat pies followed by Rowley’s Raspberries picked fresh from the field.
Bedrooms
The bedroom is where the day ends, but with several luxurious options split over the two massive towers in Birkmere Hall and three luxurious nearby cottages it’s tough to know where to begin.
Birkmere Hall Estate can sleep up to 44 guests in total across 22 bedrooms. Birkmere Hall can sleep 24 guests in 12 bedrooms, Birkmere Barn can sleep eight guests in four bedrooms, and Johnby and Fell Cottages can each sleep six guests in three bedrooms.
In Birkmere Hall’s South Tower two bedroom suites each occupy an entire floor and come with opulent private bath and shower rooms. Take the private stairwell up to the Master Bedroom, then take in the Lakeland views from the Juliette balcony. Linger over the outfit du jour in the private dressing room; luxuriate in the bathroom and choose from cast-iron rolltop bath or walk-in shower. When you hit the sack, it’s a massive antique oak carved bed.
The luxury continues in Cromwell’s Folly with adjoining private en-suite. Spread across the entire first floor of the South Tower, it comes with an antique four-poster and choice of a cast-iron rolltop bath or rainfall shower. Another indulgent Juliette balcony overlooks the formal gardens.
Birkmere Hall’s West Range bedrooms overlook the orchards. Choose the West Range Master Bedroom and enjoy a step-up en-suite with walk-through shower and freestanding cast-iron rolltop. Ideal for kids, the Greystoke Room has twin single beds with a private en-suite bathroom. For sheer theatre, the Cumberland Room wins hands down. Luxuriate in the antique, silk-curtained four-poster bed with the dark oak furniture adding to the historic flair. It also has an en-suite bathroom with a cast iron bath overlooking the South Tower gardens.
In the North Tower, there are two bedrooms on the Ground Floor. The Garden Bedroom comes with five-foot-thick walls and private en-suite wet room. For moments of quiet reflection or pre-breakfast stroll, you’ve private access to a low-walled garden. Follow the oak-floored passageway to the Adam de Blencowe Bedroom. Spread out in the 6′ king-size bed or split into two singles. However you play it, you’ll love the private en-suite with cast-iron bath and rainwater shower.
Head up to the top of the stone spiral staircase for the North Tower Master Bedroom. A 5′ four-poster, views of the formal gardens and private en-suite with shower and cast-iron bath make the climb worthwhile.
The Lady Jane Grey Room comes with views of the courtyard cobbles and rear gardens. Set this up as two zip-and-link singles or a 6′ king-size. Again, there’s a private en-suite with separate shower and cast-iron bath.
In the Central Range, the Petteril Room with 6′ bed comes with dated signature from one of the limestone plasterers from the 1700s, plus huge inglenook sandstone fireplace uncovered in the renovation. The Norfolk Room offers the option of two 3′ singles or one king-size. The room, tied to the Duke of Norfolk whose estate once owned Birkmere, is laden with history. There’s a family bathroom along the hall.
For luxury laid on thick, best bag the Henry de Blencowe Room. There’s a 5’ antique bed to wallow in plus a private en-suite bathroom. Will it be the soak in the cast-iron rolltop or the refreshing rainfall shower?
At Birkmere Barn, Fell and Johnby Cottages everybody will get a good deal on the bedrooms. Birkmere Barn can sleep 8 guests and nearby Johnby and Fell Cottages can each sleep 6.
In Birkmere Barn, the ground-floor Madison Room boasts a 5′ king-size bed and en-suite shower room. The Lincklaen Room, also a double on the ground floor, comes with 6′ zip-and-link bed with the kid-friendly option to convert to two 3′ singles. Even the kids get an en-suite wc and bathroom with over-bath power shower.
Follow the massive hand-built oak staircase to the Lorenzo Room, complete with 5′ antique oak bed and en-suite with choice of bath for that long soak or instantly refreshing shower. Another good option for kids is the Chittenango Room, with two antique 3′ twin beds and en-suite shower room set into the eaves.
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Fill your days and lungs
Walk, run or ride – the landscape is waiting for you. Take quad bikes over the hills; take a kayak out on Ullswater or a pony out on Barton Fell. Take a breather in the coffee shops and restaurants of Greystoke, Pooley Bridge, Penrith and other surrounding Lakeland villages. Walk to Aira Force waterfall and on up Gowbarrow Fell. Fill your days with fun and your lungs with good air.
