Things to do
Each stay with us is bespoke and we can arrange a fully packed schedule or leave you to your own devices.
We have an enviable position as a base to explore the UK being just over an hour’s travel by train from London and under 2 hours to York and just over an hour by car to Cambridge and Stratford upon Avon. Locally you can visit historic market towns of Uppingham, Oakham and Stamford or the forgotten burial place of Richard III in nearby Leicester. Location
We can tailor any of our activities for any age. How about the children harvesting tomatoes and herbs in the walled garden then making pizzas with them with one of the chefs? Or picking daisies and blossom with our florist to create real flower crowns.
We’d like to share some of the many in-house possibilities central to our core: The Garden, The Kitchen, The Cellar.
The Garden
The garden is a key pillar of the estate and underpins our local and sustainable philosophy. We offer the opportunity to learn how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers in the walled garden from our expert team. Play tennis, enjoy the wood-fired cedar hot-tub or relax under a tree with a good book in the 20acres of grounds
Fruit & Vegetables
Claudio is our head gardener and wild food expert. He can guide you in sustainable foraging, ensuring not to deplete nature of its wonderful wild plants. Growing up in Venice, Italy, he started hunting for edible plants as a child, and went on to become a foraging expert in the Italian army. Claudio could take you around the grounds and show you what wild foods the season has in stock or taste your way around the walled garden and learn about the history of what we grow and why. For a more energetic activity you can even harvest the ingredients for the chefs to prepare for you later!
Flowers
Cut flowers are central to the Walled Garden and to the house. We believe in using ‘grown not flown’ blooms. We are renowned for our flowers by florists, brides and the local community. Our in house florist is proud to share her experience to help you in honing your sustainable floristry skills. Enjoy picking your own flowers from the garden and spend time creating glorious table arrangements, flower crowns or the perfect hand-tie bouquet.
The Kitchen
We are more than a kitchen table – you can always pop into the kitchen to watch the chefs preparing your food, but we can arrange for tutorials in the behind-the-scenes techniques and preparation that you would see in a world class restaurant or ask for a masterclass in bread making or the perfect mayonnaise.
The Cellar
Wine Tasting Masterclass
Bert Blaize, our wine concierge is the author of Which Wine When and an authority on food and wine pairing. He can create a bespoke wine tasting, from verticals of Burgundy to a English sparkling vs Champagne competition.
Gin Making
Begin you day foraging for botanicals, then head over to our friends at Brentingby Gin in Melton Mowbray, for a tour of the distillery and to learn about the process of gin making using the freshly harvested botanicals and making your own gin.
Major Local Events
Nevill Holt Opera Summer 2024
Silverstone F1 Racing July 2024
Burghley Horse Trials September 2024