Favourite haunt
How a night in one frightfully nice castle is the perfect place for a family trip away
THE stars of I’m a Celebrity have swapped the tropical Australian jungle for a crumbling castle in chilly, soggy North Wales.
But we’ve just stayed in another historic castle… and I certainly wouldn’t be in a hurry to get myself out of there.
Our beds at the breathtaking Lumley Castle in County Durham were no doubt much more warm and welcoming than the ones at crumbling 19th-century Gwrych in Abergele on the Conwy coast – and the food and service were most definitely better, with a welcome absence of Bushtucker Trials courtesy of Ant and Dec.
Despite dating back to the 14th century, Lumley has remained beautifully intact. Steeped in history, it started out as a manor house before being converted into a picture-book castle in 1389 by Sir Ralph Lumley – hence its name.
After serving as a family home, a bishop’s residence and a student college for Durham University, it became a stunning hotel in 1976.
Proudly perched on a hill overlooking Chester-le-Street, its turrets and stone walls can be marvelled at from afar. Sports fans who’ve watched matches being played at the Durham County Cricket Club grounds on TV may have seen it in the background.
Inside, it’s just as impressive. I loved the opulent interiors and the sense of grandeur – think deep reds, golds and dark woods, chintzy drapes and ornate wallpapers, antiques and open fires.
But despite the pomp, Lumley – like Gwrych, also Grade I-listed – is great for families.
I stayed there with husband Tim and our four children Freddie, 11, Rosie, 14, Max, 17, and Harvey, 19.
Each bedroom is unique and ours were in the converted stable block that runs alongside the main castle.
Tim and I shared a luxurious courtyard stateroom decadently furnished with a wooden-framed four-poster bed, candelabra-style lighting, en-suite with Victorian toilet and sink and a large corner bath in its own room tucked behind a thick red curtain.
Rosie and Freddie each had a single put-up bed alongside us. Modern additions included a Nespresso machine, USB charging points and lovely Bvlgari toiletries.
Harvey and Max were just along the corridor in a twin room with a striking black-tiled bathroom.
The extensive parkland and trails alongside the River Wear are great to explore – but the highlight was most definitely the food.
Dinner in the Knights Restaurant is a real experience. It was recently refurbished to create a welcoming room which combines old-style glamour – artefacts from Scandinavia and Morocco, solid English wood tables and plush leather chairs – with a light and airy modern feel.
I loved the fact that, although we were being treated to top-class food and service, staff were down-toearth, the atmosphere was relaxed and children were greeted warmly.
Executive head chef Craig Sherrington, who’s appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu and worked at a host of award- winning restaurants, prides himself on serving up the highest quality seasonal produce in classics with a twist.
On our waiter’s recommendation, I started with Craig’s spring onion bhaji with smoked cheese sauce, a
combination that worked brilliantly. Tim and Harvey went for cured and torched mackerel, another hit.
The other kids fancied some home comforts and asked for garlic bread from the sides menu and staff were more than happy to add cheese.
My blackened salmon main with cumin roasted white carrot, smooth sand carrot and parmentier potato, was cooked to perfection and went down beautifully. Tim went for the succulent and tasty 28-day-aged ribeye steak.
Harvey and Max were equally impressed with their glazed pork belly and lemon and thyme organic chicken breast, while the younger two wolfed down chargrilled 8oz Angus burgers.
Somehow, we managed a handful of puddings. The lemon meringue tart with torched meringue didn’t disappoint. Likewise, the chocolate tart with Seville marmalade ice topped off the meal perfectly, as did the cheese board served with wildflower honey. The food was amazing and we enjoyed watching the professional-but-friendly waiters – to serve, they would surround the table and place food in unison.
Breakfast was also unmissable, with a vast choice to start – cereal, toast, pastries, yogurt with granola, fruit salad – followed by a choice of cooked favourites, from eggs Benedict or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs to a full English or bacon ciabatta.
In a fitting quirk, Lumley is home to the UK’s only escape room in a castle. Hidden away in an old beer cellar, the family-friendly game is pitched around the intriguing tale of Lily, castle founder Sir Ralph Lumley’s young wife, who was said to have been drowned in an on-site well by Catholic priests because she refused to convert.
Players have to follow clues and free Lily from her curse – and avoid being killed themselves, like previous investigators.
It was great fun to do as a family and being in a castle only added to the novelty.
Clues included deciphering music and codes and following directions. We managed to free Lily – and save ourselves – with eight minutes left. But is Lumley haunted? Some guests and staff report strange happenings – lights coming on unexpectedly, blinds opening by themselves, doors closing – as have visiting cricket teams. Shane Warne reportedly spent the night on another player’s floor after being spooked while Australia stayed there and three members of a West Indies side once checked out because they were so scared. We didn’t see anything untoward but it certainly made a change from our usual holiday haunts.