Seaham Hall Everything’s fine and Scandi
Sherelle Jacobs bathes in seaweed, snuggles by the firepit and masters Nordic walking on the Durham coast
“Just remember it’s opposite arms to legs, so swing them like a soldier and you can’t go wrong,” trilled my instructor, Julie, as I lurched along in wideeyed panic like an ungainly Bambi.
“Just think of all the calories burnt,” she offered, sensing my effort.
I was trying my hand for the first time at Nordic walking. For a winter’s day in the North East, the skies were crisp blue and cloudless, the sea a silvery foam. Once I had got the hang of the technique, I could fully immerse myself in the ecstasies of this perfect winter walk: the sun on my grateful cheeks, the salty breeze through my hair and the North Sea’s heaving breath.
Nordic walking is bracing without being exhausting. I climbed coastal hills and power-walked over pebbled beaches without breaking a sweat. Julie explained that it is great for people with niggling injuries or even Parkinson’s.
This morning walk was part of a winter getaway experience at Seaham Hall, a clifftop five-star hotel in Co Durham. The Georgian pile – where Lord Byron married in 1815 – combines stately grandeur with modern luxury. In the lobby, the stained-glass roof beams ethereal sunlight. In the dining room, 14-carat gold chandeliers shimmer against distressed walls. Vibrant art exhibitions from curator-in-residence Julie Anne Parsons give intimacy to the imposing corridors. Smoke from crackling fires mingles with the scent of patchouli reed diffusers. There are strong eastern elements throughout, from antique throne chairs to Thai carvings.
People come from across the North East and beyond to experience the hotel’s spa. Accessible via a candlelit subterranean bridge complete with carp and Buddha statues, the facilities are jaw-dropping. Even in the coldest months, the new feng shui-inspired Zen garden, with its infinity hot pool set in green gardens, is heavenly. On a bright day, one can be transported to some tropical holiday, sunbathing in the warm water while watching the blackbirds pick berries from the bushes.
As well as two recently installed outdoor hot tubs, there are plunge pools, an Asian herbal sanarium, a salt sauna, a eucalyptus steam room, a hammam, a 65ft pool with massage station, an
Even in the coldest months, the new Zen garden with its infinity hot pool is heavenly
indoor hydrotherapy pool and a chillout zone with waterbeds. While it can get busy in the evenings and at weekends, it is quiet first thing in the morning and during the day. I’d recommend an ishga treatment, featuring a Scottish skincare range that uses Hebridean seaweed. My top-to-toe massage and facial left me feeling as relaxed and radiant as a supermodel on a Sunday.
Seaham aims to make the most of its 37 acres of gardens, even in winter. For the first time, it has installed outdoor heated dining pods with views of the ocean. All dangling light bulbs and sheepskin throws, they are as hopelessly hip as they are cosily convivial – and you can while away an hour or two indulging in a bottle of champagne and a cheese fondue while looking out to sea. I followed this up with a session in front of a firepit, watching a hot-pink sunset over a cup of hot chocolate, swaddled in a furry blanket.
For a special occasion, an aperitivo in the bar (I recommend the Hedgerow Royale with prosecco and cherry brandy) followed by a three-course meal in the dining room is a must. Think sprightly British fayre, elegantly executed: smoked chalk trout with gooseberries and dill, Shetland turbot with mussel-stuffed courgette flowers, and pork with yeasted turnip. The panAsian restaurant Ozone also does great Szechuan noodles and light bites such as duck pancakes and satay chicken.
After a day of excitement and indulgence, withdrawing to one of the 21 suites is a treat. Even entry-level junior suites are vivaciously decorated with watercolours, vintage phones, kingsized beds, sofas and Georgian windows with light streaming in. Garden suites have outside spaces with hot tubs and firepits (marshmallows provided). The build-your-own breakfasts are a final indulgence to round off a stay; nobody will blink if you order pancakes with your sausage and bacon, or smashed avocado and poached eggs with salmon and black pudding.
This sums up the dizzying indulgence Seaham Hall embodies. Even the four-hour journey from London will not keep me away long from this Alice in Wonderland of endless options.
Double rooms from £295 including breakfast