The weather has been very cruel to the United Kingdom this Winter but why let that stop you enjoying Christmas festivities.

For the last two weeks, Cumbria – the Lake District has been the main focus on all the news networks. This beautiful location may have been battered and bruised by the weather but it is still one of the most beautiful areas of the United Kingdom and fully open for business.

And Christmas is an ideal time to visit the Lake District with its warm hospitality, endless real fires and top quality local produce.

The Castle Inn Hotel and Spa near Bassenthwaite, Keswick have a small number of places available for their luxury Christmas break. This special Christmas break commences on Thursday the 24th of December right through to Sunday 27th December. The mix of organised events and time alone to explore the area or visit the health spa has been perfectly combined.

Set overlooking some of England’s highest fells and Bassenthwaite Lake, the Castle Inn Lake District Hotel is in a beautiful location, just 8 miles from Keswick.  They are ideally situated for those wishing to explore Bassenthwaite, Keswick and the Lake District. The Castle Inn Hotel is one of the finest hotels Lake District offering a warm welcome and the ideal location for relaxing after a busy day discovering the beauties of the Lake District.

Those requiring further information on the festive Christmas break at the Castle Inn Hotel & Spa should visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk or telephone 017687 76401.

For the 4th successive year the Lodore Falls Hotel has taken an award at the Keswick Tourism Association ‘Keswick in Bloom’ Competition.

Results were announced earlier this week (Tuesday) and the hotel scooped Best Garden in the large hotel category.

The hotel has 40 acres of grounds to manicure and uniquely has the Lodore Falls situated in the grounds – which makes it an attractive and very audible garden. It also has its own pack horse bridge and lakeside frontage – popular settings for photographs.

General Manager Stephen Johnson said “This is the 4th year in succession that the hotel has been mentioned in the Keswick in Bloom Awards and we are pleased that the hard work put into our gardens is appreciated. They are a natural draw for visitors who enjoy seeing the planting bloom through different seasons. The gardens have been carefully planned to be naturally sympathetic to the local environment – and occasionally there is a Herdwick sheep who wanders through – very in keeping but not popular with our gardeners! The picturesque grounds provide a stunning backdrop for guests enjoying the outdoor hot tub and we also get some great comments from photographers and wedding guests”.

This imposing hotel, part of the luxury Lake District Hotels Ltd group, was built in traditional Lakeland slate has had a commanding presence in the Borrowdale Valley for over 200 years. Standing in 40 acres of grounds with lake frontage and the dramatic backdrop of the spectacular Lodore Falls and surrounding mountains, this Lake District hotel has one of the finest settings, with access to some of the most impressive walks in the area from the front door.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the gardens should contact Stephen Johnson at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/lodorefalls/

Golfers helped raise nearly £2,000 for charity during BAE Systems Submarine Solutions’ charity golf event.

Organised as part of the company’s Five Day Global Charity Challenge, it saw 60 employees and members of its supply chain play Ulverston Golf Club.

Perfect conditions contributed to a day of quality golf with Craig MacGranthin crowned the eventual winner. Craig also won the nearest to the pin competition.

Stuart Moscrop, from local company PKA, was the competition’s runner-up, and he also came second in the nearest to the pin. Colin Mahon hit the longest drive.

The day ended with a presentation in the clubhouse with prizes handed out by St Mary’s Hospice fundraising manager Zoe Guest.

In total £1,960.40 was raised, with £500 going to Sue Ryder Care, and the remainder to St Mary’s Hospice.

Every 18 months BAE Systems nominates a partner charity for its Charity Challenge, when over that time it commits to raising funds for a particular organisation. Its current partner is St Mary’s Hospice and already the company is well on the way to raising another substantial amount.

Recently it has:
• Donated £17,500 to 25 separate local charities via its Give As You Earn scheme in which employees give a percentage of their monthly earnings.
• Supported more than 200 charities in various projects and initiatives.
• Backed national campaigns, such as Wear it Pink Day and Red Nose Day, raising thousands of pounds in the process.
•  The annual Keswick to Barrow Walk is organised with the help of BAE Systems employees and in 2008 raised more than £200,000 for charity.
•  Organised other events including quiz nights, golf competitions, bingo evenings, bag-packing and much more. The Charity Challenge team is continually looking for new fundraising ideas.

For more information on the latest charity events go to http://www.worklifebarrow.co.uk

Hillthwaite House Hotel, the luxury hotel in Windermere is pleased to announce the appointment of a new member of the management team.

Thomas Cross has joined Hillthwaite as the new General Manager. His family roots are very local with his Grandparents having been the proprietors of the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale, back in the 1950s and 60s. Thomas hopes to bring some of his own skills to Hillthwaite and offer customers an even better experience.

Thomas Cross says “I have already realised that the Hillthwaite House Hotel is a very special place, with a very positive and calm nature”!! Being extremely lucky to live and work in the wonderful area of the English Lake District, Thomas makes full use by having a keen interest in fell walking with his walking companion, Ruby the dog.

Set amidst the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District, between the villages of Windermere and Bowness, Hillthwaite House Hotel is the most ideal of hotels in the Lake District for all types of breaks including short Lake District weekend breaks or for use as a base for your walking holiday in the Lake District National Park. Impeccable service and comfort, lovely food sourced from local produce, friendly, attentive staff and the many guests that return to the hotel time after time speak for itself.

Hillthwaite House Hotel has been awarded a VisitBritain Quality in Tourism Rating of 3 stars and the silver award.  Silver Awards are given to Hotels and Guest Accommodation that provide exceptional quality in all areas, in particular in service and hospitality. It reflects a high level of quality, comfort and cleanliness in bedrooms and bathrooms with very good levels of customer care and food provision.

For more information on the Hillthwaite House Hotel visit http://www.hillthwaite.com or telephone 01539 443 636.

The Lake District Hotels Group is still attracting strong demand for wedding bookings despite the effect of the recession.

The recent wedding fairs at The Lodore Falls Hotel and Inn on the Lake attracted over 650 of mothers and ‘brides to be’ – which only goes to highlight the importance of the Lake District as a wedding venue.

Kit Graves, Director of Lake District Hotel Group said “We decided to hold a Wedding Fayre at the Lodore Falls Hotel because it gives us the chance to show off the venue and is real opportunity for our Chefs to show off their culinary skills; offering taster samples from our wedding menus and displaying some of THE most temptingly delicious deserts. Chef Nigel Harper was the most popular man on the day – in charge of the tasting sessions and there were queues for one to one chats.

With such a large turnout of mothers and brides to be, there is no doubt that Lake District Hotels are still a firm favourite for Lake District weddings – despite the current climate  There were over 40 different stall holders at the event – all of whom received serious enquiries from couples marrying in the next couple of years.

Sophie Kings, Wedding Co-ordinator at the Lodore Falls Hotel said “Winter weddings are becoming ever more popular and for those that married in the ‘Lakes’ last winter, the snow made their weddings picture perfect. With difficult economic times it is even more important that brides are sure they choose the best venue for their wedding – that’s why we created a Winter Wedding Offer which includes extras, focusing on adding value and saving £100’s to make your winter wedding budget go further. The Wedding Fayre was an ideal time to launch the Winter Fairytale Wedding Offer which allows couples to try the venue for free. They stay for two night’s dinner bed and breakfast and we will refund the cost when they book their wedding with us.

Couples receive even more added value when booking  Winter Weddings – we will also include a FREE top table for up to 8 guests, free chair covers to match their colour scheme and reduced winter room rates too that’s a saving of £100’s.*

Visitors to the Wedding Fayre were certainly left with a true flavour of how we make each wedding day extra special and unique. There was a real buzz and a fantastic atmosphere. With over 40 different stall holders the event was described as a fairytale sweet shop for brides to be!

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Winter Wedding offer or looking for a venue should contact Sophie Kings at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/weddings

The Castle Inn Hotel & Spa near Keswick are pleased to announce  a wedding fayre with a difference on Sunday 8th March.
Nestled beneath the fells with views to the glistening waters of Bassenthwaite Lake, this historic 17th century coaching inn boasts a tranquil, yet convenient location – perfect for your wedding day.

The hotel is planning to offer something with a difference as described by Sales Manager, Mel Wykes;

“We are really excited about the Wedding Fayre and look forward to offering something different with some fresh ideas to inspire and excite all those attending.   We will have a broad selection of quality suppliers to help couples find everything they need under one roof.  We know that planning a wedding can be a daunting task for any ‘bride to be’, so we offer a uniquely bespoke service to ensure a day of their dreams.  On the day we will have a marquee within the grounds, showcased by Juniper Events, as well as an abundance of entertainers and musicians to let couples see first hand the wide choice of services we can arrange.  For brides dreaming of the perfect winter wedding, we will be demonstrating our ‘guaranteed snow’ thanks to our new snow machines!’

To give you food for thought, the hotel’s new head Chef will be preparing canapés and other delicacies to taste, plus he will be available to discuss individual requirements for any bespoke menu’s for your special day.

During the day, Cockermouth based Bridal shop “I Do” and Workington based Bridal shop “The Collection” will be showcasing their Bridal wear, Bridesmaid dresses, Mother of the Bride and Men’s wear, giving everyone a glimpse of their vast selection.

The Cumbria hotels new owners, the Wells Family took over the hotel 2 years ago and have since invested generously with a full scale refurbishment throughout, including all 46 bedrooms.   As well as a complete refurbishment internally of this hotels Lake District, they have plans for a £2.5million development to their existing spa and have begun work to create a private new entrance for wedding couples and their guests to enjoy a spacious and modern reception drinks area for up to 200 guests.  This reception space will lead through to the Budworth Suite for couples to welcome their guests to enjoy their Wedding Breakfast and further Celebrations.   Upon completion of this work the hotel is aiming to achieve a 4 star rating and will be only one of a handful of Keswick hotels to achieve this rating.

With free admission and a free drinks reception for the first arrivals, this is an event you can’t afford to miss.   Everyone is invited to attend this wedding fayre which takes place on Sunday 8th March between midday and 4pm.  Should you wish to arrange an appointment on the day or require further details, please contact the hotel on 017687 76401.