A Winter Getaway in Settle, Yorkshire Dales

Christmas 2019 was amazing. It was the first Christmas we’ve had Theo at home with us and we wanted to make it extra special. Scott took 2 weeks off work and we packed it full of days out and trips to see family. It was everything we wanted it to be, but also it was full on and left us both feeling a little frazzled by the end of it. Luckily, we had the perfect remedy lined up; a couple’s getaway at The Golden Lion in Settle. A bit of quality time for us alongside some fresh air in the Yorkshire Dales was exactly what we needed. Read on to find out more about our experience and book your own January 2020 getaway at The Golden Lion from only £89 with breakfast.

Post sponsored by House of Daniel Thwaites

We stayed over at the Golden Lion in Settle on the 30th December and luckily my parents were happy to have Theo for the night. Baby-free hotel stays are such an exciting treat for Scott and I now that we’ve become parents and the full night’s sleep always seems to do us the world of good.

About The Golden Lion in Settle

The Golden Lion is a boutique Inn located in the quaint market town of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s a 10-minute drive from Horton-in-Ribblesdale which is a popular starting point for climbing Pen y Ghent and doing the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Its prime location on Duke Street is in the heart of Settle, right next to the market square. Inside is a cosy and rustic gastro pub with a roaring log fire, a great selection of ales and delicious hearty dishes (I can vouch for that). It’s part of the House of Daniel Thwaites collective which has unique hotels, inns and lodges all over the UK, from Penrith, Cumbria to Fareham in the south east.

There are a total of 14 rooms which include standard rooms, character rooms and twin rooms. We were lucky to be staying in a character room which was spacious and had plenty of thoughtful touches including luxurious robes, a hot water bottle, fresh milk and chunky shortbread biscuits.  All these thoughtful details made it feel like a home from home. The king size bed felt very luxurious and we had a really peaceful night’s sleep. The only thing I’d say our room was missing was a bath tub.

Afternoon Tea in The Winter Lodge at The Golden Lion in Settle

For Winter 2019 / 2020, The Golden Lodge has created The Winter Lodge which is located through the courtyard in the property’s old stables. Hidden behind a heavy curtain lies a twinkling and cosy festive bubble that has been decorated in a rustic ski chalet style. We checked into our room around 2pm and had our festive afternoon tea booked for 3pm. The friendly server showed us the way to our table and offered us both a hot water bottle which I thought was a really nice touch. I happily took the hot water bottle although it was definitely warm enough inside.

The festive afternoon tea itself included a selection of tasty sandwiches including turkey and cranberry and a selection of cakes and desserts including trifle and Christmas pudding. Of course, it also came with two chunky scones that were served with strawberry jam and a very generous portion of clotted cream. For me, the highlight of any afternoon tea are the scones so I indulged in them and tried a bit of everything else. Everything tasted wonderfully fresh and flavoursome. The festive afternoon tea and the Cheese fondue menu at the Winter Lodge will continue until mid-January 2020.

Dining in the Restaurant at The Golden Lion in Settle

On a cold and rainy December night, we had no intentions of leaving our cosy home from home for dinner. The Golden Lion has its own restaurant which has table service and you can also dine more casually in the pub area if you order at the bar. I was still full from the amazing afternoon tea, so I ordered a ‘small’ fish and chips. I didn’t think I would eat it all but it was so delicious that I cleared the plate. The batter on the fish was perfectly crisp. Scott had a home-made chicken and leek pie with creamy mash which was presented beautifully. He said he thoroughly enjoyed it.

As with the Take it All Inn January room rate, breakfast was included in our stay. The breakfast includes a continental breakfast buffet with fresh fruit, cereal and pastries as well as the option to order a cooked breakfast at no extra cost. We both opted for the eggs benedict as the menu said it was one of the Golden Lion’s signature dish. I am quite fussy with my eggs benedict and I think it can be so easy to get it wrong, but I couldn’t fault this dish in any way. The eggs perfectly cooked and there was plenty of hollandaise. In short we were very impressed by the food offerings at the Golden Lion.

Exploring the Surrounding Area

After all our foodie indulgence at The Golden Lion we went for a walk the next morning to blow off the cobwebs. Although I’d have loved to try and climb Pen y Ghent, we didn’t have enough time so we opted for a shorter walk to Hull Pot near to Horton in Ribblesdale. Our little break reminded me how stunning the Yorkshire Dales are and how lucky we are to have them on our doorstep. Scott and I both said we will return again soon with Theo in tow for some more outdoor adventures.

The Verdict

Our post-Christmas getaway to the Golden Lion was exactly what we needed. It was a chance to (briefly) let go of our parenting responsibilities and enjoy being a care-free couple again. We both hugely appreciated the full night’s sleep and all the delicious food. The bracing walk along the Dales was the icing on the cake and we drove back to Theo on New Year’s Eve feeling refreshed and excited to see our boy.

Thanks to all the staff at the Golden Lion in Settle for such a welcoming and relaxing stay.

Book your own stay at the Golden Lion (or any other House of Daniel Thwaites Inn) this January from only £89 per couple with breakfast. In order to use the offer at other properties, simply browse all Inns on the House of Daniel Thwaites website then book the offer via the individual Inn websites.

This stay at The Golden Lion was provided complimentary as part of a sponsored campaign. All words and opinions are honest and my own. All photos are my own.