Travel review: Farlam Hall serving up inventive food and tranquil Cumbrian staycation

As the burnt orange leaves fell outside, the soothing cackle of an open fire welcomed us to Farlam Hall.

It set the tone for an evening of tranquillity and a menu that's serving up a kaleidoscope of flavours.

A truly charming corner of Cumbria, it took me just over an hour to get here from Sunderland via the A69 as it rolls its way cross country in tandem with Hadrian's Wall.

Not far from the market town of Brampton, five minutes off the A69 and a good base from which to explore the rugged Hadrian's Wall and natural beauty of The Lake District, Farlam Hall is steeped in heritage - 500 years' worth, in fact.

The handsome manor house that stands today was taken over by the wealthy Thompson family in the mid 1800s and it went on to house multiple generations and countless parties attended by notable people such as Father of the Railways, George Stephenson - and a Stephenson clock from that time still ticks away in the lounge.

Fast forward to 2023 and it's got that warm, cosy welcome and glow of a traditional English country home, coupled with an award-winning modern hospitality offering across its 12 bedrooms and six suites fashioned from the old stable blocks, as well as its Cedar Tree Restaurant, so called because of the ancient tree that towers in the garden in front.

Earlier this year, following a multi-million pound restoration project, the hotel entered a new chapter after being taken over by joint directors Karen Baybutt and Hrishikesh Desai, who is also Chef Patron.

They're keen to shout about the charm of Farlam Hall beyond Cumbria, with the hotel recently scooping the accolade of being listed at number 45 in the Top 50 Boutique Hotels for the year 2024.

It comes hot on the heels of Cedar Tree Restaurant being awarded 3 AA rosettes and being listed in the Michelin guide.

We enjoyed an overnight stay at Farlam Hall, a Relais & Châteaux and Pride of Britain hotels member, and here's why it's earnt that coveted top 50 spot:

The Food

As multi-layered with flavour as it is beautiful, the food at Farlam Hall is a culinary melody that's poetry on a plate - a combination that's drawing in plenty of non-hotel guests, as well as hotel residents.

Hrishikesh Desai, a former BBC’s Great British Menu finalist, already had a great reputation after nearly eight years as executive chef at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in The Lake District where he earnt a Michelin Star - now he's making his mark in the kitchen at Farlam Hall.

As well as the menu being informed by the produce on the hall's doorstep in the estate's kitchen garden, polytunnels and beehives, dishes also doff their cap to Hrishikesh's heritage, who was raised in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The result is modern British cuisine - with a twist.

We had the seven-course tasting menu option, which really took our tastebuds on a journey of discovery.

Take the snacks we devoured in The Rocket Bar (another nice nod to George Stephenson there) before being seated. What a revelation!

Hrishi's take on the humble olive is something else. A real brain tease, you're expecting that distinctive briney taste when you pop it in your mouth, only to be met with an altogether different flavour and texture, slightly sweet with a hint of cardamon and creamy. Culinary alchemy at its finest.

It arrives with a cone of moreish Garbanzo bean chaat that we could have eaten by the popcorn bucket-full.

Through to the dining room, which has a hint of Bridgerton about it with its traditional elegance, we were served a course of Poolish bread, made with organic flour from the Warwick Bridge Mill just down the road and a butter worth its lashings, as well as a bitesize cauliflower tart with hints of peanut, coriander and coconut and a duck liver cookie, a swirl of spice, cherry and velvety duck liver parfait.

Next up, a beetroot course harvested straight from the kitchen garden (food miles don't get much shorter than that), their natural flavours given great versatility: roasted and pickled and a rasam, an utterly delicious soup inspired by the traditional South Indian dish.

The earthiness of the classic English veg was complemented by a smooth French-inspired savoury coconut bavarois.

The following Scottish salmon was uncomplicated perfection: really good produce slowly poached and silky with a delightfully-fresh garden herb gazpacho.

The inventive flavour combinations continued with Hodgson's Hake. The mild fish was given extra oomph with roasted pineapple and a sweet and sour sauce. One of those dishes that gets your tastebuds dancing.

I'd heard great things about Hrishikesh's signature tandoori Wellington dish and it didn't disappoint.

The Indian spin on the English classic is comfort food at its finest, all buttery pink beef with a kick of smoke and spice.

From a meat feast to a sweet treat (after a palate cleanser sorbet) for the first of not one, but two desserts: a deliciously dark and and luxurious Valrhona chocolate delice with banana bread, caramelised hazelnut and milk sorbet.

After all that richness the zing of the next course was a great follow up: fresh as can be garden raspberries in a soufflé  with toasted pistachio ice cream.

Hard to choose a favourite from the dishes: we ooh'd and ahh'd over them all.

This is food worth writing home about: a global melting pot of flavours served in a picture postcard English countryside setting. It's certainly one to watch Michelin Star wise.

The dining room itself is suitably luxurious with its grand period fireplaces, intricate coving and heritage wallpaper - but it's not stuffily so.

Staff are synchronised to perfection, but as happy to chat as they are to taking care with meticulously serving the dishes.

There was a nice mix of diners on our visit, from couples celebrating a special occasion with a treat night to a shooting party. The restaurant is available to both staying and non-staying guests, but make sure you book your table.

Opening times are: Afternoon Tea: Thursday, and Saturday 1pm - 3pm, Sunday Lunch: Sunday 12pm - 2.30pm and Dinner: Wednesday - Sunday 6pm - 8.15pm.

The Rooms

Rooms are a classic, elegant affair. Think crisp white sheets, sash windows, antique dressing tables, the soothing sounds of Classic FM and classy fabrics that blend with contemporary artworks and amenities such as Molton Brown toiletries, underfloor heating and smart TVs. It's all very tastefully done.

We stayed in one of the Deluxe rooms and loved sinking into the plush chairs of the lounge area as looked onto the picture perfect estate. It was a windy day on out visit which had transformed the hall into a snowglobe of falling leaves.

Make sure to take a stroll around the area before you leave to explore its babbling stream, lake and gardens. Such a peaceful bolthole to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Prices

The seven-course tasting menu is £120 per person, with an additional £90 wine flight. Or, the three-course a la carte menu is £90.

The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai also serves breakfast, afternoon tea and Sunday lunch.

Farlam Hall is running an offer where you can stay for three nights for the price of two, on a bed and breakfast basis, priced from £590.

There are also Christmas and New Year's Eve packages available.

More information at https://farlamhall.com/