September and October are a particularly good time to explore the Eden Valley, with local markets, open gardens, walks, art, dark skies and a few rather more unusual things going on….So we’ve picked out a few 2026 events we think are worth knowing about.
Here at Augill Castle, we’ve been serving afternoon tea in the Eden Valley for years, and at some point we decided that perhaps it was time to stop doing what everyone else was doing. So we got rid of the finger sandwiches.
Yes. We said it.
And, surprisingly, the afternoon tea police have yet to arrive.
The quiet side of the Lakes: a castle hotel near the Lake District
There is a certain expectation that if you are looking for a stay near the Lake District, you need to be right in the middle of it all. Somewhere overlooking a lake, perhaps, or tucked into one of the better-known towns, with walkers in boots passing the window and plenty of places to eat, drink and explore within easy reach.
And, of course, there is nothing wrong with that.
But what if you could spend your days exploring the Lake District and then come back to somewhere altogether quieter?
There are Christmases you remember.
The ones where everyone is squeezed around the same table, the fire is glowing, somebody has had one glass of wine too many, the children are still awake at midnight and nobody really wants the evening to end.
Now imagine doing all of that in your own castle. Not visiting one for the afternoon. Not staying in one tiny room while the rest of the building is closed off. Taking the whole thing.
There is something rather appealing about the idea of staying in a castle near the Yorkshire Dales. You get the countryside, the big skies, the walking and the villages, but instead of coming back to a fairly ordinary hotel at the end of the day, you get to go back to a castle.
You’ve seen the photographs. The suspicious-looking characters. The raised eyebrows over dinner. Perhaps someone clutching a magnifying glass while looking intensely guilty.
But what actually happens at a murder mystery weekend?
Is it an elaborate version of Cluedo? Do you have to dress up? Are you expected to be a brilliant actor? And, perhaps most importantly, what happens if you completely fail to work out who did it?
Thinking about getting married in a castle? Let’s talk about the bit nobody likes talking about first: money.
Because one of the first questions couples ask when they start looking at wedding venues is also one of the hardest to answer.
Some occasions deserve more than a quick coffee and a catch-up.
Our new Bottomless Brunch at Augill Castle is designed for those afternoons when you want to gather your favourite people, linger a little longer and enjoy the simple pleasures of great food and fabulous cocktails.
Walking the Coast to Coast National Trail has always been more than just a route across England. For many walkers, it’s a personal pilgrimage – a journey from the Irish Sea to the North Sea that takes in some of the most remarkable landscapes in the country. It’s a trail built on determination, curiosity, and the simple pleasure of putting one foot in front of the other.
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