There are some bold claims made in the world of afternoon tea: The ultimate afternoon tea. The finest afternoon tea experience. The best afternoon tea in the Lake District. We’re not entirely sure who gets to hand out the trophies for these things, and there may well be a committee involved somewhere, although we suspect there are biscuits.
But we will put a case forward for ours.
Because 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.
Instead, we created what we call Afternoon Tea Re-Invented: a slightly more interesting, slightly more generous, and considerably less predictable take on the great British afternoon tea. And if you’re looking for afternoon tea near the Lake District, we think it’s worth the short journey.
So, what makes an afternoon tea at Augill different?
Let’s start with the obvious. You’re eating afternoon tea in a castle.
Not a castle-themed hotel, not a room decorated to look vaguely medieval, but an actual 19th century castle in the Eden Valley, nestled gently between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District.
But here’s the thing: the castle is the setting. The food still has to do the talking. And that’s where we’ve deliberately done things a little differently.
Traditional afternoon tea usually means sandwiches, cakes, scones, tea, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But we wondered what would happen if we kept the bits everyone actually loves and had a little more fun with everything else.
The answer? More savoury things. More seasonal things. More variety. And still plenty of cake.
Because we’re not monsters.
Forget the cucumber sandwiches
You won’t find a tower of identikit cucumber sandwiches here, because instead our savoury selection changes with the seasons and with whatever our kitchen is enjoying making.
That might mean a toasted panini, a savoury brioche slider, mini tartlets, prawn cocktails or savoury fritters, and that’s deliberately not a definitive list because the whole point is that your afternoon tea isn’t supposed to taste exactly like somebody else’s three months later.
Our kitchen takes the idea of afternoon tea and gives it a bit of a nudge. Not so far that your grandmother wouldn’t recognise it, just far enough that she might raise an eyebrow, or a gentle smile.
Then there are the things we refuse to mess with
Because reinvention only gets you so far, and there are certain afternoon tea laws that we are simply not prepared to break.
Scones, for example.
Freshly baked with love in our castle kitchen, with delicious jam and clotted cream, and absolutely no meaningful conversation about which goes on first (Wendy is from Devon, just saying!), because we’ve got better things to argue about.
Then come the cakes and mini desserts, small enough that you can try several and dangerously easy to convince yourself that one more won’t hurt, all accompanied, naturally, by lashings of tea or coffee.
Or perhaps a glass of Prosecco.
Because sometimes tea is exactly what you need, and sometimes it’s been a long week. We don’t judge.
Afternoon tea in a castle, without the stiffness
This is perhaps the most important bit, because there are plenty of beautiful places to have afternoon tea and plenty of places where you can sit up very straight, speak quietly and wonder whether you’re allowed to pick up the cake with your fingers.
That’s not really us.
Augill has always been about being comfortable. It’s a family home as much as it is a castle hotel, and we want you to feel that when you walk through the door.
Our guest information talks about the castle as a place where you can kick off your shoes without causing a scandal. That philosophy applies to afternoon tea too.
Come with your mum, come with your best friend, bring the children, come for a birthday or come because you’ve been walking all morning and have decided that what you really need is a scone. Come because it’s Tuesday, because you don’t actually need an excuse.
Afternoon tea near the Lake District
If you’re searching for afternoon tea in the Lake District, Augill is just outside it, in the Eden Valley, making it an excellent stop if you’re exploring Cumbria or travelling between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.
And actually, we rather like being near the Lake District.
It means you can have your day out amongst the lakes and fells and then come back to somewhere that feels a little quieter. Or explore the Eden Valley, walk some of the local countryside, visit Kirkby Stephen or spend the day simply doing very little at all.
Then there’s the castle, the fires, the big rooms and the slightly eccentric corners, along with that sense that you don’t have to rush off the moment you’ve finished your last mouthful.
Because afternoon tea should be an afternoon, shouldn’t it? Not a 47-minute appointment between parking and your next activity.
Why we think ours deserves a place on your list
We’re not going to tell you that we’re objectively, scientifically, officially the best afternoon tea in the Lake District. That would be a rather extraordinary level of confidence, although we’re happy to discuss it over a scone.
What we will say is that we’ve built our afternoon tea around a few things we genuinely care about: good food, not food that exists purely because it’s traditional, but food that people actually want to eat; seasonality, so our savoury selection changes and there’s room for the kitchen to work with the seasons rather than simply repeating the same plate forever; and generosity, because afternoon tea should feel like an indulgence and you shouldn’t leave wondering whether you should have stopped for chips afterwards.
Then there’s the proper setting. There is something rather wonderful about eating scones in a castle, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise.
And finally, there’s absolutely no need to be formal, because life is too short for being frightened to ask for more tea.
And how much does afternoon tea near the Lake District cost?
At the moment, our afternoon tea
is £25 per adult, or £35 including a glass of Prosecco or another drink from the bar. For children under 12, it’s £15.
We think that’s pretty good value for an afternoon involving a castle, a generous spread of savoury treats, cakes, mini desserts, fresh scones, jam, clotted cream and as much tea and coffee as your afternoon requires.
And if you’re looking for a gift, we also have afternoon tea vouchers for two, including an option with fizz.
When can you have afternoon tea at Augill?
Afternoon tea is served daily between 2pm and 5pm, and we deliberately keep numbers limited because we’d rather you had a relaxed afternoon than found yourself elbow-to-elbow with the table next door.
That also means booking ahead is absolutely 100% essential.
You might find us in the sitting room, hall, drawing room, library or even the garden, depending on what’s happening at the castle, which is rather more interesting than being told “your table is number 17, underneath the fire extinguisher.”
So, is it the best afternoon tea in the Lake District?
Well, that’s for you to decide.
We’re confident enough to make the case, we’re proud of what comes out of our kitchen, we love that our afternoon tea isn’t quite like everyone else’s, and we love that you can eat it in a castle without feeling that you’ve accidentally wandered into a formal dining examination.
We also love the fact that people come back, sometimes with someone new, sometimes for a birthday, sometimes because they were given a voucher and sometimes, presumably, because they remembered the scones.
So perhaps the better question isn’t:
“Is Augill Castle’s afternoon tea officially the best in the Lake District?”
It’s:
“Would we recommend making the journey for it?”
Absolutely.
Come hungry, come curious and, if you’re the sort of person who believes an afternoon tea isn’t complete without a heated debate about jam and cream, come prepared to defend your position.
We’ll put the kettle on.
FAQs
Is Augill Castle’s afternoon tea in the Lake District?
Augill Castle is in the Eden Valley, Cumbria, close to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. It’s a great option if you’re looking for afternoon tea near the Lake District rather than necessarily inside the national park itself.
How much is afternoon tea at Augill Castle?
Afternoon tea is currently £25 per adult, or £35 with a glass of Prosecco or another drink from the bar. Children’s afternoon tea for under-12s is £15.
What is included in Augill Castle afternoon tea?
Augill’s re-invented afternoon tea includes seasonal savoury treats, cakes and mini desserts, freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream, plus tea, coffee or a drink from the bar. The savoury selection changes with the seasons.
Does Augill Castle afternoon tea include sandwiches?
Not usually in the traditional finger-sandwich sense. Augill’s afternoon tea replaces the conventional sandwich course with a changing selection of savoury treats such as toasted panini, savoury brioche sliders, mini tartlets, prawn cocktails and savoury fritters.
What time is afternoon tea served at Augill Castle?
Afternoon tea is served daily between 2pm and 5pm, and advance booking is essential because capacity is limited.
Can children have afternoon tea at Augill Castle?
Yes. A children’s portion is available for children under 12 at £15. Augill is deliberately relaxed and family-friendly, with food designed to be enjoyed together rather than children being separated from the adults.
Can I buy an afternoon tea voucher?
Yes. Augill Castle offers afternoon tea gift vouchers, including an afternoon tea for two and an afternoon tea for two with fizz.
To book an afternoon tea near the Lake District, you can jump on the links here, or give Augill Castle a call on +44 17683 41937
