PENRITH
RIBBLEHEAD VIADUCT
The search each year for somewhere different, and indeed with different attractions, always proves challenging, and the economic situation has certainly made things more complicated, with some potential venues closing for ever and surviving hotels & venues trying to recover their losses by escalating prices. Worse, after the pound collapsed against the euro following Brexit, a large number of continental workers found it was no longer viable to work in hospitality and send money back to families so went home and never came back.
This has meant dealing with hotels has become seriously difficult as staff shortages has resulted in a lot of cases people have been promoted beyond their abilities or without adequate training. Getting sensible quotes has become a nightmare with event managers (?) reading from scripts and unable to allow leeway. Frequently the most important factor is ‘the contract’ regardless of whether the basics have been dealt with!
The above two paragraphs are untouched from the schedules for 2025 and 2026. They have proved particularly appropriate when planning 2027 where once again CPS (Clarkson’s Pub Syndrome) has made life difficult!
However this time with the hotel I was delighted to find the events manager Rose was still there ten years after I had used the North Lakes Hotel as a start venue for the first Haggis Trail and she knows what she is doing!
The negotiations went smoothly and the hotel is booked, the only downside is that initially only forty-five rooms are available as the hotel has ongoing commitments year on year. The 17th Credit Crunch filled all forty-seven rooms at Ettington and I had to turn away three late bookers so to guarantee a place please respond quickly as reservations will be on a first come, first served basis. I do, however, have an overspill hotel about a mile away.
The North Lakes Hotel is ideally placed just off the M6 and has a swimming pool and leisure facilities although spa treatment has to be pre-booked and paid for separately.
The itinerary is as follows:
Sunday, April 11th. Arrivals during the day at the 4-star North Lakes Hotel followed by dinner at 7pm.
Monday, April 12th. We take a scenic run via backroads to the famous Ribblehead viaduct. The route takes in pretty villages including Appleby and Hawes.
There will be a morning coffee halt at the Fat Lamb, Ravenstonedale, a favourite watering hole for car clubs over many years and it has its own collection of motoring memorabilia.
This is where CPS (Clarkson’s Pub Syndrome) came in after my first recce as the original intention had been to visit Wensleydale Cheese experience and the Wallace & Gromit display.
The person in charge of entry to the actual cheese viewing was very helpful but told me I had to contact the experience (note not experienced!) manager. No matter how I tried she would not speak to me over the following three weeks, only dealing via email, and basically it was ‘the answer is no, now what’s the question?’
Faced with total intransigence, baffling in view of the fact I was guaranteeing a potential hundred people for both the experience and restaurant for lunch, I threw in the sponge and resorted to plan B.
So plan B is that we travel to the Ribblehead viaduct to get a view of this magnificent structure and drive underneath, although you can take pot luck and drop in to Wensleydale and take a look at the Wallace & Gromit exhibition (it really is good with huge knitted figures!) and also there’s a glass walled room to look at the cheese production. Instructions will be in the road book!
It’s then off to Glenridding via the stunning Kirkstone Pass for lunch at The Inn On The Lake and an afternoon cruise on Ullswater.
The short run back to the hotel skirts Ullswater for most of the way.
Dinner 7pm. Mileage for day 112.
Tuesday, April 13th. This morning we’re collected by coach and taken to Carlisle to catch the train to Settle, traversing fabulous scenic countryside and going over the world famous Ribblehead Viaduct you went under yesterday.
After a leisurely lunch in Settle we then board the train back to Carlisle where the coach will be waiting.
Dinner 7pm. Mileage for day – 0.
Wednesday, April 14 th. Departure for home unless you’re staying the extra night. If you do decide to stay a special rate of £145 per person D, B&B applies, again based on two people sharing. However this offer is only available if you reserve at the time of booking.
There’s still plenty more to see in the area, but you could, of course, just chill out and take advantage of the swimming pool and spa facilities.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS PLEASE DEAL VIA
Country Lane Tours
WHEN PEOPLE CONTACT THE HOTEL DIRECT IT INEVITABLY LEADS TO CONFUSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CREDIT CRUNCH SPECIAL 2027. The package costs the same as 2026 at £745 per person (based on two people sharing a room) for three nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast and entry to all attractions. Single supplement £75 per night.
Included in the price are the following:
- Three nights’ accommodation on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis at the four-star North Lakes Hotel, Penrith
- Morning coffee and biscuits at Fat Lamb, Ravenstonedale
- Light buffet lunch at The Inn On The Lake, Glenridding
- Two hour afternoon cruise on Ullswater
- Coach to Carlisle and back
- Train from Carlisle to Settle and back
- Light buffet lunch in Settle
- Information pack on arrival with leaflets on local attractions
- Rally plate
- Windscreen sticker
- Plus more and a few surprises!
ENTRY FORM – 2027 CREDIT CRUNCH SPECIAL
April 11th – 14th (15th)
This event is only offered to people on the Country Lane Tours postal mailing list and entries are limited, so if you’re thinking of coming act quickly to ensure a place!
Name (driver)……………………………………………………………………….....
Name (co-driver)………………………………………………………………………
Car (if known)……………………………….Year………………Reg………….......
Address & Post Code…………………………………………………………………...
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Tel. No……………………Mobile……………………Email……………….…………
Do you wish to stay Wednesday evening?...................................................................
Amount enclosed £…………………………Date…………………………………….
!!!ADMIN IS KEPT TO A MINIMUM ON THIS EVENT SO FULL AMOUNT IS PAYABLE!!!
ANY, REPEAT ANY special requirements (vegetarian, dislikes, twin beds, mobility, etc.)? THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS THINGS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE ON THE DAY! EVERYTHING IS TREATED WITH STRICTEST CONFIDENCE!
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Please make cheque payable to Country Lane Tours, and send with form to Country Lane Tours, Tirionfa, Bodfari Road, Llandyrnog, Denbigh, LL16 4HP. Entry fees are refundable in full (less £10 admin fee) up to January 30th2027.
In order to obtain the low price non-refundable deposits and payments have to be made to the hotel, attractions, etc. well in advance so regrettably after February 1st no refund is possible.
NOTE!!!!!! There are 45 rooms reserved at North Lakes Hotel so if you wish to be certain of a place please book quickly as once the 45 places have gone people will be allocated rooms at an overspill hotel. In addition there is a variety of rooms and the superior ones will be allocated as usual on a first come, first served basis. Participants in previous Credit Crunch Weekends have priority notification.
Space precludes a detailed description of everything you will see, so the details here are necessarily a synopsis. However, the leisurely daily mileage allows plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery and quiet roads as well as the hotel facilities. If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to call me on 01824 790280, or email countrylanetours@gmail.com.
Please note! There may be slight variations in the advertised schedule if conditions dictate – or CPS happens!
If you wish to pay by bank transfer the details are:
Bank: Santander
Account Name: Country Lane Tours
Account Number: 02149028
Sort Code: 09-01-50
IBAN: GB77ABBY09015002149028
IT IS CRUCIAL IF PAYING BY TRANSFER YOU SEND THE COMPLETED ENTRY FORM WITH THE PAYMENT MARKED TRANSFER!!!!!
