Originally built as a farmstead in 1747, this four-star award winning Inn and Restaurant features a well stocked bar,featuring 5 cask ales and over 20 varieties of organic wines, a cosy fireplace with wood-burning stove in the winter and a sunny conservatory within a secret walled garden for enjoying the sunshine.
Taken over in 2005 by Richard and Dee Slade, Battlesteads has quickly gained a reputation as a friendly, family run hotel, offering a warm welcome, comfortable accommodation and excellent food.
Battlesteads has 17 en-suite rooms with colour television, DVD, freeview, ironing boards and hairdryer; all have been carefully modernised.
Four ground floor rooms have facilities for the disabled and are within easy, level, access of the bar, restaurant and parking.
Broadband access is available in all rooms. Pets are welcome (by prior arrangement).
For the discerning food fan, the tasteful décor of the 80-seat Battlesteads restaurant is reflected in the choice of tasty food. Head Chef Eddie Shilton sources prime local ingredients to ensure freshness and flavour, including seasonal game, Cumbrian beef and Northumbrian lamb. Fish and seafood come from North Shields Fish Quay. Look out for dishes including oak smoked duck, chicken and salmon from nearby Bywell Smokery. Vegetarian choices are always available. All of our eggs are free-range and fresh herbs are grown in our herb garden.
We are continually expanding our green endeavours to ensure that your stay in the hotel has the minimum environmental impact.
All lighting uses low-energy light bulbs resulting in the whole hotel using less energy for lighting than the bar area alone in 2006.
Battlesteads features an innovative woodchip burning biomass boiler which supplies heating and hot water to the entire hotel using sustainable fuel from forestry only 1 mile away, meaning virtually carbon neutral!
The surplus heat generated is used to heat our polytunnels which provide herbs and salad vegetables even in winter months. We also have herb gardens and salad gardens on either side of the main garden area. Planting of soft fruits and root vegetables is continuing in our kitchen garden throughout 2009/10. Rainwater is captured in our new tank to provide water for the entire garden and planters.
The walled garden you can see from the conservatory is specially planted to encourage wildlife - the boilerhouse has a bat box and an owl box, we have lots of bird-feeders to encourage the many smaller species in the area; see how many you can identify - we have binoculars in the conservatory to help you.
Badgers, foxes, herons and red squirrels (we support red squirrels) are frequently reported and a family of otters can be seen in early morning on the river next to the bridge. In spring you can view displays of wild garlic and the most amazing vistas of bluebells - we encourage you to report any interesting sightings in our guest log.
Please ask about local walks and places of interest.
Enjoy your stay and tell us about your finds and adventures!
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ACCOMMODATION DETAILS AND PRICES. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING AVAILABILITY, PLEASE ENQUIRE, USING THE FORM BELOW.
