A couple of weeks ago I visited Centre Parcs at Whinfell Forest just outside of Penrith to celebrate a friends birthday. We went for a long weekend arriving on Friday evening and leaving on Monday morning.

Having never visited Centre Parcs before I wasn’t sure what to expect and was really surprised by the activity and restaurant options. I also really liked the fact that everyone arrives and leaves on designated days so there are no cars on site over the weekend (fantastic if you have kids in your group).

We decided to bring our own food for the majority of our stay and chose to eat out on our last night. Our lodge was lovely and had recently been revamped. It had everything we needed and the modern decor reflected our surroundings perfectly.

On the Saturday we opted to play badminton in the huge sports hall then went for a swim in the pool complex. There were numerous slides, a wave machine, outside pool and jacuzzi. It was very busy as we went in the middle of August but would be fantastic in the quieter months. I can imaging spending hours and hours sitting by the pool, eating, swimming and relaxing.

Sunday was our day at Aqua Sana Spa. It had everything. A Balinese Multi-Steam Bath, Greek Herbal Bath, Ice Fountain, Indian Blossom Steam Room, Japanese Salt Steam Bath, Footbaths, Spa Pool, Turkish Hammam, Tyrolean Sauna, Water Beds, Zen Garden and Outside Pool. We decided to spend the whole day there and didn’t run out of things to keep us occupied. The spa was filled with sun loungers and chairs to relax in and each spa experience had it’s own sensory shower that had multiple options to cool off.

That night we had dinner at Bella Italia which I really enjoyed. I had calamari to start and a calzone for main and some mini doughnuts for dessert. It was the perfect way to round off a fantastic weekend.

Every few months the Continental Market comes to town. It’s an opportunity to buy olives, breads, cheeses, jewellery and accessories that you wouldn’t normally see in the local shops. It’s also a great excuse to treat yourself to some hot food and unique drinks. This time round we had paella, potatoes provencal , mango beer (which Tom said tastes like cider), pimm’s and to top it off churros (long thin Spanish doughnuts).

What’s your favourite treat from your nearest market?

The Andalusian is one of my favourite places to eat in Carlisle. I just love tapas and The Andalusian has the widest range I’ve found. There are two tapas choices £6 each/3 for £16 and £7 each/3 for £19 but of course you can mix and match.

What we ate: Deep fried brie coated in bread crumbs and served with sweet chilli sauce. / Salt and pepper squid deep fried in a crispy batter and served with garlic mayonnaise. / Hand cut chips. / Jalapeno peppers filled with cream cheese, served with sweet chilli sauce & garlic mayonnaise.

I also recommend the creamy chicken strips, pil pil prawns and the Andalusian nachos.

What we drank: It was my friends birthday so I asked the barman to make us something special. The birthday cocktail was fresh, fruity and sweet! We may have had a couple of glasses of wine afterwards..

Although The Andalusian is not cheap the quality is excellent and they do offer a great deal on main meals on Sundays where you can get two courses for £12.95 or three for £16.95. The menu has also recently been expanded to include thin crust pizzas which I am sure I will get to sample soon!

Recently I was fortunate enough to win a voucher for a meal for two at The Conservatory Restaurant in The Crown Hotel at a charity night hosted by Belle Wedding Boutique. The Conservatory Restaurant isn’t somewhere we would normally choose due to it’s location just outside of Carlisle in the pretty little village of Wetheral. I had to drive! However it was nice to try somewhere we might not have visited otherwise.

On arrival we were seated in the lounge where our drinks order was taken and we were given appetisers which included tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and a selection of nuts.

We were then taken to the main restaurant which looks out onto the beautifully pruned gardens of the hotel. For my starter I chose chicken caesar salad which was fresh, crisp and enjoyable. We were then given a mango sorbet which was thick and very tasty. My main was sole with mussels, prawns and squid. Again I thoroughly enjoyed it and was very pleased with my choice.

Instead of dessert we opted for tea and coffee as our two courses were more than enough for an evening meal. The bill was just over £60 which was very reasonable as it included our drinks (a large glass of wine, two glasses or orange juice and a bottle of still water) and I really couldn’t fault the service.

Overall we had a lovely dinner, enjoyed the food and were impressed by the attentive staff.

Thursday saw the launch of Reef Club upstairs in the newly refurbished Walkabout Carlisle. The company have spent £500,000 on the venue and have also made improvements to the food menu and outdoor space.

The red carpet was rolled out and we were given a glass of fizz on arrival. Carl Hull provided the music for the evening and some of the food, like the new mini burgers, was available to sample.

Downstairs there is more of a laid back cafe feel with a new wooden bar which rolls forwards in waves and a circular VIP area beside the dance floor. Upstairs features fairy lights over individual wooden booths and projections of underwater scenes.

 

On the whole Walkabout has undergone quite a change. I still don’t see myself heading there on a night out but I would be more likely to pop in for lunch, to watch the football or catch some live music.