Sheer poetry in historic County Durham, the land of Byron

THERE are a few key ingredients to enjoying a short break away.

There’s the look and the welcome, and the food, the drink and the comfy bed at the end of an evening.

But we’ve not even got as far as any of that at Seaham Hall in County Durham and it’s scaled the heights in our estimation.

It sits in 37 acres of landscaped gardens on a stunning clifftop location which we appreciate as we arrive along the coast road, stopping by the old pre-Viking church next to the beach.

It’s absolutely stunning, dominating the headland and with Heritage Coast views that stretch for miles. The building has the wow factor, too.

It’s a restored Georgian Country House, once the marital home of Lord Byron, the most renowned of Romantic poets. It dates back to 1791 and has gone through many incarnations, including as a TB sanatorium. It’s now a five-star boutique spa hotel, having been given a loving and luxurious revamp.

And from the moment we walk into the reception it oozes class and sophistication.

Our bags are whisked magically to our room. Did I say room? I meant suite.

There are 21 of them, from the junior variety which, honestly, is anything but junior, to the penthouse.

Not a touch has been overlooked, from carpets you could lose yourself in to massive TVs and a smart tablet to browse, view and order to your heart’s content.

The bathroom is massive with his-and-hers sinks and even a candle and a rubber duck for the sunken bath!

The cares of the world have already drifted far away, but if there are any lingering elements they are literally soothed into submission at the adjoining Serenity Spa complex.

You don’t even need to step outside the door in your fluffy white gown. A tunnel links it to the hotel and even that is special, a winding wooden pathway over a bubbling river.

The Ishga hot stone treatment almost sends us drifting off to sleep, but a bit of a swim reinvigorates us for dinner.

There are two restaurants; Byrons and our choice, the pan-Asian Ozone attached to the spa. An open kitchen adds to the theatre and everything from the duck pancakes to the Thai-style fish cakes was sensational.

We hear even more of the history with a post-dinner tour of the wine cellar where Prohibition-era whisky was bottled, taken through a tunnel to the beach and shipped to America.

If we needed any help getting to sleep, even that’s been taken into consideration with the turn-down service including a soothing spray on the pillows.

The temptation, unsurprisingly, is never to leave the serenity of Seaham. Why would you want to? But historic Durham is just 20-or-so minutes away and we tear ourselves away for a look-see.

Dominating the skyline, as it has done for centuries, is the famous cathedral.

The best views have always been from the top of the tower but it’s sheathed in scaffolding and polythene and undergoing a major renovation. On a previous visit I did get the chance to scale the heights, climbing all 325 steps, and the views were indeed simply sensational.

With that not possible today we just take in the magnificence of this 1000-year-old religious gem which is very much still a working place of worship.

The Cathedral and the adjacent Castle are an UNESCO World Heritage Site and several tours a day are available round the latter. But we head down an alley between both and turn right down the ever-steepening path to the River Wear.

On each corner by the 15th Century Framwellgate bridge there are coffee shops, and one proves an ideal refreshment stop, looking on to the river just feet below.

More pampering and relaxation at Seaham beckons, but before then we take the opportunity to catch up with another of the area’s great attractions, Beamish.

It’s an open air heritage museum where the past comes splendidly to life.

Costumed characters really enter into the roles as they boil up sweeties in the old-fashioned shop or bake goodies in cottages.

We board a clattering tram and, for an even earlier travel experience, there’s the Pockerley Waggonway.

Three classrooms have been rebuilt and we see bright-eyed kids get lessons from the days before whiteboards and laptops.

It’s a day out that really does appeal to the young as much as the old.

Yet, after this fantastic step into yesteryear, we can’t wait to get back to Seaham for an even more fabulous slice of the here and now.

Facts

An overnight stay in one of the 21 individually-designed suites costs from £195 for two sharing, including a full English breakfast and access to the superb spa from noon on the day of arrival.

For more information, call Seaham Hall on 0191 516 1400 or visit seaham-hall.co.uk.

For information on all County Durham’s attractions visit thisisdurham.com