Spa Canada Magazine

We Are Going to Bovey Castle!

We Are Going to Bovey Castle!

James Knight, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(Saying Elementary my Dear Watson, from the lips of the great British detective Sherlock Holmes, a most famous quotation)

To escape London, the noise, the crowds and the traffic: that was my mission, to “go west, young man” as they say, to the county of Devon, two hours by train from London. My destination was Bovey Castle, in Devon, which is a county, like a US State. Bovey Castle is in the national park of Dartmoor, and with it's rolling hills and lush English greenery it is ideal for walkers, golfers and outside pursuits.

Bovey Castle is famous for many events, and the most well-known is as the setting of "The Hounds of the Baskervilles", the well-known Sherlock Holmes mystery. Filming took place there, with the famous Basil Rathbone playing Sherlock Holmes. In black and white it looks like there is a permanent fog over the house and moors, just the old black and white movie film I expect. They say a hound haunts the moors. Was I about to find out, or is there just an eagle to scare them off? All will be revealed at a page near you.

There are a number of ways of arriving at Bovey Castle. One is by helicopter with it's own landing pad. You can also have a Land Rover to collect you either at Exeter St. David's Station, which is two hours from Paddington in Central London. I arranged this. It is about 40 minutes from the station, or they can collect you from Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. The hotel has many North American visitors, and tours are often arranged as part of a European tour or just to visit Bovey Castle.

I arrived on a day where the warmth of Devon was there to enjoy. Devon is a part of the English Riviera, where palm trees grow and the rents are not low. Before you ask, Devon cream and actual sandy beaches are the county's trademarks, very popular with tourists of all ages, with a milder climate than London.

“It is not a stuffy place”, says Jeremy Rata. He is so right, and has effortlessly exceeded the traditional expectations of a five-star luxury hotel by implanting his own brand of Dartmoor living for guests' pleasure. Bovey Castle is a countryside retreat away from noise and traffic, where you can hear birds sing, the air is clear, noise is none, a retreat away from city living.

WELCOMING, HOMELY SPA FOR GUESTS

Bovey Spa believes in giving you plenty of choice. You can create your own day package, with advice from the staff to select the perfect treatments for you, and time is not too much trouble.

Many spas I visit might be luxurious and very clinical. Bovey Castle spa is one of the most homey spas I have found on my travels, has six spacious treatment rooms, includes a hydrotherapy bath, and there is a full range of treatments, which I will talk about in the following article, and the product brand well-known internationally as Elemis.

Over 5.7 million spa goers favour the brand. I can see why. With, Elemis the spa has created the Bovey Sensory Heaven. This is a dynamic treatment that draws inspiration from the healing aromas of essential oils and lets the flowing massage techniques inspire your body's natural restorative ability. Hot stones are used to penetrate deep into your muscles and enhance the effect of the essential oils to increase vitality and energy in the body. There are a number of spa packages available.

Afternoon Escape Bovey Bliss has been created to release the tension in your body through a powerful combination of massage and hot stones for the back. Seven times as effective as a Swedish massage, this treatment will leave you deeply relaxed and rejuvenated. Combined with your hot stones will be an Elemis facial, including exfoliation, mask and scalp massage leaving you feeling and looking absolutely great. What a way to spent a leisurely afternoon!

Delight of Dartmoor Spa Day: select either an Elemis Advance Performance Facial or an Elemis Advanced Anti-Ageing Facial. The Advanced Performance Facials have been formulated to treat difficult, sensitive skins, while the Anti-Ageing Facials concentrate on plumping and restoring skin radiance. These superior facial treatments are enhanced by luxurious hand, arm and scalp massage for the ultimate clients' therapy.

How about a blissful back treatment? Take in the healing aroma of essential oils whilst the vitality and energy from the hot stones penetrate deep into your muscles and enhance the powerful effect of the oils. What a wonderful way to let the time drift away!
There are special treatments for men, including the Anti-Aging Elemis combined with the dynamic and immediate tension relief of the Elemis Deep Tissue Massage, so guys, great way of getting rid of the grime of the city life with this delightful treatment.

Within the spa complex there is a Art Deco pool, which could quite easily be the setting of an Agatha Christie play. It is a superb pool, which looks out over the grounds.

GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF DARTMOOR

Countryside and rolling valleys are all you see on the horizon, so much more than being a townie. Before breakfast I decided to go for a walk in the grounds. It is such a change not to hear noise, no trains or cars, just the sound of birds and the country. Us townies and city dwellers most certainly appreciate that. From my bedroom window, the rolling hills of Dartmoor are a great view of the landscape. If you love the open spaces of Canada, this will appeal to you. It feels as if you could have a conversation with nature.

If you love walking, you will embrace Bovey Castle. There are great walks into Dartmoor and through the grounds of the hotel. It is a keep-fit, enjoyable regime, where walking is very much a part of your stay.

DECADE OF CULINARY EXPERIENCE

This year has seen the arrival of the critically acclaimed chef Roger Olsson,  who brings with him more than a decade of culinary experience at some of the top one, two and three-star Michelin restaurants in London. His aim is to make Bovey Castle one of the leading acclaimed restaurants outside London. His long-term vision for Bovey Castle is to develop the immense potential of the hotel's professional kitchen team, push the limits of cooking with the produce they use and exceed our patrons' expectations of dining at Bovey Castle.

There are two restaurants, the more exclusive one offering a menu to match the top restaurant in the country, with the more traditional furniture you would expect. The bistro, with it's modern colour scheme of orange, black and grey slate walls, is very open-planned and relaxed, with the variety of menu you would expect from an up-market bistro.

EDWARDIAN GRILL

Art Deco style, candlelight,
hand painted Chinoiserie wall coverings, and there is a great, diverse menu. Main meals include:

Pan Fried Halibut, Pea Puree, Lardons, Baby Gem, Mint and Lie de Vin, the succulent Pork Tenderlion, Confit Turnip, Boulangere Potato, Roast Carrot, Thyme Jus, also a great favourite, the Beef Wellington, Jerusalem Artichoke Puree, Spinach, and Sauce Albuferia for two.

CASTLE BISTRO MENU

The Beef Burger prime beef, Faccacia Bap, Baby Greens, Vine Tomatoes and Hand Cut Crisps, I can say it is in-line with American burgers.

Grilled 220g Rib Eye or Beef, or try the Baked Salmon, Noodles, Coconut Broth, Carlander, Julienne of Vegetables, Chilli, Bean Sprouts and Lime.

All so succulent it just makes you want to try so many different meals on the menu.

WHISKY A GO, GO

In the main bar there is a display of whisky bottles that would take a year for you to drink your way through, and they take you around the world. The bar is oak panelled, very traditional, but relaxing. It is like an English country home. The rooms all link together so you can walk right through the rooms, from the Cathedral room, which has a high ceiling, with wood beams, similar to what you would find in a cathedral, and wall paintings. You would expect a King and Queen together to meet their royal guests in the room. To me, it is very regal.

EAGLE HAS LANDED AT BOVEY CASTLE

While I was staying at Bovey Castle, I attended the falconry display. It is the only hotel in England to own an eagle, which can be seen flying in a breath-taking display at the hotel.

Artemis is a cross between a golden and a steppes eagle, with a 7.6 foot wingspan, and an appetite for rats and mice. Martin Whitely, who runs the Dartmoor School of Falconry, spell-bound the audience, from young children to adults, with a incredible display. Falconry has become a very popular event. All the audiences' cameras were in big demand to take photos to show their friends back home. A face barn owl as also on display, and for young people there is the Bovey Rangers.

INSPIRING VIEW

There is a great selection of rooms to choose from: single, classic, castle rooms, superior castle rooms, suites, including junior suites, state, and grand state. Rooms have stunning views, either over the valley, courtyard or first tee. All are of a very high standard of finish. Within the grounds there are 14 private three-bedroom lodges, ideal for families or friends staying with you, with all modern amenities.

I WANT TO BE A BOVEY RANGER

Younger guests can often feel neglected at some hotels, and parents may also feel there is nothing for them to do. Bovey Castle most certainly caters to the little ones. A club called the Bovey Rangers has been founded, and it encourages the younger guests to use their imagination, go into the fresh air, and have fun outdoors. There is a full program and many events, including raft building, archery, pistol and rifle shooting, falconry, rock climbing, and golf lessons. What a great time young people have at Bovey Castle, instead of sitting in front of a games console.

THE OLD COURSE AT BOVEY CASTLE

The Old Course at Bovey Castle is most certainly challenging. It is also a very beautiful 18-hole championship course. It was designed in 1926 by
J.F. Abercromby, one of the finest British golf course designers of the recognized Golden Era.

At the time, it was designed to rival it's sister courses at Gleneagles and Turnberry. It is a challenge for us amateurs and professionals alike. The Old Course is surrounded by water on three sides, and the manicured greens are absorbed into the surroundings of the Dartmoor National Park, so be

prepared for a course that will test the best golfers in the world. In the month of June Sky Sports features one of the Professional Circuit pro-am events on the course, and it is televised globally.

A STARRING ROLE FOR BOVEY CASTLE THIS YEAR

In February this year, Bovey Castle was featured on the BBC TV reality show Michel Roux's Service, focusing on the high levels of service that Bovey Castle has become well-known for the world over. The hotel was featured as a training venue for Michel Roux's eight young recruits, all of whom were looking to win a six-month scholarship at two of London's top hotels and become front-of-the-house superstars. The program was fascinating viewing, shown across the world. Michel Roux has become an instant hit with the public and a number of the young people featured have also found jobs in hotels and restaurants around the world.

Service was the key element of the program, and waiting on the tables to the high standards we would expect at Bovey Castle. In the series, Roux also featured his own restaurant in London.

Now was time for me to depart back to Exeter to take my train back to London, back to the noise and stress of city life. My trip was a relaxing visit to Dartmoor, but where was Sherlock, I ask?