Cowley Manor picnic review

Forget soggy sandwiches and sub-standard scotch eggs, the humble British picnic has been taken to a stylish new level at Cowley Manor Hotel near Cheltenham.

Stripy blanket slung over one shoulder and wicker basket in hand, as we strolled though some of Cowley Manor’s 55 acres our stomachs growled in anticipation of tucking into the Cotswold hotel’s signature summer picnic, before we were shown to our private spot for the afternoon.

Aptly named ‘the cascade’, our slice of secluded bliss was situated by a storybook waterfall, overlooking a green lake complete with graceful swans – in short, a place prime for popping a big question – with only the slightly grey skies casting a shadow on our excitement.

Staff member gone and it didn’t take us long to pick the seemingly never-ending series of delightful brown paper packages, yes all tied up with string, out of the basket. Hand-written postage labels marked the delectable contents, and as we laid our banquet out on the blanket, we argued over which boxes to break into first.

Crunching on crudités dipped in a pot of runny houmous, we decided a free for all was in order, and found ourselves feasting on forkfuls of a vibrant tomato and basil salad, between bites of rare beef sandwiched between crusty bread and slathered with homemade piccalilli. While feasting straight from boxes was certainly fun, we agreed plates would have also been nice.

The creamy salmon and leek tart was the joint favourite, filled with hunks of juicy fish and sliced in two; while the sausage roll combined flaky pastry and lightly-spiced Old Spot to be the best we’ve ever tried. That’s not forgetting the homemade corned beef which was rich and meaty and unidentifiable from the tinned variety.

For liquid refreshment, we had the key to a chest chocked full of cool-box chilled champagne, wine and coca-cola, thankful that Cowley Manor’s professional picnickers didn’t forget the bottle opener. Napkins were a definite necessity for us clumsy picnickers, which we discovered were omitted however, when a bottle of beer got the elbow.

While feeling pretty full already the selection of local cheeses accompanied by grapes, chutney and buttery thyme biscuits were delightful; with moist slices of lemon drizzle cake lending sweetness to proceedings; before we moved onto the box overflowing with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries which cried out for the lashings of cream kept cool in the chest.

With bellies full and the bevies flowing, we laid back on the blanket, undid the top button of our trousers and watched the butterflies float by. ‘All we need now is a bell to ring for more champagne,’ my companion joked, basking in the intermittent sunshine.

After a while grey clouds rolled overhead and a few splashes made way for frantic packing away. But what if the British weather gets up to its old tricks before the feast is finished? According to the general manager, blankets can be spread out in one of Cowley Manor’s private dining rooms for alfresco dining, well, without the fresco.

While we initially baulked at the princely £45 price tag per couple (before drinks), the evident attention to detail and thoughtful touches, as well as the exquisite quality of the pint-sized parcels made the novel experience seem like excellent value – particularly for a special treat, a romantic gesture or a novel lunch date.

Cowley Manor has revolutionised stylish alfresco dining and can take pride in being home to Gloucestershire’s poshest picnic. Shop bought snacks and cucumber sandwiches won’t be getting a sideways look now that we’ve seen picknicking done with such pizazz.

For more information about enjoying a picnic at Cowley Manor call (01242) 870900, visit cowleymanor.com, email stay@cowleymanor.com or see Cowley Manor Hotel. And don't miss SoGlos.com's Cowley Manor Picnic photo gallery too.

Michelle Byrne
2 August 2010