Land Rover Experience, Peckforton Castle

There are few things which scream ‘Britishness’ quite as much as the iconic Land Rover Defender. Together with the original Mini and the Jaguar E Type, the Defender represents cool Britannia on four wheels.

A firm favourite of Her Majesty, the original Land Rover Series was released over 68 years ago. 2 million vehicles later, production finally ended in January this year when the last Defender rolled off the production line.

I was recently invited by Land Rover to take one of the final production Defender’s off-road around the stunning Peckforton Castle in leafy Cheshire.

The Land Rover Experience Drives provide you with the opportunity to sample from the driver’s seat just what their amazing vehicles are capable of as you’re guided around several obstacles, from gravity-defying muddy climbs, to sheer drops and water crossings. 

You’re provided with a choice of vehicles to use, from the luxurious Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, to the versatile Discovery and beautifully compact Discovery Sport. 

Exceptional as each of these vehicles undoubtedly are, I wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to drive a British national treasure in its most natural habitat. There was only one choice for me - the trusty Defender, dutifully guarded by Perry the peacock.

The experiences are led by professional instructors who are at pains to ensure that you have an enjoyable and safe visit. Our instructor, Andy, began by giving us a briefing in the safety of the reception area. He wanted to learn more about us and asked what type of cars we drove, when I answered “a black one” I think he grasped just how limited my car knowledge is.

Andy took the wheel initially and drove us out of the Castle gates and on to the off-road track. He not only had an impressive knowledge of the car but was also able to navigate us around the beautiful Cheshire countryside we were exploring, stopping us at certain vantage points to look across to Liverpool and Wales. 

We wound our way up the bendy track into the wilderness, the landscape and scenery changing constantly as we climbed up to higher ground, with a sheer 200ft drop to our right. The Castle’s grounds are incredibly beautiful, especially at this time of year. A sea of vibrant greens meet your eye everywhere you look.

As we drove to the off-road course Andy explained why Land Rovers are so capable in tough conditions. The Defender has 12 forward gears and 2 reverse, equally divided between high-range (for road driving) and low-range (for off-road and more slippery terrain), and with a gutsy engine, permanent four-wheel drive and a high ground clearance the Defender can cover ground like very few vehicles.

Once we reached safer ground it was my turn to get behind the wheel. The interior is simple yet practical, with an unexpected touch of luxury in the form of Alcantara headlining.

Originally intended for use by the army, it is like nothing I’ve driven before. Completely robust, the Defender gives you great confidence to tackle whatever lies in front of you. With the low ratio gears engaged, none of the obstacles stopped the car in its tracks.

First gear in low-range takes you to a speed not much quicker than walking pace. Over challenging terrain slow-but-steady is the name of the game; a message which I’m told was lost in translation when the Russian version of Top Gear visited (tracks designed to be driven at 20mph were driven at 70mph+).

All was going swimmingly until Andy requested that I turn left, off the track and directly into a lake. As we were approaching he explained to me that the water was at the absolute height that the Defender could wade through.

Clearly noting the worried expression on my face he told me to “just go for it, what’s the worst that can happen?!”.

I followed his instructions and dipped the car down into the pool of water, careful not to cause any ripples. Like a swan, the Defender glided calmly across the water, the mechanics working feverishly below the surface taking us to dry land. 

The old quarry is where things really got interesting; the steep inclines and descents pushed me to my boundaries.

Starting with Del’s Dip, which prompted me to shriek “Holy crap!!!” such is the drop. I was then taken to the part of the experience I was most looking forward to, a seesaw for grown ups.

Andy directed me to drive the car up the ramp until all four wheels were on, I then had to nudge carefully forward until the Defender pivoted in the centre. The weight of the vehicle gradually transferred and we dropped down on the other side.

I was then taken to Kings Drop, which had the steepest descent of the day, not for the faint-hearted!

By the end of the session, I’d stopped asking myself whether the Defender could do it and instead wondered whether I could do it. The experience takes you to your absolute limits, but nowhere near the car’s capabilities. 

The Land Rover Experience Drives are a hugely enjoyable way to spend a day. Even if you're not a car enthusiast you will enjoy the adventure.

I can’t imagine a way of having more fun driving without ever exceeding 5mph!

Land Rover Experience

Peckforton Castle, Stone House Lane, Peckforton, Tarporley, CW6 9TN

01829 260 930

Cocktail Saturdays was a guest of Jaguar Land Rover Limited.

Leaf, Liverpool

"Where there’s tea, there’s hope.” 

Us Brits love our tea, apparently we drink over 32 billion cups of it a year. So much so, an independent tearoom and bar in Liverpool has dedicated itself to our favourite pastime, offering over 50 different varieties of teas. 

Leaf, in the city centre, is a quirky, tea-lover’s paradise offering black, white, green, fruit and herbal teas… there’s even a Champagne Cassis option! 

Located in a beautiful art deco building on Bold Street, inside is kitsch with floral lampshades hanging overhead and large leather sofas spread across two floors, creating a nostalgic 1920s feel. The building was in fact a former tea room in the 1920’s before becoming a cinema in the late 20th Century.

I met a friend there one Sunday morning and it was already a hive of activity, people were queuing out of the door for a table, desperate for some tea and cake. Leaf attracts a variety of people and is popular from first thing in the morning for breakfast until late in the evening when the bar thrives. 

I naturally opted for the Champagne tea, a white tea with a delicate flavour. My friend ordered a fruity Blood Orange blend. Both arrived in lovely little “Where there’s tea there’s hope” teapots. 

Each of the teas are available to take away with you in a tin or to buy on the Leaf website, so you can enjoy a little piece of Leaf at home. You can even become a member of the Leaf Tea Club which gives you a yearly subscription of tea.

The ethos behind Leaf is to provide a space that can accommodate creativity and good times. With it’s laid-back, bohemian atmosphere it has become one of the most popular places to visit in Liverpool.

And it’s no surprise why. Not content with offering a huge array of tea, Leaf also hosts gigs, art exhibitions, vintage markets, film screenings as well as a knitting club, a book club and a pudding club!

Leaf

65–67 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4EZ

0151 707 7747

Vila Monte Farm House, Portugal

During a recent trip to Portugal my friend and I stayed at Vila Monte Farm House, located in rural Moncarapacho, in Portugal’s Olhão municipality. 

Set off the beaten track in amongst nine hectares of orange groves and manicured gardens, overlooking the Algarve’s countryside and mountains, it’s the ideal location for those who want to “escape” while on holiday. 

After a busy few weeks, we were in much need of a relaxing holiday. Following a twenty minute taxi ride from Faro airport, we passed through the hotel gates, drove up the winding path through an olive grove and arrived at reception. A handsome young Portuguese man greeted us, offering herbal teas while we checked in.

The decor is inspired by traditional Portuguese architecture, with whitewashed walls, terracotta chimneys and natural woods. The concept behind the resort is boho-chic with a “timeless simplicity”.

The Lobby area is a huge multi-functional open space which is the heart of the hotel. Designed for socialising, there is a large fire-pit at the centre and a long cool white bar topped with a variety of different spirits.

Guests gather around here in the evenings to watch movies together or read in the Library while enjoying cocktails from the bar. Film sessions are organised every evening and during the summer months an open-air cinema is held in the gardens. 

After a guided tour of the hotel, we were taken to our room. We stayed in number 10, a Double Superior which had lovely views looking out at gorgeous bright pink bougainvillea. The room was a mix of crisp white bedding, furniture made from driftwood with pops of colour.

The interiors were designed by Vera Iachia, who has worked with Andy Warhol and Jacques Grange. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful hotels I have stayed in and was clearly designed with total relaxation and comfort in mind. We also had our own little private terrace area which was the perfect place to sit just before sunset.

Each of the 55 guest rooms has its own beach basket with towels, hats and umbrellas for use during your stay. The hotel will even prepare a picnic for guests to take on day trips. Guests can also take part in fishing trips to the Ria Formosa, horseback riding, seafood tasting and trips to the local Olhão market to buy produce with the chef from the hotel. 

Despite all of the activities on offer, we decided on something a bit more challenging…. choosing between which of the two pools we would plonk ourselves by.

Our days at Vila Monte were spent lying in the sun, ploughing our way through good books and drinking local wine. Total bliss!

On the rare occasion that we did want to try something a little more adventurous, we borrowed the hotel’s bicycles to cycle around the grounds, narrowly missing crashing into the citrus trees. 

A highlight of our stay was the delicious food. There are two restaurants, Laranjal and À Terra, both focus on farm-to-plate homely yet healthy food.

The hotel even has its own grocery store which sells a selection of local produce from the Algarve region ranging from olive oils, cheeses, spirits as well as crockery and kitchen goods. The idea being that this strengthens the relationship with the community and, most importantly, local farmers. 

Breakfast was made up of a wide selection of breads, warm pastries, homemade jams and yoghurts with fresh fruit as well as cooked eggs and meats. Made all the more enjoyable while enjoying the stunning views across the mountain range. 

The lunchtime and evening food is designed for sharing and is mostly cooked in a traditional wood oven or Josper grill (conceived by two Catalonian’s to bring out the foods best flavours over a charcoal grill).

The freshly baked breads, bruschetta and wood fired pizzas were incredible. The menu is based on homemade, rustic food using the freshest local ingredients, many of which are grown in Vila Monte's own grounds. 

The hotel has its own aromatic garden filled with herbs and vegetables as well as an orange grove and olive trees where ingredients are grown to be used in the restaurant. Guests are encouraged to wander through the gardens picking mint leaves to take back to their room to make refreshing peppermint teas. 

However, our favourite choice of drink was undoubtedly the wine, most of which comes from local vineyards. I’m not much of a white wine drinker but our lovely waiter recommended we tried a bottle of Beyra which was incredible, especially when sipped poolside!

Vila Monte was the perfect place to stay, the service we received throughout was fantastic, the staff were all genuinely helpful. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an escape to Portugal! It is a little oasis of calm away from the Algarve's touristy beach resorts. That being said, the beach is just 10 minutes away if you do fancy some sand, but the hotel has created a feeling of seclusion and total relaxation that you’ll never want to leave. 

Despite being fully booked while we were there, we never felt that we were in amongst a crowd and at times felt like we had the whole resort to ourselves. If you’re looking for a tranquil retreat in the sun with great food and wine, this is the place!

Vila Monte Farm House

 

*Cocktail Saturdays was a guest of Vila Monte Farm House. 

Albert's Schloss, Manchester

Last weekend during a trip to Manchester my friend and I discovered Albert's Schloss. Located under the famous Albert Hall on Peter Street, the bar-restaurant has been designed as a Bavarian palace, Bavaria being a region of Southern Germany where the locals consume the most beer on the planet. The average annual consumption in the area is 170 litres per person! 

Albert's Schloss is so dedicated to sourcing the best beer that they make weekly beer runs to the Pilsner factory in the Czech Republic to fill the bars 4 x 900 pint copper tanks.

The beer sourced must be drunk within seven days and a board on the barrels counts down the days remaining. This commitment to fresh beer, alongside a unique Alpine cocktail menu, mean Albert's Schloss has become one of the city’s most exciting venues.

The interior is part chateau part Alpine retreat, only with a gigantic bar taking centre stage. Copper piping and wood features heavily with most of the materials being reclaimed, including doors from the former BBC studios on Oxford Road. There are roaring fires, a gentleman’s snug and cozy booths to squish into with your friends.

My favourite feature had to be a button which you can press to have a bottle of Prosecco delivered straight to your table. I’m thinking of installing one of those at home!

We visited on Saturday evening and immediately made full use of the drinks on offer. My memory is a little hazy but I can recall drinking some of the bar’s own range of schnapps, which comes in flavours including chocolate, salted caramel, mint, and orange. In between drinks we danced the night away in front of the band. Live music plays on Friday and Saturday nights, featuring saxophonists and performers who dance on the tables in amongst the crowd.

The bar has an incredible atmosphere. Downstairs there is a free photo booth for visitors to get snap some obligatory selfies.

The following morning we awoke with seriously sore heads and in much need of a hangover cure before catching our trains home. We managed to drag ourselves back to Albert’s having spied the brunch menu the night before. 

A lot of the brunch menu comes from Schloss’s own in-house bakery which creates pretzels, doughnuts and sourdough loaves. Over 200 items are baked fresh everyday and it has become one of Manchester’s finest artisan bakeries.

We both ordered a steaming pot of tea to revive us while we drooled over the menu. I chose poached eggs on a potato rösti with hollandaise and a side of buttery sourdough. 

My friend had smashed avocado, feta and poached eggs on rye with a side of bacon. 

It was the perfect hangover cure, comfort food sat by a fire while drinking copious amounts of tea. The waiter who served us was excellent. We didn’t catch his name but he was so helpful making sure we had everything we needed and explained that we could help ourselves to some freshly made fruit juice. We’ll definitely return next time we’re in Manchester!

Thank you Albert's Schloss, you might have ruined us with drunken debauchery on Saturday night but you thoroughly made up for it with your delicious Sunday brunch. 

Albert's Schloss

27 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QR

0161 833 4040

Charlotte Tilbury Skincare Review

In March I met celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury. You can read more here. I left our meeting with lots of goodies to try but wanted to spend some time using each of the products before I reviewed them. 

I’ve split the reviews into skincare and makeup. Skincare first…

Charlotte’s Magic Cream (£70.00) - For over 20 years Charlotte mixed her own age-defying potion for supermodels and celebrities. It became known in the industry as “Charlotte’s Magic Cream”. It’s a secret mix of anti-age ingredients which are now packaged in a gorgeous vintage style pot for us ordinary folk to buy. The cream itself is very moisturising but settles into the skin without leaving any greasiness, giving a light dewy finish. Would I buy this product? Yes. It really suits my skin which is very sensitive and my makeup sits really nicely on top of it. I’ve received lots of compliments recently about my makeup but I actually think it’s largely down to this product. Although it is on the pricey side, I think it is worth the investment. I’ve been using it now for about two months and am still only half way through the pot. It gives my dehydrated skin a real glow and is the perfect base for my foundation. It also contains SPF which is important in a day-cream!

Magic Night Rescue Cream (£100.00) - This is a really rich luxurious night cream, it feeds your skin overnight with a mix of 8 ingredients, including Winter Daphne Stem Cell Extract and Time-Released Retinol. Would I buy this product? Probably not. It did leave my skin lovely and moisturised but I found it a bit too heavy to put on just before bed (most of it ended up on my pillow which, at £100.00 a pop, is a bit of a waste). I probably should have applied it earlier in the evening to allow it plenty of time to settle in before going to bed but, realistically, I’m not disciplined enough to take my makeup off when I first get home from work. I‘ve still got most of the pot left which I’m going to keep using as a moisturising treatment for whenever my skin feels dry. When I met Charlotte she applied the cream to one of my hands and there was a clear difference when compared to my other hand, so I can definitely attest that it works but, for me, I’d rather use the Magic day cream as a moisturiser. 

Magic Eye Rescue (£40.00) - This claims to reduce the appearance of eye bags and dark circles, smooth crow’s feet, minimise fine lines and re-energise the delicate under eye area. It’s a rich moisturiser which is really refreshing when patted onto the skin. Would I buy this product? Yes. You only have to apply a tiny amount, a little goes a long way so the price doesn’t concern me. I’ve noticed a difference in my under-eye concealer when using this product underneath first. My concealer no longer dries out and creases after a few hours of wear. 

* The above three products can be purchased together as the Magic Skin Trilogy for £195.00

Multi-Miracle Glow (£45.00) - This product comes in a huge pot. It can be used in several ways, either as a cleanser, a mask or a balm. It’s like a gel but is very light on the skin and absorbs nicely. I use it mostly as a cleanser to remove my makeup at the end of each day and it leaves my skin lovely and soft. It has Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil and Cranberry Seed Oil which are anti-oxidant pure oils to moisturise the skin. It also had extracts of frangipani flower to soothe and purify dirt and makeup. Vitamins A, C and E also feature to smooth wrinkles. Basically a wonder product! Would I buy this product? Yes. It’s a gorgeous product to have on display in my bathroom with its rose gold lid and a real treat to use at the end of each day and for the size of the pot I think it’s good value.

Goddess Skin Clay Mask (£45.00) - This mask is based on an ancient Mediterranean beauty recipe, which combines nutrient-rich Spanish clay with Sweet Almond Oil. Would I buy this product? Yes. Unlike other clay masks this one does not dry out and harden. I use it a couple of times a week and my skin looks much brighter afterwards. 

Lip Magic (£25.00) - A soothing lip balm to moisturise and plump the lips. Unlike other balms I’ve used, this works well with lipstick applied on top as it isn’t too greasy. I have actually been using this for daytime with a Charlotte Tilbury lip-pencil and they work really nicely together. Would I buy this product? Probably not. Shortly before I got this I purchased a Chanel lip balm which comes in bullet form, like a lipstick. I prefer this rather than having to put my finger in the pot, which is more hygienic. I’d definitely buy it again if it came in bullet form though as I really like the texture although I think £25.00 is a bit steep for a lip balm.  

Supermodel Body (£45.00) When I met Charlotte she called this “Gisele in a tube”. It is a shimmery product to sculpt your limbs. It has a roll on metal applicator which makes it really easy to highlight down the centre of legs and arms. Would I buy this product? I used this when I was in Portugal recently and it was an ideal product to have on holiday to apply in the evenings and the scent wasn’t unpleasant like a lot of tanning products. I’d definitely buy to use on holiday again but probably wouldn’t buy it for every day use. 

Take It All Off Eye Make Up Remover (£24.00) - An oil-rich cleanser, enriched with soothing organic cornflower water and regenerating Veronica Extract. Two pumps onto a cotton pad removes makeup while also caring for and replenishing the eyes. Would I buy this product? Yes. It removes makeup quickly if you apply it to a warm damp cotton pad and hold it against your eyes for 10 seconds. Makeup comes off with one swipe so no rubbing the delicate eye area. I also like the pump action which makes it really easy to use. 

The Charlotte Tilbury makeup review will follow soon…..

Cocktail Saturdays was a guest of Charlotte Tilbury and was gifted the above products to review.