ASHMOUNT COUNTRY HOUSE

Hospitable Yorkshire B&B in the heart of Brontë country

I HALF EXPECTED TO SEE HEATHCLIFFE striding through the front door as we arrived at Ashmount Country House in the village of Haworth – home of the famous Brontë sisters. Instead, it was a couple of fluffy ducklings who had waddled up from the garden – a welcome sign that we’d be getting fresh eggs for breakfast!

There’s a real touch of Wuthering Heights about this impressive Victorian house set in an acre of gardens.  Ashmount is the former home of Dr Amos Ingham – the physician who tended the famous Brontë sisters – and has plenty of associations with Britain’s most literary family.

Set on the edge of the Yorkshire moors, the house is only minutes from the Brontë family parsonage and the cobblestone village. You can see how these wild and windy moors inspired the sisters' wildly romantic novels – though they would be astonished to peep inside today and see how these once austere Victorian surroundings have been transformed into a seriously indulgent place to stay.

Brontë country plus plus

I’m talking double jacuzzi baths, outdoor private hot tubs ready-made for after-dark starlit soaks with your bottle of bubbly, big four-posters and power showers with more body jets than you know what to do with. This is Brontë country plus plus.

There’s a welcoming feel everywhere at Ashmount – and not just as you enter the lovely sunshine-yellow hallway with its fresh flowers, original Victorian tiled floor and stained glass windows.  Owners Ray and Gill Capeling go the extra mile to make all their guests feel at home – whether lending us a brolly to wander round the village or being as nice as pie when we turned for our scrambled eggs next day just as breakfast was finished.

No sooner had we arrived than we were off again… to check into our suite at Number 21, the former housekeeper’s cottage across the road. And this is definitely a place to call in the champers and put up the Do Not Disturb sign.

There’s a bouncy kingsize canopied bed, squashy sofas and private garden. You’ll also find a decanter of sherry and home made shortbread to nibble on. And where do I start with the bathroom? A whirlpool bath for two with music and mood lighting, not to mention lots of Gilchrist & Soames bubbly stuff and a flatscreen TV that we were soon watching while under the suds sipping an essential glass of champagne!

Ashmount is tailor-made for romantic getaways, and spotless rooms – all different – have been done up in luxurious period style with contemporary finishes. Most come with crisply dressed four-posters, softest bed covers and maybe a handsome Victorian dresser or velvet covered armchair.

The owners have clearly put enormous effort into beautifully restoring the house with huge attention to detail. Wander through the gardens, and you can gaze at the moors that inspired the famous Brontë novels. Or simply pull down the shutters and hop into one of those wicked baths with your very own Heathcliffe.


Ashmount Country House was reviewed for Room for Romance by Lu Wainwright.

Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.

Dining in
Whether you go for the veggie option or the full Yorkshire, breakfast in the light and bright breakfast room is de-lish. Fuel up for a day on the moors with free range eggs, home cured bacon, local black pudding and lots more.

While dinner is not served, there’s a wine card and pizza menu in your room, for in-room suppers. The owners are happy to recommend local restaurants to suit every taste, and guests at Ashmount get vouchers giving 10% off meals in one of the local pubs.

Dining out
If first-rate pub grub is your thing take a short stroll to the Old White Lion, where the warm welcome is just as good s the food. Also close by is Weavers, where excellent British cuisine includes shredded Gressingham duck.

See & Do
You’re just a couple of minutes from Haworth’s cobbled high street and the Brontë family parsonage. This now a fascinating museum dedicated to the family’s life and times.

Wander through the B&B's gardens with their statuary and cherubs, and walk on the wild moors of Wuthering Heights – the views from the top of craggy Top Withens will (literally) blow you away. Once you’ve had your fill of rugged Heathcliffe country, ride on the Keighley & Worth Valley steam railway through scenic countryside, or explore Skipton Castle and the Yorkshire sculpture park.
Shop
Try the woollies for size at the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, trawl for a bargain or two at Holmes Antiques or pick a naughty treat at The Chocolate Box – all in Haworth.The Cheese Place is also a great place for picking up local farm produce.

After dark
There are some cosy local pubs where you can cosy up in the snug and sample some real ales. Watch the sunset over the moors, or pray for a stormy night when you can both just slide under the covers (or the suds!) in your suite while the elements rage outside.

Dates
May
Get your dancing shoes on for Ashmount’s 1940’s weekend. The jitterbug, dashing uniforms and plenty of Glen Miller.

Late October
Sampling the goods should keep you warm on a brisk autumn day at the local Real Ale Festival.

GETTING THERE

Location
Mytholmes Lane, Haworth, Yorkshire  BD22 8EZ

Parking
There is free guest parking.

Trains
Keighley station – 3.5 miles

Taxis
GBP 6 from the station

Airport
Leeds-Bradford – 25 miles

ESSENTIAL INFO

Rates guide
GBP 70-155

Open/closed
Open all year

Check-in
3:30pm

Check-out
10:30

Minimum night stay?
Two nights at weekends

Breakfast
Full Yorkshire breakfast is served until 9:30 – served in bed if you prefer.

Room service
No

Children
Ashmount is strictly grown-ups only.

Pets
No

Air conditioning
No

Languages
English

Wedding license?
No

Your contact
Ray Capeling – owner