Afternoon tea is sometimes known as low tea, it is a light meal traditionally eaten between 3pm and 5pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Bragança married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal.
While living in Woburn Abbey in the 1800’s, Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the first person to have transformed afternoon tea in England into a late-afternoon meal rather than a simple refreshment.
Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served in teacups with milk and sugar. Afternoon tea tradition developed into the drinking of tea being accompanied by sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with clotted cream and jam, see cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries. Variations of afternoon tea are served in hotels and tea shops and is often served on a tiered stand; there may be no sandwiches, but bread or scones with butter or margarine and optional jam or other spread, or toast, muffins or crumpets, and in some cases champagne.
Here at Cavens we have been serving afternoon tea to our guests since we opened. Guests arriving for a break can enjoy a Luxury afternoon tea served between 3pm and 5pm and it can be taken in the bright airy lounge or on warmer days on the terrace.
We also provide afternoon tea for non residents and welcome you came and enjoy Cavens too. Stroll round our 6 acres of beautifully landscaped private gardens and enjoy the ambiance of Cavens. Here is a sample menu and if you would like to find out more or make a booking call Angus and the team on 1387 880234.
Tea and cake
(Freshly brewed tea and a slice of fruitcake)
£5.00
Cavens Cream Tea
(Freshly brewed tea, scone, cake and shortbread)
£7.95
Cavens full Afternoon Tea
(Freshly brewed tea, scone, cake, shortbread & sandwich)£11.95
Cavens Celebration Tea
(Freshly brewed tea, scone, cake, shortbread & sandwich plus a glass of Champagne)
£20.95
Afternoon tea is served from 3 pm until 5 pm
As we look forward to Summer why not experience some of the region’s magnificent gardens when they are at their most glorious.
There’s Drumlanrig Castle and Gardens set amidst Queensberry Estate or renowned Threave Garden with its superb trees, shrubs and plants. Or the splendid 2.7 acre walled gardens at Cally Palace to the curious mix of Scottish with Japanese at Broughton House in Kirkcudbright. Not forgetting Logan Botanic Gardens which lies at the south-western tip of Scotland and is unrivalled as the country’s most exotic garden. And there’s the little gem on our door step Shambellie House Gardens.
Here at Cavens we too have wonderful gardens to boast about with
six acres of peaceful, beautifully landscaped private gardens. Again this year we are growing our own vegetables, salad leaves and herbs for guests to enjoy when dining with us.
Dumfries and Galloway has a wealth of gardens to discover and enjoy, if you would like to know more please feel just ask. We would be delighted and proud to show you round Cavens gardens when you visit.
April is the perfect time to visit Cavens our gardens are springing back to life and the daffodils are in flower. The views down to the Solway are stunning and in the neighbouring fields you can watch lambs days after they are born. Enjoy a break here and be spoilt with the best of local produce and food. It’s the perfect start to the new season.
April also sees the 2011 Dumfries and Galloway Wildlife Festival which runs from the 2nd to the 25th April. You can look out of Red Squirrels, Red Kites and Barnacle Geese. As well as Black Grouse, Ospreys and Peregrines with the Ospreys likely to return at the beginning of April. There are lots of events over the month from guided walks, informative talks, excursions and even learning about bird box making. It’s a great way of learning about the rich wildlife in this area. For more information see the website .
Birds of a Feather – Tailor made Birdwatching Tours
We are privileged to be surrounded by such an extensive
and rich variety of birdlife here on the Solway. And to make things as easy as possible and take you to the very best birdwatching spots we have teamed up with local expert Dave Fairlamb who will tailor make your very own Solway Tour based on your particular interests and schedule.
Spring is the perfect time to see barnacle geese to breeding waders, dabbling and diving ducks, spring songsters, migrants and birds of prey. Visiting some of the best bird-watching sites along the North Solway coast, you can expect to see around 100 different species and Dave has the local knowledge and expertise to make sure that you don’t miss a thing.
Remember to bring along your camera!
Call us on 01387 880234 or email enquiries@cavens.com
Here at Cavens we are delighted to welcome non residents to dine at our lovely Country House. We have a passion for food and where possible we use only locally sourced ingredients to create a delicious daily menu that showcases the best of the region and Scotland’s seasonal produce.
Whether it is a romantic dinner or a special occasion amongst friends, you can expect a memorable dining experience with award winning service. Cavens has been awarded an AA Rosette and three VisitScotland medallions as well as recognition in Scotland the Best.
Dinner is served from 7pm to 8.30pm and booking is advisable for non residents, please call us on 01387 880234.
For larger groups, we have The Green Room, your very own private dining room that can seat up to ten. This lovely rooms is ideal for a private wedding reception venue and private meetings for lunches and dinners.
The small private wine cellar is an added gem and, for those interested, we would be happy to show guests round. Wines are supplied by some of the UK’s top specialist wine purveyors
including Inverarity Vaults.
After dinner, guests can relax and enjoy a liqueur with coffee and home-made petit fours in front of one of the log fires.
Sample Menu
We are delighted that again this year Cavens is hosting a number of groups of friends and family who are celebrating a special birthday, anniversary or reunion.
We are so pleased that some of our guests are taking the opportunity to really celebrate in style with an exclusive house party of their own here on the stunning Solway coast.
Whatever the occasion we always make it extra special for our guests and ensure they experience the luxury of country house living for their private party. We encourage our guests to indulge in the splendour and seclusion of Cavens where they can relax and make themselves at home in this genuine country house retreat. The whole house and Cavens team is at our guest’s disposal and they enjoy sumptious food and fabulous wines amidst our stylish lounges with cosy log fires. Nothing is too much trouble and we tailor make each event around the groups individual requirements.
With only 8 very individual guest rooms the party are be assured of a completely private house party where they can relax in real style. Some of our groups are slightly larger, however as we also have the cosy Lodge situated in the grounds of Cavens this does not pose a problem. This delightful cottage sleeps up to 6 and is furnished to the same high standards as the house. The Lodge is available by the night to give you a fully flexible accommodation option.
For you are interested in a private house party at Cavens give Angus, Jane and the team a call 01387 880234.
We are delighted to share a recent press article about Cavens which was in the Spectrum Magazine. This Do Not Distrub piece highlights just what Cavens offers for a break here overlooking the Solway Coast in Galloway. Cavens spectrum
Visit our Special Offers for the latest offers including a Spring Break this April.
CAVENS and the RSPB join forces for an eighth year to offer a Birdwatching Weekend with a difference. The two-day break combines our inimitable comfort and hospitality with daily excursions to nature reserves and birdwatching hot spots in Dumfries and Galloway under the leadership and guidance of local expert, Dave Fairlamb of the Mersehead RSPB Reserve.
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The signs of spring are in the air as February moves into March. At Cavens snowdrops are starting to bloom which is one of the first signs that spring is in the air.
Galloway is known for its abundance of Snowdrops across the region and the area is one of the key participants of the Scotland wide SnowDrop Festival. Participants this year include the Galloway Forest Park and Cally Woods both at Gatehouse on Fleet. As well as Danevale Park on the River Dee at Castle Douglas. See http://white.visitscotland.com/snowdrop_festival/dumfries_and_galloway.aspx for full details of Galloway participants.
Cavens is again open on the 4th of March so there is plenty of time to enjoy the Snowdrop Festival and other spring flowers decorating the region. We have a special spring offer for March and April of £450 for two people for three nights dinner, bed and breakfast including afternoon tea. Giving you the perfect excuse to visit in Spring and see the wonderful display of Snow Drops.
My name is Angus Fordyce and I run Cavens Hotel on the Solway Coast in Galloway in Scotland. Cavens has three AA Gold Stars and Three VisitScotland Gold stars and is one of the best small hotels in the country with a renowned restaurant serving the very best local produce. I wanted to write this blog as an addition to our website. In order to talk about things that are important to me such as cooking and the use of local produce in what I cook. As well as updating you on a regular basis about life in this beautiful part of the world such as the wonderful birdlife and nature and the stunning gardens, walks and just the general great quality of life.
Just to give you a bit of background on who I am. I started my hotel career in 1976 at the age of seventeen at the Glenburn Hotel on the Isle of Bute where I grew up. I worked for then general manager Hans Rissman before moving on to my next job as a trainee general manager at Peebles Hotel Hydro. I then moved to London where I worked for the Trust House Forte Group at their Grosvenor House Park Lane Hotel to assist in running its new flagship restaurant 90 Park Lane where the Chef at the time was Anton Aiedlman later of Savoy Hotel fame. As well as assisting in the running of the Restaurant, I took overall control of room service at the Grosvenor which included the Hotel and its adjacent apartment block.
After working for a few years in the property field in London and Sussex, my wife Jane and I bought Cavens which was at the time a run down manor house on the Solway. The house was in need of restoration and we lovingly and tastefully brought it back to life as a Country House Hotel. This small luxury hotel is now well established in the South of Scotland as one of the best hotels in the country and famous for its innovative use of local freshly produced food including produce from Cavens walled garden. This very hands on approach and attention to detail ensures that all aspects of the business are first class.
I am a board member of the Scottish Tourism Forum and chair of the Association of Dumfries and Galloway Accommodation Providers.
Jane and I have two young children which also keeps us busy though when time permits we enjoy pursuing our interests of horses and country sports.
Solway in beautiful Galloway
Cavens is situated in the small village of Kirkbean on the Solway Coast about half an hour from Dumfries and very close to the famous Sweet Heart Abbey. Many of the bedrooms have views of the Solway and guests love to sit in the garden or wander round our garden and look out to the beautiful Solway.
The Scottish side of the Solway looks over to Cumbria and the Lakes on the other side and is famous for its wonderful bird life, gardens, fresh local produce and lots of cycling and walking opportunities making it the perfect place to live or visit. We are close to the artists town of Kirkcudbright which this year is hosting the record breaking exhibition “The Glasgow Boys” following on the “Glasgow Girls” exhibition last year. There are also lots of beaches close by where you can walk and often you will find them all to yourself.
I am hoping that this has given you an indication of all the wonderful things that there are to see and do on our doorstep and will update you by featuring various elements as this blog progresses.
“Cavens Country House Hotel at Kirkbean is a haven of serenity with eight luxurious bedrooms and a restaurant which has earned top accolades. Anne Armstrong visits one of the gems of the Solway Coast”.To read more of this article which was a Food and Drink feature in Dumfries and Galloway Life, then click on this link D&G_Life_July2010
Photographs were taken by George Carrick.
We also provide afternoon tea for non residents and welcome you came and enjoy Cavens too. Stroll round our 6 acres of beautifully landscaped private gardens and enjoy the ambiance of Cavens. Here is a sample menu and if you would like to find out more or make a booking call Angus and the team on 1387 880234.
