One of England's most ancient estates is thriving under a new generation, with a country house hotel, an award-winning foodie pub and an impressive garden restoration project to its name. Jenny Needham spends a couple of nights at the George and Dragon in Clifton, Cumbria's Dining Pub of the Year

The Lowther estate in Cumbria is huge, spreading out over more than 70,000 acres between Ullswater and the Eden Valley. At the centre of the estate lie the ruins of a castellated mansion, built by the 1st Earl of Lonsdale between 1806 and 1814 and subsequently lived in by the family who have presided over this quiet corner of the Lake District since the Middle Ages.

Lowther castle was never pretty – it would have made a good film set for Gothic horrors – but it was a grand affair, the perfect place for the 5th Earl of Lonsdale, a famous socialite and inveterate philanderer, to hold hugely extravagant house parties.

He was known as the Yellow Earl, had a fleet of yellow cars, a regiment of yellow liveried servants and a greenhouse to grow yellow gardenias for his buttonholes. He did everything to excess, socialising with the German Kaiser and conducting a string of high-profile affairs, as he frittered away the family fortune on racing, shooting and generally having a good time.

Nowadays, the Lowther family still love to host gatherings and entertain guests, but the aim is to make money for the estate, not to bankrupt it. They are expert at giving their visitors the chance to relax, kick back and have a good time. Not at the castle, which was finally abandoned by the Duke in the 1930s, but at the family-owned George and Dragon dining pub with rooms in nearby Clifton, and Askham Hall, the former family home, which has been reinvented as an upmarket country house hotel.

It was in 2001 that Charles Lowther, eighth child of the Earl of Lonsdale, came back from London to help run the estate. He turned the family farm organic, then, in 2008, bought, renovated and relaunched the George and Dragon as an inn which specialised in the produce of the estate, plus produce from the kitchen gardens. Whatever can’t be harvested from the estate is sourced from trusted local suppliers.

The George and Dragon is currently Cumbria’s Dining Pub of the Year, and no wonder. Its philosophy is sustainability, simplicity and taste, and the food is delicious, thoughtfully assembled from top-quality produce. Guests can eat in the busy bar, where the presence of locals makes for a convivial evening, or in the extensive dining room with cutaway at one end showing the chefs at work. The menu is the same in both with daily specials created from whatever produce is brought in by the gardener or one of the local suppliers. A blackboard in the dining room provides a list of them – delicious cured meats come from Eden Valley Meats (more please!); vegetables, flowers and herbs from Parsons of Kendall; Abbott Lodge ice cream is made in Penrith, and interestingly, the fish is supplied by M&J Seafoods in Peterlee, back in our neck of the woods.

Charles, who spent some time looking for the perfect location for a pub and restaurant, says: “I take huge pride in the quality of produce on my family estate and being able to offer people the opportunity to experience and enjoy all it has to offer is wonderful. Best of all, it’s helping to support the local economy.”

It’s not just the food that is locally sourced: the building materials and expertise used to restore the 18th century coaching inn all came from the surrounding area. It has been lovingly restored by local craftsmen who have reused stone and slate flags. The interior design and colours are sympathetic to the Georgian period.

Best of all, there are 11 bedrooms, all individually designed with furniture and paintings from the Lowther family collection, so after supper, when you have drunk in the atmosphere and some fine wines, you can wend your way upstairs and collapse in comfort. The quality of the mattresses and pillows ensure a good night’s sleep, and the bathrooms are immaculate. But while I don’t mind at all making tea on the spacious landing – and Farrer’s local blend of tea was a revelation – I do prefer a big mug full, not a little cup.

Throughout the inn, photographs, paintings, old prints and archive images tell stories of the Lowther estate’s unique heritage, and it would be a shame if you are staying, not to visit historic Askham Hall. Having made a success of the George and Dragon, Charles turned his attention to transforming the former Pele Tower where he grew up with sister Marie-Louise, into a laid-back, historic hotel, again with fantastic food, plus a wedding barn and lovely Grade II-listed gardens which are open to the public. Rooms cost from £150.

Or you could head off to Lowther Castle, which, while still being a monstrous ruin, is being given a new lease of life after 70 years through the revival of its incredible gardens. It was a last minute decision to visit them, but I have to say we were entranced. Although the renovation of the gardens, begun four years ago, will be a decades-long project, it has a magical atmosphere, and some incredible cross county views from the Jubilee Summerhouse and the escarpment.

The original plantings have long since disappeared leaving the architectural outlines of 17th Century and Edwardian gardens intact, despite weapons testing in the gardens during the Second World War. For younger visitors, away from the main house there is one of Britain’s largest outdoor adventure playgrounds, a wooden echo of Lowther Castle built high in the canopy of the woods among a maze of zipwires and turrets.

Home-cooked food is served in the café and an exhibition tells the story of Lowther and its ancient dynasty. In fact, you could easily spend a day here. And if you’re leaving when the light’s growing dim, don’t forget to look back into the shadow of the forbidding ruins. You might just see the Yellow Duke standing there alone, waiting for the party to begin.

TRAVEL FACTS

George and Dragon, Clifton, Penrith CA10 2ER. A standard room, based on two people sharing, starts at £100 per night. W: georgeanddragonclifton.co.uk

Askham Hall Gardens, Askham, Penrith CA10 2PF. Daily, except Saturdays, until the end of October. W: askhamhall.co.uk

Lowther Castle, Penrith CA10 2HH; W: lowthercastle.org

Ullswater Steamers, open all year. W: ullswater-steamers.co.uk