The Heaves and its beech tree

I have decided to blip the tree I mentioned yesterday with the backdrop of this wonderful, quaint and quirky hotel, which has been our spiritual home since 1985. It is what you might describe as shabby shic but is set in wonderful grounds and we have always been made so welcome.

The tree in the foreground is in memory of our friend, George, who died in 2012. Later today we will gather for a picture around it in our red t-shirts. Its growing, slowly, though the trunk has certainly thickened since last year.

A word on the hotel from their website.

Once the home of the Gandy Family, this fine, Georgian Mansion became a Country House Hotel in 1947. We have a wealth of history here and although modern luxuries have been added, Heaves Mansion still retains the elegant character, which befits a true Country House. It is still owned and run by the same family after nearly 60 years. Heaves has always been noted for a friendly welcome and a sense of peace and quiet. Set in ten acres of formal gardens, woodland and parkland, the hotel has magnificent views of the Pennines, the Kent Estuary and the Lakeland Hills.
The Whitelock family looks forward to personally welcoming you to their home.

Indeed Miles and Katherine are wonderful hosts and we will have a formal dinner tonight to mark another year of Yorkhull CC.