England’s number one tourism experience will ‘head’ up a weekend to remember for one lucky couple.
Kielder Water & Forest Park in Northumberland is giving away seven ‘epic experiences’ in an online competition and campaign to celebrate its national success.
In one epic experience, leading north east chef, Richard Sim, will cook up a feast for the winning couple as they enjoy dinner and champagne inside an unusual art installation.
Located deep in the heart of England’s largest working forest, Silvas Capitalis, (a play on the Latin for ‘forest head’) is a giant timber sculpture created in 2009 by American art group SIMPARCH, where visitors can enter through the mouth and literally get inside its head.
It was inspired by the ‘watchers’ of Celtic folklore, mysterious beings who keep watch over the forest and its inhabitants.
Richard, Executive Chef at the Boat Inn Restaurant and Bar at Leaplish Waterside Park, who will provide the dinner, has 25 years experience and trained in two Michelin starred restaurants, The Berkeley and Le Meridien. He said: "Kielder is a spectacular destination, the landscape is so inspiring. The winning couple will be able to enjoy a delicious meal set against the stunning backdrop of this very unique sculpture and Kielder Forest, England’s largest woodland."
After being wined and dined, the winners will then be able to unwind in a hot tub under the stars, with a luxurious two night (Friday and Saturday) stay in a lodge in Northumbrian Water’s Leaplish Waterside Park.
Elisabeth Rowark, Director of Kielder Water & Forest Park, said: "Our new competition and campaign focuses on the stunning and epic images of the Park which can now be seen on billboards, buses and the metro across the region. "As recent gold award winners in the Visit England Awards for Excellence, we felt we needed to offer everybody the opportunity to view this stunning scenery and invite them to come and discover England’s Best Tourism Experience for themselves. "There is so much to see and do at Kielder - this competition is a novel way to show off just what you can do here. You can’t get a more epic experience than to have dinner and champagne at the Forest Head cooked by a top chef!"
The competition ends on Thursday August 8 2013 and winners will be announced on Friday August 9 2013. Entrants simply need to upload a photo of a person (or people) they would want to share an epic experience with and why, on Facebook or Twitter. The ‘epic experiences’ up for grabs include: * Epic Water Experience – an under and over water experience, including speed boat ride, tour of the dam and lunch at the Boat Inn for four people.
* Epic Fishing Experience – A day boat fishing with Andrew Scott, who is in the England European Championship team and the England Rivers team, a visit to the salmon centre and lunch at the Boat Inn, for four people.
* Epic Adrenaline Experience – Mountain biking through the forest with the Northern Downhill team and lunch at Kielder Castle Café, for four people.
* Epic Nature Experience – A hawk walk, visit to the Birds of Prey Centre, lunch at the Boat Inn and a 4x4 forest tour, for four people.
* Epic Adventure Experience – Your choice of either high ropes, the climbing wall or laser clay shooting, followed by an overnight stay at the Calvert Trust’s new lodge, for four people.
* Epic Family Experience – Star gazing family astronomy event with a locally-sourced hot food hamper, for a family of four.
* Epic Couples Experience - Dinner and champagne at the unique Captalis Silvas (forest head) art sculpture in the forest, with a weekend (Friday and Saturday night stay) in a luxury lodge at Leaplish, (includes use of hot tub) for two people.
See www.facebook.com/kielder or www.twitter.com/visitkielder for more information.
For more information contact Janine Scott, Communications Advisor (Kielder Water & Forest Park), on 0191 301 5538 or [email protected]
Kielder Water and Forest Park, which spans 250 square miles, is home to the largest forest in England and the largest man-made lake in northern Europe.
It was awarded the best Tourism Experience in England by Visit England 2013, and the most tranquil place in England by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust is a registered charity working to develop the Park as an inspirational place. It aims to improve economic, social and environmental sustainability, provide public recreation and leisure facilities, facilitate education in all aspects of the natural environment and advance art and architecture in the Park.