Kilnwick Percy (or Killick as it’s pronounced locally) is a small village on the edge of Pocklington in the Vale of York. Its golf club (known simply as “The KP”:https://www.darwinescapes.co.uk/parks/kp-resort/) was chosen for my godson’s wedding and we stayed for two nights. The main building contains the reception, bar, restaurant, golf shop, changing rooms and on the upper floor three function rooms. Accommodation is in a series of chalets in extensive grounds.
We travelled up from London and treated my brother and wife to lunch in the Glasshouse restaurant in return for a lift from Brough station as it is isolated. The views of rolling fields from the floor to ceiling restaurant windows are stunning particularly in unseasonably December sun.
Although there was a full-on Christmas menu, dining was flexible with “Light Bites”:http://www.thekp.co.uk/pdfs/kp_light_bites.pdf and “All Day”:http://www.thekp.co.uk/pdfs/kp_all_day_menu.pdf menus. There were nine starters on the latter with lots of firm British favourites like Yorkshire ham hock terrine or potted shin of beef and more exotic (at least in Yorkshire) seared scallops (the most expensive at £7.95). Mains follow the same theme with fish and chips or pie and sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry (priced around £10) but there were also Yorkshire steaks from the Char Grill. “Desserts”:http://www.thekp.co.uk/pdfs/KP_Desert_Menu.pdf were £4.95.
We also ate in the restaurant in the evening with friends and enjoyed breakfast on our final day. With only one minor exception, the quality of the food was excellent and well presented. Portions were a good size but with a range of sides at only £2.95, Hungry Horace’s could add an extra bowl of chips, vegetables or salad. My Caesar salad, at lunch was excellent: a tangy sauce with a full grilled sliced chicken breast perched on top. My evening Mediterranean vegetable and goats cheese pizza was the one disappointing dish in that the chunky vegetables were too large for the pizza and I have no idea how they’d made the base which hardened as it cooled.
Breakfast, at an additional £8.50 if booked in advance, was a buffet and although slightly chaotic, the food was well cooked with good quality sausages and bacon.
The 27 lodges dotted around the edge of the golf course comprise of individual Alpine-style wooden chalets with either two, three of four bedrooms (each with a de-luxe version). We looked round a couple and found they were spacious with well equipped kitchen areas although a couple of take-away restaurants in Pocklington village deliver if you don’t want to eat in the restaurant. Lodges have rattan furniture outdoors for al fresco meals and hot tubs, which even in December, were well used. One downside is that they can only be booked for 3, 4 or 7 night stays.
There are seven other houses split into four rooms (2 on the ground floor and 2 above). Ours was called Hockney and in view of our Yorkshire location, it would have been nice to have a Hockney print on what were rather bland walls. The room had tea/coffee making facilities, safe, plenty of hanging room and hairdryer. Our well lit, reasonably sized bathroom had a large walk in shower. Although we had upmarket Molton Brown toiletries we found it strange that the rooms did not have a clock or phone: so if you don’t have a mobile, you’ll have to trek to reception if you have a query. One of the rooms in our block had exclusive use of the hot tub. We paid £70 per night.
The lodges have parking outside them but if you stay in a house, there is just a drop off area but cars have to be parked in the main car park which is around a five to 10 minute walk depending on where you’re located. There is a tarmac round linking the chalets and houses but they all have a gravel path leading up to them. As Londoners, where it’s never truly dark, we found negotiating our way around in the dark somewhat difficult – apparently because they are in some form of protected green belt area, they are limited in how much lighting they can have.
So why would you stay here unless you’re attending a wedding or party? Well obviously for a golfing break, but in addition it’s ideal for visiting the towns and attractions of Hull, York and Beverley and exploring beautiful small East Riding villages. There is a fitness centre (The Box) with health club providing a range of beauty treatments and bikes can be hired. A number of the wedding guests said it would make an ideal venue for a hen or stag weekend as the ability to self catering and take you own drinks would keep costs down.
