The Place is an exceptional 17th Century farmhouse cottage with stunning lake views, at the head of Loweswater in the beautiful, quiet Western Lake District. Full of charming original features, modernised conveniently, and gracefully furnished, it is a delight to come home to. 4 bedrooms, 1 bed and shower room on the ground floor, make it suitable for a maximum of 8 people and 1 dog, but cosy for smaller groups or a couple as well. The pretty garden includes a Games Barn & Garden Studio.
The space
The Place dates from at least 1664 - there's a carved plaque in the sitting room attesting to this.
While comfortably sleeping up to 8 people in four bedrooms, one on the ground floor, the cottage is cosy enough for a couple or a much smaller group to feel snug and at home, and its charm and luxe touches make it perfect as a romantic retreat. Its modern connectivity means that if you have to work while on vacation, you need not miss a thing. Artists, writers and dreamers have found inspiration in this ancient landscape and solace in the welcoming embrace of the cottage. Perfectly enviable selfie moments abound at the cottage: savouring a sundowner in the cute, new Eyrie Bar area, above the dining terrace, looking out to the lake and the fells beyond: or a peaceful moment in the love seat at the end of the long garden with a coffee and your book; or afternoon tea with the family in the garden studio and it's secret walled garden...
You will find The Place at the top of a private lane ('lonning' in west Cumbrian dialect) at the head of the lake, next to a quiet farm called Hudson Place. It benefits from a wonderful sense of remoteness, while being only 7 miles from the delightful Georgian town of Cockermouth and 12 miles from bustling Keswick, the 'capital' of the north lakes.
It is full of character, with ancient beams, bread oven and salt cellar, slate floors and a comfortable mix of antique and contemporary furniture. There are four bedrooms, with comfy mattresses, velvet quilts, woollen throws, including a top quality king size zip and link on the ground floor, which can be made up as two (slightly narrower than standard) singles if required and notice given.
Up the extraordinary slate staircase, you will find a double bedroom, a king-size bedroom, both with incredible views of the lake and the fells, and a pretty twin bedroom to the side. There is a family bathroom up here with a roll-top bath, separate shower, and toilet, and another separate toilet on this top corridor. A grab handle, a stool for the shower, and a step stool for little ones help make the bathroom a little more accessible.
Downstairs, there is a modern shower room and toilet off the utility. There's another grab handle and stool in here, too. Although not fully accessible, the ground floor bedroom and shower room may make the house suitable for individuals who find stairs difficult.
There are log burning stoves in both the enchanting dining room and the cosy sitting room, oil-fired central heating throughout and underfloor heating in the kitchen and bootroom, and each of the top quality beds has a heated mattress cover, so you will certainly constantly feel toasty warm. The kitchen boasts handmade units, a contemporary induction range cooker, and an American-style fridge-freezer. It is brilliantly equipped with everything the modern cook or family could require - including a Nespresso machine and a Samsung breadmaker for that intoxicating smell in the morning.
Original paintings on the wall and an eclectic library of books everywhere add to the charming atmosphere. You're encouraged to snuggle down in a window seat or choose a favourite spot in the garden and lose yourself in a good book.
Whether hunkering down together in front of the log burner with a movie streaming on the Smart TV, listening to music, playing board games or doing puzzles, time spent inside with friends or family cannot fail to be super cosy and relaxing.
Outside the cottage, in addition to the welcome EV charging point, you'll find the garden and Games barn, which offer many more opportunities for fun and games. The Games Barn houses table tennis, a pool table and table football as well as leather sofas to hang out on and a Bluetooth speaker. There's a box full of garden games, including badminton, quoits, and swing ball, to bring out and play with on the lawn. The garden is large and enclosed, with lawns and secret areas, including the orchard with a climbing frame and swing for children up to the age of 8 years. There's a stunning WiFi-enabled garden studio, with a verandah and views down the garden to the lake and the fells beyond; there's a dining terrace for 8, a BBQ and fire pit and lots of sitting out spots throughout the garden with incredible vistas in every direction. There is ample storage for up to 8 bikes in the cow byre.
The surrounding area is spectacularly beautiful and relatively unknown, leaving it tranquil and unspoilt. Walks/bike rides from the door aplenty, including the essential 'Corpse Road' walk on the fellside terrace above the house, which leads to sensational views over Loweswater and neighbouring Crummock Water and the fells surrounding. We are 5 minutes from the lakeside. A leisurely mile and a half stroll through Holme Wood - don't miss the rope swings on the lake shore by the bothy, and how about a swim? - takes you to the famous and delightful Kirkstile Inn. Make sure you sample at least one of their very own award-winning brews - Loweswater Gold is our favourite to sip in their beautiful garden, gazing up at the imposing bulk of Melbreak. The food is delicious and the service is spot on. This pub is a dream and highly recommended.
The opportunity for adventure in this World Heritage Site is well known. The Place, Loweswater, is the ideal holiday cottage from which to grasp it right on your doorstep. But it also offers the most peaceful retreat for those who long to rest, breathing in the beauty, unwinding in tranquillity.
Guest access
Our guests have access to the whole property, which comprises the house, the extensive gardens, the Games Barn, the Garden Studio, the terraces, and the cow byre for storing your bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, etc.
There is a locked cupboard on the upstairs corridor, a private storage space for the owners in the pantry, and a couple of places outside are marked out of bounds as they either present dangers or lead to the owners' private spaces. Guests are requested to respect these very few private areas.
Other things to note
EV charging point - Optimus 7.4kW pay as you go. It is untethered so please remember to bring your own cable.
Three night minimum stay . Short breaks are Mondays to Fridays, or Fridays to Mondays with some possible flexibility. These are not usually available during high seasons when 7 nights is the minimum stay.
Dogs: One well-trained mature dog is very welcome. If your dog is a puppy, please get in touch with Lucy first. For the sake of our guests with allergies, and my husband, we must insist that dogs are prevented from entering any of the bedrooms, including the one on the ground floor, and they should ideally sleep in the boot room overnight. We provide fleecey blankets to cover the sofas if your dog likes to sit with you on there. Please prevent them from lying on any of the furniture without using one.
Please make sure your dog's paws are cleaned and dried before they enter the reception rooms and similarly please leave your outdoor shoes in the boot room and use slippers or socks in the rest of the house.
We are surrounded by livestock, so dogs must be kept under strict control at all times. The large garden is bounded on all sides, but we cannot guarantee that a determined escapee mightn't break free. Please scrupulously check the garden for dog poo. There are poo bags provided if you run out. Our guests without a dog in the family hate to find it, especially those with young children.
The unmade lane that leads to the cottage is uneven with occasional pot holes. Please drive up slowly and carefully.
Some of the ancient beams are low and the slate floors are uneven in places as you'd expect in a property of this age (it dates from the Restoration period under Charles 11, 1664, and the beams would have been recycled, old even then!) There is no danger as long as you are aware and take care. Outside the grounds can be uneven and there are locations marked as out of bounds to guests. While care has been taking by the owners to mitigate any dangers as far as possible, our guests stay at the property and use any equipment supplied at their own risk .
