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Meadowcroft

Meadowcroft lies at the heart of the Lake District in popular village of Near Sawrey, famous as home of author Beatrix Potter. Fans will be able to visit her house, Hill Top, and will see many of the buildings that featured in her books, including Meadowcroft itself. Once a shop in the village, Meadowcroft appears as the setting for Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Ginger and Pickles. You will find the house very different now, but you will also see many visitors passing by to inspect all of the featured properties so close at hand.

Meadowcroft has undergone extensive refurbishment during 2010 making it a fine, semi detached Lake District house, set at the heart of the village. These works have been recognised by Visit England with the award of four star gold.

From a small patio garden overlooking meadows, you enter into the shaker style fitted kitchen. Very well equipped you will be able to rustle up some fine meals. From the kitchen a small hall leads off to a sunny breakfast room. Off this is a utility room with laundry and drying facilities, and finally a newly fitted shower room with WC and basin.

The sitting room is large, with two deep bays allowing light to flood in. To one end sofas and armchair sit around a roaring open fire, and with the large flat screen TV perfect to tuck up and relax. To the other end of the room, set in the bay is a large table for dining along with a couple of armchairs.

Stairs lead up to the first floor where you will find three bedrooms and a bathroom with bath, separate shower cubicle, hand basin and WC. The bedrooms are all very comfortably furnished, one a king size, one a double and finally a twin.

A further flight of stairs take you up to the attic bedroom, with a low door, pitched roof and double bed - mind your head. Opposite this is an attic bathroom with bath, hand held shower, basin and WC.

For me, Meadowcroft is the perfect Lake District holiday home. Set in the heart of the lake district where you are surrounded by history, plenty of local walks, a decent village and a super pub only a stones throw all combine for the perfect setting for a lakeland holiday for family and friends.

 

The Location

The hamlets of Near and Far Sawrey lie to the west of Lake Windermere, close to the smaller lake of Esthwaite Water. Near Sawrey is most famous for Hill Top, the 17th-century farmhouse home of Beatrix Potter. Today Hill Top is owned by the National Trust where, full of her favourite things, the house appears as if Beatrix has just stepped out for a walk. Outside the lovely cottage garden is a haphazard mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables. The house is popular and as such queues are likely.

Also famous, a stones throw from Meadowcroft, is the Tower Bank Arms, as popular for its literary connections as it is its cellar and food offerings, and of which the queues are less and a close and full inspection is recommended.

Lake Windermere lies about a mile along the road where you can board the car ferry across to Bowness. From the property you are only a short walk or drive to some of the very best walks and rambles. A little lane by the house leads up to Moss Eccles Tarn, perfect for a picnic and you can carry on up onto Claife Heights for woodland walks and views of Windermere.

Esthwaite Water is very close where at the Hawkshead Fishery you can hire fishing rods and boats for a days fishing.

A mile or so west is Hawkshead. A popular village set around two squares it has narrow streets, timber framed buildings, and cobbled nooks with the earliest buildings dating from around the 16th century. There are four good pubs, a grocer, post office and chemist, book shop and cafes, along with walking gear outlets and some good arts and crafts shops.

Carry on from Hawkshead over the fell to Coniston Water and the village sheltered in the lea of the Coniston mountain range. Radiating from the stone bridge, spanning Church Beck, the four main streets are a bustling community with a fine church, shops, a post office, cafes, a local brewery and four good pubs.

Coniston is a village with much to do, the location perfect for outdoor pursuits; climbing, walking, cycling and water sport holidays. On all points of the compass there are trails, leafy forest paths, tracks and lake shores to explore, and you need travel very little to find a new and exciting landscape.

Coniston Water is one the most people friendly lakes, with much of the shore and the whole lake open to the public. Widely known as the backdrop and inspiration for Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons and Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbells's world speed attempts, its wooded and grassy banks, along with the craggy coves and the deep clear water offer a habitat to a rich variety of flora and fauna. At the boating center you can hire rowing boats, sailing dinghies, kayaks and canoes or my favorite, the small motorboats, perfect for a day out exploring the hidden bays and wooded coves. The Center also hires mountain bikes and electric bikes to help get you around the lanes and up onto the fells.

Still at the Boating Center, you can hop aboard one of the Coniston Launches with regular trips down the lake, stopping at various landing points including Brantwood, home of John Ruskin where, along with the Jumping Jenny restaurant, it makes for a good day out discovering the culture and work of the Pre Raphaelites and the Art Crafts Movement.

For romantic trip on the water you can board the Steam yacht ‘Gondola’. A beautiful rebuilt steam powered craft that will transport you back to an era of greater peace and tranquility. Finally, the lake offers more simple pursuits: fishing, swimming or simply finding a nice spot for a picnic and enjoying a magnificent view.

For walking, climbing and mountain biking the choice is huge, with the whole of the mountain range to explore. The Old Man of Coniston stands at 2635 feet and is very popular, offering various well-marked paths to the summit. If you only go part way the view will be spectacular, the pint in the pub on your return all the more delicious.

South of Hawkshead, on the east side of Coniston water lies the Gizedale Forest. A massive working woodland, it is crisscrossed with paths and tracks for walking and mountain biking. The Forest is big into arts, commissioning fabulous statues and installations throughout. It is well worth driving, via Hawkshead, around to the visitor center for a forest map and information to get the best from your day out.

Last but not least is Tarn Hows, a short drive away. A picture perfect little water, the National Trust have made huge eforts with the path around the water making easy for most people to enjoy.

 

Guest Reviews

A beautiful cottage. Fantastic facilities and plenty of room for 8 people. Hawkshead, Windermere, Bowness and Ambleside were all good for shopping and stopping for coffee. The Tower Bank Arms serves wonderful food and is nice and cosy. We will visit here again.
Neil, Maria and family, Preston

From the moment we walked into the cottage we felt relaxed. Meadowcroft is  a lovely, spacious and homely place. The grandchildren loved it and did not want to leave. Thank you very much.
John, Rene and family, Bolton

A home from home. We found Meadowcroft absolutely beautiful. We spent days in Bowness and took a cruise on Windermere. We should have stayed longer.
Keeka family, Ashford

What a wonderful cottage. Perfectly sited for evenings in the Tower Bank Arms. We walked to Moss Eccles Tarn, a great picnic spot. Grizedale and its café were excellent for both cycling and walking.
Platt family, Chesterfield

What a fabulous place. We have all had a truly wonderful time. The house is very well equipped, and cosy. Thank you. We will be back soon.
Maclean family, Essex

Dear Mr Serginson. Just to say we all had a lovely weekend at Meadowcroft - very comfortable accommodation indeed.
Regards Alison B

Good time had by all, please thank the owners for providing such a delightful holiday home, we will be back.
James & Annie - Newcastle 

We wanted to visit the historical places of Beatrix Potter. We loved Hill Top and the Pub. We also loved the house, so well equipped and welcoming. We will certainly tell all of our friends.
Bill & Lidia - Washington USA

Thank you for providing such a beautiful house for our family holiday. Lots of space and well equipped.
Mr & Mrs R - York 

Dear Lakeland Cottage Company, just a note to say what a great house. We were able to explore the area with ease, especially liked Gizedale and Tarn Hows. Pub was fantastic and it was a joy to return to a comfortable and welcoming home - again many thanks.
Mr & Mrs Peters - London 

Local Areas Of Interest

Coniston Village
Coniston Water & Mountain
Esthwaite Water
The Grizedale Forest
Hawkshead

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