Overview
Heron Beck lies a ten-minute drive west from the foot of Windermere, a large Lake District holiday home, offering the perfect retreat for large groups of family and friends to gather for reunion and celebration. Cycle routes pass the front of the property. For me Heron Beck is a most interesting property, well deserving the Visit England 5 Star Gold Award.
Living Spaces
Imaginative, with many delightful details, nooks and crannies, all combining to make a fantastic home in which to spend a relaxing holiday in comfort. The main living areas are a galleried concept with each of the three levels linked by short flights of wide timber stairs.
From the front door, you enter the middle level, a cosy snug with sofas and chairs drawn around a roaring log burning stove, giving a wonderful focal point to the room.
From here, stairs lead up to a second sitting room, with plump sofas and fine views of the beck from French windows opening onto a wooden balcony. Back to the snug, and steps lead down to the kitchen dining room, where with great consideration from the owner, who enjoys her kitchen, you will have all the mod cons including a super range cooker and granite worktops, to conjure up simple suppers or celebratory dinners, and while away the evening with the convivial chatter of friends in this brilliant house.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
There are a total of five bedrooms; one twin off the kitchen, (this can be requested as a super king when booking), a second twin off the upper sitting room, with the two king size bedrooms and 1 double on the upper two floors, one has an en-suite shower, and all are reached by the splendid cast iron spiral staircase. There are two bathrooms. The first is off the middle level with a large double ended bath, hand basin, WC and large walk-in shower. Down the spiral stairs to the second bathroom on the ground floor, fully fitted with a large bath, twin hand basins, WC and walk-in shower.
Garden Spaces
To the rear of the house is a small thoughtfully landscaped garden, with patio and various seating areas to relax and eat al fresco, with open views of rolling meadows. All in all, Heron Beck is a splendid place to discover, ideal for gatherings of family and friends, celebration and reunion.
Out & About
Bowstead Gates is a cluster of four or five houses set in the fells east of Ulverston. The town is a friendly and traditional place with plenty of shops, cafes and pubs set along cobbled streets. Ulverston is also known as the festival town.
More like a Spanish town than one in the North of England, Ulverston does love a festival. There are festivals for walking, music, egg rolling, flag day and, perhaps most spectacular, the Lantern Festival to list but a few. As I see it, there is some celebration going on each month, so you need to check what's on and when with the Tourist Information Centre or the towns own website. A highlight of the calendar year is Cartmel Races, held 6 times a year, take a picnic or book a table in one of the catered marquees, a wonderful day out for all the family and dogs can come too!
Arts play a big part in the life of Ulverston where, along with the festivals, there is a good cinema and the 'Coronation Hall', a fine theatre, offering plays, music and opera. There are a host of theatre, music and art groups.
The centre of Ulverston is much unchanged with shops and inns lined along the cobbled Market Street, off which radiate alleys and ginnels. There are bakers, butchers, chemists, a good deli, and just east of the town is Booths supermarket, a fine local chain. Dotted around the town are some excellent art and craft shops along with fashionable clothing outlets.
Ten miles east brings you to the foot of Lake Windermere and the River Leven, where you will find the villages of Newby Bridge, Lakeside, Finsthwaite and Backbarrow, along with The National Trusts Fell Foot Park. Here there are gardens, a cafe and, at the lake shore, fishing, jetties for mooring and hiring rowing and sailing boats, along with a ferry crossing to Lakeside. Here at Lakeside, steamers and launches leave for trips on the lake and can be used as a waterbus to explore other areas. Also at Lakeside is the steam railway terminus and the Lakeland Aquarium. Nearby at Backbarrow is the famous Lakeland Motor Museum with over 30,000 exhibits.
From Finsthwaite a track leads up to Low & High Dam, one of my favourite tarns, easy to get to and perfect for a picnic or paddle in summer. The Cumbrian Way starts in Ulverston, making its way through the heart of the Lake District National Park and ending some 70 mikes away in Carlisle.
For dining or a drink there are some good choices. The Lakeside Hotel overlooks the lake and offers a traditional bar serving local ale, a lounge bar and contemporary bistro, along with a more formal restaurant offering fine cuisine, perfect for celebration or just a little indulgence. At Newby Bridge you have the Swan Hotel, with its gardens overlooking the River Leven and offering a decent bar and bistro restaurant.
Head south down onto the Cartmel Peninsular and you have winding country lanes that lead to Morecambe Bay. The village of Grange over Sands overlooks the bay with a mile-long promenade. There are some excellent shops including Higginson's award-winning Butchers, two bakers, a grocer and a host of little cafes and tearooms. Over the fell lies Cartmel, one of Cumbria's prettiest villages. Four pubs, a wine bar, the Michelin awarded L'Enclume, a huge Norman priory and a national hunt race course along with narrow streets and a little river make for the perfect village setting.
Please note there is a refundable £300 security deposit for this property payable closer to the start of your holiday.