Overview
A long time favourite with our guests, owners, Chris and Sue Potts, have made this very popular property bigger, better and even more beautiful and luxurious than before, offering their guests a very special holiday home. Very much a home for adults it is perfect for three couples or just for two who are perhaps seeking a very unique romantic retreat and where the quality and standard has been recognised by Visit England giving the highest award of a 5 Star Gold Award.
Nethercroft lies in the little village of Finsthwaite, near to the southern end of Lake Windermere and the river Leven. One of three little hamlets dotted around the foot of the lake, there are good walks such as High Dam, a picture perfect little tarn set above the property, a steam railway and steamer trips on the lake at Lakeside, along with the Aquarium Of The Lakes, a must for children and, over on the east shore, Fell Foot, the National Trust parklands where you can fish, swim and hire row boats for some fun on the water. For local dining the 4 Star Lakeside Hotel, overlooking the lake, offers excellent cuisine in its formal restaurant, along with a relaxed lounge bar if you just fancy a light bite and a pint of our excellent local brews. At Newby Bridge there is the Swan Hotel. Set on the banks of the Leven the bar offers bistro style food, with tables spilling out along the river's edge, perfect in summer months.
The Living Spaces
Set above and back from the lane, you approach Nethercroft by a short, gravelled drive where it is easier to unload at the boot room door.
Most of the accommodation is on the ground floor level, linked by a wide corridor and hall. To the one end is the main sitting - dining room. The first thing that will strike you is the space and quality of light filling the room, which floods in through the glazed wall, with its French Doors and the huge sky light above. To this end is a circular dining table perfect for family dinners or romantic suppers. The rest of the room is given over to two large plump sofas, where you can relax and curl up with a good read or watch the latest block buster on the wide screen TV. The centrepiece is a large contemporary log burning stove which adds both atmosphere and extra warmth in winter months.
From the sitting room double doors open into a small snug, again with a little log burner and is a good a space for those who wish to find a little quiet time to read and relax.
Back to the sitting room and a large opening takes you through to the kitchen space. Beautifully fitted it has all mod cons, along with an AGA to produce your favourite dishes.
From the kitchen and into the corridor leading down to the main hall and front door. At this end is a small office, where you can write your post cards and research your coming days activities.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
Two of the bedrooms are on the ground floor. The first is a King-size double, delightfully furnished and with a walk-in wardrobe and dressing room. The second bedroom, and part of the refurbishment, has a Super-King sized bed, huge fitted wardrobes, chaise lounge and a spacious, super slick en-suite with walk in shower, basin and WC.
Back to the main hall where a winding staircase, lit with LED lights on the treads and over hung by a contemporary glass chandelier, leads up to the master bedroom suite.
A combination of the most delightful spaces set under the pitched roof, makes this the perfect romantic honeymoon bedroom. The staircase open into the sitting room area, with a large sky light flooding the room and was designed as much to be a studio for painting and drawing. Double doors lead through to the bedroom with its Super-King sized bed. Decorated with calm creams it is peaceful, cosy and luxurious. Finally there is the en-suite. The centrepiece is a free standing tear drop bath, where you can soak and relax, however for a more invigorating time there is a large shower along with basin and WC.
Garden Spaces
Outside the gardens surround the cottage with sloping lawns to the front and a sunny patio area to the rear, perfect for outside dining.
In summation, we feel this is one of the finest holiday homes in the Lake District, an opinion backed by the Visit England 5 Star Gold Award. We are sure it will offer great memories of your stay, where you can easily explore the National Park or simply relax in the most comfortable surroundings. Be you a group of friends or a couple looking for that bit extra, we are sure you will be delighted by your choice, where you can congratulate yourself on your excellent good taste - Perfect!
The Location
Finsthwaite is a huddle of farms and houses strung along a backwater country lane, with a splendid church built by Paley & Austin in 1874, along with National Trust Stott Park Bobbin Mill.
A short walk from the cottage is a path leading up to High and Low Dam, one of my two favourite little tarns, easy to get to and perfect for a picnic or paddle in summer.
For dining or a drink there are some good choices. The Lakeside Hotel lies about a mile and a half around the lane at Lakeside. Overlooking the lake, this fine hotel has 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.
Locally there is quite a lot to do. As mentioned, the walk up to and around High Dam is a must. This can be extended by crossing over to the Rusland Valley. At Lakeside, steamers and launches leave for trips on the lake and can be used as a sort of waterbus to explore other areas. Also at Lakeside you have the Haverthwaite & Lakeside Steam Railway, where you can take a short 'there and back' ride on a restored steam engine. The Aquarium of the Lakes is well worth a visit where you get to see close up the habitat and residents of our lakes and rivers, the high point being the glass tunnel which gives you a fish eye view of things.
Around the foot of the lake, on the eastern tip, lies Fell Foot Park. Supervised by The National Trust, there are gardens, a cafe, and at the lake shore jetties for mooring and hiring rowing and sailing boats, along with a ferry crossing to Lakeside.
Nearby at Backbarrow is the famous Lakeland Motor Museum with over 30,000 exhibits.
North, up the Rusland valley, you have the Grizedale Forest where you can purchase a map of the trails for both walking and mountain bikes. As you explore the forest you will come across fabulous sculptures, which are part of an ongoing art initiative sponsored by The Forestry Commission. A great attraction of the forest is Go Ape, offering wild fun in a tree top adventure with breath-taking scenery; treetop wires, crossings and wind-in-your-face zip wires.
South lies the Cartmel Peninsular with its winding lanes and rolling hills that tumble down to the coast. There are two villages well worth visiting:
Cartmel with its ancient buildings, an impressive medieval priory, a towering arch and a sweet clear river along with the smallest National Hunt racecourse, is a lively, picture perfect village with a great choice of pubs and fine restaurants. Come bank holidays the village buzzes with arrival of race day.
Grange over Sands lies about a mile over the fell from Cartmel. This pretty Edwardian village overlooks the bay and you will find an excellent grocer, Higginson's famous butchers, two bakers and local stores. On the prom there are nice gardens to stroll and in summer the prom hosts an outdoor art market. Finally Grange offers two golf clubs, both set in quite delightful countryside.
A little further afield you have the coast where you can explore the edges of the bay.
Please note there is a refundable £200 security deposit for this property payable closer to the start of your holiday.