A quiet little hotel nestled in the village of Far Sawrey near Ambleside and only a short walk to the famous National Trust home of Beatrix Potter – Hill Top Farm. This Lake District Inn offers good, clean and basic accommodation with hearty bar food served in its cosy Claife Crier bar. It is popular with walkers, cyclists and the weekend traveler alike, you will find a warm welcome at the Sawrey Hotel. Families and those wishing to bring their pet away to the Lake District are all welcome at this Lake District Inn near Ambleside.
The picturesque village of Ambleside is located at the very heart of the Lake District National Park at the head of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. For a small village of just 2000 residents there is plenty for visitors to the area to see and do. There is a plethora of specialist shop including independent outdoor stores, art galleries and craft shops. There is also an excellent choice of places to eat and drink including traditional pubs and restaurants that cater for just about all tastes including Thai, Italian, English, Continental, Indian and Chinese cuisine.
When it comes to Historic Houses and Gardens visitors will find a wealth of properties available within a short distance of Ambleside. These include …
Brockhole Visitor Centre:
Located near Windermere with beautiful grounds, lakeshore access, children’s adventure playground, café gift shop full disability access and plenty of parking. Various events throughout the year.
Rydal Mount:
William Wordsworth’s home for 37 years until his death in 1850. He moved here in 1813 with his wife, 3 children (two had died the previous year), sister Dorothy and sister-in-law Sara Hutchinson and adapted the home to suit his lifestyle - adding another storey to accommodate his library. Some of his personal effects are on view including letters relating to his appointment as Poet Laureate. Outside, the four-acre fellside garden, landscaped by Wordsworth, was designed to blend in with the surrounding land and is virtually unchanged today.
Armitt Museum & Library:
Combined museum, library and art gallery that explores the history of Ambleside and its surroundings from Roman times to the present day, with emphasis on literary and artistic connections. There are Roman and later artefacts, exquisite watercolours of fungi by Beatrix Potter, historic photographs of old Ambleside, paintings and collages by Kurt Schwitters (influential pioneer of Merz assemblage art), and an archive of over 10,000 local resource books. Regularly changing exhibitions of artwork. Hands-on activities include interactive computer screens, a children’s ‘archaeological dig’ and block printing.
Townend, Troutbeck:
This yeoman’s farmhouse, a fine example of Lake District vernacular architecture was the home of many generations of the Browne family from the early 17th Century until 1943. As the same family lived here for so many years, the house is very well preserved. Inside the oak pannelling and most of the ornately carved furniture and equipment were originally owned by the family.
Bridge House:
This much photographed tiny house on a bridge over Stock Beck was built as an apple store in 1723. It is one of the few buildings in Cumbria to have retained its original wrestler slates on the roof ridge. In 1926, local subscribers bought Bridge House and handed it to the National Trust, who own the property today.
Galava Roman Fort:
The Romans built a fort here in AD 120, on a raised platform to avoid flooding from the rivers Rothay and Brathay. Before being abandoned by the Romans shortly before AD400. On site there are interpretation panels provide information on how the fort would have looked and operated.
Brantwood Coniston:
The former home of John Ruskin, explore Brentwood’s estate and gardens or experience contempory art at the Sevren Studio. To take full advantage of Ambleside visitors should look to stay in one of the area’s fine hotels, B&Bs, self catering holiday homes, or perhaps a luxury Ambleside Guest House. A guide to holiday accommodation in the area is available on www.staylakedistrict.co.uk.
Ambleside Lodge, was originally built circa 1875 as a Gentleman‘s residence, and was named “Rothay Holme“ after the River Rothay which flows from Grasmere into Lake Windermere. Owning most of the land surrounding the church, both sides of the river and down to the lake, it commanded a respectable and enviable position in the community.
In 1912 it was then bought by the local council, and used primarily as council offices until 1978. The field was used for the local sheep auctions on the last Friday of every month, and one of the ground floor rooms was occupied by the local dentist.
The third owner of the property was the National trust, whom for 14 years used the building as their offices, and then finally after being empty for two years Rothay Holme was returned to private ownership.
Beautifully restored, and tastefully decorated, it reopened its doors to provide quality and elegant Lake District Bed and Breakfast accommodation to those visiting the National Park.
Recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of self catering properties to choose from. No longer is a self catering holiday spent within a dingy flat. Lake District self catering cottages can be found for 2 persons right up to 16 and from the basic small house to luxury cottages complete with flat screen TV’s, wood burners and luxury interiors with all the modern conveniences of TV’s, DVD players, washing machines, dryers and dish washers.
Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.
In areas such as Grasmere and Ambleside there some idyllic self catering properties such as traditional Lakeland houses dating back years. Staying in Grasmere cottages or Ambleside cottages means there are views in every direction. Located at the heart of The Lake District National, some properties have views of Helvellyn also Silver How, Steel Fell and Helm Crag. Grasmere is an idea base for walking with the foot of Helvellyn just minutes away and located on main A591 road which leads right up to Keswick for the highest concentration of fells in the Lake District.
Borwick Fold Cottages are situated in Hawkshead, near Ambleside at the heart of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, high above a tranquil, pastoral valley, with superb panoramic mountain views. Surrounded by fells, lakes, tarns, woodland, ancient hamlets and villages and with its land managed for wildlife, it offers a superb base for many outdoor activities, and in which to unwind. Our visitors return again and again.
Three rather special Ambleside cottages have been imaginatively converted from the barn and stables of our 17th century farmhouse. The Hawkshead cottages are set above a quiet country lane [National Grid Reference: 33420,49970] on the edge of Black Fell [a ‘Wainwright’ fell] close to Tarn Hows, near Hawkshead.
Each of the Hawkshead cottages has its own individual character and is centrally heated for all year round comfort. Benches outside the cottages and on the fell side, as well as the al-fresco dining area and barbecue, make an ideal location in which to absorb the peace and tranquillity of the area whilst enjoying the views and abundant wildlife.
Situated in one of the most picturesque villages of the English Lake District, Norwood House, a small family run Ambleside guest house is surrounded by dramatic scenery and is only a short walk from the northern edge of Lake Windermere.
With this beautiful lake and the mountains at the doorstep, including Helvellyn, one of England’s highest peaks, there is always somewhere new to explore in this lovely region and you will never be short of something to do.
Your hosts, Keith and Lindsey Morgan, have been providing Ambleside bed and breakfast accommodation for over twelve years and will endeavour to make each and every guest’s stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
there are eight attractive and well appointed en-suite rooms. Visitors can choose from family, triple, twin, double or single with either a bath or shower room. Stylishly simple and tranquil, all eight en-suite rooms have been newly decorated to offer a comfortable, warm and relaxing place to unwind after a day’s activities.
Ambleside is a very popular and picturesque town situated at the heart of the Lake District National Park, close to the shores of Lake Windermere, which is England’s largest lake. Ambleside itself has become a major tourist resort and one of the most popular bases for exploring the Lake District with an array of excellent shops, restaurants, plus a great choice of of Lake District self catering venues including camp sites, bed and breakfasts, hotels and Lake District cottages.
Ambleside is mostly a Victorian town, although there has been a settlement there since pre-Roman times. Galava, a fort located beside Borrans Park in Ambleside was built by the Romans and was used to house around 500 soldiers. The fort was built to defend the lower fells of South Lakeland from invasion by the Picts and Scots, and also to guard the road to the Roman Port at Ravenglass which is accessible from Hard Knott Pass.