Howe Foot Holiday Cottages
Lake District Blog
Christian Visits Howe Foot Cottages
I can't quite remember how we first heard about Howe Foot but I clearly recall turning off the A5092 and - for the first time - heading down a little lane to Sue and Martin's home and the one holiday cottage they had at the time.
Tucked into a quiet hollow beside Otley Beck and surrounded by fields and the odd dry stone wall, Howe Foot seemed a magical little spot, idyllic outside and perfect inside.
Step through the front door of Garden Cottage and you instantly feel the toasty warmth from the kitchen Rayburn. Go into the living room, bedroom, bathroom and back into the kitchen and you sense the love and care that's gone into making this place so special.
Great craftsmanship, striking natural materials and lovely welcoming touches define the cottage, which was once a basket maker's workshop. The same goes for Otley Beck, the second holiday property at Howe Foot (slightly bigger and with an AGA) which was ready for visitors in 2016.
Both places speak of the highest quality: the tiles, the kitchen equipment, the bathroom sink and shower, the oak window seats, the curtains, the ironwork on doors and windows, the wood burning stove, the underfloor heating and the Tilberthwaite slate whose markings trace the geological pyrotechnics of millions of years.
Everything is spotless and pretty well everything has been crafted, created and fashioned by Sue and Martin. And the garden's a delight as well.
In spring we've watched the lambs through the windows and once heard a cuckoo when walking up Lowick Beacon close by. In winter we love nothing more than hunkering down beside the woodburning stove - plenty of dried wood stacked neatly outside - and planning the next day's excursion.
And there's much to see. This may be the quieter part of the Lake District but Coniston Water is only a few miles to the north, Windermere is slightly further to the east and the foodie village of Cartmel, with its glorious priory church and racecourse, is about 25 minutes away.
I'll be exploring the area in the coming blogs…..
Christian Dymond
www.lakedistricttravelguide.co.uk
Posted 18 June 2021
