Self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District
~ Special places 'Just for Two' ~
Call us today: 01229 885007
Self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District
~ Special places 'Just for Two' ~
Call us today: 01229 885007
Howe Foot is only a ten minute drive from the southern end of Coniston Water and about 25 minutes from the southern tip of Windermere, so a host of attractions are located within 15 miles or so of the two cottages. The market and festival town of Ulverston is only a few minutes drive away and that itself has a number of places to explore.
About 30 minutes drive from Howe Foot is the pretty village of Cartmel, home to Simon Rogan's renowned restaurants L'Enclume (three Michelin stars) and Rogan & Co (one star).
In late 2023, L'Enclume was named number one - along with six other restaurants - in La Liste's 'Top 1,000 World's Best Restaurants 2024’.
Cartmel also has a majestic, 800 year old priory church, a racecourse and a village shop where Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding was once produced. Two miles away is Cark-in-Cartmel where you'll find the historic home and gardens of Holker Hall.
Not far north of Howe Foot is Coniston Water, the third largest lake in the Lake District. Brantwood, the house and gardens of the great Victorian John Ruskin, is on the lake's eastern shore and an inspirational place to visit.
In Coniston itself is the Ruskin Museum which gives top billing to Ruskin and land and water speed ace Donald Campbell. Campbell broke four world water speed records on the lake in the 1950s but was killed in 1967, in Bluebird K7, trying to set another one. You can explore the lake on either the steam yacht Gondola or by Coniston Launch.
Four miles east of Coniston is the popular village of Hawkshead, with its 500 year old church and ancient grammar school where poet William Wordsworth spent eight years as a pupil. The Beatrix Potter Gallery houses a changing display of original watercolours and drawings relating to Potter's life and 23 published books.
Two miles from Hawkshead is Hill Top, the famous 17th century farmhouse that Potter bought in 1905. Also close to Hawkshead is the well known beauty spot of Tarn Hows and Grizedale Forest, with its exhilarating mix of walking trails, biking routes, artworks and a high wire adventure course.
About 10 miles to the east of Howe Foot is Windermere, the largest natural stretch of water in England and the area to which many visitors to the Lake District gravitate. Head along the A590 from Greenodd (near Howe Foot) to the lake's southern end at Newby Bridge and you’ll pass the main station for the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway and then the Lakeland Motor Museum.
A few minutes from Newby Bridge, on the western side of the lake, is Lakeside from where Windermere ‘steamers’ sail north to Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside. The other end of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway is also here, as is the Lakes Aquarium.
On the eastern side of the lake, the A592 leads to Bowness-on-Windermere, one of the busiest spots around the water and the main hub for Windermere Lake Cruises.
Just outside Bowness is Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House, a Grade I listed house where almost all of the original decorative features - it was completed in 1900 - have survived.
Bowness itself gives you easy access to Windermere (town), Ambleside and the Lyth and Winster valleys, Cumbria's famous damson growing area. North of Ambleside is Grasmere, closely associated with poet William Wordsworth.
The closest town to Howe Foot is Ulverston, home to the Buddhist community at Conishead Priory, the Quaker centre of Swarthmoor Hall, the Sir John Barrow Monument on Hoad Hill and the Laurel and Hardy Museum. Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston in 1890.
Ulverston is also the start of the 70 mile Cumbria Way to Carlisle and a place well known for its festivals and small, independent shops. A Booths store is here too.
Head west from Howe Foot and you come to the small town of Broughton-in-Furness. From here it’s a short drive into the Duddon Valley, an area so loved by William Wordsworth that he wrote 34 sonnets about the place.
Towards the northern end of the valley is the T-junction at Cockley Beck. Turning west here takes you over Hardknott pass into Eskdale, going east brings you over Wrynose Pass into Little Langdale.
