Special Winter Breaks at Woodheads

Admin
Dec 19, 2017
3 min read

Winter is a special time of year in the Lakes. There's just enough time to rush up a fell and plenty of time for guilt-free relaxation indoors by the fire. And that's just for starters. Here's a few things that you can look forward to:

Home Baking - you've just arrived, the table is set for tea and coffee, and there are some home baked cookies with your name on them.

Winter Walks with great views - Pick a walk from one of my guides, wrap up warm and head for the hills. Walk to Hampsfell from your front door - here's a view over Morecambe Bay from the top at sunset. On a bright winter's day you can see a panorama of Lake District fells. Gummer's Howe at the foot of Lake Windermere, only 6 miles away, also has fabulous views. As does Whitbarrow Scar at Witherslack. And the lovely Humphrey Head where the last wolf in England was killed so they say.

A home spa treatment enjoying the luxurious organic handmade Sedbergh Soap products, and wrapping up in a cosy bath robe - don't forget to bring your slippers! Or leave it to the professionals and book yourself in to The Treatment Rooms in Grange, or The Swan Hotel Spa at Newby Bridge.

Basking in the glow from the real fire - guests who stay for a week get an extra basket of complementary logs.

Gathering round the games table and playing some parlour games, trying your hand at the jigsaw, sitting back and watching a film on Netflix, grabbing a book or magazine to read, or just enjoying the view. You could be watching the seal pups at South Walney Nature Reserve (just further round the coast) by logging on to the Wildlife Trust's new seal cam.

Cooking comfort food from one of the winter cookery books, and shopping for local produce at one of our independent shops such as Higginsons of Grange (one of Britain's Best Butchers), Fletchers greengrocers, Grange Bakery, or the delicatessens at Cartmel Village Shop and Cartmel Cheeses.

Going Out for some entertainment at the Brewery Arts Centre Kendal, or at the local Victoria Hall.

Dining Out at one of the local pubs and restaurants. For a very special treat you could try the delights of Simon Rogan's 2 Michelin star L'Enclume in Cartmel. For a more casual dining experience you could try Simon's other restaurant, Rogan & Co, or the Cavendish Arms pub in Cartmel. For gastro pub food I suggest The Wheatsheef at Brigsteer or the Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite. And for a bustling family environment with designer decor the Swan Hotel at Newby Bridge.

A spot of shopping and lunch. Cartmel has some lovely gift shops with lunch at one of the eateries named above. Yew Tree Barn has a reclamation yard and cafe at Low Newton. Kirkby Lonsdale is a lovely market town with a Booths supermarket then lunch at The Plough at Lupton on the way back. Kendal has independents and high street brands to be combined with a light lunch at Armstrong Ward. Go further afield to Ambleside for outdoor gear with lunch at the Old Stamp House (chef Ryan Blackburn appears in current series of MasterChef). Not forgetting 'Lakeland' in Windermere with its own cafe.