You can see some of these beauties.

Falconry at Limefitt Park

Midnight

and my favourite, thomas the American Kestrel

Thomas

Oh yes – and there’s free pony trekking for the kids too!

[...]]]> Today at 2 pm they are going to be flying hawks here at Limefitt Park in Troutbeck

You can see some of these beauties.

Falconry at Limefitt Park

Midnight

and my favourite, thomas the American Kestrel

Thomas

Oh yes – and there’s free pony trekking for the kids too!

As well as going to see the nest, just North of Keswick, now you can now follow them on the internet!

Dubbs Reservoir - A New Conservation Area

The reservoir used to be an important water source but had fallen into disuse in recent years. Now after [...]]]> Fantastic news this morning that Dubbs Reservoir, between Ings and Troutbeck, on the fell side just above our Lake District pine lodges has been reborn as a haven for wildlife.

Dubbs Reservoir - A New Conservation Area

The reservoir used to be an important water source but had fallen into disuse in recent years. Now after a £2 million investment by United Utilities it has been restored as a beautiful wildlife conservation area and access has been improved.

Dubbs Reservoir and Dubbs Beck, near Ings, form part of the River Kent special area of conservation and are an important habitat for animals such as the native white clawed crayfish, badgers and swans.

The white clawed crayfish is an endangered species and suffers from competition and predation from the invasive american signal crayfish or can be killed by the disease it carries, so these Cumbrian strongholds are very important for the protection of the species.

The walk around Dubbs reservoir from our Cumbrian log cabins is one of our favourites. It is about 5 miles long and takes about 2 hours to complete over good paths. You will also get some spectacular views of Windermere whilst on the walk.

For those of you who don’t know of Heather she lives in Canada and writes on the subject of self-catering holiday lets. She is a highly respected international expert in the [...]]]> Last week Heather Bayer, (AKA the Cottage Guru), cast her eye on our web site and wrote a review on her highly respected blog

For those of you who don’t know of Heather she lives in Canada and writes on the subject of self-catering holiday lets. She is a highly respected international expert in the field and her site is always full of challenging and exciting articles that help us owners improve the way we operate.

To have been singled out by Heather for a review is praise indeed! To have been described as one of her “Favourite Vacation Rental Sites” is a bit like having Sir Alex Ferguson say you are not a bad footballer

My Favourite Vacation Rental Sites – Windermere Lodge

by CottageGuru on January 30, 2010

Two years ago this March I presented a seminar at the Cottage Life Show in Toronto with the sub-title “Getting Your Message Across”. I talked about social media and the importance of creating more than just a listing to create a following of potential renters, and suggested using WordPress to create a website using the blog function to open a conversation with visitors. There was some interest and a few searching questions at the end, but some attendees were skeptical of the approach saying it was a ‘fad’ and more of a method of keeping friends informed of the latest recipes. I guess I was a year or two ahead of the game and am thinking that this year’s presentation called “Key Strategies for Successful Vacation Rental” (one of which is social media marketing) will have much more impact.

I’ll be using some examples and the most powerful is John Hobson’s Windermere Lodge in the beautiful Lake District in northern England . John uses a combination of web sites, blogs and Twitter to get his message across and looking at his fast-filling availability calendars, it appears to be a very successful strategy. The website is the core of the mix so I’m basing my review primarily on that but will be exploring more of this strategy in later posts.

Winner of several awards for tourism and marketing, this comment from the judging panel at the Cumbria Tourism Awards 2008 says it all:

“They felt that the owners of Windermere Lodge had put their hearts into the creation of their site, which had huge quantities of information for visitors. There were “things to do on a rainy day”, ideas for walks, wildlife to see, gardens and houses to visit, a comprehensive events calendar and much more. In all sections there was imagination and impressive attention to detail. The site was also innovative in several ways. An up to date blog, a visitors’ on-line forum and two video tours, showing the area across the seasons completed this impressive package”

This is probably the most comprehensive vacation rental web site I’ve visited in my search for the best examples of holiday rental promotion, so with my “I’m a renter” hat on, I started to explore.

Like most potential rental guests looking for a holiday rental I wanted to make sure the accommodation and price met my criteria and was pleased to see a link to both availability and rates on the home page. Why some owners want to hide these away and make them difficult to find is quite beyond me, but they were easy to find here.

The photo galleries are great – nice sharp pictures showing everything I would want to see and vividly portraying the stunningly beautiful countryside, as well as the immaculate set-up of the lodge itself. A couple of touches in the photos that I particularly liked and are worth emulating are the laid-up dining table, and flowers on a coffee table. They show attention to detail as well as putting life into the pictures. Windermere Lodge is a small property so more attention is paid to the exterior and the surrounding landscape which is an attraction in itself.

It’s worth pointing out here that small doesn’t mean insignificant and packaged well, a smaller property can have as much impact visually as a 5 bedroom villa with all the bells and whistles.

What really blows me away about this site is the information packed into it. Let’s just start with the Our Location page Not just comprehensive directions but a map dotted with places of interest with a note on how to access Wikipedia descriptions. And…a really useful link to a live traffic information page. Then onto the section on The Local Area and Things to do which further breaks down into pages covering what to do on a rainy day, the local pub, local homes and gardens to visit, and Beatrix Potter.

I’m a walker and runner and wanted to know if I could find information on hiking trails in the area, and of course I found that in the Links section. I also located details on shopping locally and when I was just wondering about how I would stock up on the essentials if I arrived late at night after a long flight, there was a link to a page on ordering a Welcome Pack….mmmm…yes, I’ll substitute the toilet roll and bin bags for a bottle of wine I think!

Sticky Features

What kept me around this site was the wealth of information and the attention to detail, giving the feeling I wouldn’t be disappointed by the accommodation either. I think I am going to develop a ‘Sticky’ ratings system with a 5 star being ‘Can’t get away from it’ to the 1 star ‘Fell right off’. In this case Windermere Lodge definitely warrants a five star Sticky rating!

On the Downside

With the amount of information included, the site is very busy looking and could be overly so to those used to more simplistic efforts. I also got a little lost once I found the Blog page and then realized that Windermere Lodge was not the only one that John rents at Limefitt Park – there’s also Kingfisher Lodge and Otter Lodge, both of which accept pets. I looked for a site map which might have shown how the sites all fit together and the structure of each but couldn’t find one. I’m sure John will let me know if I missed it!

I like testimonials and they are often the first place I’ll visit on a site. Since the home page is quite practical and fact-filled, I would like to see a testimonial on there – perhaps even in the strap line. The Guest Book page has so much wonderful feedback that could be used to make the introduction a tad more welcoming.

Verdict

Information packed, feature filled, sticky, and overall a fun site to visit. I’m not that keen on the design but that didn’t detract from what was within. I’ve seen beautifully designed and presented sites that kept me enthralled for less than a minute because I’m looking for good content rather than a flashy look. Besides, the relatively plain look of the site is superseded by the great photos within. All in all, a great site with lots of learning points for owners interested in how to create more interest for their visitors.

Kingfisher Lodge in the Snow

Jan 5 2010 by Nick Peet, Liverpool Echo

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Lola the bulldog takes Nick Peet for a week of splashing [...]]]> We were really pleased with the lovely review of Kingfisher Lodge that a recent guest Nick Peet wrote in the Liverpool Echo, published today.

Kingfisher Lodge in the Snow

Beauty and peace on your doorstep

Jan 5 2010 by Nick Peet, Liverpool Echo

Lola the bulldog takes Nick Peet for a week of splashing about in the Lake District

THE stress and strain of holiday travel often leaves you needing another break, even before you’re back breathing Mersey air.

Hours queuing at foreign airport check-in desks can test the blood pressure of even the most patient of high flyers, while constant air traffic delays can spoil the most exciting of breaks in the sun.

And I am sure we’ve all suffered from outrageous early morning hotel check-out times, when you’re left to store your luggage with a dozen other families, in some unlocked reception room and forced to shower using the poolside garden tap!

Fortunately for me I’m a happy flyer, so the prospect of a couple of hours in the sky with nothing but dry air and steamed meals in plastic trays actually appeals, but you can see what I’m getting at here.

For all those reasons and for one other – our seductively salivating 12-month old bundle of bulldog – we ditched the flip-flops and sunglasses in favour of a delectably British break this year.

And who would’ve guessed that just 90 minutes from Liverpool lies the kind of picturesque and beautiful landscape that you won’t find on the Costa’s.

The Lake District is a place which I had associated with retired folk and cub scouts, but I found to be arguably one of the most relaxing holiday destinations I’ve ever been to.

Aside from the fact the door-to-door travel time is shorter than your average trip through passport control, the Lakes offer more adventure for your pennies than any sandy beach or desert island ever could.

So what if the sun shines only briefly through the summer months, this is rural England at its most enchanting.

We stayed in a privately owned, luxury pine lodge which hangs out over the Troutbeck River, on the established Limefitt Park complex.

The park is home to dozens of holiday homes and luxury cabins and boasts a range of facilities including a children’s play area, a swimming hole and even a dog park, which to Lola’s delight included an icy stream for splashing about in.

The lodge, one of three holiday homes owned by Mr and Mrs Hobson located on the park, was extremely cosy with a roaring gas fire and relaxing leather sofas rivalled only by the big comfy beds.

Perhaps surprisingly, for a lodge which welcomes pets, there was no sign of over the top pet-proofing either, which made our stay more welcoming.

From the Sky TV (at the Haybarn) through to the wireless internet connection, the amenities both inside the lodge and on the park itself – there is also on-site pub and newsagents – offer you the chance to either get away from it all or simply take a break in a home away from home.

For the active person the area is, naturally, one big fell-walk or run and so we wrapped Lola up in her harness and headed for the hills most mornings.

The location of the park means that it is ideally positioned to experience the very best of the Lakes.

From the well-developed and established shop-lined streets of Windermere, to the more basic but far more tranquil village of Glenridding at Ullswater, Limefitt Park is slap bang in the middle just a short drive in either direction.

The highlight of our stay was a day spent at Ullswater, first cheering home the hundreds of sportsmen and women taking part in the gruelling annual village triathlon, followed by getting stuck in a cloud while attempting to navigate our way back across the brilliant winding lanes of the Kirkstone Pass.

The landscape here is like something you would expect to find in New Zealand. I was half expecting a gang of Orcs carrying hobbits to rumble by while we were pulled over in the heavy rain munching on crisps and chocolate and peering out through steamy windows.

Another must during any stay is just a short five minute walk from the park in the form of the Mortal Man gastro pub, which has character and charm in abundance.

The old inn dates back to 1689 and welcomes dogs, which meant the Lola didn’t have to miss out on a five star meal, as she sat under the table eating her way through bread rolls and tit-bits.

And I can heartily recommend the house speciality, Sally Birkett’s Hotpot.

Back at the Kingfisher Lodge and Lola was splashing away in the streams, looking on bewildered at the fields of sheep and cows and chasing spiders across the decking.

She absolutely loved it, and so did we. Thoroughly relaxing and now most definitely a calendar event.

A five star stay in five star Britain and just 90 minutes from home. Brilliant.

Thanks Nick! -  We’re glad you enjoyed it!!

Many of us [...]]]> To be serious for a moment, we self-catering operators are shortly to be shafted by the government when they repeal the Furnished Holiday Letting rules next year. This is being done to us just so that they don’t have to extend the FHL tax treatment to European based businesses owned by UK nationals.

Many of us have invested significant sums in buying and developing holiday accommodation on the basis of a set of rules. As anyone who has been involved in major capital acquisitions will know, you don’t do this as a short term investment, and rule changes like this can have a devastating effect on marginal businesses like tourism.

This government appears to be blind to logical argument here, and whilst no great fan of their likely successors I have to agree with Tobias Ellwood, the Shadow Minister for Culture Media and Sport (which apparently includes tourism – so important is Tourism in its own right ).

Unless there is a policy shift reflecting a more pro-active and supportive role for the British tourism industry, ‘Government’ may well be labelled along side Foot and Mouth, terrorist alerts and flooding as unhelpful challenges to our tourism industry.

Amazingly though, the Shadow Minister for Tourism didn’t see fit to sign the early day notion asking for some proper consideration rather than knee jerk legislation

Early Day Motion
EDM 1730

FURNISHED HOLIDAY LETTINGS RULES
23.06.2009

Anderson, Janet

That this House notes that the repeal of Furnished Holiday Lettings rules announced in the Budget will have negative and unintended consequences for providers of holiday lettings; believes that the negative impact of the repeal will lead to a reduction in the supply of self-catering accommodation in particular, resulting in a significant loss of jobs and damage to rural and seaside economies; further notes with concern the lack of any industry consultation on the repeal; and calls upon the Government to conduct a full consultation and review of this policy change as soon as possible to ensure all affected parties have the opportunity to voice their concerns and to promote an understanding of and mitigate against any unintended consequences on tourism, especially in rural and seaside areas.

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=38928&SESSION=899

Perhaps somebody should wake him up?