The Windermere Lodges Blog » Cumbria Tourism

There’s gold in them thar hills

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 06:50:45 +0000

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Well it’s not the wild west in ’49, but prospectors have found gold in Troutbeck! Before you all rush to book with dreams of coming on holiday and finding enough gold to fund a lodge at Limefitt Park I should probably point out that the amounts are minuscule.

A GROWING band of prospectors are going for gold in the Lake District hills.

Traces of the precious metal have been found in Troutbeck, Dunmail Raise and pockets of Sedbergh, as well as Mungrisdale and Alston by two keen Cumbrian panners.

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/9047772.There_s_gold_in_them_thar_hills_/

Would it be mean to tell our son Tom and his mates and then see how long they can be kept amused with a metal dish and the beck which flows though the park?

Must Have iPhone Applications for Your Visit to the Lake District

admin — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:09:20 +0000

Choosing where to stay

There is a free “Visit Britain” iPhone app (Free) but it gets very poor review as do most other applications that you can find by typing the search term “lake district” into iTunes. Don’t despair though you already have the most useful app of all to play with pre-installed on your phone – Safari. So, if for example, you are looking for a dog friendly pine lodge, just Google “dog friendly lake district pine lodge” in Safari and you will be well on the way to finding what you need. Using a browser here is a better idea than an app anyway as things change and new places come and go so quickly. You can also use Safari to access many local webcams to check up on conditions before travelling.

Finding a Great Pub

The “Camra Good Beer Guide” (£4.99) may point you towards some of the better pubs in the Lake District in spite of the rather frightening warning on iTunes that it contains “Frequent/Intense Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug Use” references!

Going For a Walk

“Everytrail” (FREE) is a great app that uses the iPhone’s GPS capability to great effect. The Pro version has a little more functionality and costs just £2.39. More local walks are being added all the time. Do bear in mind that this should really only be seen as an addition to a traditional map and compass as if your battery goes or you lose reception you are going to feel pretty foolish explaining yourself to the local mountain rescue team. If you do find yourself in trouble on the fells at night you might find “Flashlight” (FREE) useful as it has an SOS flash pattern available. Yes – the iPhone really could save your life one day!

Watching the Night Sky

The Lake District is a great place to watch the night sky from because there is relatively little light pollution. If you are like me you probably struggle with identifying constellations other than the Plough and Orion’s belt. This is where “Star Walk” (£1.79) comes in handy. Using the iPhone’s GPS and motion sensors you can point the phone anywhere in the night sky and see a map of the stars that are visible in front of you. This app on its own made the iPhone worthwhile for me!

Watching Birds

The Lake District has 3 distinct habitats for birds – Upland, lowland and waterside. You will see birds here that you may not recognise so “Garden Birds” (£2.99) and “Chirp – Birdsongs Europe” (£1.79) are useful apps to have at hand. Chirp lets you learn the songs of many of the birds you will hear whilst on holiday in the Lake District.

Taking Photos

“Gorillacam” (FREE) is a great little app that will help you with the composition of your photos. It has a spirit level and a 3 x 3 grid so your pictures will always be level and interestingly composed if you follow the “rule of thirds”. It also provides a self timer, time lapse and burst modes to enhance the iPhone’s camera.

Planning a BBQ

IBBQ is a great free app that has recipes and videos, all very professionally put together, and it even shows you what the weather forecast is for the local area and where to find local butchers using the Iphone’s GPS!

Finding Money

When you are on holiday locating a cash machine isn’t always easy. “ATM@UK” (FREE) will show you the location of the nearest ATMs to your current location.

Keeping in touch

“Foursquare” (FREE) lets you tell the world where you are at any point in time and provides you with useful local hints provided by other users. “Twitter” also lets you tell the world about what you are up to. A Twitter search for “Lake District” can often throw up very useful information about what is happening locally.

Killing Time

Cumbria Tourism have released a free app “Goskimming” that is designed to increase Apple’s profits my making you use your IPhone to play at pebble skimming on the local lakes. You have to simulate the throwing action whilst holding your iPhone. You are not actually supposed to let go of the phone of course…

And of course don’t forget to use your iPhone to call home – that’s what it’s really for after all! If you need to call home and you are low on credit but you can find a free WiFi hotspot you can use “Skype” (FREE) to make phone calls.

The Dog Friendly Lake District

admin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 14:23:55 +0000

Happy New Year to all our friends out there.

As a special new Year treat I am bringing you an article that I found in the nether reaches of the internet. Enjoy!

Dog Friendly Pubs in the Lake District

Cumbria is a great place for dogs. Wherever you to, you’ll see visitors and puppies tour the Lake District. Whether the fell race, pulling cable through the city, running along the lake – always carry a bit stick infeasibly. O snack sitting nobly expected to spare, this is the land of dog

Locals love dogs, too. I can ensure that you will see several shepherds supported without fear in the curves in the back of a tractor bike or four, perhaps by keeping a foot of a sick lamb. Each farmer has an invisible edge attached to a dog or two , following him everywhere.

A lot of catering cottages Lake District are pets. If you want to take them out to the pub, too, there are plenty of places to give welcome. Many of them are within walking distance of these cottages

Boot Inn in Eskdale is a large bar in many ways – pleasant company, good food, real beer and a dog right policy friendly. This oak beams, a traditional pub has a bar, conservatory and comfortable with board games, darts, TV and swimming pool. The Beer Festival takes place starting in June. Take the dog!

Woolpack Inn in Eskdale is pleased to accept dogs on leashes in the bar. The Woolpack is home to the brewery Hardknott, so a selection of beers is guaranteed.

Wasdale Head Inn, Wasdale, welcomes well-behaved dogs in the bar Ritson. In a country full of sights, the Wasdale Head Inn still has something to scream, to a very remote location at the foot of Scafell range. Is cozy decorated with oak is installed as a warming fire. serves beers and bar food healthy.

Screes Inn in Nether Wasdale is pleased to accept dogs. Their beers and a wide selection of whiskeys are best enjoyed sitting by the fireplace after a long day walking.

Strands Hotel in Nether Wasdale is another pub with a brewery Lake Distict well. A great place to spend the night after a long walk, Strands beer, a cozy fireplace and a games room with darts, pool table and table football. They hold a beer festival in May.

Gosforth Gosforth Hall Inn is a fabulous seventeenth century, Grade 2 * (ie, more than normal Grade 2) listed building, full of original feaures as a corner fireplace, a stone spiral staircase and a priest hole hidden . It serves real ale from Hawkshead in the Lake District to the brewery and a wide selection of homemade cakes. Dogs are welcome in the bar and lounge.

Black Cock Inn in Broughton-in- Furness is run by dog owners who are happy to welcome visiting dogs. This is a traditional Lake District pub with a menu honest, friendly. An excellent choice touristing after a day.

The Blacksmith Arms in Broughton Mills, near Broughton-in-Furness is an attractive pub dog. Built as a farmhouse in 1577, has panels of the atmosphere, slate floors and oak beams. Serve the Lake districts own Jennings and local microbrewery beers guests.

Newfield Inn is a dog friendly bar in Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley. It has a large garden and fabulous views. The Newfield serves traditional local food, with delicious specialties season.

Pastor’s arms in Ennerdale Bridge is a family home, former coach Lagos traditional white walls and large sash windows. It’s located at the main intersection of pedestrians – although, Today, passersby can be walking on the coast walk from the coast. The shepherd is a dog-friendly and has beer and hearty home cooking.

Wheatsheaf Inn Low Lorton gives welcome dogs on leashes in the bar. It is a XVII century building, with fireplace, walls lined with books and a beer garden closed, which serves as Jennings and a selection of guest beers. The views are unsurpassed, with a view to Whinlatter, Hobcarton, Hopegillhead, Whiteside and Grassmoor.

Kirkstile Inn is the bar of choice for lunch at Loweswater for both two legged and four-legged visitors (dogs are not allowed 18:00 to 22:00 in the bar). CAMRA pub of the year is dog-friendly, serves great beer, great food and great success in a traditional setting of the Lakes District.

Middle Ruddings Inn at Braithwaite near Keswick, is a rambling Edwardian building with a beautiful garden and open views to Skiddaw range. They welcome dogs in the bar, where you can choose from their selection of large meals.

The Sun Inn in Bassenthwaite is just the kind of place to collapse after a long walk with the dog. It has a great atmosphere and delicious food. There is a landscape garden with dog bowls are complete with water cool.

Dog and Gun in Keswick is well known among locals and visitors alike for dogs welcome, and you can be sure there will be more than at any time of day. It is a very attractive bar with fireplaces, slate floors and low ceilings, prisoners serving unpretentious fill.

Scafell Hotel in Rosthwaite, Borrowdale is a treat location near the foot of Great Gable in the center of the valley. Perfect for a beer and a bite in the middle of walking a day. Dogs are very welcome here.

Tithe Barn in Cockermouth welcomes dogs. It Jennings pub – unsurprisingly, given the brewery in Cockermouth -. and serves meals at the bar and restaurant

Needless to say, this list is not exhaustive! Sometimes pubs change their policies toward dogs, especially if they change hands, so if it is essential for your enjoyment, please contact the bar to make sure before you to. There are plenty of holiday homes Lakes region that would become a starting point for you and your dog to explore these wonderful establishments.

http://secondhandquadbikes.com/dog-friendly-pubs-in-the-lake-district-2.html

So Did We Really Make The Best Vacation Rental Video Of 2010?

admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:28:08 +0000

Well we don’t like to blow our own trumpet too hard but we were chuffed to mintballs to read that Heather Bayer over at The Cottage Blogger has voted the video we made with Dan Childs and Getaway Earth her Number 1 Vacation Rental Video of 2010! Thanks Heather!

Best Vacation Rental Video 2010?

Here’s the video again in case you missed it

Special Offers at Our Lake District Pine Lodges

admin — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:59:59 +0000

November and early December are a great time to grab a value break in the Lakes.

We have reduced our prices below our normal off peak levels so there has never been a better time to get a quick fix of the natural beauty that is everywhere in the Lakes!

Check out our availbility page at http://www.lakedistrictholidaylodges.co.uk/availability.htm

If it’s in blue it’s at our special offer price! Don’t miss out.

Windermere Lodges – Meet The Owner Video

admin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:23:48 +0000

Over the last month the guys at Getaway Earth have been beavering away at finishing off our Meet The Owner Video, and here it is!

Filming a video with Getaway Earth

“Well, I’m having a good time. Which makes me feel guilty too. How very English.” – David Attenborough

You know how when you’ve finished watching Life on Earth they switch to 10 minutes of the “making of…”? Well this is the Getaway Earth equivalent for after you’ve watched the Windermere Lodges video.

Like most owners of self-catering properties I struggle with some fundamental questions on a depressingly regular basis. How do I differentiate myself from the ever increasing number of similar properties that are available in the same area? How do I go about communicating the joy and excitement that I feel when I visit the Lake District to people who don’t know it? How can I show potential guests that I really do love the area that they are coming to visit?

The answer came to me in August 2010 when I heard that Getaway Earth were working with Dan Childs to make promotional videos for owners. After a chat with Andy at Getaway Earth we arranged that Dan would travel up to the Lakes in early September and I duly drove to Oxenholme Station to collect him. The first surprise was the amount of kit he had -or rather didn’t have. I had been expecting a truck load of video equipment and was worried that even my estate car would be filled up. Dan sauntered off the Pendelino carrying a small rucksack in which he had his Nikon DSLR with video mode and a small collapsible tripod. Hmm …. I wasn’t going to get a lot of bragging rights out of being seen around with him now was I!

We drove back to Troutbeck and I took an absurd delight in Dan’s reaction as the Lake District scenery unfolded in front of us as we drove past Kendal and into the National Park itself. We got him installed in Troutbeck View and then we went on a dual purpose shopping and sight-seeing trip to Windermere. Dan’s interest in the huge selection of beer in Booths, our local supermarket, made it clear that we were going to get on just fine. Once he’d had time to settle in we went on a tour of Limefitt Park with Suki, my flatcoated retriever. Now, like a few of our guests Dan is slightly allergic to dogs, so it’s a good job we had him installed in one of our pet-friendly lodges. This didn’t stop him from striking up a great friendship with her though and I was only a tiny bit jealous at the amount of footage he took of her down at the dog-field. In fact he got some really atmospheric shots which he has used to great effect to set the scene in the final cut.

Now, no trip to Troutbeck is complete without a visit to the Mortal Man, so, purely in the interest of research, we went up there for dinner. The Sally Birkett’s Hot Pot and the Landlord ale went down a storm and we returned to my lodge for a coffee and a brandy and a spot of badger watching. I cut up a peanut butter sandwich and threw it over the decking and in a few minutes we were watching 3 badgers gambolling a couple of feet away from us . Dan’s camera got an outing and the resulting footage is remarkably steady considering the amount of brandy that I had pressed on him. (That’s obviously why he needs the tripod.)

The next day was the main shooting day and when I woke up I looked out of the window with some trepidation. The weather had not been that wonderful over the previous week – the lakes do need rain to keep full of course, but we do prefer it to fall outside the main holiday season. That morning though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, which felt like a good omen.

We went up to the south side of Wansfell Pike to the spot where a pillar marks the viewing point where the Victorians used to picnic and then we worked our way down through the beautiful village of Troutbeck. I could see that Dan was really taken with scenery. We went past Townend and meandered down back to the Mortal Man where we did a spot of filming in what must be the beer garden with the most stunning panoramic view in the entire country.

Now the hardest part of doing an owner video like this is having to talk to camera. Even though I have done more presentations to groups of business people than I care to remember, my brain turns to mush as soon as you put a video camera anywhere near me. As in most things in life preparation is all, so we sketched out 3 main headings for short (less than 1 minute) pieces. Who I am, what we love about the place and what a perfect day here might be like. Even having done that and rehearsed it I can spot 3 huge (to me) mistakes I made in the final cut, but I hope they won’t be so apparent to people watching the video! It helps of course that Dan is such a chilled out and kind character. “Sympa” as they’d say in France. I can imagine how easy it might have been to be totally on edge, but it all felt very natural really once I’d got past the initial stage fright.

As the day drew to a close we went back down to the dog field to take advantage of the “golden hour” when the light falls more softly and warmly. I was sitting on the bench doing the third take of my “Who am I” piece when Suki decided that I’d been the centre of attention for quite long enough. She seemed intent on proving the truth of the old theatrical adage about never working with children or animals. She put her tail down and started to run around in circles at great speed and then spied Dan’s plastic microphone case. I suppose to a flatcoat a long white microphone case looks suspiciously like a bone. It certainly cracks and breaks in exactly the same way and makes the same satisfactory noises when it does. Sorry Dan! I think you can tell a lot about a man by the way in which he reacts to the misdemeanours of a dog. Dan was ever so nice about it, but then he was in love with Suki by this time.

At this point I had to leave Dan to his own devices as I had a commitment back at home, but being part of the process had been a fantastic experience. I really enjoyed seeing how the film was shot and hearing from Dan about the camera and the settings he was using. In fact just watching what he did and the angles he used was educational in itself. Couple that with a very convivial 24 hours of interesting company and I was sad to have to leave so early.

I had no idea what the final cut would look like, and I spent the next week on tenterhooks. I needn’t have worried. The first draft I saw absolutely bowled me over. What was most interesting for me was that, had I been cutting it myself, I would never have dared to put so much of me in there. I don’t know if that’s just natural very English diffidence or the embarrassment and self-consciousness that we all feel when we see ourselves on film or hear ourselves speaking. Either way if I’d been doing it you might have seen and heard about 10 seconds of me. The way Dan cut it he’s managed to get across the feeling I wanted to convey whilst showing some absolutely stunning footage of the local area. The whole point of the exercise was to create some sort of emotional connection that could go a whole lot further than a photo gallery or a set of video pans in describing what you might find if you visit us. Dan’s editing does a fantastic job of balancing what I wanted to say with some very evocative filming and the music composed by Ayako helps to create just the right mood too.

All in all it was a fascinating experience and the results exceed my wildest expectations. The only problem I have now is that Suki ‘s rider demands are getting ever more outrageous whenever we visit the Lakes – dog biscuits, fleecy blankets, bones and that’s just the start of it. Lassie eat your heart out.

The Levens Chilli Fest

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:55:56 +0000

At the weekend we went over to Levens Hall for the annual Chilli Fest.

Levens is always a pleasure as its gardens are magnificent at any time of year.

Levens Hall

Levens Orchard

We enjoyed the chilli fest, and we came away with some very nice looking chilli plants, but I am not going to comment on the advisability of eating your way around all of the free samples

One guy we saw was looking decidedly off-colour after a bit too much indulgence in the 10 minute burn paste!

There was also a VERY funny entertainer called Maynard Flip Flap who entertained the crowd with some daft stuff involving children, eggs and wigs.

Maynard Flip Flap

All in all another great day in the Lakes!

Cumbria – Top 20 Visitor Attractions

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:44:15 +0000

Have you ever wondered what the top 20 visitor attractions in Cumbria and the Lake District are?

Here they are ranked by number of visits in 2009

Windermere Lake Cruises in South Lakeland
Rheged in Eden
Ullswater Steamers in Eden
Whinlatter Forest Park & Visitor Centre in Allerdale
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle
Grizedale Forest Park and Visitor Centre in South Lakeland
Carlisle Cathedral in Carlisle
Lake District Visitor Centre Brockhole in South Lakeland
Hill Top (the home of Beatrix Potter) in South Lakeland
Sizergh Castle in South Lakeland
Cumberland Pencil Museum in Allerdale
Muncaster in Copeland
The Dock Museum in Barrow
The Beacon in Copland with 71,602 visitors
Holker Hall and Gardens in South Lakeland
Carlisle Castle in Carlisle
Beatrix Potter Gallery in South Lakeland
Trotters World of Animals in Allerdale
Homes of Football in South Lakeland
Cartmel Priory in South Lakeland

Source: Cumbria Tourism – Visitor Attractions Monitor

A visit to Grasmere

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:31:19 +0000

Grasmere has always been one of my favourite Lake District places, so yesterday we combined a mission to collect some gingerbread with a saunter around the village. We visited our favourite shop in Grasmere – Craglands – to collect our gingerbread voucher from Chris Shaw (@cragchris on Twitter) from whom we had won it in her Twitter competition.

Craglands

If you are looking for interesting jewellery or knitwear be sure to pop in and say hello. Chris is passionate about Grasmere and you can be sure of a warm welcome and a great selection to browse .

On the way to the gingerbread shop we passed through the churchyard. It’s a lovely churchyard and there was some amazing orange lichen on a couple of the graves.

Orange Lichen

Last weekend was the Grasmere Rushbearing and the church was still decked out beautifully.

Grasmere Church

The aisle

A rush harp

A serpent

Peace

Crosses

We made the obligatory visit to William Wordsworth’s grave

Wordsworth's Grave

before we made it to the queue outside the gingerbread shop.

The Gingerbread Shop at Grasmere

Why were we queueing? You’ll have to buy some gingerbread to find out! It really IS worth it

Suki shows she’s a real flatcoat at the 2010 Ullswater Show

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:27:31 +0000

Today we went to the Ullswater Show. They had a fantastic day for it . On the way in a gentleman came up and asked Linda if she’d mind coming into the ring with Suki as he was doing a demonstration about working dog breeds. Suki duly demonstrated that she does have a mind of her own when it comes to furry things she’s asked to retrieve. I just love the way that the guy’s two black labs just sit there, stock still like book ends, looking bemused by Suki’s naughtiness.

We had great fun and also entered her into the companion dog show. The first time we had ever done anything like this. No rosettes this time but we all enjoyed it.

There were dogs everywhere at the show, but no donkeys. To see them we had to drive home and watch 90 minutes of football.