Gardens and grounds
The fells of the ancient county of Westmorland rise up all around and, cossetted by forest, you’ll enjoy a fully enclosed, two-acre shooting estate for (unlimited) dogs to explore and kids to let off steam. Eat out on the terrace tables in the shadow of the northern hills. Play croquet, then meet for courtyard drinks around the floodlit fountain.
Living spaces
Where once milk was churned, these traditional stone-and-slate barns, cattle byers and dairy barns have become a standout corporate retreat or seat of celebration for families, friends and furry best friends. Roaring fires sit alongside bespoke artwork, high beams and tartan themes in a classic shooting retreat.
The main old barn offers a sparkling hospitality centre complete with drawing room, bar and breakfast room, plus a gun room. Next door is where you’ll shoot some snooker on the full-size table and explore the collection of fine wines in the secret bar. Catch Netflix in each cottage, upload to Insta on the superfast Wi-Fi and shut out the world awhile.
Cooking and dining
Each cottage comes with a bespoke kitchen complete with oven and hob, or get the pros in for a celebratory meal cooked on the Aga in the breakfast room or the commercial kitchen in the function room. Eat together in here with room for 40, among your family in your own cosy cottage or out in the sunshine with room for 16.
Stock the fridge/freezers with goodies from the Co-op in Appleby or Kirkby Stephen, or Sainsbury’s in Penrith. Shop from local suppliers with meat from Dowden’s or Howgill’s, veg from Stephenson’s and fresh farm produce from the monthly farmers’ market at Orton. Spend some dough on baps and wholemeal at The Bread Shop in Appleby.
Make it a takeaway night in front of Netflix with Pizza Rome, China Moon and Indian from 7eventy1. Pop out to pubs such as the George and Dragon in Clifton with food foraged, reared and grown on site and an ever-changing menu according to the seasons and the produce supplied by local gardeners.
There’s a child-friendly welcome at Pooley Bridge Inn, or lamb hotpot or belly pork at The Bay Horse. Snack, graze and share seasonal produce in a classic country pub at The Black Swan in Ravenstonedale. Try the three-course dinner or seven-course taster at 1863 Restaurant. Or tuck into sea bass or fillet steak at Grant’s of Penrith.
Bedrooms
Plenty beds to choose from here in the absolute silence of the North Pennines’ Eden Valley. The cottages at Westmorland Lodge sleep up to 40 in 20 bedrooms.
Hilton Cottage can sleep four in two superking bedrooms, one with standalone bath and shower en-suite and one with shower en-suite. Murton Cottage offers two bedrooms: an en-suite superking that splits into a twin and a superking with standalone bath and shower en-suite.
Bolton Cottage’s two bedrooms are a superking with standalone bath and shower en-suite and a superking/twin with shower en-suite. Bolton can link to Marton Cottage, sleeping two in a superking with standalone bath and shower en-suite. And Brampton Cottage provides a superking with standalone bath and shower en-suite.
Orton Cottage sleeps four in two bedrooms: a superking with shower en-suite and a superking/twin en-suite with freestanding bath and shower.
In The Pole Barn, bedroom one is a disabled-access room on the ground floor with kingsize bed and shower room, while rooms two to ten are all on the first floor and sleep two each in king size beds with shower en-suites.
What people say
English longbow-making, anyone?
Potter the independent shops of Appleby, tour The Lakes Gin Distillery, or ride the argo cat at Rookin House. Hire bikes from Arrogan’s, fish the River Eden, or sign up for English-longbow making. Meet honey badgers and lions at South Lakes Safari Zoo, climb dog-friendly Catbells or head to Rheged for grub, films and gifts.
