On a glorious day out in the Lake District there can be no better pastime than wandering through some of the finest examples of garden design in the country. With landscape architects the calibre of Thomas Mawson, Guillaume Beaumont and even William Wordsworth himself, you will find yourself spoilt for choice. Here are five that we think top the list.
Levens Hall and Gardens
Levens Hall Gardens / CC 2.0 Steve Silverman
If you love topiary gardens, this is the place to visit. With over 100 pieces clipped in unusual designs, Levens Hall has the oldest and most extensive topiary garden in the world. The original designer was a Frenchman named Guillaume Beaumont and it was essentially a late-Renaissance (Baroque) parterre featuring mainly hedges and small topiary pieces. However, there is now so much more to see in the garden which retains many of the 17th century features whilst also embracing contemporary plantings.
Levens Hall Gardens / CC 2.0 Steve Silverman
Early in the season, beneath the topiary and the orchard trees, tulips, daisies and pansies feature in abundance and vibrancy. In summer a further 20,000 home-grown season flowers burst forth in glorious, co-ordinated hues. From mid-summer the rose garden is a spectacle not to be missed.
Open April to October, Sunday to Thursday 10 am – 5 pm
Graythwaite Hall Gardens
Thomas Mawson was a Lancashire lad who, from humble beginnings, went on to design some of the most important gardens and parks around the world. Some of his finest work is found in the Lake District where he was commissioned to lay out 20 major gardens in the Victorian and Edwardian era. Graythwaite was one of his first designs. Designed in the arts and crafts style, it remains true to Mawson’s vision – a mix of formal and informal areas across twelve acres.
Graythwaite Hall Gardens
The formal gardens have yew hedges in good company with sundials and gates designed by local architect Dan Gibson, who also designed the house at Brockhole. The daffodil field has maple trees and an arborium which has been planted to commemorate family births and marriages. In spring the rhododendrons, azaleas and shrubs are described as a ‘riot of colour’.
Open April to August, 10 am – 6 pm (The house is not open to visitors)
Holehird Gardens
Holehird Gardens – Looking towards the Langdale Pikes / CC 2.0 Peter
The magnificent Holehird Garden, another of Mawson’s commissions, fell into disrepair and neglect during WWII, but has been restored to its former glory under the expert hands of the Lakeland Horticultural Society and its volunteers. It is a seventeen-acre hillside garden – a beautiful spot for a picnic and walk around the grounds with views across Windermere. There are specimen trees and shrubs, a colourful walled garden, a lake, extensive rock and heather gardens, alpine houses and national collections of ferns, astilbe and hydrangeas.
Peacock Butterfly at Holehird Gardens. Windermere / CC 2.0 Sarah Wiltshire
On Wednesday mornings, from Easter to October, at 11.00 a.m. there are guided walks through the gardens for small parties.
Open April to October, dawn to dusk daily. Free entry, donations welcome
Rydal Mount Gardens
The main lawn, Rydal Mount Gardens / CC 2.0 Rose and Trev Clough
Rydal Mount was Wordsworth’s home from 1813 until his death in 1850. He often said the grounds were his office and indeed, tucked away from the house and overlooking the two lakes Windermere and Rydal Water, he built his “writing hut” where he did much of his composition.
Rydal Water from the garden at Rydal Mount / CC 2.0 David Nicholls
The extended Wordsworth family were all a keen gardeners and they created a large lawn bordered with flowering shrubs to the west of the house with four terraces, including Dora’s Terrace, above the lawn. There are rare shrubs and, in season, the daffodils, bluebells and rhododendrons produce a spectacular display of colour.
Clematis and wisteria on Rydal Mount / CC 2.0 Rose and Trev Clough
Dora’s Terrace was named after Wordsworth’s daughter, as was Dora’s Field. This was purchased by Wordsworth when he fell out with his landlady, Lady Anne le Fleming of Rydal Hall. Wordsworth anticipated having to leave Rydal, so he bought land next to the house, intending to build his own house there. However, he patched up his differences and scrapped his building plans. He then gave the property to his daughter, Dora. When she died, he and his wife Mary, planted Dora’s Field with daffodils as a sign of remembrance.
Open March to October, daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm
Rydal Hall Gardens
Rydal Hall Gardens / CC 2.0 alh1
Just a stone’s throw from Wordsworth’s former abode are the grand 19th Century Rydal Hall gardens. The building itself is now a commercially run enterprise, but visitors are invited to stroll around the grounds. There are thirty-four acres including the elegant Thomas Mawson-designed formal Italianate gardens to the front of the Hall. The informal woodland has a sculpture path, ponds, a waterfall and a restored grade II listed ‘Grot’ – Britain’s first bespoke viewing point dating from 1689.
Rydal Hall Gardens / CC 2.0 Gareth James
An early 19th century woodland path leads to the Community Vegetable Garden set in the Old Walled Kitchen Garden. The orchard boasts 30 northern varieties of apple dating back to the 1850s and a plethora of flowers and vegetables growing alongside each other.
Open every day, Free entry to gardens, donations invited
Afternoon Tea on the Lawn
Afternoon Tea in the gardens of Low Wood Bay
Afternoon Tea completes a day visiting these wonderful gardens. Low Wood Bay, with its view over Lake Windermere to the Lakeland fells, is in easy reach and serves several varieties of tea and a delicious selection of sandwiches and cakes served with style in the traditional manner. Champagne can be added for the perfect end to a day in an English country garden.
With equally stunning views, but if Gin & Tonic is your tipple, why not try our G&Tea Afternoon Tea at Waterhead.
We sent Lancaster House theatre buff, John Jemont, to an evening of high adventure at Williamson Park. What a delightful way to enjoy a beautiful summer evening in the outdoors, with great acting, audience participation and a tasty picnic selection of Lancashire cheese and a glass of port supplied by Lancaster House. Here’s what he had to say…
John Jesmont, Lancaster House
All for One and One for All
A scene from The Three Musketeers featuring Delme Thomas, centre, as King Louis
For a cracking night out I would recommend a theatre night with a difference in the stunning setting of Lancaster’s Williamson Park. Quite simply, there is nothing better on beautiful midsummer’s evening.
In its 30th year of open-air theatre, the Dukes brings us a production with a spin on the Alexander Dumas classic The Three Musketeers that journeys from gay Paris to a rather rainy ‘good old Blighty’ complete with colourful costumes, cheese (yes cheese!) jokes, dance and a talking horse.
Scenes with Lucy Jane Parkinson (D’Artagnan) and horsing around with Christopher Bianchi (Planchet)
D’Artagnan arrives in the city dreaming of becoming a Musketeer. He has to survive the sinister schemes of wicked Cardinal Richelieu before teaming up with the much-loved Three Musketeers – Porthos, Athos and Aramis – in order to save the Queen. But this would-be Musketeer is hiding a huge secret: “he” is really a “she”.
A Modern Twist
Milady (Rebecca Banatvala) takes aim
A thoroughly modern take on a classic novel, a laugh-out-loud script, lots and lots of sword play and great performances by Lucy Jane Parkinson as D’Artagnan and Christopher Bianchi who not only plays Cardinal Richlieu, but also Planchet the talking horse. The versatile cast swash and buckle along with an infectious enthusiasm that engages the audience both young and old and by the end you to will be shouting “All for One and One for All” into the night sky.
The cast of The Three Musketeers having a ball
Cheese and Port Picnic
The play incorporates a number of locations in the iconic park which is transformed by clever lighting and creative stagecraft. Sturdy footwear, a picnic blanket and a sense of adventure are a must. The cheese and port picnic provided by Lancaster House, and enjoyed half way through our high jinks adventure, added well-earned refreshment and rounded off our evening.
Theatre Cheese and Port Picnic to Complete your meal
The Dukes is one of the North West’s leading arts venues, it’s not only a theatre, but home to an independent cinema, arts hub and a very pleasant cafe bar, all showing a wide variety of productions throughout the year.
Book Your Play in the Park Theatre Stay or Pre-Theatre Meal
The Foodworks at Lancaster House, perfect for pre-theatre dinner
Selection of Lancashire cheeses and Sandeman Port
Get your Play in the Park Theatre tickets direct from Dukes Theatre. Enjoy a one night Bed & Breakfast Play in the Park stay at Lancaster House between the 3rd July until 18th August 2018.
For non-residents and Lancaster House guests why not book your pre-theatre dinner. This includes a main course and take-away port and cheese selection to enjoy in the park. Children dine for free and can take a Sam’s drinks bottle and dessert to the park.
The reviews on early showings of the eagerly anticipated Swallows & Amazons re-make are starting to trickle out. It has got to be said that not all are convinced that the vision of ‘capturing the imagination of the Harry Potter generation’ will be realised with this spiced up, ‘white-knuckle-ride adventure’ version of the treasured Arthur Ransome novel.
I guess we will have to wait for the official release on 19th August to gauge public reaction. Musing on this from Low Wood Bay with unspoilt views of the scenery that inspired a series of twelve books from Ransome’s pen, one thing we are convinced of – there is enough here to create your own Swallows and Amazon’s adventure.
Sailing from Low Wood Bay, Lake District Hotels
A Beloved Home
A note written by Arthur in 1958 about his beloved Lake District, and included in all subsequent editions of Swallows and Amazons, read:
… We adored the place… While away from it we dreamt about it. No matter where I was, wandering about the world, I used at night to look for the North Star and in my mind’s eye could see the beloved skyline of great hills beneath it. Swallows and Amazons grew out of those memories. I could not help writing it. It almost wrote itself.
Ten Things you May not Know about the Book and the Author
- Arthur’s father, Cyril, carried his young son to the summit of Coniston Old Man when he was only a few weeks old. In Swallows and Amazons, Coniston Old Man becomes ‘Kanchenjunga’.
View Towards Coniston Old Man/CC 2.0 David Dixon
2. In his autobiography, Ransome recalls making friends with the animals, the postman, gamekeepers, charcoal-burners, fishermen and the odd poacher or two.He joined the young men practicing Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling for the local Sports.
Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestlers
3. The steamer Tern – still carries visitors on Windermere just as she has done since 1891. She leaves from ‘Rio’ (Bowness) and passengers get a great view of ‘Cormorant Island’ (Silver Holme).
MV Teal on Windermere passing Cormorant Island
4. In 1896, Arthur’s chance meeting with author and artist,W G Collingwood and his family led to a very close friendship, enjoying long summers together, sailing and creating adventures in the Collingwood’s boat ‘Swallow’.
Self-portrait of W G Collingwood as Sea Captain/Public Domain W G Collingwood
5. Ransome fell in love with two of the Collingwood daughters – Dora and Barbara – and proposed to both of them, on different occasions, but without success. Dora Collingwood went on to marry Ernest Altounyan and after spending a summer with the children teaching them to sail, Ransome wrote Swallows and Amazons as a gift for them.
6. Just after the decision to give up his steady job on the Manchester Guardian in order to write books, he took ‘Swallow’ from the boatshed in Bowness Bay and went for a sail. Ransome wrote that it was during that outing that he had the idea of writing a book in which the heroine would be the little boat itself.
7. The first draft of Swallows and Amazons was written within eight weeks. The author was paid 10% on the first five thousand copies, and 15% thereafter, with an advance of £100 payable on the day of publication. Swallows and Amazons was published on 21st July 1930 at a price of 7/6 (37.5p).
8. Eager readers of the Swallows and Amazon series included the future Queen Elizabeth, J.R.R. Tolkien and A. A. Milne.
Early Ransome Fan Elizabeth II 2015/CC 4.0 PolizeiBerlin
9. Officially released documents confirm that Ransome was a British agent during the war, and it has been suggested that he may also have been a spy for the Russian secret police. Whilst gathering bulletins from the Bolsheviks in Russia he met and fell in love with Trotky’s secretary, Evgenia Petrovna Shelepina, who became his second wife.
10. Ransome wrote of the main character in the book, and that now- controversial name…
Titty is short for Tittymouse and Tittymouse is long for – it may be Ann or it may be Jane. I do not know; but as she is never known by any other name, it does not seem to matter. She was a very good Able Seaman.
A New Perspective on ‘Holidays’
In ‘Approaching Arthur Ransome’, literary scholar Peter Hunt said of the Swallows and Amazon series that it “… changed British literature, affected a whole generation’s view of holidays, helped to create the national image of the English Lake District and added Arthur Ransome’s name to the select list of classic British children’s authors “
Despite there being a few more motor vehicles on the road these days, and ‘monstrous’ motor boats on the lake, Arthur Ransome’s Lake District is still very much ripe for exploration.
Start your Swallows and Amazons Adventure at Low Wood Bay
There are few better vantage points than Low Wood Bay with its Marina and Watersports Centre from which to launch your own holiday adventure! Check out our School Holiday Swallows and Amazons holiday offer and start packing.
Low Wood Marina, Windermere.
We can hardly believe it is 25 years since we first opened the doors of Lancaster House to welcome our guests. Where has the time gone?
We’ve hosted hundreds of weddings over the subsequent years, but Sarah and Duncan Roper were our very first wedding couple and we look forward to re-creating their wedding breakfast for them when they visit soon for a mutual Silver Celebration.
Sarah introduces the family and tells us about their ongoing connection with Lancaster House.
Happy Anniversary Lancaster House!
I was brought up in Lancaster, my family having moved to the city when I was very young. My father’s job at the University meant we occasionally spent time living abroad. Duncan grew up in Sheffield where even a trip to Barnsley was a major expedition! We now live in Timperley, Cheshire, in the home that we bought just after we got married.
We’ve got two sons, Joe, 21 who is studying Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield University, and Sam who is studying for his A levels at Sale Grammar School.
How did you meet?
Both Duncan and I have been involved in healthcare throughout our professional lives. We were introduced to each other whilst Duncan was working in Burnley for the NHS. We went out one Sunday afternoon for a platonic drink in a real ale pub in Manchester. A fight broke out in the pub (nothing to do with us!) and Duncan grabbed my hand and led me safely away from the fracas – from that moment on everything changed!
Was it a romantic proposal?
A romantic Lake District hotel proposal
The first proposal was on a night out in our local Indian Restaurant – where else? Duncan subsequently delivered a much more romantic ‘official’ proposal during a holiday in the Lake District on the banks of Coniston Water – not an onion bhaji in sight!
Why did you choose Lancaster House?
I was brought up in Lancaster and have many happy memories of the area. My father took up a post in the Physics Department at Lancaster University when it first opened in 1964 and he worked there until he retired.
As a family we have always had a very strong relationship with the University. The Chaplaincy Centre at the University seemed an obvious choice for our wedding ceremony and with the brand spanking new Lancaster House on the doorstep it was the ideal venue for the reception.
Booking our wedding in a hotel whilst it was still under construction did have its risks. I made sure we had a back-up plan ‘just in case’. I’m very glad we didn’t have to use it!
The Big Day
The wedding day just seemed to fly past so quickly. It was everything I had always dreamed of for my wedding – sunshine, family, friends and a lot of fun – oh, and Duncan as well! Our wedding breakfast menu was Melon , Lamb Noisettes followed by a decadent Chocolate and Raspberry Roulade. Duncan’s request for naan bread and tarka daal was politely declined by the management at the time!
Sarah arriving at Lancaster House
A fresh faced John Jesmond welcomes the bride and groom. John is now our F & B Manager.
The Newly Weds!
Continuing Connections
Sarah’s Mum and Dad
My parents, Jean and Peter, remain loyal members of Lancaster House Sandpiper Club. We visit regularly and have celebrated other special birthdays and anniversaries at Lancaster House. Sadly, Duncan’s Mum and Dad, Jean and John, passed away a few years ago but we have an enduring memory of them both from our special day.
Weddings at Lancaster House
Our Wedding Showcase on 25th August, 4.30pm to 8pm is a perfect time to have a personalised wedding show round of Lancaster House, sample our wedding breakfast options and meet our local wedding suppliers. Our Wedding Coordinator, Lauren, and the team will meet you with a complimentary arrival drink and canapés.
The decor at Lancaster House may have changed over the years and we now offer a much wider choice of menu (I’m sure Chef is happy to talk about tarka daal if that is your heart’s desire!) but one thing remains constant – we aim to help make happy memories for our couples for many years to come.
Directors and managers, along with their partners, celebrated 25 years of business and life at Lancaster House with a beautiful three course meal and speeches reflecting on the preceding quarter century. Doesn’t time fly when you are enjoying yourselves!
Photographs of the team over the year recreated in 2016 below:
Directors and Management Team at Lancaster House
Built on an Established Seat of Learning
It all started in 1989 with a letter from Lancaster University to our then Chairman and Managing Director, Michael Berry, asking if we would be interested in building an hotel in the university grounds. It was to be the first ever green field site build.
Tim and Janette Berry.
Douglas Dale, Operations Director, moved into a portacabin on site in June 1990, exchanging his suit and tie for an outdoor jacket and hardhat. It was fitting that Janette Berry attended the anniversary celebration as it was Janette that assisted Douglas with much of the pre-start up organisation, together forging the way ahead and creating a sense of direction for the next phase of business.
Branding, the Good Old Fashioned Way!
Douglas entertaining the party with stories of the early days at Lancaster House
With wry humour Douglas explained that things may have changed a little over the years. Back then it was not unusual for interviews to take place in the car park with construction workers busy in the background. Nowadays much combined thought and deliberation, with storyboards, Estate Agents Waterloo, marketing gurus and careful pantone referencing are all part of the mix when it comes to branding across an hotel.
In 1990 it fell Douglas’ responsibility to come up with suitable names and titles for everything and everybody! The leisure club was named ‘Sandpiper’ with a nod to the local bird species – a name that has stood the test of time. The Gressingham dining room was named after a local village and our Dalton Suite was named whilst Douglas was stuck in a traffic jam in town beside the sign for ‘Dalton Square’.
George Sandeman with Lancaster House Barman, Tom Chalmers
An unusual and fortuitous meeting at 39,000 feet in the air was responsible for the naming of the Bar. Douglas was on a flight to Spain and got chatting to the gentleman sitting next to him, discovering that he was David Sandeman, 8th generation Chairman and Managing Director of Sandeman Port and Sherry. Douglas was further intrigued to learn of the branch of the Sandeman family that lived almost on the doorstep of Lancaster House. So our Sandeman Bar was named and a friendship spanning over 25 years with the family began.
Topping off ceremony at Lancaster House. Michael Berry on right.
A Royal Connection
Lancaster House flung opened its doors on 12th July 1991 to welcome the first of our guests. Later than year Princess Alexandra performed the official opening ceremony and attended a banquet in her honour. Diplomacy at the time dictated that the original French wine suggested for the main course was rejected in favour of a carefully chosen wine from a Commonwealth country which was more politically correct at the time. Douglas recalls that when it came to serving the wine it was tasted by one of Princess Alexandra’s aids but when it offered to the Princess we were informed that she didn’t drink wine at all.
Congratulations to the team at Lancaster House, past and present. We look forward to many more years offering a warm Lancashire welcome to all our guests. Take a look at Lancaster House today.
Lancaster House is delighted to be adding another Lancashire cheese to our cheese larder. Our free Range Creamy Lancashire is produced by Chris and Steph Stephenson, who already supply our free range milk. In conversation we discovered that this new tasty cheese also shares a Sandeman connection with Lancaster House.
Chris and Steph Stephenson on the farm
Free Range Milk – Better for You
Lancaster House are proud to be supporting our local farmers and producers. Our milk comes from Stephenson’s Dairy, just a few miles down the road. Chris and Steph Stephenson, pioneers in the dairy industry, were the first in the UK to introduce Free Range Milk. This means that the cows are grazed outside for at least half the year, guaranteed by the farmers with a fully traceable Pasture Promise. The benefits of this are not confined simply to the nutritious fodder from the North West’s rich pasture land, but it also enables the cows’ freedom to roam, to forage and to fulfil their social nature alongside their fellow herd members. Happy, healthy cows produce higher quality milk.
It is also healthier for us. Increasing evidence shows that cows fed on grass produce milk with less saturated fat and more healthy Omega-3 fat. Add to that the fact that local farmers are paid a higher price for their milk to ensure they run a sustainable business, and there’s lots to feel good about!
Free Range Creamy Lancashire
Stephensons Free Range Creamy Lancashire has a light, slightly acidic flavour, perfect with a good chutney, a slice of fruit cake or crumbled in a salad. Some have dubbed Creamy Lancashire as the British alternative to Feta.
The Cheese and Port Sandeman Connection
Lancaster House has had a connection with Sandeman Port since before we opened our doors in 1991. In Summer 1989 our Operations Director, Douglas Dale, was on a flight to Jerez in Spain and got chatting to the gentleman sitting next to him. He discovered that his fellow passenger was David Sandeman, 8th generation Chairman and Managing Director of Sandeman Port and Sherry. Douglas was further intrigued to learn of the branch of the Sandeman family that lived almost on the doorstep of Lancaster House, at that time existing only on an architect’s drawing board. Thus, a friendship spanning over 25 years with the Sandeman family began.
When Lancaster House was completed in 1991, given the proximity of a branch of the Sandeman family and with the blessing of David Sandeman, our Sandeman Bar was created featuring artefacts from the 200 year House of Sandeman production history as well as a selection of the vintage port.
The Sandeman connection now stretches to the Creamy Lancashire Cheese – the milk from the cheese coming from cows on Sellerley Farm, previously part of the Sandeman estate and now owned by the Newsham family. The cows producing the milk for the cheese literally gaze and graze in fields next to the hotel.
Cheese and Port at Lancaster House
Why not call 01524 844 822 to book a table at Lancaster House and taste for yourself the world-renowned Lancashire cheeses available.
There are many reasons to visit the stunning new Atrium at Low Wood Bay, here are the first five that come to mind.
Fantastic Lake District Views
Positioned above Lake Windermere and offering uninterrupted views over the lake and towards the mountains beyond, we can’t imagine a better backdrop for meeting up with friends for coffee or afternoon tea.
A Place to Conference
Since opening, the local business community have discovered the Atrium to be a comfortable laid back environment for meeting clients and business partners. Others find it a place to escape on their own with a laptop to write reports or somewhere to sit back and think creative thoughts. Who said that work has to be confined to the office.
Great Tasting Coffee
Most of us love a good cup of coffee. Norman’s, our Juice and Coffee Bar, sent their coffee scouts out and about around the country to find what we consider one of the best coffee suppliers around. Lontons Coffee is an artisan coffee producer in the north east of England. They know every field that their coffee beans are grown and grind the coffee in small batch sizes to ensure the freshest, most vibrant taste. We hope visitors to The Atrium agree.
Healthy Snacks
Eating out doesn’t have to mean a calorie-loaded extravaganza. For the health conscious Norman’s has a range of healthy snacks and vitamin-packed smoothies.
A Warm Welcome
There’s something about an open fire that proclaims ‘Welcome!’ The fire pit at the entrance of the Atrium is a warm, cozy space to meet with friends and family.
See You Soon at The Atrium
So whether you are joining friends and family to be seated at our fabulous Blue Smoke restaurant, having a healthy snack between gym sessions at The Healthclub at Low Wood Bay, attending a business meeting or just having a good cup of coffee, grab a comfy seat and enjoy all that is on offer at The Atruim.
We are always delighted to welcome back to Low Wood Bay, ex-service men and women from Catterick Garrison along with members of the North East Military Vehicle Club.
Sunshine Spectacular
David and Doris Forster, with Jeep owner Tom Cummings
This is the fourth Help for Heroes event, organised by David Forster and his wife, Doris Ann, and hosted at the Watersports Centre at Low Wood Bay. The activities this year were bathed in spectacular sunshine, creating a real holiday atmosphere and perfect for every type of water sports activity.
Vintage Military Vehicles
It was whilst watching a documentary in 2014 about Help for Heroes that David Forster, partially disabled himself, wondered how he could get involved and help injured soldiers. David is a member of the North East Military Vehicle Club and hit on the inspirational idea of taking a fleet of their WWII Vehicles to the Lake District and inviting some of our ex-service men and women along for the ride.
Supported by his wife, Doris Ann, and members of the Military Vehicle Club, David worked tirelessly to bring several elements together in order to make it happen. Needless to say, the folks at Phoenix House Recovery Centre at Catterick Garrison were delighted with the idea. Events like these are proven to help people transition back into the community, make new friends and reduce feelings of isolation.
Amphibious Antics
Once again in 2018, David managed to secure Lottery funding for an action-packed Lake District adventure. The convoy this year included WWII jeeps, DUKW amphibious vehicle, a Russian 1966 GAZ and two Stalwart off-road amphibious military vehicles.
As well as tootling about the lake in these hefty army trucks, the men and women ex-servicemen enjoyed sailing, canoeing, water skiing and paddle boarding overseen by Low Wood Bay watersports instructors. A great time was had by all!
We look forward to welcoming you back next year – and we will try to schedule the sun once again!
Water Sports at Low Wood Bay
The Watersports Centre at Low Wood Bay is very much open for the season and there’s a real buzz on the lake. There is so much to choose from – sailing, kayaking, canoeing, motor boating, fly boarding, knee boarding, waterskiing! Pop along and talk to one of our qualified instructors or call to book a session 015394 39441.
Emma Underwood, Operations Manager at Lancaster House is responsible for ensuring that we maintain the highest possible standards in Green Tourism. She leads a team of Green Champions who are always on the look-out for creative ways to conserve, re-cycle and reduce our carbon footprint. To celebrate National Coffee Day they’ve come up with ten tips for using your coffee grounds.
Emma with our Green Tourism Certificate[/caption]
Beauty Tips
- Makes a fantastic exfoliant – mix with a little warm water and a few drops of natural coconut oil. A body scrub that will leave your skin soft and rejuvenated.
Pretty woman against an abstract background with circles and copyspace.[/caption]- Ease tired or puffy eyes. Mix with some cold water. Lie down and gently place under the eyes. Have 15 minutes of peace and quiet, after which eyes should feel more ‘wide awake’.
- Hair can get dull with a build-up of products. On wet hair, rub in a handful of coffee grinds to leave it squeaky clean. The added benefit for brunettes is that it can also intensity the colour.
Pretty woman against an abstract background with circles and copyspace.[/caption]Around the Home
- Mix the grinds with a little soapy water and use to remove stubborn stains on the kitchen worktop or grill.
- In the same way, great as a pan scourer.
- Mix up the grounds with vinegar and warm water and leave to ‘brew’ for a few hours. Then rub gently onto a scratched furniture. Leave to dry and brush away any loose coffee. Apply a second coat for a deeper colour. Good as new!
Coffee grounds can be used to carefully remove scratches from furniture[/caption]
Coffee grounds can be used to carefully remove scratches from furniture[/caption]7. Place a container of dry grounds in your fridge to neutralize stale food odours.
In the Garden
- Put some grinds in your compost heap and let it break down. They are rich in nitrogen and a real attraction to worms. This is classified as ‘green’ matter and needs to be balanced with the correct ratio of ‘brown’ matter.
- Spread over the soil around your hydrangeas (and other acid-loving plants). The reduced pH levels will produce bright blue flowers in season.
Pet Care
10. After giving pooch a shampoo, rub a handful of grounds into their fur before rinsing to remove any fleas.
Morning Coffee at Lancaster House
Enjoy a Lovely Cup of Coffee at Lancaster House, safe in the knowledge that the team will be making the best use of the coffee grounds.
The Lake District is one step closer to World Heritage Site recognition after receiving an important UNESCO delegation that had the opportunity to see first-hand the magnificent cultural landscape in which we live and work.
Low Wood Bay, the venue for UNESCO World Heritage delegation visit[/caption]
On 2nd October, Low Wood Bay welcomed the Lake District National Park Partnership who hosted the three day event as part of their ongoing bid for the coveted World Heritage inscription. The UNESCO representatives met with a veritable Who’s Who of influential Lake District partners, including district and local councils, Lake District National Park, Cumbria Tourism, University of Cumbria, National Farmers Union, National Trust, Environment Agency, Natural England, RSPB and many more – all united in their desire that The Lake District should be elevated to the select group of sites and landscapes around the world which have been recognised as a vital part of the world’s irreplaceable heritage and which must be protected for generations to come.
Why The Lake District?
The Lake District has long been known as an area of outstanding beauty but the bid needed to satisfy the criterion of having outstanding universal value to join such sites as Stonehenge, Tower of London, Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon and Great Barrier Reef.
Looking over Ashness Bridge to Derwent Water and Skiddaw, the Lake District[/caption]
This was not difficult to articulate. This concentrated area of magnificent mountains and lakes, modified by hundreds of years of sheep farming has created a unique landscape of fields, farms and open grazing on the fells. The natural beauty became, and remains, a source of inspiration for artists, writers, architects and landscape gardeners.
Wasdale by John Pickles[/caption]
Rydal Mount gardens / CC 2.0 alh1[/caption]
The English Lake District is known as the cradle of British Romanticism epitomised by the writings of William Wordsworth and fellow poets. Wordsworth also expressed the initial idea of a protected landscape for all to enjoy. This envisioned accessibility opened the flood gates of visitors to the area, posing a threat to the integrity of the landscape, a threat which in itself eventually led to the birth of the conservation movement in Britain, and influential in inspiring birth of The National Trust.
William Wordsworth, an important figure in Lake District heritage[/caption]
Awareness around the World
As well as affirming the importance of our identify and giving us a huge sense of achievement, becoming a World Heritage Site raises awareness around the world by individuals, institutions and governments and leads to a greater level of preservation and conservation. It also opens the door to a wealth of expert advice from around the globe and can lead to financial assistance.
Herdwick sheep, a native Lake District breed[/caption]
The cultural role of farming and its role within the landscape will receive greater recognition and the number of cultural visitors to the area will increase, having a knock on effect on accommodation, leisure and food industries.
The Story So Far
The United Kingdom has a Tentative List of potential World Heritage sites from which the World Heritage Committee can consider nominations. The Lake District has been on that list for many years and a potential bid a regular topic of conversation, so much so that in 2005 The Lake District National Park Partnership was formed to facilitate the next step in the process.
In January 2014 The Department of Culture, Media and Sports recommended that The Lake District be put forward for consideration. The Lake District National Park Partnership was tasked with compiling an exhaustive nomination dossier in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Media and Sports. The final nomination was submitted to UNESCO in February 2016, and the careful review of the evidence by three advisory bodies began in March.
The most recent delegation to the Lake District is an important part of the review process. There follows a period of nine months before we will know the outcome of the committee’s deliberations in July 2017.
Low Wood Bay Development
An early artist’s impression of Low Wood Bay’s new development with new spa, rooms, restaurant, grounds and public areas.[/caption]
In readiness for successful World Heritage inscription, English Lakes has embarked on the redevelopment of Low Wood Bay, creating the Lake District’s first luxury destination resort. On hearing the news that we had been granted the necessary planning permission, Simon Berry, our Chairman and Managing Director said,
We’re thrilled that the Lake District National Park Authority recognises what we are trying to achieve. In setting its vision for the park to be ‘world class’, it is now clearly supporting business to deliver on that vision and is showing the faith to back us on this project.
