We all know that there are some wonderful things to do in the Lake District National Park. It is after all, an exceptional example of nature’s playground, with the fells to hike, valleys to explore and the shores of the lakes inviting you to take to the water for a swim or boating trip.
At Low Wood Bay, you’ll find that we’ve gone that extra mile in terms of outdoor activities. As well as the outdoor spa facilities for those who want a bit of R&R whilst taking in the spectacular views of the Langdales, there’s also the Watersports Centre which offers pretty much all you can think of in terms of boating, paddleboarding or even wake surfing.
Many of our guests yearn for something more to bring them closer to the natural world, and that’s why we’ve teamed up with Lake District Falconry to offer intimate hawk walks in the Lake District, allowing participants to get up close to birds of prey and even have them fly to their outstretched gloved hand.
How to get into Hawk Walks in the Lake District
We first started working with the falconers and their birds at The Wild Boar Inn, where our 72 acres of woodlands make the perfect tree canopy cover to see the raptors fly, swoop and dive in a natural environment.
And so we decided to help create a falconry centre here on the shores of Windermere, using Low Wood Bay’s extensive grounds and the backdrop of spectacular Lake District scenery to offer ‘hawk walks’ for guests and visitors.
What is a Hawk Walk?
Sessions start with the experienced falconers introducing one of the raptors, allowing participants to wear a falconry glove and have the bird of prey perch on their fist. This is followed by the opportunity to fly the hawk to and from the glove with expert guidance from an experienced falconer.
A bird’s eye view of Windermere and the fells
General manager at the spa Mark Needham says: “We’re very lucky to be able to offer our guests some of the best views across Windermere here at Low Wood Bay. So what better place to allow them an even closer step to nature by trying their hand at falconry.
“During the hawk walks, there’s a chance to take on the role of the falconer, donning the gauntlet and calling the birds to you. It’s a great way to experience the unique bond between these birds and humans. We have a number of hawk walk packages to choose from, including options to make a day of it with spa usage and a two-course lunch or afternoon tea.”
As an integral part of the sessions, participants also learn about the behavioural habits of the birds and watch one of the hawks perform a simulated hunt using artificial prey.
Stephen Lea from Lake District Falconry says: “It’s great to add such a spectacular venue for our exclusive hawk walk experiences. Low Wood Bay guests can get to know our beautiful hawks and immerse themselves in their world against the spectacular backdrop of Windermere and the Lakeland Fells.” Find out more book your falconry experience.
When you take a hotel break in the Lake District, have you ever considered who might have visited or even stayed at the venue before you? Would you know if any historic figures or famous faces from the past have been in the very same room as you?
Lake District Stays With Celebrities Past & Present
From royal visitors to filmstars, our venues have hosted a number of illustrious names over the years, including Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, the late King Hussein of Jordan, The Earl of Wessex and the current King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales.
And Hollywood royalty amongst our guests include household names such as Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Joan Collins and Henry Cavill.
Further back, renowned poets, writers and artists including William Wordsworth, JMW Turner, John Ruskin and John Constable were regulars at Low Wood Bay.
Celebrating Low Wood Bay’s Movie Connections
So, the recent stay of Lucy Fleming was an opportunity to celebrate the venue’s historic movie connections, notably with that truly iconic film from the 1940s, Brief Encounter.
Lucy is the daughter of Dame Celia Johnson, who was resident at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa during the filming of Brief Encounter in 1945. We were thrilled to host Lucy and her husband Simon Williams, with the hotel as a staging post for their play, ‘Posting Letters to the Moon’, which was shown at The Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.
The play is a touching portrayal of life during the Second World War through the correspondence between the Oscar-nominated actress and her explorer and writer husband Peter Fleming, the brother of James Bond creator Ian.
It includes Celia’s experiences of working with Noël Coward which led to her starring role in the film. Peter Fleming was away for most of the war, and in his letters, he writes about his adventures working on deception in India and the Far East.
To mark Lucy’s stay over 75 years later, a framed and inscribed copy of a Brief Encounter movie poster was presented to her, and the picture has been mounted in the hotel as a permanent reminder of her mother’s residence here.
Brief Encounter Filming At Carnforth & The Langdale Valley
Celia Johnson was rumoured to have stayed in room 19 but to this day, no-one can quite be sure. She described the hotel and recalls a warming fire being made up in her room and the provision of a late breakfast after filming throughout the night.
In an excerpt of a letter written by Celia to her husband during filming, she writes:
“We are living out at Windermere in a frightfully comfortable hotel where we have fires in our bedroom, breakfast in bed, in fact every mod con.”
Celia Johnson
She was chauffeur driven each day by Rolls Royce to Carnforth station and also for a day’s filming up in the Langdale Valley for one of the most famous scenes in the movie at Middle Fell Bridge, Dungeon Ghyll.
In her letter, Celia explains:
“Today being Sunday we went out to look for little bridges for the little scene on the bridge and went all round the lakes and up and down the hills and it was simply lovely. I didn’t know this part of the country was so beautiful.”
Celia Johnson
Hosting Film Crews at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa
Our former chairman Michael Berry mentions the film crew’s stay in his book on Lakeland history thus:
“Brief Encounter is one of Britain’s best loved films. Film crews bring an added buzz to all directly involved and indeed bring additional business to the hotel from the locals who are curious to know what is going on.”
Michael Berry
Other films with which our venues have been involved include The French Lieutenant’s Woman from 1981 starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, Killing Me Softly, the 2002 thriller starring Heather Graham and Joseph Fiennes, and Snow White and the Huntsman which starred Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron.
Lucy Fleming said:
“It’s been lovely for Low Wood Bay to be involved in our plans to bring our production, ‘Posting Letters to the Moon’, to Cumbria, and to explore the venue’s connections with Brief Encounter.
My mother, Celia Johnson, very much enjoyed staying at the hotel during the filming of the movie and travelling to Carnforth each day in a Rolls Royce, so it’s a joy to follow in her footsteps.”
Lucy Fleming
In his book, Michael Berry adds:
“These brief encounters are all great fun and add an extra dimension to the life and work of the hotel team.”
Michael Berry
So, if you’re settling in for your stay here at Low Wood Bay, especially if it happens that you’re booked into room 19, take a moment to seek out the picture on the wall in the reception lounge and think about life as a film star in residence back in an altogether different time.
“We are living out at Windermere in a frightfully comfortable hotel where we have fires in our bedroom, breakfast in bed, in fact every mod con”
Celia Johnson
While you’re enjoying your hotel stay in the Lake District or North Lancashire, have you ever thought of helping out with some tree planting?
Celebrate National Tree Week with English Lakes Hotels
National Tree Week, an initiative spearheaded by The Tree Council, is celebrated in the UK every year at the end of November.
It’s a key time for trees as this time of year marks the beginning of the planting season.
Supporting The Local Environment
At English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, we’re always looking for new ways to do our bit for conservation, the environment and to reduce our carbon footprint.
Whether it’s using natural, renewable resources through our hydro-electric turbine at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, or making the most of the sun’s energy with solar panels at Lancaster House Hotel, we want to help make a difference.
Tree planting in the Lake District and North Lancashire represents one of our core environmental commitments – our aim is to help breathe new life into those areas which have much less tree cover than they have in the past.
Planting new trees to create more future woodland cover is vital in terms of mitigating the effects of climate change, maintaining habitats and protecting land from flooding, as well as helping to preserve the beautiful scenes of the rural countryside for everyone to enjoy for generations to come.
It’s why we recently donated £5,000 from the English Lakes Hotels Sustainability Fund to The Lune Rivers Trust to create new areas of woodland.
As part of an overall initiative to plant over 1,800 new trees, the funding will cover 0.33 hectares of the project along a section of Ellergill Beck, to the North of the Forest of Bowland.
Why Are Trees So Important In Your Hotel Stay?
Too often we take trees and woodlands for granted, despite the huge popularity in the tranquillity of rural, nature-based hotel stays.
It is often said that the UK has one of the highest concentrations of ancient trees in Europe.
Our guests always marvel at the peace and beauty of the 72 acres of ancient woodland we look after around The Wild Boar Inn. These so called ‘Cathedrals of the countryside’ have been around much longer than anything we have built and are a life-giving feature of the landscapes across the Lake District and North Lancashire.
According to The Woodland Trust, the UK’s native tree species and woodlands are not in great ecological shape and are showing declines in wildlife. But there is good news in that tree planting projects across the country are starting to bear fruit and to address these challenges.
Get Involved In Tree Planting During Your Lake District Hotel Break
At English Lakes Hotels, we’re determined to contribute to the national target quoted by the Committee on Climate Change for the UK to plant 1.5 billion trees – at least 30,000 hectares per year – and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
You can get more involved and help make this happen with a simple decision. When you check out after your stay with us, you automatically make a £1 optional donation to our local tree planting and sustainability projects administered through Cumbria Community Foundation.
Since establishing our sustainability fund in the late 1990s, we have raised over £250,000 for local conservation projects.
In 2019, we partnered up with Cumbria Community Foundation to target more of our fund raising towards tree planting projects. Thus far we have committed over £30,000 for a range of initiatives.
Make A Difference For A Greener Planet
You can also get involved through The Tree Council itself, especially during the winter planting season. Why not plant a few trees or a hedge yourself in the garden, or get involved with a community project or tree planting event by connecting with your local Tree Warden Network.
And if you cannot do some hands-on planting yourself, you can make a donation to The Tree Council for them to plant a tree or a line of hedgerow on your behalf. In this way we can all make a contribution towards a more sustainable future.
Throughout winter the Lake District hotel guests are always treated marvellous picture post card views of snow-capped peaks, some guests even come to the area just for the snow sports! If it snows on your Lake District Holiday, sledging can be great fun for the whole family…
Hotel Guests First Created Recreational Sledging
The practical use of sledges, or sleds, is ancient and widespread, enabling easier transport of people and goods across snow-covered ground. There are records indicating that Sled Racing has been around since the 15th Century in Norway and Sweden. Interestingly, it was a bunch of hotel guests in St Moritz in the mid 1800’s that brought us recreational sledging. Adapting delivery sledges for a spot of cavorting in the snow, they unwittingly developed a family pastime that, right up to the present time, has young and not-so-young alike eagerly anticipating the first flurries of snowflakes.
Lake District Family Sledging Locations
So that our hotel guests do not feel the need to hijack our deliveries in search of suitable sliding accoutrement, our Lake District hotels keep a sledge in readiness – just in case you forget to pack your own! We’re even prepared to share our top three favourite family sledging places with you – as long as you don’t tell anyone!
1. Tarn Hows
Not only beautiful scenery with a lovely pushchair-friendly short walk around the tarn, the slope down to the lake is moderately steep – great for thrill seekers!
Tarn Howes in Snow
2. Fell Foot Park
The National Trust Fell Foot Park sits at the southern tip of Windermere. Smooth green lawns slope down to the lake shore for some great uninterrupted sledging and suitable for younger children.
Two kids sledging in the snow
But really, you don’t need to go any further than …
3. Low Wood Bay
The sloping fields behind Low Wood Bay is a magnificent sledging spot for our guests. With breathtaking views of Windermere and the snow-covered peaks beyond, even those standing around and not partaking of the sport will not be bored! There are varying gradients offering something for all the family.
Once you have finished having fun in the snow, warm up in Low Wood Bay’s Langdale Lounge & Bar and enjoy a Hot Chocolate by the roaring log fire.
Hot Chocolate by the fire
Sledging Safety Tips
Here are our top tips to ensure you stay safe whilst sledging:
- Choose your slopes carefully for the age and ability of your party
- Be aware of obstructions
- Make sure there is an adequate ‘slow down’ area
Whether your ideal day out in the Lake District is a gentle stroll by a meandering stream, a more strenuous hike up a mountain or a heritage rail journey, it would appear that there is something for everyone. Here’s one for the more adventurous.
Safely attached to the side of a cliff!
The Iron Road
I hate ironing, but this is a something altogether different! Via Ferrata or ‘Iron Road’ is a protected climbing route across mountainous areas, making often exposed and inaccessible areas available to non-climbers like me. And we have one of only two Via Ferratas in Britain right here on our doorstep.
Honister Slate Mine is the only working mine in England and supplies highly sought after green slate around the world. Set amidst some of the most breath-taking scenery in the Lake District, Honister has a Visitor Centre, organised and informative mine tours and a ‘fill your boot for £20’ facility.
On this occasion, that’s not what brought Kris and myself past Derwentwater and along the beautiful Borrowdale Valley. We were booked on Honister Via Ferrata Xtreme, an adrenaline pumping experience which would take us to the summit of Fleetwith Pike, a commanding presence above Honister Pass at a height of 2,066 ft.
Honister Pass snaking below the Via Ferrata
In recent history Via Ferratas have grown massively in popularity, particularly in the Alipine regions of Italy, France and Austria, but they have been around as early as the 19th century and the early years of mountaineering. They also served a more serious diversion during WW1, providing vital military routes across hazardous mountain ranges for troops and supplies.
A Privileged Perspective
We joined another seven adventure seekers and after a quick introduction to Tom, our guide, we were issued with harness, helmet and a pair of life-preserving carabiners. I’d done my research, so I knew that if everything were to go wrong, I would be the first to perish en route. Cold comfort.
A bus ride a short distance up the side of the mountain deposited us at the start of the route. Tom gave clear instructions about how to remain safely clipped in to the steel rope, but all too quickly we had to lower ourselves over the side of the mountain and descend steeply on a series of iron ladders.
Keeping my eyes level and my hands busy with the constant carabiner clipping meant that the reality of the cars-as-dots deep in the valley below did not totally freak me out. Surprisingly quickly, I started to trust the equipment and Tom’s words about its near impossible breaking strength.
The beauty of the valley below and the mountains around started to permeate my consciousness and I felt privileged to be allowed to view it all from such a vantage point.
Smile for the Camera!
Kris smiling for the camera, just before he looked down to the valley bottom
Navigating ladders overhanging a steep gully
We discovered that Tom was also a photographer. That, and his dry sense of humour collided when, on the 60 m ‘tightrope’ Burma Bridge, he encouraged me to turn around and smile for the camera! As the bridge began to sway and I heard Kris’ strained voice behind me quietly assert, “I don’t like this,” I willed myself to the other side. A scramble up a steeply stretched cargo net and, all too soon, our two hours of climbing were over.
Tina’s tightrope photo shoot on the 60 m Burma Bridge
The steep cargo net climb
A short assent through a disused mine shaft took us close to the summit of Fleetwith Pike with spectacular views across Buttermere Valley to Crummock Water and Loweswater to the north. Views of Haystacks, Great Gable and Green Gable bathed in late afternoon sunshine accompanied us on the gentle descent back to the Visitor Centre.
Group shot at the summit of Fleetwith Pike
I believe anybody with reasonable fitness, thirst for adventure, a head for heights (or a need to overcome a fear of heights), and a desire for some high level sightseeing will finish their session at Honister Via Ferrata exhilarated and with a huge smile on their face.
Views back towards the Honister Visitors Centre
Via Ferrata Xtreme
The Xtreme takes approx. 3 – 3.5 hours to complete. Prices from £37.50 Child (10 yrs up to 16), £45.00 Adult (16 yrs +), Family discounts available.
Book online or by Telephone: 017687 77230
Address: Honister Pass, Borrowdale, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5XN
Adventure Holiday in the Lake District
After a morning on the Iron Road, scrambling to the top of Fleetwith Pike via cable, ladders and cargo nets, you will have plenty of time to explore the rest of the Lake District.
Take a scenic drive past the beautiful Derwent Water, and visit the town of Keswick for a spot of lunch. Then head down the A591 past Thirlmere to Grasmere where you can sample the world famous Sarah Nelson Grasmere Gingerbread. Then head towards Ambleside where you can check in the 4 Star Waterhead Boutique Hotel or Low Wood Bay Resort Hotel on the shores of Windermere. If you are still thirsty for adventure after a great night sleep, head down to Low Wood Bay Watersports Centre where there is plenty of activities to keep you entertained within our Lake District Hotels!
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.
On Mother’s Day, Mums are presented with flowers, choccies, perfume or sometimes a thoughtful personalised gift. Don’t get me wrong, any and every gift is cherished, especially the glitter-laden home-made card. However, research has shown, and I can testify to most of these in various seasons of life, that the most-wanted list is really quite simple …
Children, fathers, take note!
Sleep
How many young Mum’s just crave a night of undisturbed slumber, where the 3 am closed-eye zombie shuffle to settle an infant is, for one night of bliss, another life away? Sleep deprivation, a well known instrument of torture… no wonder Mums’ dream of dreaming the night away.
Gift inspiration: Book the in-laws and book a room to sleep in!
Here are a few rooms that we can offer within our family of hotels
Adult Conversation
We choose to spend lots of time with our toddlers endlessly repeating the same word, phrases, nursery rhymes because we know it is good for their vocabulary, but what about ours? Something happens when you have pretended to like plastic peas for the thirtieth time to the tune of “Num, num, num” There is a real danger of our brains turning to mushy (peas).
Gift inspiration : A girly afternoon tea with a view
Who wouldn’t love Afternoon Tea at The Midland!
Me Time!
Taxi driver, picky eater personal chef, potty trainer, housekeeper, ABC and 123 teacher, tooth-brushing inspector, dramatic story teller, road crossing patrol, lullaby singer, hugs and kisses expert, speech specialist, super hero costumes-at-short-notice maker – just a few of the jobs on Mums jobs list!
Gift inspiration: Pamper time at the local beauty salon
Me Time!
A Meal with My Family… that I Don’t Have to Cook
Planning nutritious week-day meals, shopping, food prep, picky eaters, clearing up and starting again… all reasons that Mums will very often fall at your feet weeping in gratitude when offered the seat of honour and a tasty meal cooked by someone else, surrounded by those she loves.
Gift Inspiration: Sunday lunch for the whole family
Damien, Head Chef at Lancaster House carving the roast.
Family Fun
A fun day out in the country for the whole family – fresh air, laughter, new sites and sounds, a bit of an adventure – just what’s needed to put everything back in perspective and remember why we had that family in the first place!
Gift Inspiration: A Day in the beautiful Lake District
Here are our top tips for family fun in the country
Family On Walk In Countryside
Still Time to Book Mum’s Top Treat!
At English Lakes we have comfy beds, beauty treats, afternoon teas, meals for all the family and lots of fun family activities. Have a look at our beautiful venues and choose the best fit to treat the Best Mum in the World at one of our Lake District Hotels.
English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues are delighted that UNESCO have agreed with the Lake District bid and have elevated our much-loved land and rich culture to World Heritage status.
When we consider the English Lake District, our immediate thoughts are the people that have created and maintained the heritage of this compelling and beautiful part of the world. English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues celebrates that inheritance every day as we extend a welcome to visitors from near and far to share in the rich culture and landscapes that we will never take for granted.
History of Lake District Tourism
It was the natural beauty of the Lake District that first brought visitors to the area. The advertising of the day was through the Romantic Movement, when poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge incorporated vivid description of this beauty in their writings.
William Wordsworth
Writing about his Lake District home, Wordsworth described it as
Majesty, and beauty and repose,
A blended holiness of earth and sky.
…
A termination and a last retreat,
A Centre, come from wheresoe’er you will,
A Whole, without dependence or defect,
Made for itself and happy in itself,
Perfect Contentment, Unity entire.
(‘Home at Grasmere’, 143-51)
Lake District Guide Books followed – Wordsworth wrote five volumes in all – and the trickle of pioneer travellers became a stream. Today we welcome around sixteen million visitors to the Lake District each year.
Humble Beginnings
Brochure of ‘Logan’s Low-wood Hotel, Windermere’ c.1940
Brochure of ‘Logan’s Low-wood Hotel, Windermere’ c.1940English Lakes history stretches back four generations and has its roots in the hard work and dedication of Robert Buckley, an orphan who was determined that his family would have opportunities in life that he did not have. Low Wood Bay, originally a Coaching Inn frequented by, amongst others, the Lake District poets and writers including William Wordsworth, was purchased in 1952 as a fairly modest seasonal hotel. With hard work, dedication and investment Low Wood Bay is today the Lake District’s first world class resort hotel, and is one of the five hotels that earned us the title Family Business of the Year 2016
Rich Pickings
As you would expect from a cultural heritage location, The Lake District has a wealth of fantastic suppliers, everything from Cumberland Sausage to Kendal Mint Cake.
We are committed to featuring locally-sourced products on our menus and in the hotels. Not only that, these suppliers are very often neighbours and friends and we have been doing business together for many years, and some, like Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread, for several generations.
Sarah was the creative, hardworking woman who invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854. Sarah’s culinary skills were soon enjoyed by Lady Maria Farquhar’s household and guests and sometime
in the winter of 1854 Sarah perfected her gingerbread recipe – quite unique and very different from other cakes and biscuits of the day. The reputation for the spicy-sweet chewy biscuit/cake spread first around the village, and then further afield.
Today each Waterhead bedroom has their own packed slices of Grasmere Gingerbread® for guests to enjoy. Commenting on our Waterhead welcome cuppa, Grasmere Gingerbread’s owner, Joanne, commented,
It is the best hospitality tray I’ve seen, because as well as Grasmere Gingerbread®, you get a mug and proper coffee!
We Did Honour to the Puddings Indeed!
Even earlier than Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread recipe, Low Wood Bay were serving up some fine desserts. As early as 1825 an author named John Briggs wrote in glowing terms of Low Wood puddings. The hotel still serves a traditional Low Wood sweet toffee pudding and offers interested diners a copy of the recipe.
… you will remember, Tom, the glowing description, which Mr Benfield gave of the Low Wood puddings when he paid us a visit, on his return from a lake tour. And my uncle, though not an epicure, thought we might as well taste them, since opportunity was so favourable. You know, brother, that curiosity is inseparable from the tourist; we therefore all agreed to my Uncle’s proposal, and some Low Wood puddings were ordered in as a part of the supper.
We sat down to supper; and you will perhaps believe me, when I assure you that we did honour to the Puddings. Indeed, Mr Harrison paid them an extraordinary compliment, for he devoured two of them. They were certainly excellent …
Extract from ‘Letters form the Lakes’ By John Briggs.
Conserving our Future
The beauty of the local landscape and wonderful wildlife are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, but the effect of this footfall does have an impact upon the environment. Our Chairman and Managing Director, Simon Berry, was instrumental in talks that led to the formation of Nurture Lakeland, a charity set up to protect the landscape and environment of Cumbria and the Lake District.
One simple and effective way that English Lakes helps to conserve the land is through our Visitor Giving Scheme. Each guest is invited to give a voluntary donation of £1 at the end of their stay. Most folks are happy to contribute in the knowledge that the money raised is working hard to protect and maintain the landscape for future generations. To date, through this scheme, we have contributed over £185,000.
The logo celebrating the World Heritage status of the Lake District
There is much of interest for visitors to The Lake District from outdoor pursuits, gastronomic delights, music and the arts and traditional Lakeland Sports. If you enjoy history, there are two exhibitions that explain how the local area was transformed to bolster the war effort and subsequently, to welcome survivors of the holocaust for much needed rest and recuperation.
The waters of Windermere formed an important part of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues early history, with the founding member of the company, Norman Buckley, a contemporary and friend of Donald Campbell, securing a total of seven world speed records on the lake.
Just a few years prior to Norman’s first record attempt, the same waters and adjoining lake shore played a vital part in serving Britain through WWII.
‘The Flying Boats of Windermere’ and ‘From Auschwitz to Ambleside’ are two local exhibitions, at Windermere Library, which give poignant glimpses of life in the Lake District during the course of WWII and the immediate aftermath. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.
The Flying Boats of Windermere
Few people in Windermere recognise the name Calgarth these days, but the name is synonymous with a fascinating piece of war time Lakeland history and an important reminder of the role that many of our residents played in securing the safety of our nation. Although there is now very little physical trace of Calgarth Estate, in 1941 it was an extensive village that sprang up to house the workers and their families at Short Brother’s factory, manufacturing the Sunderland Flying Boat.
Eustace, Oswald and Horace Short headed up the UK’s leading aircraft manufacture from 1908. They developed the Sunderland Flying Boat which went on to be used by Coastal Command during the North Atlantic Campaign to protect convoys carrying vital supplies to Britain, and to hunt German U-Boats.
Clearly this didn’t go down well with the opposition at the time and German bombers began targeting the main manufacturing base. A more secure location was required with a large expanse of water from which the Sunderlands could take off. Windermere fitted the bill and within eighteen months, the newly formed workspace became the largest single span hangar in Europe, large enough to build three Sunderlands at any one time.
Calgarth Estate grew and flourished around the factory with two shops, a canteen, assembly hall, club house, laundry, sick bay, policeman and football team. At the peak of production, the factory employed 1,571 people, just under half being local workers. The workers called their simple, modern houses ‘Shorts Palaces’.
After the war many of the workers moved to find alternative employment, although many of their families stayed due to a national housing shortage.
In 1945 the people of Windermere opened their hearts to some very special visitors, and Calgarth became an important UK landmark directly connected to the Holocaust.
From Auschwitz to Ambleside
A deeply moving display, including black and white video, sound recordings and photographs that tell the story of 300 orphans, mainly boys, who travelled from Eastern Europe to the Lake District in the summer of 1945. This was not like any ‘holiday’ we would know however. Each of these young people, most in their early teens, had survived the trauma of the Holocaust, and Calgarth Estate was to be a place of respite and recovery, if that was ever to be possible.
The beauty and tranquillity of The Lake District in some small way seemed to reach the children at the start of their recuperation process. Bicycles were made available and the children rode through the countryside, played football, enjoyed trips to the cinema, and slept in the comfort of a bed for the first time in years.
Jack Aisenberg, one of the survivors, described it in the following terms,
“I came from Hell to Paradise”
Many of ‘The Windermere Boys’, as they came to be called, remained in the North West of England marrying local girls, some founding successful businesses and becoming fully involved in community life.
The exhibition was researched and compiled by Cumbria-based artist Trevor Avery who visited Auschwitz and other death camps to piece together the moving tale. He said,
“The story is ultimately an uplifting one of survival and compassion and shows the crucial role played by Cumbria and its people in the recuperation of the Jewish children. The Lake District should be very proud of this legacy”.
Exhibition Opening Times
You can find the exhibition on the First Floor of Windermere Library and it is accessible by a stairway or lift. Entrance to the exhibition is free.
The exhibition opening times are:
Monday – Friday 10 am – 4 pm
Saturday 10 am – 1 pm
The local exhibitions are just one of the many day-time attractions that visitors to the area can enjoy. Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa overlooks the lake that played such an integral part of Lakeland’s WWII endeavours.
The Lake District is now a World Heritage site inscribed under the cultural landscape category. The spectacular landscape is well known to have inspired poets and artists of the romantic movement. Even, earlier than that, however, the Lake District had a proud sporting heritage which is celebrated every year at the various country shows. English Lakes has a long, fruitful and continuing association with Ambleside Sports, held each year in July – a great day out for all the family.
Ambleside Sports
As early as 1946, the then Manager of Low Wood Bay became President and in 1979 our previous Chairman and Managing Director, Michael Berry, took the role and became a stalwart contributor, helping to make the event the tour de force it is today.
Early Days
There are reports of sporting events at Low Wood Bay from as early as the 17th century, with mentions of regattas, wrestling competitions and, unacceptable now of course, cock fighting and bare fist boxing. However, it wasn’t until Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1886 that the now named, Ambleside Sports, came into being. It was a glorious celebration and one that the locals intended to repeat.
A local publication recorded,
“It is a long time since any of this class of sports were held at Ambleside, but having broken the ice, as it were, it is the intention, so I hear, of those gentlemen who took the
initiative in the above, to try to make them annual”
New Name, New Venue
The principles of sponsorship were quickly established and prizes were donated from the local tradesmen and “a sum of money from the gentry.” The Boer and Great Wars affected the succession of the event but post WWII, it had a new name, Ambleside Hound Trail Sport, and a new setting in Rydal Park where the Sports are held today.
In 1946 The Westmorland Gazette records,
“It is an ideal place with its sylvan slopes and natural grandstand”
The Sports first AGM was held at Low Wood Hotel in 1946 when the Manager nominated as President. It is an association that has been maintained to the current day. Over the years, extracts from the minutes interest and amuse. In 1972 it was noted,
Complaints re toilets – MORE REQUIRED!!
Obviously, they were people of action as the 1973 minutes record,
Hurrah! New wooden toilets with a deeper trench were satisfactorily in use all day.
English Lakes continued the strong association with the sports, our former Chairman and Managing Director becoming President in 1979. Michael Berry had been attending the event since the 1950s whilst on family holidays and continued his annual attendance when he relocated to the area in 1972. Jak Hirst, current Ambleside Sports Chairman remembers,
Michael was very good at ‘moving and shaking’ people. It was his initiative that brought about the Life Membership Scheme following an extremely wet and financially disastrous year for the sports. This scheme saved us from financial ruin. In 1994, Michael invited Sebastian Coe to come and open the sports attracting a lot of people who might not otherwise have thought of coming along.
Things have changed little over the years – admittedly the prize money is different, running shoes have probably improved, competitors now come from as far afield as Australia and 1998 saw the first female wrestler – but in essence Ambleside Sports remains a celebration of local traditional Sports, notably Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, Hound Trailing and ‘Guides’ Fell Racing.
Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling
Featuring the traditional ‘back hold’, to defeat your adversary you must break the hold on land your opponent on the ground. If there is no winner, the round is declared a ‘dog fall’ and the competitors begin again.
Hound Trailing
The ‘Cry of the Hounds’, introduced by Michael Berry, is relayed across the field and heralds the opening address of the sport’s President each year.
Hound trailing has its origin in the farming community and is a race between competing hounds from a prescribed start (the slip) following a laid trail (10 miles for senior hounds, 5 miles for puppies) back to the finish line. The route is defined by dragging the ground with a rag soaked in a mixture of aniseed, oil and parafin prescribed by HTA rules. As the hounds bound towards the finish line they are eagerly awaited by owners and bookies and greeted by a cacophony of barking, shouts and whistles.
‘Guides’ Fell Race
‘Fleet of foot and of good stamina’ is required to cover the course across fields, walls, streams and other rough terrain of a fell. The name ‘guides’ comes from 18th century tourists who called upon local fellsmen to guide them over mountain areas. One theory for the origin of the ‘Guides Race’ is that in their spare time the guides held competitions amongst themselves racing to the top of the nearest hill and back. There’s always been great rivalry and camaraderie among the competitors and many lifelong friendships were forged as a result.
Visit Ambleside Sports
Ambleside Sports has survived war, fire, foot and mouth disease, weather and, one year, the discovery that they had no string for the finish line! It is one of the ‘highlights of the Lakeland summer’.
Waterhead hotel and Low Wood Bay are just a short drive away from the Showground and an ideal stopping off point.
