Over three floors. Nine bedrooms: 1st floor: 1 x first floor double with en-suite shower, basin and WC, 1 x first floor king size with en-suite shower, basin and WC, 1 x first floor double, 1 x first floor twin, 1 x first floor shower room with shower, basin and WC. 2nd floor: 1 x second floor family room with two doubles and en-suite shower, basin and WC, 1 x second floor family room with one super king and one single and en-suite shower, basin and WC, 3 x second floor doubles with en-suite shower, basin and WC, 1 x second floor bathroom with bath tub, basin and WC. Ground floor: cloakroom with basin and WC. First floor kitchen/diner. Ground floor kitchen with breakfast island. Utility. Sitting room with wood-burning stove. Mezzanine sitting room with balcony. Conservatory/dining.
Its old cobbled lanes and byways branch off the attractive main street, and the stone ruins of 12th century Kendal Castle sit perched on a hill with views over the town. Visit The Abbot Hall Art Gallery, its regular collection holding portraits by Kendal born George Romney and works by Turner and Ruskin, with other exhibitions through its links with the Tate. Both Sizergh Castle and Levens Hall with its superb Topiary Garden are nearby, as are limestone escarpments for easy walking, offering thrilling views of the Lakeland Mountains, the Howgills and Morecambe Bay. Kendal itself is ideally placed for exploring South Lakeland.
The Lake District National Park is the UK’s most visited national park with many opportunities for nature enthusiasts. Lakes, forests, and mountains provide spectacular scenery as well as important ecological habitats, and it is an ideal location for a for a bird and wildlife watching holiday.
Lake Windermere is home to over a thousand ducks, geese and swans that live there all year round. At any time of year, you’ll be able to spot coots, Canada geese, cormorants, mergansers, mallards, and swans sheltering in the reed beds or swimming across the water as they forage for food. In winter, the avian population more than doubles as birds fly in from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Keep your eye out for goldeneyes, great-crested grebes, pochards, and tufted ducks.
Grizedale Forest, east of Coniston Water, is the largest forest in the Lake District and home to numerous birds of prey. Red kites were introduced to the forest in 2010 to replenish the north-west of England’s population. Buzzards, barn owls, honey buzzards, and goshawks can also be spotted in the area, as well as crossbills, siskins, lesser spotted woodpeckers, hawfinches, grouse, and wood warblers.
For many years, RSPB Haweswater was home to England’s only golden eagle, but it hasn’t been spotted for nearly a decade. However, you can still see other birds of prey including buzzards, merlins, and peregrine falcons. By the lake, dippers, gulls, and a variety of waterfowl can be seen, while the oak woodlands are home to many small birds including redstarts, stonechats, and pied flycatchers. At the south end of Haweswater look out for mountain-dwelling birds, such as ravens and ring ouzels nesting on the edges of the fells.
Dodd Wood is situated a few miles north of Keswick. It’s managed by the Forestry Commission who have set up the Lake District Osprey Project in collaboration with the RSPB. Ospreys are currently breeding in trees near Bassenthwaite Lake which is a favourite fishing location of the birds, and viewing stations set up with scopes are available to give you a chance to spot the nesting birds. There are plenty of marked trails throughout the woods and as well as some breath-taking views over the surrounding fells, look out for sparrowhawks, kestrels, tawny owls, oystercatchers, great crested grebes, barnacle geese, redstarts, and blackcaps.
Tarn Hows, managed by the National Trust, is one of the most popular areas in the Lake District. Once owned by Beatrix Potter, it’s a beauty spot surrounded by dense woodland with majestic mountain views. A short circular trail will take you around the tarn with the opportunity to spot blackbirds, tree pipits, bramblings, buzzards, chaffinches, bullfinches, and barn owls. Rare Belted Galloway cattle and hardy Herdwick sheep can be seen grazing nearby.
Derwent Water is just a 10 minute walk from the centre of Keswick. It’s surrounded by wooded fells and to its south is the entrance to the beautiful Borrowdale Valley. In early spring you can hear tawny owls hooting to each other as they search for a mate, and during breeding season listen out for peregrine falcons calling to their young from nearby Falcon Crag. Later in the year, cuckoos arrive for their short summer visit. You’ll also have the chance to see green woodpeckers, house martins, ravens, kingfishers, and long-tailed tits. In winter look out for the tracks of wild deer and rabbits who are joined by fieldfares, redwings, and occasionally snow buntings.
Boathouse Feld at the northern end of Derwentwater is a small nature reserve managed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust where wet woodland and reedbeds are home to a variety of birds. Coots, mallards, and swans can be spotted around the edges of the lake, and look out for great spotted woodpeckers, long-tailed tits, treecreepers, and spotted flycatchers in the woods.
