Hatters Cottage at Hawkshead near Lake Windermere

Find My Favourite Holiday Cottages in The Lake District

The dramatic landscape of the Lake District is like nowhere else in the UK. The hills and valleys directly result from the glaciers that ravaged the land millions of years ago. The long mystical lakes, lush green forests and rich moorland provide acres of wilderness to explore. The Lakes range in size (and popularity) from the largest, Windermere and Ullswater, to little gems like Buttermere and Grasmere. The Lakes are also a walkers' paradise, whether for gentle lakeside rambles or trekking across the Fells and mountain tops such as Scafell Pike, Skiddaw and Helvellyn. There is also plenty of history to keep you interested while walking, with Roman remains, ancient stone circles and monuments to English literary greats. Enjoy, for example, a romantic visit to Dove Cottage or Hill Top, the delightful homes of Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.

Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

The River Crake lies at the end of the garden at Sawmill Cottage, a large and charming 18th-century rural holiday cottage near Low Nibthwaite in the South Lakes. The pet-friendly cottage spoils guests with beautiful views, a generous garden, an open fire, a games room and modern comforts blended with old-world charm.

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Large Windermere holiday cottage on a terrace overlooking a spacious lawn.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Cleabarrow Cottage is an impressive rural holiday cottage offering large groups seclusion, luxury and a hot tub. Generous lawned grounds surround the property in Windermere, Cumbria, and offer beautiful countryside views, while the interior and exterior promise elegant spaces in which to relax and entertain.

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A 2-storey holiday cottage in Ulverston in a convrted stone barn surrounded by a low stone wall.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

A cosy romantic holiday cottage in the Lake District for couples near Ulverston, Thimble Cottage is a Cumbrian barn conversion featuring a galleried double bedroom and open plan living area; the cottage lies in a secluded area, close to Ulverston, Coniston, and Furness Coast beaches.

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Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Wreay Mansions is a luxurious rural cottage in Watermillock with impressive views of Lake Ullswater and the hills of Cumbria. The former hunting lodge offers refinement and elegance and boasts a 30’ furnished balcony, a lawned garden, fresh air, contemporary comforts and the chance to escape in style.

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A stone Penrith holiday home with a 1st floor Juliet Balcony overlook a paved courtyard.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Get swallowed up in the beauty of the remote North West Cumbrian countryside at the quieter end of The Lake District with a stay at the secluded Swallow’s Nest, a cosy, family-friendly, 5-Star Gold, barn conversion in Catterlen, near Penrith.

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Aerial view of a holiday cottage surrounded by fields overlooking Lake Windermere.
Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
5

Renovated in 2018, Cherry Trees combines stunning traditional features with luxury modern living. Situated on the outskirts of Bowness on Windermere, the house stands within beautiful landscaped gardens in a unique, elevated location overlooking Lake Windermere.

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Exterior of a stone-built barn conversion overlooking a field.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Linden Barn is a newly-converted barn bordering the Cumbrian countryside. The charming, pet-friendly cottage combines style with tradition and sits in a quiet corner of Orton. Spacious grounds surround the 3-bedroom cottage, and the interior features tiled floors, an open-plan design, comfort and a log fire.

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A large barn conversion in KEndal overlooks a  lawn surrounded by mature shrubs and bushes.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Book a luxury rural retreat for two at Hollins Farm Barn in New Hutton, near the idyllic town of Kendal, Gateway to the Lake District. Gothic-style bedrooms with crook beams and exposed stonework await the lucky couple coming for a honeymoon or a romantic weekend/week-long holiday.

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A 2-torey rural holiday cottage overlooks a garden pond
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

This beautiful, well-equipped, dog-friendly Lake District Holiday Cottage near Cunsey has views over Lake Windermere from its location on the 5000-acre Greythwaite country estate. Guests have access to a heated indoor swimming pool, gym, fishing, and a kids' play area. Hilltop sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms.

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Self-catering holidays in The Lake District offer easy access to various outdoor activities - fell walking, rock climbing, mountain biking, long-distance cycling, golf, fishing, kayaking, sailing and more. The bodies of water that make up the Lake District offer a wealth of water sports, whether boating on Windermere or sailing for hours on end across the calm waters of the many lakes.

From your Lake District holiday home, take a ramble up the hills and onto the fells, enjoying a refreshing walk across one of the famous peaks and being rewarded with breathtaking views. The more serious walkers can take on the might of Scafell Pike - England’s highest mountain or traverse Striding Edge.

For those whose days of sauntering across mountaintops exist only in memory, explore the homes of literary greats such as Wordsworth or Beatrix Potter, which are open to the public, or enjoy a relaxing pleasure cruise on many of the lakes. 

After long days on the fells, some recuperation is in order: there’s nowhere better to ease the aches and pains than in Lake District holiday cottages with a hot tub. Usable at any time of the year, they can also be great places for star-gazing in the clear night skies above Cumbria.

The Lake District is also host to some charming little towns like Keswick, Ambleside and Grasmere as well clusters of grey-stone villages such as Coniston, Santon Bridge and Hawkshead, which have grown up along the shores of the Lakes.