Holidays in The Lake District, Self-Catering Cottages and Apartments

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. Click here to discover our holiday cottages in Cumbria on My Favourite Holiday Cottages.

Front exterior of a stone-built countryside house  and garden.
  • 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.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A 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.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
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  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a farmhouse in Cumbriaamidst mature trees and a large lawn.
  • Sleeps 10
  • Bedrooms 5

A warm and welcoming detached Lake District Farmhouse, large enough to sleep 10, Home Farmhouse sits amidst rural surroundings close to Lake Windermere on a 5000-acre country estate. Pets are welcome here. Guests have shared use of an indoor heated swimming pool, gym and sauna.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a large 2-story house surrounded by a lawn on the shores of a large lake.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Hullet Hall is a beautiful Lake District holiday cottage on Lake Windermere's shores within the Graythwaite Country Estate. The cottage has its own private boating jetty and sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms. Guests enjoy complimentary use of the Estate's heated indoor swimming pool, trout fishing lake and fitness suite.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
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  • Fishing Holidays
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Stone-built estate cottage with a hot tub on its patio and a large lawn.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Keepers Cottage is a stone-built luxury holiday cottage in the Lake District on the Bigland Estate in the village of Blackbarrow, near Newby Bridge in Cumbria. This rural cottage sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms - all ensuite with Smart TVs. With underfloor heating, it's perfect for holidays all year round.

  • Active Holidays
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Exterior of a large country house surrounded by lawned gardens.
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Kirkbridge Hall is located on a 20-acre mixed woodland estate in Cumbria called Melmerby Hall. This pet-friendly stone cottage is next to St. John's Church. The cottage offers stunning views and peaceful surroundings. It has a lovely orchard and solid oak floors, along with antique furniture and a cozy log fire.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Sleeps 2
  • Bedrooms 1

La’l Tethera is a cosy and welcoming modern apartment offering couples an ideal base for a holiday in Ambleside. The romantic cottage lies close to the main attractions of Ambleside and promises contemporary comforts, open-plan design and proximity to the delights of Cumbria and The Lakes District.

  • Active Holidays
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
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.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Fishing Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a stone-built holiday cottage in the Lake District.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing Lake District holiday in Mill Cottage, a dog-friendly home just a few minutes walk to Lake Windermere on the 5000-acre Graythwaite country estate. This cosy, well-equipped cottage sleeps 4—shared use of the indoor heated pool and other leisure facilities.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A white-rendered cottage with a small porch overlooks a village street.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

This lovely, pet-friendly holiday home in Cark-in-Cartmel sleeps four people in two bedrooms. It lies within easy reach of the Lake District and beaches on the Cumbrian Coast.

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A modern house with a vine covered 1st floor balcony overlooks a shrub-filled front garden.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Nutwood is a delightful detached cottage perched near Lake Windermere in Lakeside. The pet-friendly cottage is well-positioned for a holiday in Cumbria and the Lake District. It features a spacious furnished deck, lovely grounds, an interior with modern furnishings, an open fire, and ample light.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
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  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
  • Sleeps 2
  • Bedrooms 1

A charming, modern Lake District holiday apartment for two set in an idyllic rural location, this beautifully decorated property in Bowness-on-Windermere sleeps two and is a perfect base from which to explore the Lake and surrounding countryside.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
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  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Riddings Barn is a delightful stone-built rural holiday cottage in Howgill, a charming hamlet near Sedbergh. The stone-built barn conversion blends tradition with contemporary style and boasts wonderful views over Cumbria and The Lake District, as well as an open-plan design and an abundance of natural light.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone, Cumbrian barn conversion in with a sheltered terrace overlooks a large parking space.
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Riven Oak is situated amidst the beautiful Lake District near the village of Levens, Cumbria; a large two-storey pet-friendly holiday cottage with beamed ceilings, a master king with en-suite shower among four ground-floor bedrooms, and open-plan living space with a wood-burning stove and Freesat TV.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Stone-built Cumbrian holiday cottage with a front garden behind a low stone wall.
  • Sleeps 7
  • Bedrooms 3

This waterside Lake District holiday cottage sits on a peaceful riverbank in the Cumbria village of Cark-in-Cartmel, close to cosy pubs and independent shops. Riverside View is a coastal cottage that sleeps 7, with stunning countryside views within the Lake District National Park. Pets welcome.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages

Why Book a Holiday in the Lake District?

  • Self-catering holidays in the Lake District offer easy access to various outdoor activities, such as fell walking, rock climbing, mountain biking, long-distance cycling, golf, fishing, kayaking, sailing, and more.
  • The lakes and rivers 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.
  • 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.
  • There is also plenty of history to keep you interested while walking, with Roman remains, ancient stone circles and monuments to English literary greats.
  • You can take a ramble up the hills onto the fells from your holiday home, enjoying a refreshing walk across one of the famous peaks. You will be rewarded with breath-taking views.

 

Where Can You Explore From Your Lake District Holiday Home?

  • Keen walkers can take on the might of Scafell Pike - England’s highest mountain or traverse Striding Edge.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.  Enjoy, for example, a romantic visit to Dove Cottage or Hill Top, the delightful homes of Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.