View with a room

Fancy your own cosy little retreat on the banks of Windermere for a week?

OK, so it’s not rugged, it’s not halfway up a mountain, or lost in the remote hills… but this little summer house is wonderfully located overlooking Windermere, in a secluded spot, with Ambleside beckoning just over the hill. And it is the ideal base from which to get the whole family into hillwalking, or for a romantic walking break.

This quaint single-storey hideaway used to be the summer house for Wray Castle – which is hidden behind the surrounding trees, and is now let by National Trust Holidays. Sleeping four in two bedrooms, with deliciously cosy beds and a wood-panelled sitting room, this self-catering rental is a little slice of Lake District heaven – and a real treat for anyone looking for a little more home comfort, with a killer view. The double room looks out over the lake, with a twin room for the kids (or your less fortunate friends). There’s a small but fully equipped kitchen, plus all the mod cons you'd expect.

Being a stone’s throw from Ambleside, and only a short drive from Coniston and Grasmere, with views of Fairfield, the Langdale Pikes and the Central Fells, you are smack-bang in the middle of some of the best walking in the country. You can even grab a summer ferry across the lake from Low Wray, which opens up miles and miles of more classic Lakeland walks around the Ambleside area. And if the kids are in tow, there’s plenty of activities around Windermere to keep them occupied between the walks.

A wonderful garden looks out over the lake, where you can sit with your own private view of Windermere. You can’t drive all the way to the cottage, but you can park a car about 150m away. Proceeds from all National Trust properties go back into restoring buildings and landscapes, which also leaves you with a feel-good factor!