What to see and do…
Here are just some of the things you can enjoy near Hillcroft Park
When you are touring around the most beautiful lake in England, you really should go by boat. From the site, it’s a 15-minute walk to the Ullswater ‘Steamers’ pier. The setting is great, with the mountains getting higher as you leave Pooley Bridge and head to Howtown, then Glenridding. My boat going out, the Lady Wakefield, was built in 1949. Inside was a bar serving refreshments, but I stayed on deck to get the best views and photographs. If you’re a walker, this is a great way to access trails in the national park. I had lunch in Glenridding, which at one time was important for lead and silver mining. Here I learned that in medieval times, Ullswater was believed to be home to monsters, and during World War II, was used to test mini-submarines.
Sunshine and showers
It was sunny when I boarded the 1877 Lady of the Lake to return to Pooley Bridge, but the weather changes quickly in this part of the world. Clouds descended from the mountains and the wind became fiercer, but the journey was still a joy. I decided to visit nearby Lowther Castle, and my route took me through the village of Askham, where I stopped to visit Askham Hall. The house is now a hotel, but the garden and café are open to the public. A little further on is St Michael’s Church, with the grand mausoleum of William Lowther, the second Earl. Just past the church is a spectacular view of Lowther Castle. Before you reach the castle, you pass through Lowther village, which is beautiful. All of the buildings are Grade II listed. Lowther Castle may look ancient, but actually dates from the early 19th century. It’s huge and was said to have had 365 rooms. Its currently sorry, if picturesque, state is in part due to the extravagances of the 5th Earl of Lonsdale, who blew his fortune in the 1920s and 1930s, and then abandoned the estate.
A ruined castle
The remains of this once-grand building provide a backdrop to a beautiful parterre. The stable yard houses a café and shop, and deep in the estate is the Lost Castle, a wooden replica providing a play area for children. There is cycle hire, so you can explore the Japanese garden, Roman columns and other areas on two wheels. At Pooley Bridge, a temporary structure replaces the bridge that was washed away by Storm Desmond in 2015, reconnecting the village to the west of the national park. For lunch, I tried the Crown Inn, which has a welcoming interior and a terrace overlooking the river. The service was good and the food – Cumberland sausage and mash – very tasty. If you’re looking for something special, the 1863 Bar Bistro looks promising, if a bit pricier. Granny Dowbekins Tearooms, also with a river view, provided a huge cream tea, which meant I skipped dinner. There are one or two shops here, but then, you don’t really come to Ullswater for retail!