Borwick Fold Self Catering Holiday Cottages in Lake District, Hawkshead

Hawkshead Self Catering Cottage Accommodation, Lake District Cumbria

Cumbria – a land of contrasts and ever changing skies

At Borwick Fold Cottages, in the Lake District National Park, we are enjoying blue skies and sunshine. Spring is at its height - blossom, carpets of bluebells and primroses in the woods, camellia's and rhododendron's, lambs gambling in the fields, birds busy nesting, swallows in the valleys and cuckoo's on the fell. it is already warm enough to sit out and enjoy coffee outside the cottages gazing over the view. We are set on the edge of the fell high above the valley where we can take advantage of spectacular skies. We often wake to mist in the valley whilst we sit in sunshine watching the high peaks of the fells floating on top of the mist. In the winter the snow lays mainly on the fells and the cold weather creates clear blue skies, which reflect in the lakes and between you have the green of the valley and the ochre of the bracken beneath the snowy peaks. On clear nights we are able to enjoy the canopy of stars in the ink black night.

There are plenty of low level walks from the door of your cottage for the odd misty day but Lake District weather is constantly changing and there are many opportunities for walking the high fells and lots of activities, galleries etc for those days you take off.

Absorbing the views and listening to the sounds of nature creates a haven that allows time to stand still, Our visitors frequently tell us that they never want to leave.

Don't forget to bring your camera and see whether you can equal the shots that Tony Richards will be producing on Lakeland Cam

Slater's Bridge, Little Langdale - A good leg stretch from your cottage door - [Photograph by Tony Richards - Lakeland Cam].

[News & What's On - see bottom of page]

FLOODS IN CUMBRIA LATE 2009 - The Lake District of Cumbria is open and only a small number of businesses are closed for repairs. The fells are still open and glorious to walk at this time of year. Currently blue skies and sunshine with clear roads [no snow in the valleys] to travel on and the mountains covered in snow.

News - March 2009 - Toads and Frogs are becoming an increasingly rare sight across the world - scientists are very concerned. The pond in the courtyard behind the cottages at Borwick Fold however is currently giving us great pleasure as both species have arrived to spawn and are serenading throughout the day - we have never seen such huge numbers.

Wildlife on Windermere - an otter was seen on the lake a year after the ban on speedboats on Windermere came in to effect. There has been a growth in sailing and canoeing and fishing as the lake is now peaceful & safe. Wildlife and the lake ecology are also benefiting.

What's On - [bottom of page] will be updated for 2010 shortly.

The Langdale Pikes from Bull Close [walking distance from Borwick Fold to Bull Close is approximately 2 miles & the famous Drunken Duck in is half way between]- Photograph by Tony Richards-Lakeland Cam

Greylag Goose - Tony Richards - Lakeland Cam

Borwick Fold Cottages are members of the 'Conservation Partnership' [refer Environment page] we are currently working with our visitors to raise funds to support practical conservation work, such as foot path erosion - 10 million pairs of feet and the Lake District weather make this an on-going project.

Borwick Fold Cottages was assessed and achieved the Responsible Tourism Standard in October 2004 - with a healthy 74% - This is the first sustainable tourism accreditation scheme for Cumbria. During the last year we have changed all our cleaning products for environmentally friendly items and have been testing detergent free laundry balls for the last 6 months - try them, they are superb. We are currently preparing information files for all the cottages on environmental issues.

We are interested in our visitors ideas, particularly regarding the environment and sustainability, and continue to learn from you.

What’s On 2009 - There are a wide variety of events in Cumbria throughout the year – the following is an extract of what’s on either in Esthwaite valley, where Borwick Fold Cottages are situated, or within a short drive. Where possible dates and contact numbers for details have been given: please clarify dates, where given, in case of changes to those advertised. Many of these organisations do not finalise dates until nearer the event. In the process of updating.

James and Lynda Johnson
Borwick Fold, Outgate, Near Ambleside,
Cumbria, England LA22 0PU