Review of Cote How Guest House, Lake District

>> For contact details and to check availability, see our full listing of: Cote How Guest House

Cote How is a 16^th century Soil Association-certified organic bed & breakfast, one of only three in the UK, hidden in the heart of the Lake District...

A spacious double room at Cote How. Photo: Anita Pati

The accommodation
All three rooms are clean and comfortable, with thick carpet underfoot from local Herdwick sheep. Two of the three rooms have ensuite bathrooms and all three rooms boast views of the fells, either Loughrigg or Nab Scar. The superior Rydal Suite is wonderfully luxurious with a high oak-beamed ceiling, heavy red and gold brocade curtains and oyster silk Eiderdown. Local Victorian artist Frederick Yates used to rent the cottage and the room, once his studio, is where he painted US president Woodrow Wilson in 1906, just under the skylight.The beautiful grade II listed, 16th century cottage

The toiletries in the rooms are all organic and made by “Pure Lakes”, a local company. There are tea and coffee-making facilities but no fridge or television as, in keeping with the green ethos, these would guzzle up electricity. Instead, ask Caroline for a jug of organic milk from her own family fridge – Caroline lives in the back of the house with her children.

The older part of the cottage dates back to 1535 and has the original timbers and spinning gallery out at the front while the rest was built in 1560. There are even remnants of a 13^th century watchtower piercing the centre of the cottage. Former bridal-wear designer Caroline has plans to open up the space for weddings from Spring 2012.

The activities
Of course, being in the Lake District, there is a plethora of walks to choose from with many outlined in files that Caroline can show you. Rydal Water is a few minutes away from the front door. Cote How offers guided walks and navigation training from its doorstep. Mountain bike routes circle the cottage taking in nearby Rydal Water and Loughrigg and there is a bike hire shop in nearby Ambleside.

And the Lakes, a haven for writers of all kinds, offer a cornucopia of literary haunts to visit. Beatrix Potter’s house Hill Top is in nearby Ambleside. Rydal Mount, where poet William Wordsworth lived with his family in later life between 1813 and 1850, is a ten-minute walk from Cote How and costs £6.50 entry.

Climb to the attic, designed by the poet himself, to imagine yourself at his writing desk with its spectacular view out across the fells and over Lake Windermere and Rydal Water. The gardens are well worth exploring. The owners of the beautiful 300-year-old house are Wordsworth’s direct descendents and still holiday in the home occasionally, so they stress it is not a museum.

The more famous Dove Cottage – where Wordsworth wrote his poem on daffodils – is an hour and half’s walk away along the Coffin Trail behind Rydal Mount. The path is named as such because corpses were transported along these tracks. Beware that the walk can get very crowded at peak times. Or it’s just two stops and a few minutes away on a bus if the perky air has exhausted your ability to walk.

Indulge in the locally-sourced Full English. Photo: Anita Pati

The food
The tearooms downstairs are open seven days a week with the exception of winter. They’re very popular with walkers who stream past the cottage on one of the multiple walking routes in the area. Caroline bakes all the organic cakes herself such as Cumbrian teacake and coffee and walnut slice. Breakfast is a selection of cereals such as muesli and granola, yoghurt and a full English cooked breakfast. The bacon, rich and almost gamey in flavour, is from local rare breed Tamworth pigs and the very meaty sausages are similarly local, as are the eggs.

Rydal is a small village but there are ample places to eat in nearby Ambleside, a ten-minute drive away – search the oodles of information that Caroline puts out for suggestions of local restaurants. However, the Badger Bar and Pub is less than five minutes away if pub grub is what you’re after. The Badger deals with 20 local breweries and changes its guest ales every few days. Simply walk through the back gate, traipse over the narrow wooden bridge that swings over the River Rothay and you’re there – just remember your torch for getting back!

What makes Cote How green
Caroline doesn’t use any chemical detergents and as a result, the cottage feels light and airy with a fresh fragrance. The scent of wood resins lends a natural feel. The place is TV-free with a no-smoking policy. All bathrooms use local organic products, customers are encouraged to recycle and the showers are eco-friendly – although watch the one in the Rydal Suite which lets water onto the lovely oak floor.

The carpets upstairs are all made from local wool from Herdwick sheep – which you can see frolicking around the cottage. All the food is certified organic by the Soil Association and there are organic wines and beers for purchase – just drop your coins into the honesty box which goes to charity.

The Lake District is quite literally on your doorstep. Photo: Anita PatiCaroline is on a mission to grow local plants in her gardens and is currently locked in a battle with invasive rhododendron that’s found its way here from the Himalayas. “When we took out the rhodendron, we had the most fantastic display of foxgloves,” she says. There are 30 types of wildflower in the meadow that belongs to the cottage just beyond the back gate because it has never been treated with pesticides. Caroline, a founder member of the Cumbria Green Business Forum, has won several awards.

How to get there
The nearest train station is Windermere, which runs the Virgin service and you generally have to change at Oxenholme or Lancaster. From Windermere, you can get a 555 or 599 bus to Rydal which takes half an hour. A taxi from Windermere costs around £13. There is also a TransPennine service that runs from Manchester airport to Windermere. Caroline is keen to get you to hang up your car keys while here and offers a discount on future bookings if you resist revving up that engine.

Top tip
Take a stroll around the still calms of Rydal Water just as the sun sets, but pack the torch as it’s easy to stray off the path in the dark and wander into boggy marsh.

Verdict
This Grade II-listed building is perfect for couples and/or walkers wanting a relaxing, luxurious break in a green-conscious environment. With Wordsworth’s lakes as the backdrop, the relaxing, peaceful and well-decorated cottage should recharge your batteries.

>> For contact details and to check availability, see our full listing of: Cote How Guest House