Hyggeby Lodge

Located on the edge of the Lake District National Park in the beautiful Eden Valley in Cumbria, Hyggeby Lodge lies about 3 Miles from Ullswater, the second largest lake in England, and 2 miles from Penrith. This means that it provides for superb access to the Lake District’s quieter northern fells and the North Pennines whilst having easy access to all the facilities that Penrith has to offer.

The lodge is situated at about the highest point in a group of similar lodges at Glendowlin Valley, and has superb views across the Eden Valley to the Northern Pennines to the east, and glimpsed views of Blencathra to the west. Due to its position it is very quiet and private.

The building itself is of genuine Scandinavian construction, built by a Danish contractor in the late 1980s, and this can be seen in the high quality of the finish. The living/dining/kitchen area is open plan and features large glazed windows under an over-sailing roof, together with a wood burning stove. Furniture and fittings have been selected with the simplicity of Scandinavian design in mind and are of a high quality modern style. The lounge area features a huge “L” shaped Italian leather sofa which can seat 8 people comfortably. There is a wide screen Sony digital TV, DVD, video, stereo/radio and i-pod station, together with numerous books and board games to keep you entertained. The spacious kitchen area includes a full sized dishwasher, cooker with induction hob, microwave and fridge with freezer compartment . There are 3 bedrooms: a double, a twin and a small room with bunk beds. 2 have fitted wardrobes.

Outside, the property is surrounded by lawned gardens, bounded by hedges and contains a number of small trees. There is access along the north-west side to one adjacent property, but other than that it is very private. Most of the garden is level, although there is a steeply sloping area to the northern end. To the south-east side there is an elevated decked terrace accessed directly from the living area which is a great place to relax with a morning coffee or pre dinner drink, or even al-fresco dining on those balmier days. Every effort is being made to landscape the garden with native species in order to maintain the character of the area and avoid suburban domestication. The local bird life certainly seem to appreciate this.

There is a parking area big enough for 3 cars.

About the location

The Lake District is justifiably famous for its magnificent scenery and for the wealth of outdoor activities on offer, including walking, climbing, cycling, sailing, canoeing and pony trekking. The north-east corner of the Lakes contains some of the most challenging walks in the area, including Striding Edge on Helvellyn, and Sharp Edge on Blencathra. For the less adventurous there are numerous other routes to be explored. Near to the lodge, the fells around Martindale to the south east of Ullswater and across to Hawswater are some of the least crowded and most picturesque in the Lakes. For one of our favourites, take the ferry from Howtown to Glenridding (or visa versa) on Ullswater and walk back along the lake edge path (described by Wainwright as the most beautiful and rewarding walk in Lakeland) taking in Hallin Fell on the way for the superb views it offers. The scenery on view is some of England`s best and Ullswater is regarded by many as England`s finest lake. Make sure you also visit Aira Force on the west side of Ullswater. It is the most famous of the Lake District waterfalls with an impressive 65 feet drop and is surrounded by beautiful woodland.
O.S. maps of the area are available in the lodge along with the excellent Penrith Ramblers book featuring numerous other local walks.

Alternatively, head east and discover the Northern Pennines around Appleby-in-Westmoreland. Here you will find a series of extinct volcanoes to climb such as Dufton Pike, described as a small hill with big views. Another interesting route is to follow the Pennine way up to High Cup Nick, which Wainwright (that man again) described as an `unforgettable sight and a natural wonder” . Start at the car park in Dufton and make sure you end up back in the Stag inn.

For cycle enthusiasts, the C2C (Sea to Sea) cycle route passes through Penrith and the town has been designated Cumbria`s first Cycling Hub which means that cyclists are made extra welcome and will find excellent facilities including cycle hire and specially designed routes starting from Penrith. A leaflet is available from the Tourist Information Centre which describes five “Do in a Day” cycle routes from Penrith.

The old market town of Penrith still has plenty of individual family-run shops with names and frontages unique to the town, offering local or specialist produce. Cranston`s Butchers Farm Shop sells award winning meats, and the Rheged centre is run by the people who operate Tebay services. There is a wide choice of supermarkets,( Booths, Aldi, Sainsbury`s, Morrisons, and Marks and Spencer) and a market at weekends . Penrith Playhouse stages local productions of plays. Concerts, recitals, blues and folk music take place at a variety of venues in the town. There is a cinema showing the latest releases, restaurants to suit almost every taste, several bars and nightclubs, and a modern leisure centre.

Closer to the lodge are a number of excellent traditional lakeland pubs which all do real ale and good food. Near to the end of the drive, about 7 minutes walk away is the Yanwath Gate Inn but will hopefully re-open after the end of. Not much further away is the Queen`s Head in Tirril. The George and Dragon in Clifton specialises in very high quality locally produce, grown or reared on the Lowther Estate.

In Eamont Bridge, the Beehive does good pub grub and has a quiz on Tuesday nights, and across the road, the rambling slightly dilapidated Crown does excellent Thai food on a couple of nights of the week. There are also two pubs in Askham, another Queen`s Head and the Punchbowl and numerous pubs and restaurants in Pooley Bridge and Penrith.

Also in Askham, for those fine summer days is a newly refurbished open air heated swimming pool so if the opportunity arises you can go home with that Mediterranean tan!!

The Rheged visitor centre is also worth checking out. It is only a stone`s throw away, and has a gallery, shops, cafes, a deli, a giant cinema screen, activities for children during school holidays and facilities for booking a wide range of outdoor sports and experiences from bushcraft lessons to llama trekking. Also in easy reach are Brougham Hall, Askham Hall Gardens, Dalemain House and Lowther Castle.

About ½ an hour`s drive away is the town of Keswick, at the head of Derwent Water, and one of the most popular tourist towns in the Lakes. Once you have finished browsing the multitude of outdoor shops that the town has to offer or visiting the Pencil Museum, the annual film, jazz or beer festivals, or the Brewery Arts centre be sure to check out the wonderful “Theatre by the Lake” where the drama competes with the scenery, and interval drinks during summer productions can be enjoyed overlooking the lake.

From the south end of Ullswater, you can take the Kirkstone Pass, the highest in the Lake District at 1489ft which will deliver you into Bowness on Windermere and Ambleside.

In the opposite direction, just 2 junctions south down the M6 , Junction 38 gives access to the Howgill Fells and the north west side of the Yorkshire Dales.

20 miles north on the M6 takes you to Carlisle, one of Britain`s oldest cities, and the start of Hadrian`s Wall country. If you have an interest in Roman Britain, be sure to visit the recently opened Roman Frontier Gallery.

Travelling west on the A66 to the coast will deliver you to the maritime port of Whitehaven, once the 3rd largest in the UK. It has a wealth of Georgian architecture. The 17th century harbour and the recently built Beacon Museum are well worth a visit. If the weather is good, take the cliff path round St Bees Head to view the nesting birds in the RSPB reserve.

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