C17th Lakes farmhouse near Aira Force & Ullswater

Welcome to our refurbished 17th century farmhouse - tastefully restored to provide 2 double ensuite rooms and 2 twin rooms. Large cosy lounge with log burner and ample kitchen/diner perfect for family get togethers. The village of Dockray overlooks Ullswater with walks from the door to Aira Force waterfall, Hellvellyn or The UIllswater Way. The C2C cycle track runs from up the road along the old roman road from Keswick to Penrith. Friendly pub with dinner & ales is 2 min walk down the road. When you come in from the front door you pass through a small entrance hall into a large oak floored lounge with logburner and comfy sofas to collapse into. Infinity superfast WiFi, HD smart TV with free view channels and Apple TV (you can sign into your own Amazon or Netflix account on the tv) and we have plenty of games and DVDs to keep kids occupied. The lounge opens into the large kitchen diner with range oven, microwave, fridge freezer and ample cooking utensils. Slow cooker to help prepare group meals for your return from the outdoors. We have 2 double rooms with ensuite bathrooms and two twin rooms with comfy memory foam beds. The best to crash out after a day’s walking! We find the space is perfect for two families with kids as there is a large family bathroom with bath and shower that is child friendly. Parents get their own private ensuite shower. There’s a downstairs ensuite bedroom for older relatives that might not appreciate stairs or for teenagers that need their own space. We provide sheets, pillowcases and towels and some basic provisions to start you off and have included a charge for laundry within the cleaning fee. You might want to bring some small logs with you for the fire (available at Rheged service station) and some slippers for the slate floors! The back door has a utility /bootroom to store coats and boots. Outside there is a small enclosed rear garden with picnic table overlooking the fells. There is parking for 3 cars across the road with another small garden backing onto the beck. There are four USB charger points (a double in the kitchen and another double in the sitting room) so you only need to bring your own leads and you can charge up iPads or other devices via the USB within the wall sockets. Whole access for family of 6-8. Minimum 2 day stay save for peak periods. For certain dates we can also offer an extended checkout if you would like to make the most of the weekend and leave at the end of Sunday. If that is not possible then we may be able to store your luggage. Please enquire if this is of interest. We allow one small well behaved dog provided he/she is kept to the kitchen and utility area and is not allowed on furniture. Please make sure you use facilities to clean the garden after use. We will leave you to your own space but our housekeeper Shirley will help if you have any queries. We are contactable by phone or email. It is simply beautiful around here - the real Lakes not the twee touristy part. Our children love it here and have the best times climbing crags, making dens, building dams and swimming in the rivers. Old fashioned fun pre iPads and PS4.. You are spoilt for choice with walks from the door or a short drive away. Lots of walking books and maps in the cottage with recommendations - even buggy walks. Ullswater has a lot to offer being the inspiration for daffodils and other Wordsworth poems. You can walk from the door to the waterfalls Aira Force in 20 mins and onwards to the lakeside cafe at the bottom with lunch or tea. There is the old steamship ferry that stops at the bottom taking you around the Lake with picnic stops along the way. There are rowboats and sailing schools in Patterdale so you can spend a day playing swallows and amazons getting out to small islands for picnic lunch. For keen cyclists, the Coast 2 coast path is 5 mins up the hill with routes west to Cockermouth or a East to Penrith and beyond. Dockray is close to the A66 and Jn40 of the M6 (15 mins) so it is easy to access the whole Lake District from here. Ambleside and Beatrix Potter are not far away over the highest pass in the Lake District. Bassenthwaite and Borrowdale 20 mins away. Further afield you have Hadrian’s Wall (1 hour) Birdoswald Roman fort or across the border to Edinburgh or Glasgow (1 hour 30 mins). In Keswick we have recently discovered a fantastic climbing centre called King Kong with climbing walls and tunnels for kids and adults (including an ice wall) and they organise great climbing trips for 8+ or 10+ such as a via Ferrata and climbing inside the slate mine at Honiston Pass. This is a great experience for adults and kids. If you need some downtime, book into Oxley spa for the evening.. and relax! You definitely need a car to get about - there is a bus from Penrith in summer months. You can get the train from London to Penrith in little over two hours but best to hire a car for your stay. 4x4 or FWD recommended in winter in case it is snowy but otherwise an ordinary car will cope with the hills the rest of the year. Bring bikes, buggy or backpacks or even canoes/windsurfer - there is a large secure garage to store any extra kit. A pair of study walking boots wouldn’t go amiss if you want to reach the tops! The village is a quiet hamlet in the northern Lakes - this area is rugged and not as touristy as the beaten path in Ambleside (but you can easily get there in 30 mins). There is a village shop down the hill in Patterdale but best to shop ahead in Penrith or organise delivery - Sainsbury’s or Asda deliver to the door. There are some amazing pubs nearby for Sunday roasts. We recommend the Royal in Dockray, the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld or, if you want to splash out, the Sharrow Bay Michelin star restaurant down by the lake.