Crake Valley

The hot tub was brilliant after long walks and sore muscles, and the lodge had most of what we needed, including a fridge/freezer, toaster, oven, microwave and lots of storage. We stayed in the copse Howe lodge, and it was the best lodge we’ve stayed in. Its tucked-away position and layout meant we could finally relax with our highly protective, vocal dog. At home, he barks at every car door, but here he could be out on the veranda without anything to react to. It was perfect for us as a couple with a reactive dog, and also for our anniversary. My only concern was that the gate lock might come open on windy days and let the dog out. Overall, 10/10, a great place to stay.

The honesty box was a great extra, and we made regular use of it during the week. It was kept well stocked with homemade treats, snacks and drinks at reasonable prices. Handy to pick something up on the way out, and probably cheaper than buying the same things off site. Definitely worth a visit! The setting is lovely, right across the road from the base of Coniston Water. It’s a small park with only a few lodges, so it was very quiet. The lodges are close together, though, and we worried about our kids disturbing the neighbours. Nobody complained and the neighbours were lovely, but we felt a bit too close to everyone and didn’t want our noise to spoil their holiday. The lodge is well equipped and lovely, though one of the smallest we’ve stayed in. The second bedroom and bathroom are particularly small, but it worked for us. After a day of walking, the hot tub was a welcome bonus. One thing to know is checkout is at 10am, and they may start cleaning and refilling the hot tub before then. The water pressure dropped almost to nothing when they started filling it, so have your shower early. It didn’t really bother us, but it could be inconvenient for some.

The park itself is in a nice spot overlooking the lake. We stayed in bluebird 2, and the accommodation let the place down. The bathroom door handle was broken on arrival, and the bedroom handle was hanging halfway off. There was no internet for the whole holiday, several basic kitchen items were missing, and the place wasn’t very clean.

A lovely, peaceful little holiday park, with great routes for cycling, hiking and walking. Coniston is five miles away and Ulverston three.