Little Orchard

I slept like a log in the enormous bed, after arriving on a damp Thursday evening and getting a warm welcome that soon cheered me up. The bedroom was spacious with wonderful views, and the en-suite bathroom was large and better appointed than many hotel bathrooms I’ve seen. The owner’s towel-folding skills are impressive too. Little Orchard is a charming B&B in the south of the Lake District, with a modern interior in a traditionally styled house. It sits among a pretty garden with several fruit trees, which explains the name. Breakfast was excellent. The dining room is pleasant, with commemorative porcelain and old photos on the walls. There was a good choice of cereal, fruit and yoghurt, and I had the full English. The bacon, sausage and black pudding were top quality, with plenty of conserves and drinks to choose from. The owner also pointed me towards nearby places worth seeing. For good food and local beers, the Farmer’s Arms at Lowick is about 10 minutes away. A motor museum is around a 10-minute walk away and is a magnificent rainy-day visit, full of motoring history, including cars, motorbikes, bicycles and a fire engine. There’s also memorabilia from a bygone age, including amusement machines I remembered from my youth. Next door, a tribute to Donald Campbell tells his story, with replicas of his ‘Bluebird’ car and the fateful ‘Bluebird’ jet powered boat, plus an interesting video. I might have missed it if I’d headed instead to the area’s better-known attractions. Thanks, Little Orchard, for such a comfortable visit in a lovely house. I really appreciated the local knowledge, and both the room and breakfast were lovely. Barry Carr Date of stay: May 22nd