Explore thriving Keswick, stunning Derwentwater Lake and the picturesque mountains beyond with this stylish bolthole with a private garden.
This beautiful period cottage is ideally located on a quiet street right in the heart of Keswick. Retaining plenty of original features, this little gem of a house is surprisingly spacious and has the added bonus of a lovely, sunny back garden to enjoy all year round. Every room has large timber windows letting light flood in to show off the stylish decor and high ceilings at their best during the day. On winter evenings, close the original wooden shutters, light the wood burner and enjoy the delightful ambience with a relaxed evening in. The cottage perfectly combines traditional Georgian charm with modern technology to create a cosy, relaxing and welcoming holiday home.
Keswick has a vibrant street-scene of shops, pubs, cafes and entertainment. There is a thriving market twice a week and a good range of independent shops to browse. Families are well catered for with two lovely parks, the leisure pool and a huge choice of outdoor activities. The timeless beauty of Derwentwater and the famous view from Friars Crag are just a short walk away and from the boat landings you can catch a traditional launch around the lake or hire a rowing boat to explore the water. Walkers of all abilities are spoilt for choice in Keswick, or else explore the cultural opportunities at the family-run cinema, three museums, and the renowned Theatre by the Lake.
If you want to explore the wider area it is easy to do with nearby places such as the Solway Coast with wide open spaces and lots of wildlife, and Ullswater, home of Wordsworth's famous daffodils. Drive or cycle over Honister and Newlands Passes to Buttermere where you will find a pretty hamlet with pubs and cafes and a lovely lake with wooded shores. Stop off at Honister Slate Mine on the way, take an underground tour, get an adrenalin rush on the Via Ferrata or just pick up a souvenir to take home! Keswick is perfectly placed for heading out into the surrounding area and this cottage is the ideal base to take advantage of this.
The beautiful two-bedroom period cottage built in the 1800s which the owners believe was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of 'mad' King George III. This beautiful house has been lovingly renovated by the current owners and retains a wealth of original features which have been complimented with stylish decoration and real attention to detail in the finishing touches. This all combines to make the cottage a haven of tranquillity and a perfect base for a holiday.
Enter through the door at the side of the cottage and step into the hallway. The hall, stairs and lounge all have lovely original floorboards which have been stripped and re-varnished and have a lovely warm feel, hang up your coat above the radiator and turn right to the lounge.
Have a seat on one of the two comfy two-seat sofas and take in the wealth of character contained in this welcoming room. The window out onto the quiet street still has the original working wooden shutters to shut out winter nights for cosy evenings around the wood burner; your first basket of logs is supplied and ready to go so grab a drink, some snacks and enjoy! The traditional fireplace has a thick slate hearth and is flanked by built in bookshelves on both sides containing a large selection of novels and DVDs to suit all the family. This timeless room has been beautifully decorated in period colours and finished off with Lakeland photos and paintings around the walls. Side tables with lamps and an iPod with speaker will help create a lovely ambience in the evenings whilst a toy chest full of children's toys, games and books will keep younger members entertained during the day.
Back across the hall is the bright, sunny dining kitchen with tiled floor, hand crafted units, Belfast sink and Aga cooker; perfect whatever your style, gourmet feast or dishing out a takeaway. A big south-facing window overlooks the back garden bringing light flooding in and the table seating four is positioned just in front of the window to make the most of the view over the pretty garden to the church beyond. The kitchen is well equipped with under counter fridge, microwave, dishwasher, four-slice toaster with matching kettle and cupboards stocked with everything you could possibly need. The plates and bowls can be found in traditional racks mounted on the walls and there is a selection of cookery books on the shelf for inspiration, the Aga has a gas hob and two electric ovens with a cooker hood over. The prints and photos decorating the walls are on an animal theme and finish this characterful room off perfectly.
Straight ahead at the top of the stairs with a beautiful view over the back garden to Keswick parish church of St John and a glimpse of Clough Head is the carpeted bunk bedroom. The large window has a sill wide enough to sit on to enjoy the view and there is a big built in cupboard behind the door with a shelf and hanging space. A dressing table and chair with mirror above complete the furniture in this delightfully simple room.
At the front of the house is the master bedroom. With an elegant metal king-size bed, this room is a stylish, calm and relaxing escape from everyday life with some lovely Lakeland pictures on the wall and the real thing outside the window! The Whinlatter fells line up above the rooftops, look left and you can just see Grizedale Pike or look right to see Latrigg at the top of the street; a good start for planning walks for the week. A small dressing table and chair look out of the window, there is a mirror above the storage unit and hanging space can be found just outside on the hallway.
Between the two bedrooms is the family bathroom. With a fresh blue and white colour scheme the fully tiled bathroom contains a P-shaped bath with shower over and a large sink built into a vanity unit. A heated towel rail ensures dry, warm, cosy towels whether you prefer a quick shower or a long soak in the bath.
A door from the kitchen leads out into the lovely back garden which can also be reached from the street down the slate path past the side of the house. The garden is enclosed and fully paved but plenty of pots containing climbers, shrubs, trees and flowers bring plenty of interest and colour; it has a real Mediterranean feel in the summer sunshine. South facing and surrounded by sheltering walls the garden is a true sun trap and gets the sun all day; eating alfresco is a must and a table with four chairs is provided for you to do just that. The bench by the wall is perfect for enjoying a quiet morning cuppa in an oasis of calm just a stone's throw from Keswick town centre.
There is an outhouse at the end of the garden, which provides a well equipped laundry room with washing machine, tumble dryer, airer and ironing board. There is also a table top freezer.
This cottage has been beautifully designed and finished to create a feeling of relaxation and peace, perfect for chilling out after busy days exploring Keswick and the surrounding area. This is a stylish and comfortable home from home which you will want to return to again and again.