How to have the Lake District all to yourself

Qin Xie checks into three very different Lake District hotels for a socially distanced stay

The view from Storrs Hall (Qin Xie)

Can you watch your side for me?” I shout over to my mother as my grip tightens on the steering wheel. I can barely see the road ahead so, even though the lane is marked 60mph, I’m holding up traffic with a slow crawl peaking at 30mph.

I’m not heading into a storm though, but rather trying to navigate the gloriously sunny Lake District. Too glorious as it happens – the waning sun is angled just so, drenching the verdant landscape in a dazzling, golden hue, and leaving me squinting at the impossible bends in the road.

Added to the stress is the fact that I’m driving a brand new Range Rover from The Out, a newish car rental service that delivers vehicles straight to your front door. It’s excellent for social distancing, but the excess on the insurance is £3,000 – enough to make even the most confident of drivers break into a cold sweat.

Fortunately, this torture didn’t last long; Low Wood Bay’s imposing frame soon shimmied into view.

Set on the edge of Windermere, this doyenne of the lakes can trace its roots back to the 1700s and holds the title of the first hotel resort in the region. And those early hoteliers certainly found a prime spot – it’s flanked by lush, green hills to the rear and overlooks neat rows of sailing boats, with most of the boat traffic kept at bay by, well, the bay. The only downside is that to get to the marina, you have to dash across the rather busy road to Grasmere – entirely worth it if you want the best view.

For those less inclined to take risks, you have a few options. The choicest has to be the hotel’s hot tubs, where you can order in rounds of drinks to toast the view (booking is essential). Similarly, there are a couple of prime spots in its restaurant, Blue Smoke on the Bay (get the king prawn, it’s small but packs a flavour punch), and the lobby. But for something a little more exclusive, head for the hotel’s swish Winander Club.

Set back from the main building, the 29 well-appointed rooms offer a comparatively quieter stay. But it’s the fact that it has its own bar, breakfast area and roof terrace, all offering sweeping views of the bay, that really wins me over.

The start of a hike from Low Wood Bay (Qin Xie)

There’s plenty to do after a restful night’s sleep, from fire-side chats and gentle hikes to kayaking and paddleboarding. But taking advantage of the distinct lack of crowds, we opt for the most touristy thing possible – a cruise on Lake Windermere in a historic steamer followed by a jaunt to Haverthwaite on the heritage railway.

With hardly anyone on board – sadly a sign of the times – we enjoy unobstructed views of the lake from Bowness to Lakeside, before taking turns to pretend our steam train is the Orient Express. It’s not quite so fancy of course, but it’s good fun all the same.

Time passes quickly in this part of the world and soon we are dashing up towards Grasmere for dinner at The Yan at Broadrayne.

It’s surprising how much the landscape changes in such a short drive. One minute we are zipping past calm waters and overhanging trees, the next we are entering an alien-like domain with towering, rust-coloured peaks erupting from both sides. Broadrayne Farm is tucked in at the base of one of these and, being nearly incognito, we fly past it and straight onto the dual carriageway. If we didn’t have pressing reservations, it would have been an absolute joy – the views are spectacular and ripe for hikes. But of course it’s never so.

Read more: Best Lake District hotels

When we finally pull into The Yan with about a second to spare, we are welcomed into its cosy little dining room, made cosier by the boozy hot berry cider.

The YFC in all its impossible glory (Qin Xie)

With space at a premium these days, we power through dinner in just two hours before relinquishing the table. It’s no easy feat given we’ve pre-ordered the YFC, the Yan Fried Chicken. Mimicking the peaks outside, the YFC comes stacked with enough fried chicken, plus beans, corn on the cob, onion rings, salads and hand-cut chips, to comfortably feed three very hungry people. But throw in starters of beetroot cured salmon and the soup du jour, plus two desserts – all delicious by the way – and we are uncomfortably defeated long before our time’s up.

The good news is that Grasmere village is a mere three-minute drive away. Victorian House Hotel, a characterful, boutique property just outside the village centre, has opened a new Shepherd’s Hut and it’s ours for the night.

Under the cover of darkness, it’s hard to pinpoint just what to expect as we walk down the cobbled path to the rear of the property. All we hear is the river that feeds into Grasmere, and it sounds a little angry. But when the hut finally comes into view, it’s small but perfectly formed. There’s a sort of raised wagon that houses the lovingly-designed bedroom, with an adjoining building fashioned into a Victorian-style bathroom.

The fire pit beckons (Qin Xie)

It is a hut, though, which means there’s not much room inside. To compensate, there’s a private fire pit outside where you can toast marshmallows and drink whisky to your heart’s content – or at least until the fire dies down. Or you can head inside to the main house, where comfy armchairs by the log fire await, along with that drink from the bar with your name on it. But lulled by the sound of rushing water, we soon fall into a heavy slumber.

The morning brings rain. Not quite enough to soak, but certainly enough to dampen spirits a little and evaporate any thoughts of a serious hike. A trundle through the village, past an obscenely fragrant gingerbread shop, and a circuit around Grasmere is still within our grasp, though. The first wisps of autumn have arrived and, looking beyond the lapping waves at my feet, I ponder on how Wordsworth, who made his home here for some 14 years, found any time at all for poetry when surrounded by such distracting beauty. Indeed, we somehow manage to fritter the best part of a day on a walk that’s meant to take little more than an hour.

Our final stop is Storrs Hall, a palatial property on the edge of Windermere that’s the opposite of Victorian House in almost every way. With some 17 sprawling acres of waterfront land all to itself, you can stay here in almost total seclusion.

We check into the Kingfisher, one of the six airy Lakeside Suites. Set away from the main house, each of these come with views of Windermere and a hot tub from which to enjoy them. 

Dinner at Storrs is similarly luxurious because, as early diners, we get our pick of the window seats in the conservatory. The stretch of lawn extends all the way down to the lake where a pair of swans are frolicking, unaware that they’re being spied on from afar. With smaller portions this time, we tuck into truffled pigeon, partridge with chestnuts (it is game season after all) and even banana souffle – it all feels even more decadent after months of only eating my own cooking.

Breakfast with a view at Storrs Hall (Qin Xie)

The sun returns for our final morning as if to say, “look what you’ll be missing when you leave”. As we take a final turn about the grounds, melancholy creeps in. I reflect on the long weekend and the three seemingly very different breaks we’ve had. One smart and modern, one modest and characterful, and one grand and luxurious. But they all have one thing in common – they all gave me the chance to enjoy a slice of the Lake District and pretend it’s all mine. And what a delight it’s been sampling them all.

Travel essentials

Getting there

Four-day car hire from The Out starts from £627, with delivery and collection from within London included. Areas outside of London may incur an additional fee. www.theout.com

Staying there

Hazel rooms at the Winander Club at Low Wood Bay start from £238 per night, B&B. englishlakes.co.uk

Rooms at Victorian House Hotel start from £113 per night, B&B. victorianhousehotel.co.uk

Rooms at Storrs Hall are from £210 for a Classic Lakeview and from £520 for a lakeview Lakeside Suite, B&B. storrshall.com

For more ideas on the Lake District, see www.visitlakedistrict.com