Ambleside Cottages
Ambleside, at the head of Windermere and the foot of the Kirkstone Pass, is in the very heart of the Lake District with easy access to Grasmere, Keswick, Windermere and the Langdales.
Although Ambleside has its roots in the medieval woolen trade, it is predominantly a Victorian town, with numerous hotels and
housing built of dark grey slate. The 19th century building boom was in response to a surge in tourism as people starting coming from far and wide to admire the scenery that had been ‘captured' on canvas and paper by earlier writers, poets and artists.
Ambleside remains a magnet for tourists today, offering a huge range of accommodation and places to eat for all budgets, and a plethora of specialist shops selling everything from outdoor equipment to local art and crafts.
Waterhead to the south provides opportunities for all manner of water sports on Lake Windermere - boating, sailing, canoeing and rowing. Those of a lazier disposition can board a Windermere steamer or launch for a cruise around the lake or feed the ducks in Borrans Park.
The nearby hamlet of Rydal is associated with two influential families: the Le Flemings and the Wordsworths. Rydal Hall was the home of the Le Fleming family who moved here from Coniston Hall and Rydal Mount was Wordsworth's home for the last 37 years of his life.
Troutbeck has a rather different feel. This attractive vernacular village, strung out along one side of the Troutbeck valley, is quiet and peaceful, with just a couple of public houses to provide food and refreshment. Many houses date back 300 years or more, with one of the finest, Townend, dating from the early 17th century. Troutbeck Park, at the head of the valley, was once owned by Beatrix Potter, whilst at the lower end are Holehird Gardens, voted one of the nation's favourite gardens on BBC's Gardeners' World in 2002.
