Cockleshell Cottage

Families and couples who want coastal access without leaving the car behind will find Cockleshell Cottage useful. It's positioned beside the harbour in Haverigg, steps from sandy beaches and the Cumbrian Coastal Way walking route. The cottage is yours alone, spread across three floors with two bedrooms and two bathrooms—a double on the top floor, two singles below, and a shower room on the ground floor. One dog is welcome. There is an unfenced river 20 yards from the property, which matters if you're travelling with young children.

The heart of the place is an open-plan first-floor living space with a kitchen equipped for cooking proper meals, a dining area, and a sitting room that opens onto a balcony. Essentials like heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi are covered. You get parking for one car on site. A pub and restaurant are a two-minute walk away; the nearest shop is a mile and a half off.

The location trades off quiet for proximity to things to do. The Ravenglass Steam Railway runs into the Lake District fells. Muncaster Castle and its bird sanctuary are nearby. Hodbarrow RSPB reserve is close by for birdwatchers. A horse riding centre three and a half miles away offers beach and hill riding. Water sports, sea fishing at Silecroft four and a half miles north, and walks in every direction mean there's activity here without needing to travel far. The property has steep or spiral stairs, which is worth knowing about.