The Waterwheel Guesthouse

About The Waterwheel Guesthouse

The Waterwheel occupies a Grade II listed seventeenth-century cottage on Bridge Street in the middle of Ambleside, directly beside Stock Ghyll. The beck runs past the building, and the sound of it is audible from most of the house, which is either the main charm or something to check before booking depending on how you sleep. The interior has been carefully brought up to date without stripping out the beams, thick walls and low doorways.

There are just three en-suite bedrooms, which keeps the whole thing personal. The Classic and Deluxe rooms sit on the second floor and are reached by a narrow winding staircase typical of a building of this age, so they are not suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties or a great deal of luggage. Rooms are well equipped for their size, with good showers, proper bedding and hospitality trays, and the standard of housekeeping is consistently praised.

The house is adults only and does not accept children or pets. Breakfast is cooked fresh to order and served in the small dining room, with Cumbrian produce and vegetarian options; the owners take orders the night before. There is no bar or evening food, but Ambleside has a wide choice of pubs and restaurants within a two-minute walk, so this is not a limitation in practice.

The location is about as central as Ambleside gets. The Bridge House, the cinema, the outdoor shops and the bus stops are all within a few hundred metres, and the walk up to Stock Ghyll Force starts at the end of the street. Waterhead pier on Windermere is a fifteen-minute stroll. Parking is the one difficulty, as with anywhere in central Ambleside, and the owners advise on the nearest public car parks. It suits couples on a walking break who want a quiet, well-run base in town.