Gone Sailing

This part of Westmorland and Furness sits where Lake Windermere meets the Lakeland Fells—a landscape that draws walkers, water sports enthusiasts and families returning year after year. Gone Sailing occupies a south-facing position above the water, one of a row of single-storey cottages with a shared approach down a wooded lane that leads to the lake's edge and a private jetty. The village of Windermere is a mile away, as are Bowness and the independent shops, cafés and restaurants that cluster around them.

The cottage is all on the ground floor: an open-plan living and dining space with a wood-effect electric stove, a kitchen equipped with electric cooking, and two bedrooms—one double, one single—served by a shower room. Bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi are provided, along with heating and electricity. There is private parking for two cars about 100 yards from the entrance. A travel cot and highchair are available. An unfenced lake lies 150 yards away, and smoking is not permitted.

From the windows you look across the water towards the fells; from the door, you can walk into the surrounding scenery or head down to the water itself. For those who prefer to stay put, the views do most of the work.