Mums Weekend off in the Lake District

You know when you’ve been trying to arrange a girls weekend together for ever and the dates never match up, well a couple of weekends ago, all the stars aligned and I finally had chance to meet up with  good friends in the Lake District. I was really looking forward to visiting the Lakes, it’s somewhere I’ve never been before so I was excited to visit and explore.

Staying in a beautiful retreat

We had booked a beautiful house with Lakeland Retreats with countryside views and a short drive away from Bowness and Lake Windermere. As a group, we wanted to stay somewhere cosy where we could relax, catch up over a drink or three and enjoy a good meal together. We stayed at Broom Hill in Winster, which is a recently renovated luxuriously modern four bedroomed property and it certainly had the wow factor. The Lakeland Retreats team left us a wonderful welcome hamper too!

The house had a beautiful kitchen with all the modern touches any family would need; double oven, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer plus all the equipment you’d need to prepare and cook your own meals in the house. Broom Hill had an incredible open plan living space and we loved to spend time on the sofas in front of the large log burner catching up with a glass of mulled wine of an evening or coffee before breakfast in the morning.

Broom Hill has four fantastic sized double bedrooms each with their own stunning en-suite bathrooms so each one of us could have our own space for a much needed sleep and lie in. I was so excited to have a bed all to myself and for no little people or husband to wake me up! My boys would love it up here, I already have plans on bringing back the family next year for long walks and exploring the sights.

A whistle stop tour of the Lake District

With my friend Gem as our tour guide, we used her local knowledge to explore some of the best sights the Lake District could offer. On Friday evening, we went to Low Wood Bay, a luxury Health Spa resort, to enjoy their Sunset Spa experience. It was such a treat to be able to unwind and enjoy the spa facilities, it was so needed. We enjoyed the sauna and the heated outdoor pool. The steam rooms were amazing and we had the mud experience which was a feast for our skin.

Without our children around, we were all able to enjoy a lazy breakfast and the girls know how to pull together a fantastic, delicious spread. Before our visit Feebs had done an online food shop for us which is the best way to make sure you everyones needs are catered for.

It was only right that we took a trip to the flagship Lakeland store in Windermere. For my friend Pippa, it was a dream to visit the store as she’s an incredible chef and having so much kitchenware at her fingertips was far too enticing. We were all very well restrained and only purchased a few Christmas presents and baking goodies.

Next up was a trip to Chesters by the River which is a fantastic cafe, shop and bakery in Skelwith Bridge, Ambelside. Unfortunately for me, the windy roads made me feel a bit queasy so I didn’t take my chances with lunch. However, the girls ate in the cafe and the food looked incredible. The cafe offers vegetarian and vegan food choices on the menu and it all looked, and smelt delicious.

After after filling tummies and drinking tea, we headed into Ambleside for a potter around the shops. Gem walked us up to the Stock Ghyll Force Waterfalls and they were beautiful. Seeing the waterfalls in person after seeing them on photographs was stunning. They’re so powerful and a fantastic sight.

So many cute places to shop

We had a quick stop off to pick up the famous blueberry scones from Waterhead Coffee Shop. After a walk on the pier at Lake Windermere we headed back to Broom Hill. We stopped off at Hayes Garden Centre where I bought another Christmas present. Seriously, the Lake District is full of fantastic shops ideal for Christmas shopping, it was brilliant!

Our chef for the evening was our lovely Pippa. She creates the most incredible delicious foods, all that are low in fat but full of flavour. She cooked us a Sweet Potato and Coconut Curry served with basmati rice, fresh coriander, and her homemade mango chutney. It was a feast. It’s such a treat to be able to enjoy some of her homemade creations. I am in awe of the food Pippa creates and her recipes are some of my favourites to cook.

Sunday strolls

After a blissful sleep, we woke up on Sunday to beautiful views across the valley. I would never ever tire of that view. It was so beautiful. We decided to head into Bowness for a nosy around the shops. We popped into Beatrix Potter World and take in the view from the lakeside. It was such a popular tourist spot and I can see why it’s just picture perfect.

We finished our weekend with lunch at The Brown Horse Inn just a short walk from Broom Hill. It’s an 1850’s coaching inn that serves delicious modern food and was perfect for Sunday lunch. Whilst the girls had a Sunday roast, I decided to try out the Beef cheek Bourguignon. It was served with crispy pancetta, creamed potatoes, stock pot and carrot. It was incredible. What a way to end the weekend.

if you’re looking for self-catering accommodation in the Lake District, you cannot go wrong with looking at Lakeland Retreats. From booking to arrival, the process was seamless and we were made to feel very welcome. I had such a lovely weekend with three really lovely friends. I cannot wait to do it all over again soon!