Losman

Goosemire Cottages, the family owned and run Lake District self catering business, are pleased to launch their January sale.

Everyone is looking for a bargain at this time of year so why should the sales be confined to the high street? Goosemire Cottages are offering discounts on full weeks booked in each of their 46 self catering properties. The discounts range from £30 - £50 depending on the property size.

The number of self catering holidays in the UK has risen quite dramatically in the last 2 years. Various factors have contributed to this for example the poor Euro exchange rate resulting in tourists staying in the UK and the cost savings of self catering compared with a hotel stay. A self catering holiday allows freedom, the ability to cook within the property so saving on restaurant bills and is an excellent type of holiday for families and pet owners.

Goosemire Cottages have available 46 traditional Lake District self catering cottages for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lakeland cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each property are reflected on their website which offers full online booking facilities and information and images on each of their properties.

For more information on the Goosemire Lake District cottages January sale or their last minute booking discounts, visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk/special-offers

Recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of self catering properties to choose from.  No longer is a self catering holiday spent within a dingy flat. Lake District self catering cottages can be found for 2 persons right up to 16 and from the basic small house to luxury cottages complete with flat screen TV’s, wood burners and luxury interiors with all the modern conveniences of TV’s, DVD players, washing machines, dryers and dish washers.

Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.

In areas such as Grasmere and Ambleside there some idyllic self catering properties such as traditional Lakeland houses dating back years. Staying in Grasmere cottages or Ambleside cottages means there are views in every direction.  Located at the heart of The Lake District National, some properties have views of Helvellyn also Silver How, Steel Fell and Helm Crag. Grasmere is an idea base for walking with the foot of Helvellyn just minutes away and located on main A591 road which leads right up to Keswick for the highest concentration of fells in the Lake District.

The Eden Valley is a beautiful, yet little known area in Cumbria, which lies between the Lake District National Park and the North Pennines - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the North of the Eden Valley lies Carlisle and Hadrian’s Wall, whilst to the South you will find the fabulous Yorkshire Dales.

There is an excellent choice of accommodation available within Eden including hotels, guest houses, Cumbria cottages and caravan parks. Away from the main holiday season many of the Lake District holiday cottages offer the flexibility of short breaks rather than just whole weeks, so visitors can enjoy a long weekend in the area and perhaps buy some fresh local produce to cook yourself at the property. However your eating requirements are catered for by the many excellent restaurants and traditional pubs that reflect the local flavour.

Historic Penrith, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Northern Lakes”, is the major town in the Eden Valley, with a good mix of traditional shops selling locally made products and crafts, including famed Cumberland Sausage and Penrith Toffee.

When it comes to places to visit during your stay the Eden Valley offers a wide range of historic houses, castles, gardens, craft workshops, galleries and museums. In fact there are over seventy visitor attractions in Eden. For the more active there are many sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, golf, squash, tennis and fishing.

One of the area’s key activities is Appleby Horse Fair, which takes place every June. The Horse Fair gathers together travelling folk from all over the country, buying and selling horses, keeping alive a 300 year old tradition. This is Britain’s largest gypsy gathering, with hundreds of tradition horse-drawn caravans converge on nearby Gallows Hill.

Walkers will find Eden is wonderful walking country, either a leisurely walk along river banks and lake shore or you can take to the higher paths over the Pennines and Lake District fells. In fact, the Pennine Way National Trail reaches into the Eden Valley at Appleby-in-Westmorland as it winds its way towards Scotland. Cyclists can follow the coast to coast (C2C) and Cumbria Cycle Way, both routes are clearly marked along the way.

The River Eden provides challenging fishing, and has in place a “Go Wild” scheme to enable visitors to try wild fishing on the river.

Nestling in southern Cumbria – the Lake District are the hidden treasures of Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite. Both locations providing access to the Lake District fells and Morecambe Bay.

Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite are both located at the southern end of the Cartmel Valley and are classic ‘working’ Lakeland villages. This area is beautifully quiet without being remote and has a gentle pace of life. With its location so close to Morecambe Bay this area brings a milder climate than the rest of the Lake District.

The medieval village of Cartmel lies just 1½ miles north and is the oldest and most picturesque village in South Lakeland. The 12th century priory escaped destruction during the Dissolution of Henry VIII and remains one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England. The ancient village square is home to two good pubs and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. There are another two good pubs just around the corner to visit when staying in Cumbrian cottages.

Cartmel Valley is a gentle, undulating landscape of lush green fields, rolling hills, leafy lanes and tranquil forests. The woodlands are an ideal base for easy access of the whole of the Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the rolling sand dunes of the Cumbrian coast, the Forrest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walkers can put away their car keys as there are dozens of walks from their Lake District self catering cottage. The ancient Cistercian Way pass through Cark village and links up to all major walking routes in the Lake District. The Cumbrian Coastal Way also goes through both Cark and Allithwaite and provides spectacular coastal and fell walking for mile after mile. Morecambe Bay, with its vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary. The Bay and the Cumbrian coast are great for windsurfing, with clear winds from the south.

If walking is not on the agenda when staying in one of these Lake District cottages then a visit to Holker Hall is a must. Holker Hall is Cumbria’s premier stately home, the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish. Residents and visitors of the village are granted permission to walk freely around the extensive parklands stocked with herds of deer and rare breed cattle and sheep. They also have a farm shop on site where produce from the estate can be purchased.

And finally, for families, a 10 minute drive north leads you to the nostalgic Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway. This connects to the awaiting Lake Windermere steamers and cruise boats that travel the full length of England’s longest lake where stops can be made at Waterhead (for Ambleside) or Bowness-in-Windermere.