Lancrigg

Hotel review

At the end of a no-through road at the foot of a hillside and with glorious fell views, the hotel feels remote yet is less than a mile from bustling pretty Grasmere. Originally a Victorian country house (with 17th-century origins) whose owners created the splendid woodland gardens, before becoming a rather faded hotel, it’s been restored to the style of a period family home but with a careful contemporary edge. Stripped floorboards, shuttered windows and plasterwork ceilings form the backdrop to a mix of vintage and mid-century-style furniture, contemporary lighting and pale-washed walls. House-plants and unusual prints or wall-hangings give a personal feel. Bedrooms are relaxed and comfortable with simple bathrooms. Meals give an interesting spin to local ingredients - venison with caramelised fig and black pudding, say - and there’s a good selection of vegetarian options. You can do plenty of walks from the front door and return to afternoon tea and cakes - or a local beer from an Edwardian glass schooner - and enjoy spotting red squirrels, deer and birdlife in the 30 acres of lawns, gardens and woodland. A previous owner was a specimen-collector and the current owner is a landscape gardener so the grounds come with pedigree.

Helen Pickles