How to Relax in the Lake District
IT'S your holiday, so you deserve to come and relax in the Lake District. Activity breaks are great, hiking up big mountains is thrilling, swimming in a high mountain pool is exhilarating. But sometimes you just want to wind down and take it easy. So here's our favourite tips on how to relax in the Lake District.
Spa Day
Less than 10 minutes' drive from Cedar Manor is the Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa where you can wind down and chill out for a whole day, or just escape for half a day. They offer different spa experiences, including Energise and Invigorate which, they say, is for the guest who needs time to ruminate, recharge, and re-set. There's a selection of treatments to revitalize the body and mind such as the Inner Beauty facial, the Detox Salt and Oil Scrub, or the Aromatherapy Massage. There's an indoor thermal pool, along with the outdoor Fellside infinity pool, and outdoor sauna and hot tubs. And there's a Move and Regenerate Spa Day, featuring treatments to ease muscles, create optimal health, and cultivate new healthy habits. There's an outdoor bar, and the chance to take a wood-fired afternoon tea. Laid back? You'll be horizontal by the end of the day!
A Gentle Stroll
So maybe the next day you can cope with just a little bit of effort and exercise, as we show you how to relax in the Lake District. No serious exertion, just an easy stroll along the shore of England's biggest lake. The newly-opened West Windermere Way is a 3.5 mile stretch at the southern end of the lake. The route, which is split into three sections, connects Newby Bridge, Lakeside and the Ferry, and joins up with boat, rail and bus services. So you can leave the car behind, and walk as little or as far as you wish. One way to get across is using the Windermere Lake Cruises walkers' ticket which also gives you the chance to walk further north along the western shore, even as far as Wray Castle.
Leisurely Cruise
Most people agree that Ullswater is the most spectacular of all the lakes, with the most dramatic mountain scenery, especially when viewed from the water. So here's a way to relax totally on a cruise with Ullswater Steamers. This season there's a new open-ended return ticket, so you can travel flexibly to suit your day out in the valley. Hop on and hop off at any of the piers, including Aira Force, to enjoy all that Ullswater has to offer. Or just sit back and travel around the lake departing from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge. It is the ideal way to relax as you take in the stunning views of the Ullswater valley. A one way cruise takes around an hour, with at least two hours needed for a return cruise. A perfect way to wind down and escape from it all.
Ice is Nice
We're lucky to have the most amazing home-made ice-cream here on our doorstep. The Little Ice Cream Shop in Windermere offers more than 40 flavours of delicious small batch, slow churned gelato, and they are all created a few miles away in the village of Hawkshead. It's all gluten-free and vegan-friendly, with dairy-free options, and there's some great sorbets, too. The business was started by a lass called Amy when she was just 18 years old. It was part of her plan to save up enough money to move to London and train as an actor. But what happened next was the beginning of an ice cream empire. Soon after opening, word spread and the Hawkshead Little Ice Cream Shop had queues out the door. Amy's mum and dad were then persuaded to expand and open a shop in Windermere, while Amy herself did make it as an actor and now lives in London, working for TV. Call in and treat yourself!
Afternoon Tea
All that relaxing, all that sitting back and enjoying yourself! Don't you think it's time for another treat, right here in our dining room at Cedar Manor? When it's time for afternoon tea, our in-house pastry chef, Ryon, creates contemporary yet indulging sweets and savouries. These are served every day from Thursday to Monday, from 1.30 to 4pm. There's home-made jam and home-made scones and cakes, and savoury sandwiches, served on Royal Crown Derby china. And of course we have gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Cocktail Time
So you've had a totally blissful day, learning how to relax in the Lake District. Can you manage one more gentle stroll along the road into the village and treat yourself to cocktails at The Windermere Speakeasy? This is a stunning place, a daytime coffee and tea house that transforms in the evening into a stylish cocktail bar, which also offers a great selection of tapas dishes, sharing platters and much more. They have a new Sunday Happy Hour, which is actually two hours, that's how relaxed we get in the Lake District. From 4 till 6 you can have two cocktails for just £14.