Birkdale Home is a big Victorian home set on the 470-acre Matson Floor Property near Bowness-on-Windermere within the southern a part of the Lake District Nationwide Park. Residence to various vacation cottages, that is very a lot the property’s ‘flagship’ luxurious property – as you’ll quickly see – which opened in 2020 and is arguably one of the prestigious vacation leases in the entire of the Lake District.
The welcome
Like many self-catering properties within the UK these days (or ‘trip leases’ as they’re referred to in different elements of the world), Birkdale Home operates on a self check-in foundation which makes for a quite simple arrival course of.
Communication prematurely of our keep was made by textual content message, and included instructions and a code for entry, in addition to a hyperlink to the Contact Keep app, full with digital welcome e-book, which you’ll obtain to your telephone for simple entry earlier than and through your keep. The instructions had been simple to observe, taking us up the driveway the place we bought our first glimpse of the property.
Along with this, I additionally obtained a beautiful private textual content from Rachael, the Managing Director of the Matson Floor Property Firm Ltd. – who can be a visitor blogger right here on A Luxurious Journey Weblog – on the day of our arrival, advising us that the property was prepared and wishing us an exquisite keep.
There may be ample parking on the entrance to the property in addition to an electrical charging level.
The property
On coming into the property, there’s a tiled hallway instantly forward, resulting in a small cloakroom.
To the precise is the primary hallway, with picket floorboards softened by a collection of lengthy rugs and a sublime grandfather clock. The décor, furnishings and art work are all so befitting for such a conventional Lakeland property, however with some up to date touches too, and the whole lot has clearly been given numerous thought on this regard.
At predominant the hub of the hallway is a grand staircase with a piano beneath it, and from right here there may be quick access to the primary rooms of the bottom ground.
The drawing room is the primary space through which to loosen up. It enjoys an open plan with numerous areas to take a seat, whether or not it’s the 2 massive sofas by the fireplace, or the 2 cozy chairs within the bay window with views of the lawned backyard on the entrance.
Close by is the eating room which might accommodate as much as twelves friends comfortably round a lovely mahogany eating desk. It is a nice room for households to get collectively and have a celebratory dinner and it’s attainable to have a neighborhood personal chef are available specifically, so that you don’t have to fret concerning the catering. Just like the drawing room, this room enjoys loads of pure mild because of its massive bay window.
Subsequent door to the eating room is a comfortable – a comfortable, extra intimate room than the bigger drawing room – once more with a log burner, in addition to a wide selection of books and board video games to select from.
For individuals who do love to do a few of their very own catering, the kitchen has been completed to a really excessive customary with granite worktops, a Rangemaster Skilled Plus 100 Induction cooker with left and proper fanned ovens and a 5-zone induction hob on prime, Samsung American-style fridge freezer, Sage Barista Specific™ all-in-one espresso machine, De’Longhi kettle and toaster, Bosch dishwasher and a central island offering further worktop area, the place you can too sit and unwind with a cup of espresso, and skim the newspaper or plan your day.
A pleasant contact is an electrical bell system – not in use however presumably an unique function from the home – that’s mounted above the kitchen doorway. These shows had been launched into homes within the latter half of the nineteenth century and would sign to servants as to the place their assist was required.
Past the kitchen is a utility room which homes a second Bosch dishwasher (helpful for a property that may sleep 10 individuals) in addition to a washer/dryer. Canine are additionally well-catered for at Birkdale Home and beds for as much as two canine will be supplied, in addition to canine towels and treats.
Typically it’s these finer particulars that outline true luxurious and our Springer spaniel George definitely liked it and was in doggy heaven throughout our keep!
There may be entry from the utility room to a basement beneath however I’ll come again to that later.
The utility room leads out to the rear of the property the place there may be an outhouse with the whole lot from recycling bins and firewood to excessive chairs and an ironing board. There’s additionally loads of backyard video games – a soccer, tumble tower, quoits, bowls and a croquet set.
Alongside, an expansive terrace with a barbecue and pizza oven is the proper spot for some al fresco eating within the Summer season, or a spot to loosen up and snuggle up subsequent to the big outside fireplace pit brazier within the cooler months.
This a part of the property enjoys many of the solar and two loungers provide the last word alternative to loosen up within the peace and quiet of the grounds, with solely the occasional birdsong to interrupt you as you snooze and benefit from the contemporary air.
Returning to the hallway, a grand staircase leads up previous some stunning stain-glassed home windows to the primary ground the place all of the bedrooms will be discovered. Birkdale Home sleeps 10 individuals throughout 5 well-appointed rooms, every individually named after fields which fashioned a part of the unique Matson Floor property, depicted on outdated maps of the world.
Navigating from the touchdown in an anti-clockwise course, the primary of the bedrooms is Goosemire, a beautiful double room with a lovely, eye-catching red-topped dressing desk and with probably the most fabulous dual-aspect views over the property, the gardens and in direction of Windermere and the Langdales past.
The mattress is ready in opposition to a function wall with splendidly daring, printed peonia zinc wallpaper to match the curtains.
Subsequent up is Peasdale – one other beautiful mild room with its personal en suite bathe room and views over the terrace and out over the property past. With a pure wool, British-made 4000 pocket-sprung mattress, it’s exhausting to withstand a lie-in!
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Subsequent is a rest room, only a brief stroll throughout from Goosemire. All of the bogs had probably the most wonderful scents coming from them, because of fragrant scented diffusers, in addition to candy basil and orange toiletries and grapefruit and lemongrass hand sanitiser, all from a neighborhood firm, Pure Lakes Skincare Ltd.
Persevering with with our anti-clockwise tour of the primary ground, subsequent is Longmire – one other mild room with a marbled hearth and look at over to one of many ponds within the Matson Floor Property.
Subsequent door is Undermillbeck, the one twin-bedded room within the property. Nevertheless, it ought to be famous that different rooms have ziplink beds so extra twin-bedded rooms are an possibility.
Then comes one other toilet, which is only a stone’s throw from each Longmire and Undermillbeck and comes with a shower and separate bathe.
Lastly, finishing the circuit of the touchdown, is Summergrove – with the identical implausible view as Goosemire – and with its personal en suite.
As you’ll be able to see, all bedrooms are superbly furnished and appointed, and every comes with an Alexa Echo Dot – helpful if you wish to set an alarm or just hearken to the radio.
The WiFi sign is nice all through the property.
Location
Birkdale Home is surprisingly secluded given its proximity to Bowness-on-Windermere which is barely a five-minute stroll away. There one can find the whole lot from retailers, cafés and eating places to sights corresponding to The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction or the Windermere Jetty Museum. From Bowness, you can too board one of many Windermere Lakes Cruises historic steamers to discover England‘s longest lake.
While you’re well-positioned for exploring the entire of the Lakes, numerous brief walks are attainable with out even having to drive anyplace. Publish Knott, Brantfell and the Biskey Howe viewpoint are a straightforward stroll and can reward you with some beautiful views of the lake.
Throughout our keep, the snowdrops had been out in full power throughout the grounds of the property, however Cumbria is a very year-round vacation spot so, everytime you go to, there’ll all the time be one thing particular to take pleasure in, whether or not it’s snowdrops, blubells or daffodils, new-born lambs leaping about, beautiful temperature inversions over the lake, dramatic skies, stunning sunrises and sunsets, or the beautiful snow-capped peaks of the Lakeland fells.
Different good touches
A thoughtfully-prepared welcome hamper is included as customary, offering you with snacks in your arrival and the whole lot you want in your first morning at Birkdale. It consists of native produce corresponding to Waberthwaite nation remedy again bacon, South Lakeland free vary eggs, Farrer’s Lakeland particular tea, a big nation grain farmhouse cob and Cumbrian-marinated candy basil olives. This may be upgraded to a luxurious hamper with particular extras corresponding to a cooked ham, cured and stuffed with flavour from Style of the Lakes in Maryport; a luxurious, creamy Eden Valley Brie from the Appleby Creamery; and the best Cartmel Valley Sport smoked salmon, smoked in their very own Cumbrian smokehouse.
We had been celebrating a particular household birthday and had been very kindly equipped with some complimentary bottles of fizz additionally to get our celebrations off to a implausible begin on this unbelievable residence.
Price
Minimal stays of three nights begin from round £4,000.
The perfect bit
There are such a lot of fantastic issues about Birkdale Home that it’s troublesome to choose only one. But when I had to decide on, beautiful although the primary home is, I’d go for the property’s basement. As talked about earlier, a door within the utility room leads down a slim staircase to some additional rooms beneath.
Right here friends will discover a treasure trove of enjoyable – a devoted space for desk soccer, a cellar alcove for the storage of wine and different drinks, a room with a pool desk, and – the most important spotlight of all – a devoted residence cinema with a 75-inch TV display and encompass sound speaker system.
Though rather more up to date than the remainder of the property, it definitely has the ‘wow’ issue and is a superb facility for multi-generational household stays, that may be certain that the children (each huge and small!) are entertained. It’s additionally what units it other than different comparable properties within the area.
You may really feel it’s a travesty to be inside watching a movie when you’ve one of many world’s most beautiful pure panoramas proper outdoors (the Lake District was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Website as not too long ago as 2017), nevertheless it’s excellent for these occasional moist days (these lakes are there for good cause!) or cosy evenings in after an extended day’s stroll.
The ultimate verdict
Birkdale Home is a really particular property, perect for household celebrations. Whether or not it’s a particular birthday, anniversary, wedding ceremony or just an excuse to get away and deal with yourselves, you’ll not be disenchanted by this distinctive Lakeland residence.
