An old Edwardian summer house from 1901 and now the Lake District outpost of South Africa's Leeu Collection, Linthwaite House sits high on its own hill with gorgeous views across Lake Windermere and the Coniston Fells. Inside, it's very much a scene of modern, 21st-century luxury - think bold prints and wild colours, sumptuous armchairs and a fine selection of African art, all from the owner's personal collection. It's surrounded by 14 acres of garden and woodland that keep the rest of the world at arm's length, and when you're finished exploring, there's always a crackling log fire somewhere to cosy up to. Frankly, Wordsworth would have approved.
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All black-and-white timber gables on the outside, the house turns warm and modern within: squashy leather sofas, textured walls and log fires always crackling somewhere. Dining-wise, the Bar and Conservatory spills onto a terrace with Windermere and the Cumbrian fells below (enjoy afternoon tea or a menu of modern Scottish fare), but it's Henrock, Simon Rogan's acclaimed restaurant that takes first prize - particularly if the 30-day-aged Herdwick lamb is on the menu. There's also a wonderful garden bar overlooking the croquet lawn if the weather holds.
There are 36 rooms ranging from Classic and View rooms in the main house (calming neutrals, the odd bold print, plus baths and walk-in rainfall showers) up to the top-floor Loft Suite, which has its own stargazing telescope. All rooms are excellent, but any with a lake view are even better and watching the steamers on the lake from your bath is definitely no hardship. The Fell Suites are the real showstoppers, however. Reached by golf buggy, they have floor-to-ceiling windows, wood-burners and, in the best of them, a private hot tub angled at the fells.
Days here can be as gentle or as gung-ho as you like. Spend your days roaming the 14 acres of garden and woodland, challenge a friend to the giant outdoor chessboard, or take a rowing boat out on the tarn (little lake). Beyond the gates, bag a Wainwright on foot, cruise Lake Windermere aboard a Victorian steamer, or call in on Beatrix Potter's Hill Top and Wordsworth's Grasmere. Bowness, the culinary capital of the Lake District, is ten minutes by taxi and there are also bikes by the front door if you're feeling adventurous. Whatever you do, walking boots are strongly advised!
The art isn't only indoors and a wander the woods will reveal a life-sized lion among the trees – a sculpture, mercifully, but a good wheeze on an English garden stroll.
Tuck a handful of duck feed into your pocket for the resident mallards, then track down the hidden hilltop swing. It's the best view on the whole estate!
Henrock, the Simon Rogan restaurant everyone comes for, only opens Wednesday to Sunday. Land on a Monday or Tuesday and dinner is the (still very good) Bar and Conservatory menu instead.
With its wild fells and mirror-still lakes, the Lake District is England at its most dramatically beautiful.
