24 hours in Lake District & Stay at Beech Hill Hotel

Originally my family and I had planned a visit to the Lake District National Park for my birthday celebration but our holiday got delayed as the little one fell sick so we postponed our trip to the June bank holiday weekend, which was a great decision as the weather was lovely. 

We decided not to drive directly from Cambridgeshire to Cumbria, but instead stopped in Manchester for 2 days for a foodie break as some of the popular streets there have lots of Halal options for dining out. It was less than a 90 minute drive to the Lakeside Motor Museum from our hotel, where we first decided to stop for a quick tour before heading to our hotel. The motor museum has a lovely location with a river flowing just outside their cafe, giving us mesmerising views and is perfect for spending some time outdoors on a sunny day. 

The Lakeland Motor Museum offers complimentary parking to the visitors and is an interesting place especially for the car lovers. Soon after exploring it a bit, we headed straight to the Beech Hill Hotel and since we arrived a bit earlier than the check-in time, we decided to explore the nearby area and had a quick takeaway lunch in the open.

The hotel offers complimentary parking to the guests and is surrounded by fantastic views of the lake. We had a smooth check-in and were guided about all the necessary things we were supposed to know. At the reception, we booked our time slot for dinner and breakfast and guests who want to use their spa can also book their slot at the same time. However, usage of spa needs to be paid for separately which is £17.95 per adult. They have an amazing outdoor jacuzzi, and all other spa facilities. 

Our room for the night at the hotel was very spacious with ample space for BabyM’ to run around and explore. Our room had high ceilings and the size was praiseworthy - the bedroom had all the amenities we could ask for, including a TV, tea/coffee facility, some snacks, toiletries and ample storage space in the wardrobe to keep all our belongings. The balcony adjoining the room was also a great addition to enjoy a drink outdoors, while enjoying the fresh breeze, making it a perfect romantic getaway. 

The room was tastefully decorated with the perfect selection of colours, furniture and comfortable bedding. Just after setting in, we left for Lakeside because we had planned to explore the Lake District with Windermere Lake Cruises. 

The Lake District National Park, established in 1951 covers approximately 2,362 square kilometres and has been designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, pulling as much as 15.8 million visitors annually! Since the lakes are surrounded with mountains, one gets to see stunning panoramic views of the beautiful surroundings including the highest mountain peak in England, Scafell Pike. 

The best way to get mesmerized with the beauty of this popular holiday destination is to enjoy a cruise on Windermere Lake and to get stunned with the spectacular views from the largest lake of England in the heart of Lake District. The Windermere Lake Cruises offer cruises from 45 minutes to 3 hours or you can also opt for Freedom of the Lake ticket and spend the entire day around the lake with the option of unlimited cruise trips for 24 hours giving you the independence to explore Windermere at your leisure.

It’s entirely up to you to decide on where to begin the journey either from Bowness, Ambleside or Lakeside - the Windermere cruise not just promises magnificent mountain scenery, bays and wooded islands, but also adds a lot information to one's knowledge with the commentary which is also available in different languages other than English. 

We parked the car at the Lakeside and paid £2.5 for 2 hours or you can pay £4.5 for 10 hours. The next step was to get the ticket from the ticket office and then we had to wait until the cruise arrived, which was however not very long as we had already checked the schedule of the cruise online and drove to Lakeside accordingly. Near to the time, we just had to queue to get inside the cruise that had ample space for everyone to sit and enjoy the ride. 

At the start of the trip, the weather was really good but as you know how unpredictable the British weather can be, I would advise carrying a coat or a jacket along especially if you’re planning to enjoy the entire cruise trip on the open deck. Otherwise, the Windermere Lake Cruises have got you covered because they also have a covered sitting space and that also has a shop from where you can get your drinks and snacks. 

We had our three course dinner (£39.95 per person) at the hotel's award winning restaurant, which was located just near the reception. The restaurant had a lovely ambience and was perfect for a family friendly meal. Our starters included an asparagus soup and Chestnut Mushroom and Truffle Oil Risotto that consisted of pickled walnuts and crème fraiche which was quite delicious. 

For the mains, we ordered Scottish Salmon that was served with pea velouté, pan fried baby potatoes and soured cream. I happily cleaned my plate soon after it arrived and enjoyed the main.

For dessert, we opted for Black Cherries Frangipane Tart that was served with double jersey ice cream. The tart was light and airy, just as we had expected and tasted great! The second choice was Pistachio Crème Brulee that was served with hazelnut shortcake. The brûlée had a velvety texture and was enjoyable too.

Just after finishing dinner, we decided to retire for the day and walked back to the room to catch some Z's. The next day was ready for us with lots of excitement to witness the beauty of outdoors but we had to fuel up before heading back home! The restaurant at the hotel serves both hot and cold breakfast items including full English breakfast, fresh pancakes, baked items, fruits, yogurt, juices, tea and coffee. Our hot breakfast was Scrambled Egg, Smoked Salmon and Avocado served on Rustic Toasted Bread. 

We had an amazing stay at the hotel, and would definitely love to stay again in future too! The staff at the hotel was fantastic, and welcoming.