Devoke Water, Neaum Crag

This charming, recently restored wooden lodge, set in the 18 acres of woodland at Neaum Crag, is close to the central amenities on the Estate.  Neaum Crag is well located between Ambleside and Langdale and provides a fantastic cosy base to explore the area, or to just enjoy the wonderful woodland setting.

The lodge has an open plan kitchen diner, with two bedrooms; one double (king size bed) and the other a twin room with full size single beds. There is a shower room between them.  The lodge has two outside seating areas for guests to sit out and enjoy the tranquility of the woodland setting, listen to the bird song and spot the wide range of wild life.

Devoke Water includes a pass to the on site swimming pool facility (open from 1st  March - to 12th November) which includes a sauna, table tennis, additional wi-fi connection and a general place to relax. In the pool hall is a coin-operated washer and dryer. This is located in the centre of the estate.

Neaum Crag is handy for access to the Langdale valley, close to Chesters by the River Café and the Talbot Bar at Skelwith Bridge and Ambleside only a few miles away.

Stagecoach 516 at Skelwith Bridge is just a 5 minute walk from Neaum Crag Estate.

History of the Neaum Crag Estate:

Neaum Crag House was the original main dwelling surrounded by woodland with a Coach House and kitchen garden. In the late 1800’s a man called Fleming occupied the house. He was a friend of Ruskin, the Victorian English writer, philosopher and art critic. The house was extended at that time and developed to look much as it appears today. There was a tower above the roof line, now gone, with windows to all sides which must have given superb panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The grounds would have been managed and laid out with paths running through the woodlands. The area where the pool facilities now stand was a kitchen garden complete with large sundial. Most of the mature native and specimen trees date from this period.

As with many such properties, the Great War of 1914-18 altered everything and the house and estate struggled to maintain viability up to 1960 when the estate was sold to the Lake District Planning Board. Since this time the estate has passed into the ownership of Neaum Crag Ltd where the lodge owners are all shareholders. In the 1980s the company began installing timber ‘mobile homes’ instead of taking touring caravans. ‘Mains services’ were run to each lodge and the properties were delineated by boundary fences. These individual plots were then sold freehold with the chalet and its contents. From this time the estate has been developed into quite the hidden gem it is today, with more substantial lodge structures taking over from the earlier designs.

We bring you a selection of the best lodges on this site for you to enjoy. A Woodland Delight.

A public footpath runs from the western end of the pool building down between the pitched chalet roofs to Skelwith Bridge. At Skelwith Bridge is a hotel, slate galleries with products for sale and Chesters By The River, a modern café with riverside deck, serving homemade lunch, wood-fired pizza and classic cakes. There is an easy and pleasant path alongside the river Brathay up to Elterwater. Above the pool building a public footpath runs up the steep one way hill and on up the drive to the large overflow car park at the top of the estate. It then follows the same line up through the larch plantation to exit the estate through a gate in the wall. Loughrigg Tarn and Loughrigg Fell can be seen to the right from this point.

The woodland is protected by a tree preservation order and the bird life is abundant. Red Squirrels, roe and, occasionally, red deer can be spotted as they wander through the grounds. However, they are rarely seen in summer when the vegetation is high and badgers snuffle around in the small hours.

Summary

sleeps 4
single storey
double room with king size bed and twin room with full sized single beds
all bed linen and towels provided
open plan kitchen diner with french doors to outside seating
shared use of indoor pool, jakuzzi, sauna, table tennis and laundry where there is additional free Wi-Fi.
free Wi-fi, Alexa and smart TV
1 small dog welcome subject to an additional charge
parking for 2 cars
no smoking
Pets - allowed
Smoking - not allowed


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