Eskdale Retreat
Planning your Stay
Looking to make the most of your stay at Eskdale Retreat? We’ve got you covered. Here is our list of recommendations to help you plan the best possible experience. Please note that some things need to be booked well in advance – for example private dining – and so we strongly recommend that you enquire and make bookings as soon as possible, after confirming your stay at Eskdale Retreat.
The Cook in the North. Whether you fancy fine or casual dining, private chef Shaun Nixon will visit Eskdale Retreat and promises to exceed your expectations. See his sample menus here. Contact Shaun on 07379 818840 or email him at hello@thecookinthenorth.com
Foray Catering. Bespoke private dining service for any occasion from intimate dinner parties to informal gathering, Foray will develop a unique menu to fit your needs. Email: info@foraycatering.co.uk. Telephone Stephen on 07776 740252 or Violaine 07926 544448.
The Cumbrian Chef offers a unique experience at Eskdale Retreat. Chef Julian offers fine dining restaurant quality cuisine. Contact Julian on 07368 316260 or email him at julian@thecumbrianchef.co.uk.
Real Food Chefs is headed up by Marcus James who describes his cooking as “locally sourced, based on good knowledge of classical cookery, with a molecular modern twist. Hearty and picturesque”. Email Marcus at realfoodchefsuk@gmail.com.
Whether you are staying at Eskdale Retreat to escape the hectic world, tune out and chill out or staying for adventure – ideally both – why not treat your mind and body to a reset too.
We are delighted to recommend the following:
- Mill Place Holistics for massage, aromatherapy and facials.
- Western Valleys Taiji for t’ai chi and meditation.
- Mindful Restoration, Indian Meditation & Slow Yoga Flow – contact: mindfulguru@gmail.com
- Mindful Meditation under the Moon & Stars
Coming early 2025 – watch this space!
You are spoilt for choice. We have four traditional Lakeland pubs in the valley!
The Boot Inn is within easy walking distance. Run by husband and wife Anita and Stuart and team, you can expect super food, a real log fire in winter and a warm welcome.
Also within easy walking distance is Brook House Inn. Run by Sarah and her brother Gareth and team, you won’t be disappointed by hearty food, a good beer selection, log burner in winter and another warm welcome.
Venture up the valley (a lovely bike ride or less than 10 minutes in the car) to the foot of the Hardknott pass and you’ll find the super Woolpack Inn. Run by Paddington (the person, not the bear), you can enjoy pizzas fresh from the pizza oven, a good menu, a good selection of beers and yet another warm welcome. This is also home of the wonderful EskFest, Eskdale’s very own super cool and quirky micro festival.
Venture down the valley (10ish minutes on bike and less than 5 mins by car) and you’ll find the King George IV. An a historic coaching Inn offering a wide selection of real ales and hearty food.
Our favourite café is the The Sawmill, with its working waterwheel and millrace running through the heart of the building. A 15 minute ish drive from Eskdale Retreat, it offers an idyllic setting to enjoy delicious food and refreshments. Combine it with a visit to Wastwater which we think is the most stunning in the Lake District.
Eskdale Retreat sits in the middle of a great big outdoor adventure playground! It’s a great base for a tremendous number of outdoors adventures – for all age groups and abilities. You can enjoy canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rock climbing, archery, raft building, ghyll scrambling & canyoning and so much more!
We are lucky to have West Lake Adventures just a short cycle (or drive) up the valley from Eskdale Retreat. We can highly recommend them. With enough notice, they can organise as many adventures as you can take!
We can also recommend Path to Adventure, another local company offering high quality activities, qualified and experienced local staff and tailored adventure packages.
For Stand up paddle board (SUPs), kayak and bike hire locally, we recommend Marra Bikes & Boards.
Step outside the door at Eskdale Retreat and you will find a huge number of quiet lanes, bridleways, foot paths and high mountain routes to explore. From easy flat meandering paths along the river to some of the most challenging and exciting hikes in the Lake District and England, there is no better base for your adventure than Eskdale Retreat.
If you would like a private guide to tailor an adventure to your exact requirements then we can suggest the following:
Here are a some useful links that you might find helpful in planning your walking and hiking adventures:
Eskdale and the surrounding area is a cyclist’s paradise. Whether you’re after easy family trails down to the coast, intermediate or advanced mountain bike trails or some of the most glorious road riding in the UK, Eskdale Retreat is the perfect base. The famous Fred Whitton Challenge goes right past our front door.
Cycling is a personal passion of ours. At Eskdale Retreat you’ll find secure bike storage for up to 16 bikes and proper bike washing facilities. You’ll also find ski style boot dryers and a dedicated drying room. After a fabulous day on the bike, pull off your boots and wet gear, leave it out to dry in time for the next adventure and jump in our hot tub (or river!).
For bike hire, routes and guiding we can recommend the following:
If, like us, you love the euphoric rush of wild swimming and bathing in natural river pools, then we don’t think you will find a better place in the UK than Eskdale and the surrounding hills. We are spoilt for choice.
GUIDED WILD SWIMS. To make the most of your wild swimming and to explore the best spots safely, we strongly recommend that you use the services of a professional guide. We are pleased to recommend both Suzanna Swims and Wild Swims. They will each meet you at Eskdale Retreat and lead your adventure.
Here is a list of some of our favourite spots:
- Trough House Bridge – simply walk across our private meadow behind Eskdale Retreat and up the river a little way and you’ll find the deep pools below Trough House Bridge. Perfect!
- St Catherine’s Church & Girders Bridge – a 10 minute walk from Eskdale Retreat is St Catherine’s Church and the famous Eskdale stepping stones. About 200 metres upstream is a lovely bathing pool, just downstream from Girders Bridge.
- Whillan Beck Plunge Pool – near the 17th Century packhorse bridge is the waterfall plunge pool of the Whillan Beck near the Eskdale Corn Mill.
- Harter Fell – lots of spots including Eel Tarn, Stoney Tarn, Blea Tarn and Burnmoor Tarn.
- Devoke Water – this lovely tarn is hardly visited but is a great for a swim.
- Tongue Pot – the most famous of Eskdale’s wild swimming spots. Park at the top of the Esk Valley at the foot of Hardknott Pass and Tongue Pot is just below Lingcove Beck Bridge. A couple of hundred metres downstream of the bridge is the large swimming pool of Tongue Pot.
- Lingcove Beck – a little further up from Tongue Pot and beyond Lingcove Beck bridge there is a cave you can swim in with a waterfall running into it.
- Waterfalls – we are spoilt for choice with Stanley Force, Birker Force, Cam Spout and Stanley Ghyll
SAFETY. Wild swimming does not have lifeguards and you swim at your own risk so: Be safe, be aware, be sensible and be responsible. To stay safe, never swim alone. Cold water will dramatically decrease your range at first, count on being able to swim a tenth of the distance you can in a warm pool, so practise in a safe zone and increase your range slowly. If it’s your first time swimming in cold water, enter the water gradually to see how your body reacts – beware of ‘cold shock’ which can bring on hyperventilation. Only experienced wild swimmers should swim in the more challenging river spots, lakes and tarns. Swim shoes are advisable and a wetsuit is a good idea if you don’t like the cold water. When you get out, it can take longer than you think to warm up, so have plenty of clothing ready, and ideally head straight off on another walk or run.
Did you know that as well as spectacular mountains, lakes and villages, the Lake District also has a spectacular coastline?
Visit Cumbria has a list of its Top 5 Cumbrian Beaches and the UK Beach Guide lists the Top 12 beaches in Cumbria, as selected by users of its beach guide.
The soundtrack at Eskdale Retreat of bird song and gushing rivers is broken only by the charming whistle of the “La’ Al Ratty” – Eskdale’s famous narrow gauge steam railway. With Beckfoot stop directly opposite Eskdale Retreat, you can enjoy and explore the stunning seven-mile route from Ravenglass, the only coastal village in the UNESCO World Heritage site, to Dalegarth for Boot station.
This is a truly wonderful way to explore the valley and to reach the coast. For lots more information and time tables visit Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.
Dominating the Western Lake District coast, where the mountains tumble into the sea and bursting with treasures and tales, haunted Muncaster Castle oozes history from every rough stone which fashion the castle walls. John Ruskin described the stunning views of England’s highest mountains as “Heaven’s Gate”. Castle tours, spectacular gardens, exotic plants from around the world and the fabulous Hawk & Owl Centre enchant visitors. Special Events throughout the year include the Sausage Festival, Crafted in Cumbria Market, Medieval Muncaster, Live Music, wonderful Outdoor Theatre, Race the Tide, Halloween and Christmas extravaganzas.
You are spoilt for choice! There is so much to do in the Lake District. For the latest events, gigs, shows and festivals etc., we suggest you explore these local tourist guides: