things to do.....
- Cark Village
The historic Mill village of Cark-in-Cartmel is a lovely country village, and features pretty streamside strolls, lovely walks to the local coastline overlooking Morecambe Bay, a fine traditional old pub and a scattering of small shops.
Brookes Garden Centre has a lovely cafe, and is dog friendly so you can browse and then have a lovely brunch or afternoon tea.
It is a very short stroll from Lavender Cottage to Holker Hall, the stately home of Lord Cavendish, whose house, gardens and deer park are open to the public and also now home to a licensed brasserie The Ilex.
Cark is well served by the Furness Line Railway, so you can either arrive by rain or decide to leave your car parked whilst exploring some of the nearby villages.
- Cark Pubs
The Engine Inn is just a couple of minutes walk away, serves food, has a pool table, a roaring fire in the winter and are dog friendly! The Hope and Anchor in Flookburgh also serves food and is dog friendly too, and just a 10 minute walk away too.
- Leisure Activities
Lavender Cottage is the perfect location for outdoor activities. With secure bike storage, and many walks and rides right from the door, the day can get off to the best start. Being close to the coast and on the edge of the Lake District, there are plenty of activities to choose from Climbing, Walking, Watersport, including paddleboarding and wake boarding are all available close by. If you like a round of golf, there are two golf courses in Grange just four miles away - Grange Fell Golf Club and Grange Golf Club, and Windermere or Kendal Golf Clubs are about 25 minutes drive away.
- Surrounding Villages
Within walking distance, Flookburgh offers a Fish & Chip shop, also serving great Chinese Take Away, a Bakery, Pharmacy and Post Office.
A little further away is Grange-over-Sands with a lovely Promenade, gardens and tea shops, supermarkets and gift shops.
Ulverston is just a 15 minute drive too, a small market town with various service and some beautiful gift shops, and is also home to Booths Supermarket. Both Grange and Ulverston can be reached easily by train using Cark Train Station.
The nearby Medieval village of Cartmel, one of the prettiest villages in the Lake District offers quaint cobbled streets littered with antique shops, charming gift shops, welcoming traditional pubs serving real ales, as well as the stunning Cartmel Priory, cafes and restaurants, including Simon Rogans' Michelin Star L'Enclume, and Cartmel Racecourse just 5 minutes drive away. Lavender Cottage in Cark-in-Cartmel is the perfect base to enjoy race days away from the crowds.
The foot of Lake Windermere, with panoramic views over England's longest lake, is within a fifteen minute drive. You can continue driving up the lakeside to Bowness, or perhaps stop for a walk up Gummers Howe to see the Lake from a stunning view point. The Lakeland Motor Museum is also to the foot of Windermere, well worth a visit, and just a little drive further is the Campbell Legend Bluebird Exhibition in Coniston.