Cottages in Portinscale

Come on down to this gorgeous, lush, tranquil lakeland corner of England with its brooding horizons and lush scenery replete with incredible nature walks that literally start just outside your door! The unspoiled Portinscale vicinity is far removed from the hustle, bustle and commotion of city life. The villages in this part of The Lake District are indescribably quaint and this is a place where time seems to have stood still! Portinscale is nestled in beautiful scenery close to the western shore of Derwentwater.

Portinscale offers you a truly remarkable location to get away from it all. With cottages dotted in and around Portinscale and Keswick this stunning retreat is a sanctuary for holiday makers seeking rural peace and quiet. Find a perfect, charming, refurbished rustic cottage for a romantic getaway for two or a larger, fully equipped, stylish fully furnished cottage retreat for a family of four or family group of six or even up to 10 guests! Many of the quaint, charming cottages in the area have a lovely English country garden with a gorgeous view where you can sit and have a lovely cup of tea and relax and reflect on your splendid day out!

Portinscale is perfectly located to the north of Britain’s Lake District National Park making this a wonderfully convenient base for exploring the spectacular surrounding countryside that is famous the world over for its pristine beauty and magnificence. You will have easy access to at least 8 of the beautiful ribbon lakes in the area and the fabulous watersport possibilities on offer. Multiple, fabled rambling and cycling routes are just on your doorstep for action packed days out enjoying nature! The famous Scafell Pike mountain climb is within easy driving distance. Portinscale is about 5.5 hours from London by car and 2 hours from Manchester or Liverpool.

The Lake District region surrounding Portinscale offers waterborne adventure galore! Whether you love canoeing, sailing, windsurfing or diving, you will be able to enjoy a limitless variety of activities in or on the water! The unsurpassed, rugged natural beauty of Derwentwater is under 10 minutes from Portinscale and provides sailing enthusiasts with a really unique island sailing adventure nestled amongst the Lake District´s dramatic fells. Hire sailing dinghies, kayaks or canoes at Derwentwater Marina!

Just 8 minutes east of Portinscale near Keswick in Cumbria you will find one of Britain’s most remarkably mysterious stone circles from the neolithic period on a par with Stonehenge! The panoramic views of the mountains of Hellvelyn and High Seat provide a stunning, dramatic backdrop to this mysterious place that allows you to step back in time more than 1000 years! Expect a pastoral setting with grazing sheep to add to the air of mystery on this ancient historical site. This is a fantastic place to stop for a picnic.

Fans of the gorgeous, whimsical stories and art of celebrated Victorian children’s author Beatrix Potter are in for a treat as her Lake District, Ambleside home is a National Trust museum packed with furniture, photos, paintings and her collection of unusual porcelain. Her famous exquisite garden is absolutely delightful. England’s National Trust has put together a fabulous, free, downloadable trail for exploring Beatrix Potter’s fabled Lake District.

This wonderfully quirky outing, a lovely, short walk from Keswick Town Centre is a glorious celebration of the remarkable history of the humble pencil.You will enter the museum through an exciting replica of the Seathwaite Mine where graphite was discovered way back in the 1550’s. The museum is a fascinating peek into the history of pencil making. This museum showcases the world’s first pencil, a crazy 8m colouring pencil and spy pencils from World War II!

Lace up your hiking shoes and head out on a fantastic 16 km scenic route around the Queen of the Lakes, Derwentwater! The stunning Derwentwater Lake Walk takes you through ancient heritage woodlands and along the rugged lakeshore scenery. There are plenty of lovely, scenic places en route to stop for a picnic as well as strategic cafes and restaurants where you can rest and grab a tasty bite to eat.

Head on over to this surprising animal attraction just 14 minutes north of Portinscale, set in 25 acres of Lakeland scenery and surrounded by incredible views of The Northern Fells! Here you will have a wonderful opportunity to encounter more than 100 species of exotic animals such as zebras, mandrills and anacondas and a variety of rare, endangered species. The herd of micro pigs is a guaranteed delight as are the cheeky meerkat offspring!

This is a great living museum of discovery for the whole family to enjoy. Here you can tour the underground mine shafts, scale the side and inside of a mountain and cross a thrilling infinity bridge! Honister is the last working mine in England and it is here that green slate is excavated from Fleetwith Pike. The indepth mine tour takes about 90 minutes and gives you a chance to immerse yourself in 350 years of history. Augmented reality technology and explosive special effects make the adventure all the more exciting!

The Lake District offers plenty of incredibly scenic bike trails for cyclists of all abilities within easy driving distance from Portinscale. The Kendal 8 is a wonderful 33 mile loop cycling route that keeps you on quiet lanes on the edge of The Lake District with easy to navigate rolling ascents and spectacular views. Ardent and experienced cyclists looking for challenging hills and longer distances can take their pick from a variety of exceptionally scenic routes. The 17 km Longdale cycle trail offers awe inspiring views of the famous Langdale Pikes!