Suggestions for cottage in the Lake District?

[NicJG]

We are planning a week in the Lake District in April with DD and DS (3 and 4 years old). Does anyone know of a good location and/or cottage?

Thanks!

We stayed in a gorgeous cottage at Skirwith a few years ago. Think it was called the Old Smithy or something similar. Nearish to Penrith.

look at www.skirwithhallcottages.co.uk/smithy.htm

Have been on a similar quest myself! A friend recommended Troutbeck to me today - apparently there's a great playground there.

Am a bit at some of the prices, but as I want to go in a few weeks and there's still a fair few available I think I'm going to risk trying to get a late deal.

can't help with cottages, but go for afternoon tea at Winderhall - LowLOrton. We had a night there at the weekend, fabulous place, really beautiful, and good afternoon tea. Another couple who were staying there had had afternoon tea there the year before, at only £3 per head (they thought it would be a lot more)convinced them to stay there.

Or, if you have childcare, go theer for evening dinner - 5 courses for £35ish per head, including aperitif and canapes, and coffee and handmade chocs...fantastic!

Thanks PandaG! Looks lovely.

(Fancy trying to fit a weekend camping in sometime this summer?)

hijack over sorry!

my mum lives in Ambleside so we go up a lot, and the "lake lovers" look have two houses near hers, their properties are well maintained and cleaned, but sorry have no clue how competitive their prices are as our B&B comes free with parents
Ambleside is great for families, shops, park, lake, near Beatrix Potter stuff in Hawkeshead, Sawrey and Bowness. All the national trust stuff re-opens at the end of march so if that's your cup of tea then plenty to do. Good amount of child-friendly walks, tourist info etc (we have titles from there like "walks with prams" "walks with children" "miles, no steps no stiles" and a charming little book my mum got of Beatrix Potter Walks, a couple of miles each which my DC 7, 4 & 2 can all walk and enjoy. Grasmere for gingerbread....oooh I'd better shut up i want to be there nooowwwwwww

There isn't a playground in Troutbeck......

Thanks branflake. Will go back to my friend for clarification!

We stayed in Bouth, which does have a quite nice little playground right in the middle of the village, and a pub called the White Hart which is child-friendly in the early evenings and does a lovely steak pie.