Howe Foot Holiday Cottages

By the time we got to Slater’s Bridge the sun had got its hat on, so we slipped the rucksacks off our shoulders, took out the sandwiches, sat down on the grass and thought of all the packhorses that would have crossed this famous stone arch down the centuries.

We’d set off from Tilberthwaite, not far off the A593 north of Coniston, about 70 minutes earlier, almost lone walkers on the stony track to Little Langdale. Taking the left fork after the farm buildings, there’s a gradual ascent for a while before you start to drop down the hill. Little Langdale Tarn is straight ahead, Lingmoor Fell beyond that and the Langdale Pikes further in the distance. A great unfolding of beauty.

We’ve done this walk before while staying at Howe Foot but then it was autumn. This time - staying again at Howe Foot - was spring, so bluebells were thick on the ground in places, lambs were leaping or sleeping in the fields, trees were shedding their muted winter colours and a rare cuckoo made its presence known in the distance.

From Slater’s Bridge we followed the course of the River Brathay for about ten minutes and then, at another bridge, turned back towards Tilberthwaite. It’s along this route that you realise just how heavily this area was quarried for slate because there are still huge spoil heaps close to the track. Incidentally the slate on the floors and kitchen work surfaces at Howe Foot is from Tilberthwaite as well.

Earlier that day we’d been to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston, timing our visit to perfection, so we could be first in line to view Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7. Because the museum opened a couple of minutes before time, we initially had the Bluebird Wing to ourselves and could happily snap away without anyone else being in shot.

We’d last seen the hydroplane two months previously as it made the journey from its restoration in the north east, along the A69, down the M6 and back to Coniston. But this was something special: K7, the centrepiece of this purpose built wing, surrounded by other Campbell-related vehicles and memorabilia.

A big screen has images of the British hero, and there are lots of photographs and newspaper cuttings, letters, trophies, small models of K7, books, clothing, the prototype Bluebird JetStar ski-boat and Donald Campbell’s mascot ‘Mr Whoppit’. His speed ace father, Malcolm, is not forgotten either. As for Bluebird itself, the museum has ‘started the process of running’ the hydroplane on Coniston Water in 2026.

Although Bluebird is the star attraction, there are plenty of other fascinating stories told by this delightful museum. I love the watercolours and mineral collection of the great Victorian John Ruskin, who lived beside Coniston Water for 29 years, and the photographs of the old Coniston railway line (from Foxfield) although I wish it was still open.

There are lots of artefacts relating to farming, quarrying, copper mining and the local linen and lace industries, and there’s a sailing dingy called ‘Amazon’ - formerly ‘Mavis’ - of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ fame, with a sign in it saying ‘This is a very old boat in peaceful retirement. Please do not disturb her’.

Next door to the museum is the Coniston Institute which in the late 19th century, thanks to John Ruskin, had a library, theatre, reading room, kitchen, billiard room and assembly hall, a place that offered classes in lace making, woodcarving and copper work. This summer (until September 22) it plays host to the Coniston Vintage Summer Shop. We went last year and it’s brilliant.

King Street Vintage in Ulverston (picture from last year) organises the summer event in Coniston and it was there that we headed on the first day of our stay at Howe Foot. What a selection you’ll find: from cups and saucers, gardening tools, toys and teddy bears to cushions, medals, glassware, books, silver cutlery and more. Everything lovingly displayed and carefully labelled.

I’m always looking for old Lakeland guide books in these sort of places because I love the lyrical way in which many of them are written and the mountain of historical detail they often include. I spotted a book called ‘The High Places’ - ‘Leaves from a Lakeland Notebook’ - by A Harry Griffin and left the shop as happy as Larry.

One of the undoubted appeals of Ulverston is its proliferation of small, independent stores and long may that last. Take a look at the ‘Choose Ulverston’ website and you’ll see what I mean. Many of them were sporting decorative flags to welcome the arrival of spring, this being the town’s annual ‘Flag Fortnight’.

No other place in Cumbria comes close to Ulverston in its love of festivals so, along with ‘Flag Fortnight’, there were three days of ‘Printfest’, with more than 40 artists/printmakers showing their work at The Coro. We popped in on one of the days, loved the work that was on display and bumped into two people we hadn’t seen for years.

What we hadn’t seen for a few months was, of course, Lowick Beacon, just up the hill from Howe Foot. I must say that one of the great pleasures of staying here is to take a stroll up towards the beacon, but not necessarily walking to its modest summit. Even keeping to the lane offers lovely views of the countryside on Howe Foot’s doorstep.

This being spring there were bluebells everywhere and we heard the sound of a cuckoo as well. Twice we timed our walk for late afternoon and twice we watched a herd of dairy cows being shepherded along a lane, for milking at a farm about a mile away. It’s all these things that make staying at Howe Foot such a joy.