Woodman's Huts

At just three miles long, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway is one of the shortest lines in England. Yet what it lacks in distance it makes up for with sheer natural splendour. Threading its way south from the tip of Lake Windermere, polished steam trains chug along the Leven Valley, hugging the gently sloping hillsides as plumes of white steam drift skywards against a backdrop of endless trees. And where the trees end, the fells begin; peaks climbing skyward, scattered with heather and bracken and frosted with snow during the colder winter months. It’s precisely the scene the makes the Lake District so famous.

In the small village of Haverthwaite, where trains whistle to a halt outside the quaint old station, Woodman's Shepherd’s Huts is a glamping site lucky enough to enjoy the same quintessentially English setting. Ensconced in their own private woodland enclave, the site is made up of just two wooden shepherd’s huts, insulated with sheep’s wool and furnished inside to a seriously comfortable standard. Through gaps in the trees, views south reveal the Holker Valley and across to 16th century Bigland Hall while, closer to home, fledgling birds enliven the surrounding trees.

Inside, the shepherds hut are as ergonomic as you could ask for. One sleeps two, the other four, and each have their own en suite luxury bathroom with a powerful shower, sink and toilet and a few toiletries provided. There’s a well-equipped kitchen space, complete with an oven and fridge, and ample storage, plus – perhaps most impressive of all – under-floor heating! A real godsend if the weather turns all English on you.

Together the huts make for a wonderfully exclusive holiday for a small group, or you can book just one hut for an individual stay, socialising with your neighbours in the communal ‘Arctic Hut’ – a hexagonal, pine lodge with an indoor BBQ and fire pit in its centre. The Scandinavian feel of its interior is only enhanced by the reindeer skins and throw around the benches.

For most, though, the comforts of glamping remain a side note to the setting. The postcard panorama of Lake Windermere is just a few minutes away in the car, or you can set off into the national park right from the sites doorstep, with several excellent walking routes nearby. To the south, cross the River Leven and climb your way to Bigland Tarn, a pool of hilltop water just below a shallow summit. It’s a very gentle route but rewards you with some of the best views of the coast and Morecambe Bay. If you look carefully you can also make out your cosy shepherd’s hut back down in the valley too.