Guided Walking at Derwentwater

Derwent Bank has 32 bedrooms, all located in the main building. Some of the rooms have views over the lake, whilst others face towards the mountains of Cat Bells and Grizedale Pike.  In addition, in the grounds there is the newly refurbished Coach House, a luxurious two bedroom apartment.

Standard en-suite rooms     

Our standard rooms offer comfortable accommodation and an en-suite bathroom.

All standard rooms have:

• En-suite bathroom with WC and shower or bath
• Tea and coffee making facilities
• Clock radio
• Hairdryer

Premium rooms

Make your stay extra special by booking a premium room for an extra £5 per person per night.

All premium rooms have:

• Extra space or exceptional views
• En-suite bathroom with WC and shower or bath
• Tea and coffee making facilities
• Clock radio
• Hairdryer

Single rooms

Standard single rooms are available for an extra £7 per night.

Family rooms              

If you are travelling with your family, we have a selection of 3 and 4-bedded rooms.

All family rooms have:

• Full-sized twin or double beds for adults
• Bunk beds or occasional beds for children
• En-suite bathroom with WC and shower or bath
• Tea and coffee making facilities
• Clock radio
• Hairdryer

NEW for 2010, a new cafe in the grounds of our Country House

This is the first of many cafés HF Holidays will be opening throughout our collection of 17 Country Houses in the UK.

The café set in the Derwentwater's bright and airy new conservatory, where local artists who can now exhibit for visitors to enjoy or even purchase.

With comfortable chairs, chill-out music, water features, delectable local produce and a great cup of tea or coffee, it is now a fantastic place to relax, enjoy and unwind in Derwentwater.

The café at Derwentwater is open every day 10am – 4pm. Everyone welcome.

All our Country Houses are tailored to walkers and outdoor enthusiasts and have excellent boot and drying rooms, laundry facilities and a mini-shop for essentials such as maps, postcards and toiletries.

At Derwent Bank there is a large, comfortable lounge, an attractive dining room and a welcoming bar stocking local beer.  

The conservatory is particularly attractive and has superb views of the lake and the surrounding fells.

The ballroom also overlooks the lake and is used as a painting studio, for dancing or evening talks, or as a games room with table tennis and Nintendo Wii.

Free internet access is offered on a dedicated PC and Wifi is available in some public rooms. There is also a range of board games and books.

Derwent Bank sits in extensive gardens with a sloping lawn down to the lake jetty. Outside there is a formal garden, a putting green and croquet lawn.

Due to the layout and age of Derwent Bank it is not recommended for wheelchair users or guests with restricted mobility. However, ground floor accommodation is available in the chalets and after negotiating three steps to enter the main house, all public rooms then have level access.

Arrival & car parking facilities

• Disabled parking bays available directly in front of the house
• It is possible to load and unload cars directly at the front door
• The surface of the main car park is gravel with sloped driveway to the front door - approx 100 yards, with dusk sensor lighting

• Assistance can be provided with luggage

Main entrance & reception

• Two steps lead to the entrance porch. These steps are 7.5cm and 15cm high
• A further step of 15cm leads you through double doors into the large reception / bar lobby
• The doorway is 125cm wide
• The ground floor hallways are carpeted throughout. All public areas are carpeted with the exception of the ballroom, which has laminate flooring
• After entering the house, all the facilities are available without encountering any further steps

• The corridors around the ground floor are 132cm wide

Lounge & conservatory

• The lounge is 7m x 8½m
• Seating is bucket chairs, which are 50cm high and 55cm wide
• The conservatory is 9m x 8m and is well lit and airy

• Cane sofa style seating is 45cm high and 60cm wide with sturdy arms

Ballroom

• Ballroom is a large well lit room (11½m x 7m) with light coloured laminate flooring
• Armless high-backed chairs. The chairs are 53cm high, 44cm deep, 40cm wide and the seatback is 48cm high

Public WCs

• There is a public toilet on the ground floor, near the manager's office
• The entrance door is 84cm wide. The height of the toilet seat is 43cm and the height of the hand basin is 74cm
• There are grab rails on both sides of the toilet
• The basin has a swivel/push tap for ease of use
• Lighting is provided by a pull cord switch

Dining room & bar

• The dining room is a large airy room (10m x10m)
• The entrance door is 86cm wide
• Circular tables (150cm across) with an underspace of 68cm high. The seats do not have arm rests and they are 45cm high, 44cm wide and the back rest is 39cm high
• All meals are waitress service
• The bar area operates across two rooms with leather sofas and armchairs. This seating is 50cm high with a depth of 87cm. The chairs are 48cm wide and the sofas are 105cm wide
• Bar is well lit with both main lights and side lights and has an open real fire

Laundry & boot room

• The laundry is situated in the boot room in the basement of the house and is accessible both from outside driveway (one step of 6cm) and via the internal back staircase (several flights of stairs)
• The boot room has a 6cm step down onto a level tiled floor. Floor can get slippery at times, but assistance can be provided upon request

Bedrooms

• Usually made up with hollow fibre duvets and pillows, blankets available on request
• All rooms are carpeted and well lit
• All furniture, including beds, is movable

Chalet rooms

• There are no specifically designated disabled rooms, but there are five chalets in the grounds on ground floor level that offer en-suite double bedded accommodation
• Access to these rooms is down a sloped driveway followed by a gravel path
• All bedroom doors are 80cm wide. Beds are 83cm high. Rooms are single, twin or double bedded
• Bathrooms contain a large sink, toilet and a shower. A step of 15cm high and 82cm wide into the showers

Main building rooms

• From the ground floor, there are eight stairs to a landing, followed by a further eight stairs to another landing and then seven stairs to the first floor east wing and five stairs to the first floor west wing
• These steps are 15cm high, 30cm deep and 105cm wide
• There are 19 steps in total between the first and second floor. These steps are 87cm wide, 17cm high and 26cm deep
• All stairways have wooden banisters
• All bedrooms have an en-suite shower, but rooms with an additional bath are also available

Bathrooms

• All bathrooms contain a large sink, toilet and a shower
• Some rooms in the main house have shower units with a low level step entry. In some rooms the shower is over the bath
• A step of 15cm high and 82cm wide into the chalet room showers
• Bathroom door width is 66cm and the toilet height is 40cm

Grounds and gardens

• Large sloped grounds with a feature garden. Lakeside location with a private jetty
• Gravel footpaths, dusk activated lighting

Additional information

• Fire procedure is displayed in each room and explained to guests on arrival. Guests requiring assistance at an evacuation are identified at this time and door hanger cards are issued
• Mobile phone reception is generally good from the main building
• Assistance dogs can be provided for
• Information can be provided in large print
• Staff have received disability awareness training
• Special diets can be catered for. Specialist food can be obtained with prior notice
• Fridge for medication can be supplied

All holidays at our Country Houses are Full Board with breakfast, picnic lunch and evening meal included.

Breakfast                            

Start your day with our extensive breakfast. Select from our cold buffet and/or a full cooked breakfast.

Cold buffet

Fruit juices, cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurts, croissants and pastries

Hot dishes

Porridge, sausages, bacon, eggs (scrambled, boiled, poached or fried), tomato, baked beans and mushrooms

Regional dishes including black pudding or kippers

Served at the table

Tea, coffee, toast and jams

Picnic lunches

Choose from our self-select picnic lunches. 

Your own choice of sandwiches, prepared to order

Crisps and snacks, fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts, chocolate bars, sweets and biscuits

Dinner                 

The relaxed dinner is a highlight of any stay at our Country Houses - with tables seating up to 10 and no seating plan, it offers a great opportunity to get to know fellow guests.  There is always a choice of dishes for every course, featuring good British cooking and often local specialities. Vegetarian meals are always available.

Sample menu

Chef’s homemade soup of the day with warm rolls

Seafood cocktail

Breadcrumbed camembert wedges on a tossed salad

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Breast of chicken wrapped in smoked bacon, served with a red wine sauce

Grilled filled of cod on a bed of chive mash with a soy butter sauce

Vegetable wellington with a wild mushroom sauce

Greek salad with black olives and feta cheese

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Traditional bread and butter pudding with custard or cream

Profiteroles served with chocolate sauce

Fresh fruit salad

Ice cream served in a brandy snap basket

Selection of local cheeses and biscuits

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Coffee

Fairtrade coffee or tea served with mints

Drinks  

All our Country Houses have a well-stocked bar serving beer, wine and spirits.

The buzz of your day's activities will carry on well into the evening - enjoy a glass of wine or local beer in the bar before a briefing on the next day's walks.  After dining with your fellow guests why not take advantage of the organised activity on offer?  These vary from week to week but could include a talk from a local speaker, quizzes or a theme evening. The aim is to give you a chance to mix with other guests, relax and have some fun.