On the shores of a glacial lake that doesn't appear on most maps, a Georgian manor house that had been slowly succumbing to the elements has been given a new life as Blackwood Manor, a retreat that opened its doors in the spring of 2025. Owned by the Ashworth family, who have farmed this valley for three generations, the hotel is surrounded by ancient oak woodlands, tumbling becks and the brooding presence of the Langdale Pikes. With the house facing west across the water, and the nearest village a winding fifteen-minute drive away, this is a place where the noise of the modern world simply cannot reach you.
The approach to Blackwood Manor is an event in itself. The road winds through narrow valleys, past dry-stone walls and ancient sheepfolds, before opening suddenly onto the vast expanse of the lake. The house appears on the far shore, its pale stone walls glowing in the shifting light, its windows reflecting the sky like a mirror. It is a view that stops you in your tracks, that demands you pause and simply breathe.
The house itself was built in 1789 for a wealthy wool merchant, but fell into decline during the mid-20th century. The Ashworths inherited it in a state of near-ruin, and have spent the past six years painstakingly restoring it, room by room, using traditional methods and local materials.
The Rooms
The 22 rooms and suites are spread across the main house and a cluster of converted stone barns, with prices starting at £275 per night. The interiors are a celebration of the Arts and Crafts tradition: hand-blocked wallpapers, oak panelling salvaged from the original structure, and deep-silled windows that frame views of the lake and fells.
Our room, in the east wing of the main house, was a symphony of muted greens and mossy browns, inspired by the surrounding woodland. A four-poster bed with a mattress of natural wool, a wood-burning stove, and a window seat piled with cushions invited us to simply stop and watch the light move across the valley. The bathroom, with its roll-top bathtub and underfloor heating, was similarly indulgent, stocked with products from a small Scottish apothecary.
"We wanted each room to feel like its own little world," says Clara, who designed the interiors herself. "Somewhere you could curl up with a book and forget the world exists. The views are the main attraction, so we've kept the decoration simple, letting the landscape do the talking."
The Spa and Wild Swimming
The spa at Blackwood Manor is a low, single-storey building set into the hillside, its roof planted with wildflowers to blend into the surrounding meadow. It comprises a 15-metre indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake, a sauna, steam room, and a heated outdoor plunge pool that seems to float on the edge of the water.
The spa's philosophy is rooted in the Scandinavian concept of friluftsliv – a love of open-air living – and guests are encouraged to incorporate the natural environment into their wellness routines. A daily "Wild Dip" is offered in the lake itself, followed by a sauna and a warming herbal tea. For the more adventurous, guided cold-water swimming sessions are available, led by Clara herself.
"There's something incredibly liberating about immersing yourself in cold water," Clara says. "It's a shock to the system, but it's also a way of waking up, of reminding yourself that you're alive. We've had guests who've been transformed by it."
More conventional treatments are also available, using products from the Irish organic brand Voya, and all treatments take place in rooms that overlook the surrounding woodland.
Dining at Blackwood
The dining experience at Blackwood Manor is built around the principle of terroir – the idea that food should taste of the place where it is grown. The hotel's kitchen garden, which dates back to the early 1800s, has been revived and now supplies most of the restaurant's vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. The estate's own flock of Herdwick sheep provides lamb, and the local river yields brown trout and wild salmon.
The restaurant, which has already been mentioned in the Good Food Guide, is headed by chef Edie Sutherland, who previously worked at a Michelin-starred kitchen in Cumbria. The tasting menu is a tour of the Lake District, changing with the seasons.
A starter of Herdwick mutton tartare with pickled elderberries and wild garlic was a revelation – earthy, complex, and deeply satisfying. This was followed by a main of roasted Cumbrian hen with black garlic and a sauce made from the estate's own honey. Dessert, a simple but perfect creation of damson jelly and custard, came from a tree planted by Clara's great-grandmother.
Breakfast, served in the glass-walled conservatory, offers a choice of locally smoked kippers, rare-breed bacon and sausages, or the house speciality: a "Cumbrian Mess" of crushed berries, toasted oats and thick double cream.
Exploring the Valley
Blackwood Manor is a destination in itself, but the surrounding valley offers much to explore. A network of footpaths leads through ancient woodlands, past tumbling waterfalls and up to the summits of the Langdale Pikes. The nearby village of Elterwater has a welcoming pub and a small gallery, while the larger towns of Ambleside and Keswick are a thirty-minute drive away.
For those seeking more structured activities, the hotel offers guided foraging walks, fly-fishing lessons on the lake, and seasonal photography workshops led by William, a former landscape photographer.
Blackwood Manor is a retreat for all seasons, and it's easy to imagine how its character shifts throughout the year. In spring, the garden is a riot of daffodils and bluebells, and the first swallows return to the eaves. In summer, long evenings can be spent on the terrace, watching the sun sink behind the fells. In autumn, the woodland takes on a fiery glow, and the wood-burning stoves are lit for the first time. And in winter, when the valley is still and silent, the hotel becomes a cocoon of warmth and light, a sanctuary from the world outside.
People often ask us which season is the best," says Clara. "And we always say, 'The next one.' Because each season has its own magic, its own reason to visit. The valley is always changing, always surprising us. And that's what we wanted to share – not a static, frozen beauty, but a living, breathing landscape.
A Lasting Impression
As we prepared to leave, Clara and William appeared with a small gift – a jar of their own honey and a bundle of dried herbs from the garden. It was a gesture that felt genuine, rooted in a deep pride in their home.
Blackwood Manor is not a hotel for those seeking novelty, buzz or stimulation. It is a hotel for those who need to slow down, to hear themselves think, to remember what it feels like to be still. It is, in its own quiet way, one of the most restorative places in the Lake District.
