I swapped my office job for wildlife spotting in the heart of the Lake District

29 January 2024 , 09:10

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Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa sits overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake, in Keswick (Image: Harriet Morphy-Morris)

The Lake District, well-known for its picturesque mountains, rolling hills, and of course lakes -there may only be one officially, Bassenthwaite, but the areas 16 bodies of water certainly make it a scenic landscape mirroring that of a Hollywood film.

So it’s not surprising that thousands of people flock to the northern Keswick region each year to explore its adventurous scenery, from hiking, canoeing or admiring from afar in one of its luxurious hotel spas.

That’s exactly what I did as I headed to Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa for two nights, and amid the touches of four star luxury; sauna, hydra pools and gourmet food, I stepped out of my comfort zone to explore its most recent attraction; Wild Otter Spotting.

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Nestled on the grounds of Armathwaite’s rolling estate is the Lake District Wildlife Park, home to a number of local and exotic animals; from Alpaca’s to its resident Northern Eurasian Lynx, Capybara, Serval, Red Pandas and most importantly, Otters.

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Otter spotting at the Lake District Wildlife Park

The park is home to two resident Asian Short Clawed Otters and while their sanctuary is open for the visitors to come and see, you may even catch them at feeding time, it’s newest attraction gives wildlife fans the chance to spot a species of otter a lot closer to home, and in the wild.

In the waters of Bassenthwaite Lake, surrounding the opulent grounds of Armathwaite and potentially unbeknown to some guests, are a handful of wild Otters native to the Lake District. And we headed on a guided walk to try and spot them.

We were picked up from the hotel by our guide Lucy, and off we went to try our chances at catching a glimpse of the wild inhabitants. Embarking on the park’s newest guided walking experience isn’t guaranteed that you’ll spot a few otters, yet the chance to get as close as possible to their natural habitat and cross your fingers you’re lucky enough to spot one - on the walk, I felt it had the same magical ‘what if’ feeling as a safari.

Our stay at Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa

Our Garden Suite room, that has a terrace and fireplace seating area that overlooks Bassenthwaite Lake

I’ve visited Keswick before but until now never stepped foot in any of its luxurious hotels and spas, and the stunning surroundings of Bassenthwaite Lake and the mountainous scenery beyond felt like a treat as a first-timer.

Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa is set just behind the lake, a manor house that has a touch of tradition with impeccable modern upgrades. We stayed in Armathwaite's Garden Suite, a perfectly presented mini-apartment, with an entry hallway, a king-sized bedroom fitted with a desk, a seating area with a fireplace setting and a lake-view terrace.

The seating area just off the main bedroom in the Garden Suite

The bathroom was just off the entrance area and was fitted with a rainfall shower and separate bath - I didn't think you could feel more pampered coming back from the hotel's spa facilities but the room certainly proved me wrong. I opted for the CBD facial as my chosen spa treatment, having suffered in recent weeks with dry skin and hormonal breakouts, while my boyfriend went for a sports massage.

On arrival my therapist Timi analysed my skin to pick out the right products for my skin type, and as I thought I was suffering from very dehydrated skin. Over the next 55 minutes, I enjoyed a repairing treatment, cleansing steps and a fuzzing, CBD-infused exfoliation - something which is apparently a lot less harsh on the skin.

The post treatment wind-down room

As well as the spa's hydro pools, outdoor infinity pool, jacuzzi pool and sauna anyone who books a treatment can also make the most of its post-treatment relaxation room. A lot quieter and tranquil space fitted with complementary drinks.

Each night we put the hotel's resident mixologist to the test by enjoying a selection of freshly made cocktails in the art deco bar and ordering off the menu in our room a few times. There was a strong homely feel to our stay, something I can say I don't think I've ever experienced at a hotel before.

The bar area where we spent an hour or so before our lake view restaurant booking

Before dinner guests would start to appear at the bar to order their round of drinks, each occupying one of cosy chandalier tables, before entering the lake-view restaurant - my favourite moment of our whole stay. The Lake View restaurant would definitely be one to book for the final night of your stay, with an amolgamaiton of local Cumbrain dishes beautifully plated.

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Dinner at the lake view restaurant includes a range of traditional Cumbrian dishes

My boyfriend and I both gave each other a rather impressed look when we were served an 'amuse-bouche' before our chosen starters, not something either of us had ever had before in a restaurant but it was just a snippet of what was to come. I had the consommé (or soup) to start followed by the haddock while by boyfriend started with a pigeon starter and pork for a main - hearty traditional dishes that were beautifully put together.

A stay at Armathwaite Hall starts from around £220 a night and you can book through various sights including Booking.com, Expedia or the hotel website.

Harriet Morphy-Morris