With its home-from-home feel, gorgeous gastronomy and beautiful setting, Gilpin Lake House on Knipe Tarn, Cumbria is the perfect destination for a first night or mini moon getaway.

Right in the heart of the breathtaking Lake District, it’s just the kind of wind down you need after the hecticness of W-day prep. It’s also a member of the exclusive Relais & Chateaux hotel group, which means luxurious design is a given, with a hearty helping of comfort and the feel that you’re in your own home – if your own home had huge outdoor gardens (100 acres to be precise), a private lake and a cedar wood hot tub for romantic dips beneath the stars!

Dinner is a delicious five-course feast at the nearby Gilpin Hotel (don’t panic, you have a complimentary chauffeur to whisk you to the door and back home to bed again afterwards) with plenty of fresh local produce and welcoming, unpretentious service.

Whether you just want to cosy up in your room, or take advantage of the bracing country walks to be had in the nearby area, Gilpin Lake House definitely raises the romance stakes in the newlywed category. Make sure you take a walk up to Cat’s Crag – a viewpoint – with a 360 degree Lakeland panorama, and a row on Gilpin’s private tarn is a definite must – just for the hilarity of working as a rowing team with your new hubby!

Gilpin Lake House is 20-minutes by car from Oxenholme station (just two and a half hours from London). Dinner, bed and breakfast rates at the Lake House start from £470 and include a full English breakfast, five-course dinner, as well as complimentary use of the in-house spa. For more details and to book call 015394 88818, hotel@gilpinlodge.co.uk

If you’re looking for an idyllic, intimate country location for your wedding reception (20 people maximum) then Gilpin Lake House is also available on an exclusive use basis.

gilpinlodge.co.uk

By Sally Dixon