Ambleside
Cottage Stays

2026 Self-Catering Breaks in Windermere, Grasmere, Coniston & More!

Home
Cottages Latest Cottages Favourites Contact Us List Your Property
River Lodge Overview Reviews Photos Attractions

River Lodge, Ambleside

Guest Rating
Rating
3.9
out of 5
Guest Rating
Rating
3.9
out of 5
Sleeps up to 8
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 4

River Lodge is a lakeside retreat in the Lake District located in Cumbria. This property sits in one of England's most visited national parks and offers direct access to woodland walks and lake views.

The area provides opportunities for hiking and water sports. Lake Windermere lies nearby. You can explore fells and valleys or visit local market towns. The setting combines natural landscapes with outdoor activities.

The accommodation includes several lodge types sleeping different numbers of guests. Specific lodge configurations range from two-bedroom units sleeping four guests to larger three-bedroom lodges accommodating six people.

 

About River Lodge

River Lodge is a lakeside retreat in the Lake District located in Cumbria. This property sits in one of England's most visited national parks and offers direct access to woodland walks and lake views.

The area provides opportunities for hiking and water sports. Lake Windermere lies nearby. You can explore fells and valleys or visit local market towns. The setting combines natural landscapes with outdoor activities.

The accommodation includes several lodge types sleeping different numbers of guests. Specific lodge configurations range from two-bedroom units sleeping four guests to larger three-bedroom lodges accommodating six people. Each lodge features modern kitchens and living spaces with lake or woodland aspects.

Windermere village (2.3 miles, 8 minutes) offers shops and restaurants. Beatrix Potter's Hill Top (4.1 miles, 12 minutes) attracts literary fans. Grizedale Forest (6.8 miles, 15 minutes) provides mountain biking trails. Ambleside (5.2 miles, 14 minutes) has independent shops and cafes.

River Lodge suits families and groups wanting Lake District access. The location works for walkers and water sports enthusiasts. Book here for genuine lakeside living.

Check Prices & Availability »
At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

More Cottages With Hot Tubs You May Like

River Lodge Attractions & Days Out

Explore the wonderful attractions and activities surrounding River Lodge during your stay. Find the best places to visit and things to do in the local area, all conveniently organised by distance and type. Charming villages to lively and exciting attractions - there's something for everyone to enjoy. Browse through our categories including attractions, walks & outdoor activities, shopping destinations and handy tips on getting around. Plan your perfect day out. Whether you're looking for family fun, romantic experiences, or pet-friendly adventures, this cottage provides an ideal base to explore Cumbria's fantastic days out. Click on any attraction for more detailed information including address, opening times and visitor tips.

Beatrix Potter's Hill Top
Distance: 4.1 miles
LA22 0LF
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 2.5 miles
LA23 1BJ
Grizedale Forest
Distance: 6.8 miles
LA22 0QJ
Claife Heights Walk
Distance: 1.2 miles
LA22 0LN
Wray Castle Grounds
Distance: 3.4 miles
LA22 0JA
Latterbarrow Summit
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA22 0NG
Windermere Village
Distance: 2.3 miles
LA23 1AF
Booths Supermarket
Distance: 2.6 miles
LA23 1BA
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 5.2 miles
LA22 9BS
Windermere Ferry
Distance: 0.8 miles
LA22 0LP
Hawkshead Village
Distance: 3.9 miles
LA22 0NT
Coniston Water
Distance: 8.1 miles
LA21 8AN
Beatrix Potter's Hill Top
Distance: 4.1 miles
LA22 0LF
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 2.5 miles
LA23 1BJ
Grizedale Forest
Distance: 6.8 miles
LA22 0QJ
Claife Heights Walk
Distance: 1.2 miles
LA22 0LN
Wray Castle Grounds
Distance: 3.4 miles
LA22 0JA
Latterbarrow Summit
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA22 0NG
Windermere Village
Distance: 2.3 miles
LA23 1AF
Booths Supermarket
Distance: 2.6 miles
LA23 1BA
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 5.2 miles
LA22 9BS
Windermere Ferry
Distance: 0.8 miles
LA22 0LP
Hawkshead Village
Distance: 3.9 miles
LA22 0NT
Coniston Water
Distance: 8.1 miles
LA21 8AN

Is River Lodge Right For You?

Discover why this cottage is ideal for different types of visitors

For Families
Children can explore woodland trails directly from the lodge and access the lake shore for paddling and stone skipping. Grizedale Forest offers Go Ape activities and sculpture trails. Windermere lake cruises run family trips. The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness entertains younger children. Outdoor space around the lodges provides room for games and bike riding.
For Couples
River Lodge offers couples a peaceful lakeside setting with private woodland walks and lake views. The modern lodge interiors provide comfortable spaces for relaxing evenings. Nearby Windermere has restaurants for dining out. You can take lake cruises or explore quieter walking routes around Claife Heights. The location balances seclusion with easy access to Lake District attractions and villages.
Pet Friendly
Dogs are welcome at River Lodge with direct access to woodland walking trails from your door. The lakeside location provides varied terrain for different length walks. Nearby Claife Heights and Wray Castle grounds offer dog-friendly routes. Lake shore access means your dog can paddle and swim. Local pubs including The Cuckoo Brow Inn welcome dogs inside.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at River Lodge

The Cuckoo Brow Inn

Located 1.4 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 3JF

Lazy Daisy's Lakeland Kitchen

Located 2.4 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 1DQ

The Drunken Duck Inn

Located 3.1 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 0NG

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about River Lodge

Does this cottage have a hot tub?
No, River Lodge does not have a hot tub. The property focuses on its natural lakeside setting and woodland location instead.
Is it pet-friendly?
Yes, River Lodge welcomes dogs. The lakeside location and woodland walks make it ideal for guests travelling with pets.
How many guests can River Lodge accommodate?
The lodges sleep between four and six guests depending on the configuration. Two-bedroom lodges sleep four people whilst three-bedroom lodges accommodate six guests.
What facilities are included in the lodges?
Each lodge has a fully equipped modern kitchen with appliances and a comfortable living area. The accommodation includes bedrooms with storage and bathrooms with showers.
Is there parking available?
Yes, each lodge has dedicated off-road parking spaces. You can park directly outside your accommodation throughout your stay.
What outdoor activities are nearby?
Lake Windermere offers water sports including kayaking and paddleboarding. Grizedale Forest has mountain biking trails and walking routes suitable for all abilities.
Are the lodges suitable for families with children?
Yes, the lodges work well for families. The lakeside setting and woodland walks provide outdoor space for children to explore safely.
What is the nearest town for shops and restaurants?
Windermere village is 2.3 miles away with supermarkets and restaurants. Ambleside is 5.2 miles away offering more independent shops and cafes.

River Lodge Reviews

We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
Rebecca
Lovely property in a fabulous location. Have stayed before as it is so nice. A couple of issues during this stay Christmas tree was still up and decorated to a degree, dust on bedsheets and dustdirt in bay windows, remnants of fairy liquid left, and when my daughter had a shower water started pouring from a hole in the ceiling, showing the leak is an ongoing problem. Having said that, when I phoned Sykes to report the leak, someone was out to reseal the shower within 2 hours we were impressed with the fast response. I cant actually comment on the result though as my daughter dont want to use the shower again and used a different one. Overall though, a thoroughly enjoyable few days spent in a lovely house, in a wonderful location.
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
We have stayed in numerous houses in the lakesthis our first time with lake lovers. Much better experience all round compared to your counterparts. No hidden extras and lovely little touches. Thank you Lakelovers & we'll be back!
Nicola
We loved our stay at River Lodge as it was a good location and a nice spacious and comfortable house. The kitchen was well equipped to cook our Christmas lunch. We appreciated the gas fire in the kitchendining area as we found the heating not satisfactory as the week got colder. Unfortunately the heating in the two bedrooms and bathroom wasnt on all the time we stayed at River Lodge. We didnt think we would get anyone around to fix it due to the Xmas break and the living area was warm enough. We enjoyed our daily walks into Ambleside and the mountain walks from the house plus our visit to the local pub nearby. We would definitely go back if the heating was sorted out.
Lovely house. Great setting. Great comfort. I'd like to live there. No towels in one of the downstairs bedrooms. Oversight?? Slight mould growing in downstairs bathroom. Could become dangerous.
Lovely house. Great setting. Great comfort. I'd like to live there. No towels in one of the downstairs bedrooms. Oversight?? Slight mould growing in downstairs bathroom. Could become dangerous.
Elisabeth
This was a perfect location for our cousins reunion. Gorgeous walks just along the lane. Great space and very well equipped kitchen. Excellent showers and hot water too. We had one electrical emergency but got a very quick response from the Sykes line and Steve got everything working again so quickly. Once we realized that the Wifi signal in the area is a bit weak, and requires some patience, we managed ok. All in all, a beautiful spot and good setup for a family gathering.
DAY 1 we arrived at the cottage which was full of cobwebs and flies and the dish washer was full of soiled dishes. Day 2 The dishwasher , fridge and the gas burner along with other appliances stopped working. We had bought groceries worth 250 pounds out of which most of it got wasted. After repeated mails finally one gentleman arrived who checked and said there was a problem with electric supply. Later on we found out he was a plumber not an electrician. We had to move the kettle and the toaster to the living room for us to have some form of breakfast in the morning. We had to throw all the perishable like meat , yoghurt . Cold cuts cheese etc in the bin as even the freezer ice had melted. Day 3 We repeatedly were sending mails for the problem to get fixed but nothing happened. The problem still remained. No appliances in the kitchen were working for the 2 days now. Finally we gave up and did what we had to do for the rest of our holiday. We didnt fly 8000 KMS for this. A refund of 100 pounds was offered to us which we refused. I believe we are entitled to a full refund. Thanks
Basement was freezing when we arrived. Heating didn't work, had to change the batteries in the thermostat, but still didn't work after that Hive system thermostats didn't connect to the hub. Had to bring our own heaters. Heating system in general was incomprehensible. Wifi internet was a joke. No potato peeler. Brush under the kitchen sink was knackered and had old food on it. Downstairs bathroom was not clean toilet area. Other than that, lovely.
Charlotte
We had a wonderful stay at the cottage during February with friends. There were a few maintenance issues that we reported as we left. Nothing hindered our stay and most was normal wear and tear related, such as a dropping door on the freezer, a small leak from a radiator, the outdoor light being wired incorrectly, and we struggled to open the door of the washing machine. This cottage has beautiful character and was really comfortable once we realised the heating controls were related to the WiFi and it needed a reset. We simply walked from the cottage each day, with no need to use our cars. It is also only a short walk to Ambleside for all food and essentials. We would definitely stay again and recommend it to friends.
This was our second stay at River Lodge, and we'll definitely be back next year. Minor points to improve 1 Bin area at bottom of drive has lots of lose trash and litter around the bins, which is a shame as it's a first impression when walking up recommend housekeeping police that area as well 2 WiFi is really poor and unusable if more than a couple logon's exasperated as River Cottage is in a Cell Signal Dead Zone 3 A new Smart TV would be really great connect to WiFi, watch content. Please note that I see these as improvements, not faults as it's a great property that we really enjoy.
Rebecca
Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Beautiful property and fabulous location. Loved the scenery from the bay window and did not want to leave at the end of our stay!
Michele
Beautiful house and a wonderful location, we really enjoyed our week away. I agree with the other reviews, the decor is a little tired and the fridge really needs replacing. Having read the reviews we knew it wasn't going to be perfect. But its still a stunning property with fabulous views. Very special indeed.
River Lodge was delightful. It was well equipped with modern facilities. A perfect location, secluded, but not too far from the shops. We would highly recommend River Lodge as an ideal place to enjoy the Lake District in comfort. Thank you all.
Heather
Overall a great property and excellent location. The house was clean and comfortable and was always warm with an abundance of hot water. We very much enjoyed our visit. We were disappointed that there was no washing up liquid, only one toilet roll per toilet and only two bin bags available on arrival. I would not expect to have to bringbuy washing up liquid and bin bags and there should be at least one spare toilet roll per toilet for a one week stay. The provision of drinking glasses was random and insufficient. Some of the lamps did not work importantly the reading lamp in the window of the kitchendiner. No bedside lamp on the left side of the large downstairs double bedroom.The light switch in one of the bedrooms did not work but Lakelovers responded very quickly to fix this, which was excellent.
Hannah
The setting of the property is super with sheep and the river just over the lane and the position, an enjoyable 25 minute stroll into Ambleside, was a plus. The property is very spacious and worked well for a group with a spot to sit and enjoy the view from the kitchen diner in addition to the large living room. As mentioned in previous reviews, the property could do with updating. For example the little balcony, which should be a feature of the property, was uninviting with peeling paintwork, leaves blown in and scattered furniture with a green tinge to it. Nothing that a lick of paint, a good clean and some dressing couldnt fix. In its prime this was a beautiful, spacious Lakeland house thoughtfully presented, decorated with farrow & ball throughout. The biggest issue also mentioned in other reviews was the boiler. The noise, intermittently through the night, was intolerable from the main upstairs bedroom. We will not return to this property.
Catherine
Lovely well equipped cottage set in a beautiful and peaceful location, well positioned for easy access to lots of stunning nearby walks. The kitchen had all the utensils and equipment needed for our party of 8. The house provides ample space to relax and socialise. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend the cottage to anyone wanting to explore the lakes.
Jasmine
The dishwasher drawer is broken and the downstairs bathroom radiator is broken making the downstairs rooms cold in March.
What an amazing house. The views are stunning and the best bit I think is the walks. If you don't want to use your car and walking is for you then it's perfect. Fabulous time would definitely go back.
Leave a Review
Been to River Lodge? Please leave a review and share your holiday experiences.
Name
Month of stay
Year of stay
Review
Millans Park, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9AG