TRAV E L – SHEARWAT ER LAK E HOUSE
SHEARWATER LAKE HOUSE THE PERFECT RETREAT
I was asked to review Shearwater Lake House, one of the many properties Mulberry Cottages represent. Located on the Cotswold Lakes in Gloucestershire, it's a short drive from Cirencester, Burford, Lechlade and many other lovely villages – that's if you want to venture out. The lovely owner of the property, Kevin, met us with the keys and really couldn’t do enough for us, leaving fresh butter, a French stick, tea, coffee, sugar…the essentials are ready for you.
The property itself is striking, like something out of the Hamptons, boasting its own outdoor dining area and jetty, perfect for viewing the unobstructed marvellous sunsets and sunrises. Tammy and I ran straight out to take it all in – we knew we were going to enjoy this weekend!
The Lake House has a fabulous split-level, open-plan, fully-equipped kitchen, dining room and large sitting room with floor to ceiling glass doors and windows that let light flood in and allow you take in the views from the comfort of your sofa. Four bedrooms sleep 10 people comprising a large downstairs bedroom and bathroom, a master ensuite on the first floor, two further double bedrooms with a bathroom and off one of the bedrooms is a paddle staircase that leads up to a large area which could sleep 2-4 kids or two willing adults! So really, if you do have children and want to keep an eye on them, pop them up there, they'll find it great fun! Kevin has paddle boards and canoes for guests to use on the beautiful lake outside and for the really sporty there's also a shared tennis court. The area has some incredible walks with great scenery, things that cost nothing to do as a family, but are most enjoyable.
The setting is perfect, it really is, ideal for groups of friends like ours which consisted of people who all live hectic lives, so the idea for us was to just relax and take time out together. On the first night we decided to just chill and make the most of the great barbecue facilities on the outdoor deck. With swans and ducks floating by our jetty, waiting for any leftover bread, we lit up the grill, cracked open some wine and gin we'd brought with us and laughed as the boys burnt dinner – unfair, they actually did a great job! The sunset across the lake added to the evening and we all took it turns to take pictures on the jetty – the Insta opportunities at Shearwater Lake House are something else – then as the evening turned chilly, we grabbed the gorgeous warm blankets that Kevin had left in a basket in the sitting room (he thinks of everything) and extended our evening outdoors. When the cold got too much, we headed indoors to the sitting room with roaring gas fire and large TV with all the channels you could want! Movie time before hitting the
sack...all this fresh air makes you tired! Or was it the gin and laughter? I think it was a heady mix of all three.
A perfect night’s sleep was followed by breakfast outdoors as the mist lifted off the lake – another breathtaking moment with swans gliding towards us…honestly, this place is good for the soul.
As Kim hadn't seen much of the Cotswolds before, we decided to explore Cirencester and Burford and I was delighted to see my Cotswolds Live 24-Seven in nearly every shop and cafe we went into, but that aside, Cirencester is full of lovely little boutiques and eateries, as is Burford where we decided to grab lunch. Chatting over chilled G&Ts we debated what to do that evening, all eight hands were raised instantly when I suggested another BBQ and staying on that fabulous deck rather than a night out at one of the local gastro pubs near to the Lake House. Like I said, this house begs you to make the most of it, perfect for a short weekend break or longer! Another night-in it was, so we grabbed Port and some carefully selected cheeses from the Cotswold Cheese Company in Burfurd, more tonics for the copious amounts of gin we'd brought with us and headed back to our nest!
Kevin explained to us that after our stay he was having a hot tub fitted to the outdoor deck – a fabulous addition to the outdoor experience! I could imagine sitting in that over a winter break with a glass of wine in hand...
If you have a well-behaved dog, they are welcome at this property, which is another bonus. The rules of the house are quite simple, just leave it tidy, they don't expect you to spend your special hours here cleaning before you leave, but just leave cups washed and in cupboards etc. We all said that we'd enjoyed our time, the location and property so much that we'd definitely return, this pace is perfect for family gatherings or weekends with friends, I couldn't rate it highly enough.
The property is available to book
www.mulberrycottages.com/cottage/holiday- cottages-in-gloucestershire/536318-shearwater- lake-house/
/ 57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164
