Stepping Stones House
- 10 guests
- 5 beds
- 4 bathrooms
- Pet Friendly
Description
LONG DESCRIPTION Stepping Stones House is an elegant period residence, once owned by the son of William Wordsworth, that stands in a breath-taking location beside the River Rothay as it flows through the valley from Rydal Water and onward to Lake Windermere. This shared residence is lovingly refurbished, the current owners have created a beautiful home, ideal for special occasions and holidays that memories are made of.
Feel at home as you enter this communal property and into your own entrance. From the elegant drawing room, formal dining room, character kitchen, cosy snug, four welcoming bedrooms and additional child's attic bedroom, the attention to detail and high quality is evident throughout the house.
Throughout the year the breath-taking scenery of the Vale of Rydal is second to none and rises from the shores of Rydal Water to Loughrigg Fell to the west, Fairfield to the east and northwards to Grasmere and the central mountain ranges of the Langdale and Helvellyn. The village of Ambleside, or a little further Grasmere, are both within walking distance and offer a great choice of popular eateries, Lakeland pubs and local shops.
Your dates
Everything you'll need
- Wifi
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- National Park
- Pet Friendly
- Wifi
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- National Park
- Pet Friendly
- Near Pub / Shop
- Smoke Free
- Near Walks
- Washing Machine
What guests are saying
Absolutely lovely house!
Beautifully furnished, very comfortable, lovely bedding and towels and plenty of space. Kitchen was a real plus, absolutely everything that you need and a great family space. Garden is gorgeous with the autumnal colours and fabulous views. A great central location. This is an old house so, yes, a couple of maintenance issues, to be expected with a holiday rental property of this age, but nothing that inconvenienced us or would stop us returning. One suggestion would be, as we had storms and torrential rain, would be to provide some rubber boot mats, for drying boots/wellies, to place under radiators to protect the carpets and maybe a coat rack for the porch although appreciate space there is limited.
This was our 2nd stay and everything about the house and location is great.
The house itself was excellent but as a personal aside I found the matttess too hard. There again you can't please everyone. Amenities and and cleanliness were 5 star. Will hopefully book again in the cute
We recently stayed at the Stepping Stones property just outside Ambleside in Cumbria.
This was my second holiday using a Sykes promoted property after a fairly disastrous holiday at a supposedly 5-star property in Northumberland. This time, however, my fears of a repeat of the same or similar problems were allayed. The Stepping Stones property is a beautiful 400-year-old property in a magical location about a mile outside Ambleside and overlooking the river Rothay and the famous ‘Stepping Stones’. Entry is through what looked like a newly constructed or refurbished porch. Once inside, the rooms inside are extremely spacious, comfortably furnished and well maintained, given the age of the property. The kitchen (almost its best feature assuming a self-catering holiday) is fantastically well equipped with huge amounts of crockery, cutlery, modern cooking equipment and plenty of sharp knives, which (a small point to some) was totally absent at the last property we stayed at. The lounge, dining room and all the bedrooms have views of either the magnificent landscape or the well-maintained garden. All the bedrooms on the ground floor and first floor had en-suite or accessible well-equipped bathrooms. We dined in the kitchen but the dining room seats probably another 8 but you apparently can extend the table further if you wish. It was raining quite a bit while we stayed at Stepping stones, which we had anticipated ourselves, but the owners had provided plenty of alternative activities in the way of games, puzzles, DVD’s, a music system and there was also an upright piano too, if you play. There was also seating in the garden, which we did take advantage of during a warm, surprisingly sunny spell one afternoon. There was only one concern I had, which was that the heating seemed a bit hit and miss with some radiators working and some stone cold. Overall, it seems a warm house and the temperatures outside during our holiday were not cold, so it wasn’t really tested. There is, however, also a wood burner in the lounge should temperatures really drop. The location of the property puts you about 25minutes walk from Ambleside along the safe road leading to the Ambleside town park. I wouldn’t recommend walking along the A591. If you want to walk to Grasmere, it’s a bit longer either using a relatively easy walk around Rydal and Grasmere (about an hour and a half or 2 hours depending on how fast you walk) or via the steeper ‘Coffin Walk’. Great property in a great location.
Beautiful house - as described.
We had a wonderful time as 2 families with 2 kids. The kids loved the attic room to sleep in and loved having the stepping stones to just go across and run all over the field. The house was comfortable, kitchen super well equipped. Only negatives are speed of internet - the wifi didn't really work and the BBQ had a whole in the bottom of it but this really didn't impact our holiday (phone signal was actually good and managed to use our phones for internet instead)
Super week.
Lovely large house in a beautiful setting. The gardens and the stepping stones in the river were a great attraction for the children. The house itself is lovely with beautiful White Company towels, bedding and complimentary bathroom cosmetics. Kitchen housed an absolute abundance of Portmeirion crockery and everything provided from a picnic bag to a fishing net! We will certainly be returning.
Stepping stones is a fabulous house in an amazing setting it is however in need of significant upgrade work - none of the sockets in the living room and some in the kitchen worked over the first weekend .
Eventually after many phone calls an electrician sorted for us on the Sunday after a 2nd visit. The bath in the blue room is unusable as the plug doesn’t fit and the shower over the bath has no screen or curtain meaning any water splashed on the floor makes its way through the dining room ceiling - not good
We loved the house, the location and views.
All the rooms were lovely and comfortable, with all that you need in a home, and more. Great walking nearby and lakes to go on. A large table for family meals and another for the holiday puzzle. We would highly recommend.
The listing is ambiguous.
It suggests 4 double bedrooms and a twin. In fact, the twin is in the attic, not on a stated second floor. We spent some time looking for a second floor. The attic is stated as unsuitable for adults, so it is a four double‑bedroom house sleeping 8, plus a four‑bed attic suitable for ages 5-15 perhaps. Needs clarifying. We managed, but two people ended up sleeping on the floor. As we were in jolly spirits and only there for the weekend, that was fine. Others may think otherwise. The house overall is fabulous and easily accommodates a large group.
This house and location are perfect, and as a result we’ve stayed here several times and will continue to do so.
However, there was an unfortunate issue. We were due to take over the property at 4 p.m. on the Friday as per our booking. We received a telephone message at 1:15 p.m. advising us of pipe‑laying to the front of the property and that there was an issue with access. We were told we would be offered alternative accommodation if we decided we didn’t want to take the property. We went to the property and the front was a real mess. In short, after several difficult phone calls, we decided to take the property as it was exactly what we wanted. There were clearly mitigating circumstances regarding the work, and the owner himself was very helpful. Our main gripe was with Lakelovers who, in fairness, were trying their best, but we felt we weren’t informed of the works until less than three hours before we arrived. We made the most of it despite the awkward access and would thoroughly recommend it.
The property was great - very warm - surprising for such a big house in February.
The only negative was trying to speak to an actual person before the holiday . I was trying to find out if logs would be at the house - it has a wood burner- it took numerous phone calls and emails to get an answer.
Lovely house.
Plenty of room and in a beautiful setting. The bedrooms are huge and very comfortable.
Left things behind in the house, it’s a week later and I’m trying to gr through to speak to someone about this and each day they’re starting me off me a new person with no updates!
!!! Terrible customer service. The actualy property is great and I would have given fab reviews but the after service is shocking!!!!! It’s impossible to speak to someone, they will only let me text someone which they don’t always reply to
Lovely house.
Second time we have stayed. Great location
It was our 2nd stay at Stepping Stones as we love the area & position of the house.
We noticed that there has been some decorating & updating, but felt that some rooms were quite shabby looking & definitely in need of decoration & refurbishing. The front porch wood is quite rotten & gives a bad first impression, much worse than when we last stayed. Some light bulbs weren’t working & were mismatched on chandeliers which looked odd. The shower screen was missing over one of the baths so the shower could not be used, & also plugs not attached on basins & baths! There looked to be quite a lot of black mould in the kitchen which affected a couple of the party with allergies. There was a planned electric cut on the Thursday & it was off all day as thought but when it came back on, quite a few sockets would not work so we had no TV in the lounge, or lamps or microwave for the last night & Friday morning. A lovely setting & house, but it needs some decoration & attention to detail, so would not choose to go back as it is.
Stepping Stones is a stunning cottage, where you feel like you are the lord or of your own manor.
The rooms are stunning, with high ceilings and large windows, giving you that feeling of grandure. Breathtaking scenery on your doorstep, and all the amenities that makes it feels like a home away from home. We booked this stay, as part of our wedding week, getting married at the nearby Venue of Cote How. The Cottage is truly stunning, and we will be likely be returning in the future, as a home base for enjoying the Lake district.
Absolutely superb property for our recent stay in the Lakes.
We loved the space (two families sharing) but also the ability to all eat together and chill together in the garden or in the living room. It’s a perfect location with a 20 minute walk into Ambleside and walks on the doorstep around and over Loughrigg Fell and Fairfield horseshoe. Also great we could bring our dogs to enjoy their walks and family time too.
Excellent property suited my family very well.
The little ones loved the loft area. All the little extra made it a real home from home. The garden and sitting out area was an added bonus.
A fabulous property in a wonderful location, with everything you need for a fantastic holiday.
We loved our stay here. Some beautiful walks directly from the property which is situated in the heart of the Lakes. There was nothing I could see that was not available at the property. We were a large family group and we all had a fantastic holiday.
Great property, loved staying there!
So much bigger thank we thought, it was perfect for our family holiday. Thank you
Undoubtedly a fantastic location, but bad smells from the sewer system, noisy generator or pump operating all night, and general repairs required.
Had reported these to Sykes, but no reply!
It’s such a shame that there are still small issues still not rectified from previous years: No lights on first floor landing.
The door to the lounge will not latch-to. The outside of the porch is rotting away which is a great shame as it’s almost a first impression of the property. These are maintenance issues, the location and facilities of Stepping Stones House are excellent.
Cosy warm very comfortable house which very clean for such a big house.
Great facilities. No complaints whatsoever.
beautiful old style cottage superb location good sized bedrooms nice garden lovely little snug for children ideal attic room for kids just stairs a little steep not for toddlers spotlessly clean kitchen well equipped best we have had porch needs a little attention with frame work but not a show stopper just first impression when entering nice little gift left for local shop and coffee and tea were left would stay again
Lovely we just keep going back this is the 5th year back
We have visited stepping stones house now over 7 times and really appreciate the updates to the house including the living room furniture and the kitchen.
The live Christmas tree and beautiful decorations in the house was such a wonderful surprise and we really appreciated it all week as well as the well stocked logs. The bedding and towels are of beautiful quality and the adding touches of room diffusers and toiletries much appreciated. There are just a few minor replacements needed - the outside lights were not coming on. Also a few of the bathrooms need chains fixing for the plugs in the sinks. The mattress in the red room seems to have given up. The hand towel holder in the blue room bathroom is held together by tape. Overall just small things to snag. We love this house
We had an amazing time at stepping stones house celebrating my 70th birthday with our children and grandchildren .
We visit the lakes around this time every year and we all agreed this is one of the nicest properties we have stayed at plenty of room for everyone everything we needed and more at the house and perfect location for our family walks.Will definatley look at booking again .Val John and family from Liverpool
Overall fantastic stay and excellent spacious property which is perfectly located to experience the lakes.
Walking distance into Ambleside for eating out/supply runs. Kitchen was also very well equipped. Slight inconveniences being the wi-fi struggled to get to the snug and upstairs bedrooms and the mattresses were on the firmer side but we all still had a great week.
The property is lovely.
.. spacious, a good mix of traditional and modern furnishings and decor, bedrooms delightful with fab views. The garden and views over the river and the fells is sublime. Although most rooms are ensuite, one bedroom has only a bath with shower attachment, this is cumbersome to wash hair for example and not everyone has time to have a bath vs shower, so one of my family had to use someone else's shower. You just need fix it with a screen and put shower on the wall over the bath to sort that. Internet signal was virtually non existent for 80 percent of the week and needs fixing. We did inform and request, but suffered same all week which meant using mobile data and far less channels on TV.
Absolutely loved our stay in the stepping stones.
Nice and spacious and had everything we needed. The views were gorgeous and it was lovely and peaceful in the surrounding area. The garden was great for the dogs and a fab area to sit out. The water was a bit temperamental in the upstairs baths/showers due to the boiler having to reheat but we just staggered our showers. WiFi didn’t work much but it wasn’t a problem for us particularly. Even sat next to the router some times it would work and sometimes not. The pantry is nice and big to store all of your food and the appliances are very easy to use. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Thank you and we will hopefully be back in the future.
Brilliant location and everything provided, kitchen sink tap was loose but this was a minor fault.
Would definitely book again.
We were a 3 generation extended family group with a 7, 3 and 2 year old.
The house was extremely well furnished and equipped and the location is fantastic. We were lucky to have good weather all week but even if it had been bad the house offered lots of wet weather distractions. Suggest the house facilities description be up dated to include reference to the barbecue/firepit, the Nespresso machine, the child’s high chairs and the lockable summer house for bikes/ buggies etc. The smart TV struggled to work as the internet is slow, so iPads are essential if your toddlers need a daily fix of Hey Duggee. Final suggestion - a cheap bike would be usefulso someone can nip out to the shops in Ambleside for essentials.
Thank you for your comments. We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay. We take all comments on board, and will look at the listing. We hope that you will return to the Lakes again. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team
We were blown away with the character of this very spacious 400 year old house.
All equipment was provided for cooking and picnics for a large family. May have been helpful to have camping chairs. The garden furniture is old (two seater is broken) and wasn’t particularly clean, accepting this can be difficult with the changing weather conditions. We had our mum with us who is 78, she struggled with the steep steps and some of the patio slabs were loose and unsafe. The views were amazing and the kids loved being near the stream. I would definitely recommend staying here and we would book again.
Third time staying at the house and absolutely love it - absolutely superb place for a week on holiday.
Issues include no shower screen in our bedroom (and no notification of this so really quite disappointing as we couldn’t/wouldn’t shower in our room for fear of excessive water spillage), multiple loose paving slabs at front and back which could easily cause injury (and these have been like this for three years), plus a very minor complaint is lack of larger water glasses (I.e tumblers/pint glasses or similar).
WiFi not working great and there was a power cut.
But this did not affect how homely staying at stepping stones was. We all had a lovely stay.
Fabulous position of course.
The house lacks some general maintenance: rotten front door frame, no working light & switch at top of stairs, door catches, noisy boiler from red bedroom, lack of recycling bin in the kitchen, tarmac drive in poor condition, some basin plugs not attached to chains etc. Additional front door keys required over the one supplied all to have fobs, no hot water or heating on the last night.
A fabulous accommodation well presented with top class fittings and utensils etc.
Great location and so much space. The top area was surprisingly large and great for children. The only downside was the weather, tho even that wasn’t as bad as forecast
Amazing location and superb property.
The house is absolutely beautiful and in a perfect location.
The property is also very well equipped. I've never stayed in a holiday let with such a well stocked kitchen before. The attick bedroom was perfect for the children, like something out of Mary Poppins. They had so much fun. All the little touches such as The White Company diffuses and toilettries were a really nice touch. The property smelt unbelievable when we arrived. The house is located near to some really lovely walks such a Rydal Caves and Rydal water. It's also near enough to walk into Ambleside if you wish. I think the only thing the property is lacking is somewhere to hang your coat. A free standing coat stand in the corner of the dining room would be sufficient enough to sort this. We had a fantastic break overall and would definitely look at returning here.
Having stayed in the area many times we knew how lovely the views would be from Stepping Stones House, however on arrival we were blown away by the interior - it was simply stunning!
The house is well appointed, perfectly suited to two families with older children and a dog. We appreciated the use of the wood burner, we brought our own logs from home! The selection of puzzles and games meant that we hadn't needed to bring our own...we'll factor this in next time. In short, I think I can speak for both families when I say that this is now our favourite place to stay in the lakes. One negative (a very small one): There are limited places to hang/store wet gear and we all felt that walking straight into a carpeted room from the driveway was asking for trouble, especially if visitors have young children or dogs.
Love stepping stones house go every year
This is my third stay at Stepping Stones over the last five years.
We love it for family stays for all the generations. The location is great for easy access to many walks or just an easy stroll in to Ambleside. We will definitely be back again.
Beautiful house - we have also stayed previously so were really looking forward to a nice relaxing week away with the family.
Unfortunately the water pump in the loft was continually pumping 24 hours a day every 2 minutes for about 90 seconds so we got about 30 seconds of peace whilst in bed. This was reported to Lakelovers and they did send someone round to look at it who agreeed it was faulty and would need to see if they could gain access into a neighbouring house to fix the issue. This was the last we heard - I did call the office again and they said they would get someone round to look at it again, this didnt happen. We didnt hear back from Lakelovers despite me mentioninng this in the feedback email they sent before we left. Overall a hugely disappointing stay this time resulting in the 2 people staying directly below the pump leaving early to get some decent sleep and the childern sleeping on mattresses in other bedrooms or even on the sofa.
Stunning property and so clean.
We stayed here for the weekend for my dad's 60th. He loved it, and he loved the history behind it too. The views are breathtaking. Even though the house is way bigger than we are used to, it still felt homely aswell. The kids room was so cute and the toys and books were a nice touch. However, they weren't feeling brave enough to sleep up there by themselves!! Fantastic little weekend away and thankfully the weather held up too! Thanks so much.
Location and the property itself were perfect for us, plenty of rooms and space for a family of 8 in the house.
The facilities in the property were great, the kitchen is incredibly well stocked with utensils, crockery and pots and pans. If I was being critical, the only disappointment was the fridge was broken and the replacement was much smaller, it didn’t stop us having a great time. We would definitely go back to this house.
We had a wonderful holiday staying at Stepping Stones, despite the weather!
The house is beautifully maintained, extremely comfortable, very well equipped - with masses of lovely china and glass and everything you need for catering. The bedrooms were luxurious, and the views were perfect. So well positioned - wonderful walks to Rydal Water and Grasmere from the house, and the other way an easy walk down a private road alongside the river into Ambleside (perfect for a rainy day, as easy walking - even with a pushchair - and then you can spend time in the town, which is full of cafes, pubs and interesting shops). I cannot recommend this house highly enough.
It must be the 5th time I have stayed at Stepping Stones and we were not disappointed .
Unfortunately two old problems were still there, The right hand toaster blows the fuse and the triangular paving stone outside the shed is loose. We did have problems with the front door knob but this was dealt with and replaced immediately .
Stunning house, location and love the decor.
Very well equipped, had a lovely week with the family-even the weather was kind to us. Would heartily recommend this property and hope to return in the future. Thank you
A wonderful location, nice tidy garden and seating area, well stocked kitchen with all the equipment needed, and plenty of place settings, nice toys for the youngest member of our party to play with.
The rooms were light, airy and there was plenty of space; however the dishwasher rack kept coming off the runners, and the furniture in the sitting room is now getting older and showing signs of wear so the photographs are out of date on the website. We had a enjoyable time, and found it a very good cottage overall for a larger group to use, it would have been helpful to have shoe racks by the door as it felt strange to walk straight into a dining room. It is a nice cottage in a good location, but is showing signs of wear now.
Thank you for your feedback. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We will ask our Maintenance Team to look into the issue with the dishwasher. We will also look at the photographs to ensure that it is accurate. Thank you- The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team
We really enjoyed our stay at Stepping Stones.
This was our 2nd year. The only issue was that one of the beds wasn’t made up so we had to phone for bed linen and make the bed and make do with the towels from the other rooms. The furniture had to be pulled back into position as they were in the bathrooms of 2 of the rooms for cleaning (we presume) but that was easily addressed. It’s a lovely house and we would highly recommend it.
Thank you for your kind comments. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your 2nd stay at Stepping Stones House. We apologise for the error with the beds. We hope to welcome you for a 3rd stay. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team
This is a wonderful holiday home, large, elegant and beautifully equipped.
Yes, it is older and has an element of faded grandeur about it, but that is all part of its charm. As per the Lake District, it bucketed down with rain for the first half of our stay, and that is where the large kitchen really came into its own. We were able to cook large family meals, drink good wine and enjoy each day, despite the inclement weather. I would thoroughly recommend this property for a large family or group of friends, and I’m looking forward to booking it again when we return in a couple of years from Australia. All in all, a really great holiday house.
Everything was wonderful only one small critical point was that that fridge is quite small for 10 people The listing doesn’t state there is an additional freezer - small chest which is a huge help
Thank you for your comments. We are please that you enjoyed your time at the property. We take your comments on board, and we will look at the listing. Thank you- The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team
The property is in a stunning location with lots of nearby walks.
However, our first impression on reaching the poorly maintained front door and frame, caused slight concern with rot and peeling paint. However, internally it was a different story: excellent.
Thank you for your feedback. We are glad you enjoyed your stay with us. Your comments have been passed on. We hope to welcome you again soon. The owner relations team - Lakelovers
We have just returned from a wonderful week with our family at Stepping Stones.
The house was perfect in every way. The position is fantastic with beautiful walks on your door step. The facilities, equipment and kitchen crockery, glassware etc exceeded my expectations. We will definitely be returning to make more memories with our daughters, son in laws and grandchildren.
Thank you for your kind comments. It is lovely to see that you all enjoyed your stay, and that your stay exceeded your expectations. We hope to welcome you again. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team
Beautiful homely feel in an incredible location.
The bedding, furniture and other sundries added to the experience. However some areas are showing considerable wear and tear. Kitchen tap is requires attention and windows frames are rotted in some rooms. Most of the main furniture in use was covered due to previous damage or wear. The garden added to the homely feel, as it is laid out with well established plants and a great seating area.
Thank you for your feedback, We are glad you enjoyed your stay with us. Your comments will be passed on. Hope to see you again soon. The owner relations team - Lakelovers The plumber had been asked to deal with the tap and we have chased him up. The windows are being repaired and double glazed units fitted in July. The owners
We had an absolutely lovely stay here.
The views are incredible and the walk into Ambleside is delightful along a very quiet road. The kitchen is very well provisioned and we were surprised but excited to see cake stands (as we had planned an afternoon tea one day). The oven was no problem for big fry ups and a Sunday roast. It was a sweet touch to include some credit at a local deli. One small issue was the pillows in the Red Room were all very firm. We had to resort to using cushions instead. We hope to return!
Thank you for your feedback. We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay with us. We will take into account your comments on the pillows. We hope to welcome you again soon. The owner relations team - Lakelovers
Grand House in a stunning location.
Excellent layout and well provisioned, really enjoyed our time here. Couple of points, often only very hot water came from the cold taps! Pump/motor running noise in Red bedroom very noticeable at night.
We love our holidays at Stepping Stones- a beautiful house in a wonderful location.
Great views and lovely walks from the door However there are some aspects of the property which require updating including - The oven is hopeless- it has 2 temperatures which are warm or incineration. This makes cooking very tricky! In contrast the hot water is scalding hot and potentially dangerous for children One of the sofas is threadbare and really needs a replacement or at least a proper cover on it The wood burner has a large cracks in the glass causing the fire to burn really fast And finally the vacuum cleaner is inadequate- it definitely needs replacing as it doesn’t work! However the property has so much to offer- we have made lots of happy family memories here and hope to return in the future
Thank you for your feedback, which is always gratefully received. We have a number of projects scheduled for 2023 to upgrade the facilities at Stepping Stones including a new kitchen, replacing the Velux windows in the snug and renovating the upstairs windows. A new stove has now been fitted and the Velux windows have been replaced. We have further refurbish work planned for the kitchen over 2023, but this will need to be phased to work around the existing bookings. When we were at Stepping Stones in January we ordered the new glass for the wood burner and this has now been fitted. During our visit we did not experience any problems with the hot water or the vacuum cleaner but following your comments a plumber has visited and reviewed the water issue and the vacuum cleaner has been replaced. We are still trying to decide what we should do about the sofa. It is only a few years old and apart from the torn seat cover is still comfortable and perfectly usable. The cost of recovering it is prohibitive but it seems unnecessarily wasteful to replace it. We will review this again at our next visit.
We have been to stepping stones house for the last 2 years, but this will be the last time as we had a planned power cut and was told this by the Ambleside office after a wet bit of paper in the letter box it was going to be off 9am to 3.
30pm so I rung them and they confirmed this with us.We asked for compensation for the day as all our food we had bought was ruined! After ringing the office again they said the owners have said under no circumstances are you getting anything back,I do not even know if they was informed about this but the office made them sound extremely rude. Lots of house to stay at in the lakes just avoid Lakelovers /Sykes cottages customer service was terrible and Will not be booking with these again
Beautiful christmas tree.
...thankyou! Such a gorgeous family house, lots of character & comfort. Wonderful views, especially after the snow!!!!! Such a wonderful experience, our family are so thankful for this Christmas Memory!
The property is very tired.
The electrical sysyem was tripped twice. The ovens take a long time to heat up and twice as long to cook
Thank you for your feedback. The property has been fully booked in 2022 so we are only now able to carry out the planned complete redecorating of the lounge and the updating of the other rooms. The property is being closed in January so that we can carry out this work. We hope to welcome you back to Stepping Stones House in the future.
Property very comfortable however it is showing signs of being a bit tired, kitchen would benefit from an upgrade and some redecoration would help, no doubt the owners are aware.
Thank you for your feedback. The property has been fully booked in 2022 so we are only now able to carry out the planned complete redecorating of the lounge and the updating of the other rooms. The property is being closed in January so that we can carry out this work. We hope to welcome you back to Stepping Stones House in the future.
Had a fantastic stay.
Very clean. Facilities were amazing. Definitely going to rebook for next year
We had a wonderful time staying at the Stepping Stones house in October.
The house was beautiful and was the perfect place for a family holiday which is situated in a lovely location just outside Ambleside. There are also some hidden gems nearby within walking reach such as the ‘Grot’ in Rydal. The house was beautifully decorated and spacious. There was plenty of games, dvds, crockery and much more!! Our grandkids absolutely loved it and enjoyed playing hide and seek. We were lucky to call it our home for a week. We will be back again to enjoy another family holiday in this perfect house.
We had a lovely stay.
A great size house for 9 of us. There was a problem with flies however in the kitchen. I think the area around the cooker needs a good clean and the dishwasher could use a cleaning cycle. Other than that, everything was as good as we had hoped.
The property is in an amazing location and is a wonderful large old building.
It is however not in the best state of repair. When we arrived we found a large hole in the ceiling in the lounge and the house had a strong smell of damp. There was what appeared to be black mould in the snug area too. Lake lovers apologised on the owners behalf and said that the leak had occurred suddenly and offered us a small (±10%) refund which we accepted as there was no real alternative at that point. The coffee machine was still broken despite having been reported in reviews a month earlier as being broken. The fridge was leaking on the kitchen floor and per the conversation with the cleaning staff at the end of our stay it is clear this has been an ongoing issue. This is a relatively dangerous slip hazard as its a tiled floor and the pool of water in the mornings was very large. The hot water was also dangerously hot and not really safe with children. There are no mixer taps and unfortunately when someone runs the cold tap you run the risk of being scolded in the shower which wasn't very pleasant. The tiles are coming up in the bathroom in the front bedroom and it appears that the bath in this room leaks. The kitchen could do with some modernisation in addition to fixing the coffee machine. This is a beautiful house, but it is in a poor state of repair and deserves a 3 star rating at best in its current condition.
Nespresso machine not working properly not heating water.
Tumble Dryer also not working. Door handles falls off ground floor bedroom door. Damp on base of back wall visible mould in the small living room connected to the kitchen. Visible mould growing on back wall in the kitchen (damp). No parasol outside on patio so no sun shade on hot day. Hoover did not pick up so unable to hoover. No hand brush or sweeping brush to clean kitchen floor with. Second bedroom shower screen screws missing and not fully secure. Needs non slip bath mats for over the bath showers. Given the fee paid for this property i would expect a higher standard of maintenance. Stayed in this property four years ago so had high expectations. .
Many thanks for your helpful feedback. Non of these things had been reported to us previously so we were not aware of these issues. We will go up to Stepping Stones next week and sort them out.
Quite simply a stunning property in a beautiful location.
Very well appointed and kitted out, we had a really memorable holiday. There was a missing back door key but Lakelovers sorted that out immediately, they seemed a very competent operator. Plenty of walks from the door.
Second stay in this gorgeous place.
Perfect for large families, beautiful location.
Stunning location.
Facilities were excellent. Would have no hesitation to recommend the house to others. Our family had a memorable holiday.
A delightful property, spacious, clean, lovely garden, brilliant location, quiet and by the river.
No sign of issues raised by earlier critical review. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Our second stay at Stepping Stones in this beautiful house.
Brilliant location for lovely walks from the door and also into Ambleside. Great comfortable accommodation for all the family with amazing views from every room Already planning our next visit!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for listening to our feedback from last September where the house and services had deteriorated since our previous stays for many reasons as described in my email to Sykes and the owners.
Everything was back to the usual high standards and the cold water issues were sorted as a bonus! Small items such as one of the outdoor light sensors isn't working and one of the lamps in the hall doesn't work (bulb changed but no difference). There do not seem to be hoover replacement bags either. But all these are minor items - the house was really back to a super standard and we loved it.
What a wonderful week we had in an absolutely beautiful home.
The house is equipped to an unbelievable standard of quality home wear. The room are beautifully decorated. The house is in a fantastic location with a spacious garden. We visited in February but wondered if you have a bbq for outside use in the summer. We actually rebooked for another week at stepping stones, whilst staying on holiday there. A wonderful house.
The house setting is beautiful and the house was lovely and warm when we arrived on a cold evening and the house was ideal for our party of 8 adults and a baby, The separate dining area is lovely for a nice occasion but there is a few negatives that should be addresses The noise that can be heard in the Red Bedroom from a running engine / pump regularly throughout the day and night makes it very difficult to sleep during the night, we paid for 3 nights but only stayed two as we had struggled to get any sleep for the 2 nights we were there.
some of the interior doors won't close which is an issue with privacy. The house was not cleaned to a very good standard when we arrived (mainly the kitchen area. pans dishes etc needed washed before use. There was not even 1 spare bin bag to allow us to change the bag. one of the ground floor bedroom radiators didn't work making a lovely big bedroom cold. The electric in the Kitchen tripped several times and we had nothing extra plugged in so it made it difficult to make a meal. We would love to return but would need the issues addressed then the stay would be perfect.
Excellent property, the only down side was the kitchen layout.
Although large there is a lack of worktop space and when you are cooking for 10 it is difficult
Lovely family home from home.
The real Christmas tree was a very happy surprise, a great touch that enhanced our stay! My only feedback for the owners was that the heating wasn’t on when we arrived on a December evening, meaning the house was very cold & the remote for it wasn’t responding. We eventually found the switch (it wasn’t clear to us where the cupboard it’s located near was so it took until the next day to find!). Didn’t spoil our holiday in the slightest, I just mention it so you know about it for future guests. Which will definitely include us, we loved the house, location, absolutely everything about it and will definitely return. Also a great service from LakeLovers, who found and returned an item of property we left behind, really appreciate it.
Stepping Stones House is a lovely property in a stunning location.
It is perfect for a large group and the nursery on the top floor is delightful. The Christmas tree looked beautiful in the lounge and made our stay feel very festive. The house is well equipped with everything you need. The kitchen provides plenty of high quality crockery and kitchen utensils and the snug room is perfect for family groups with all the games provided. The heated clothes airer came in very handy, as the weather was raining. The beds are very comfortable and the toiletries in the bathrooms is a nice touch. The hot tap in the green bedroom upstairs needs to be fixed as it doesn’t turn off properly and could result in someone being burned. The central heating was a bit difficult to navigate, so the house felt a bit cold for the first day and night. I spoke to Lakelovers representative and they got a plumber round within an hour, which is excellent customer service. We all enjoyed our stay very much, thank you. Charlotte Coupe
We have just had a great stay at Stepping Stones House.
The property is a perfect base and provides excellent accommodation with everything that you might need. In particular the range of crockery, cutlery, glasses, utensils etc in the kitchen is amazing. It has EVERYTHING. The quality of the furnishings, furniture and bathrooms throughout the whole property was first class. The property has a lovely garden which would be great for a summer holiday. A fabulous base for a Lakes holiday for a group of friends or families.
A lovely, comfortable, characterful property, which is very well equipped.
We enjoyed it so much we have booked it again for next year
The electrics had gone when we arrived so the cleaners could not finish, However the tradesman were on site and stayed until the problem was found and fixed Perfect location for both Ambleside and Grasmere.
Very comfortable in all areas with more than enough facilities for the 10 of us. Slight downside was that the water did not stay hot enough if more than one or two people showered at the same time, which given the very wet weather we had we all needed as soon as we got back from our adventures. Loved the huge kitchen and bedrooms. The views are beautiful all around the house and I am sure it would be lovely to sit out in the very pretty garden in the summer months. Would definitely recommend and would love to go back if we can muster up enough people as it is made for large parties
We had a lovely holiday at Stepping Stones.
The property is a beautiful house with everything you need to have a lovely time there. Our Grandchildren certainly enjoyed the space both inside and out that the house offered. My daughter a keen walker found lots of places on her early morning walks which we all then visited ourselves.We would never have found these lovely places if it had not been for staying at “Stepping Stones”. One thing we would mention is that the property is not as detached as the picture portrays not that it affected our enjoyment of the House but the photograph of Stepping Stones does not show this. Also it has a very public pathway infront of Stepping Stones which attracts lots of walkers passing by and using the Stepping Stones over the river to play on particularly if they have children with them. Obviously the House attracts lots of interest because of what it is, namely once the family home of the Wordsworth family.
We had a fantastic week at stepping stones house.
Very impressed with all the crockery. Perhaps a few extra towels would have been nice.Lovely house and lots of walks straight out of the front door.Recommended.
Good to know
House Rules
Good housekeeping bond
This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £200
Smoking
Not permitted
Stay Information
Check-in / Check-out
16:00 / 10:00
Property ref
1042257
Parking
Private Driveway
Guest & Pet Policy
Pets
Allowed
Children
Not accepted