Five-star eco luxury in the Lake District

May 28 2010 By Justine Halifax

Justine Halifax enjoys a family-friendly ‘green’ holiday adventure in the Lake District.

It’s not often that you find a happy marriage borne out of the words luxurious, comfortable and eco-friendly.

But at Southwaite Green in the western Lake District, property developer Marna Milna has managed to successfully combine all these elements to a five-star standard.

Set in spectacular scenery, my family was fortunate enough to stay in one of four impressive, no smoking, eco-cottages on this peaceful ten-acre site.

Marketed as “five-star holiday luxury with deep green principles”, our two-bedroomed cottage was nestled amongst young trees, organic fruit beds, wild flower meadows, a beck and damson orchard, and was spotlessly clean.

It was also finished to the highest specification – in fact nothing could be faulted.

So what’s environmentally friendly about these cottages? Well, it’s more a case of what isn’t – but for the most part you wouldn’t know as everything has been done discreetly.

Solar panels are used for hot water, underfloor heating is from ground source, there’s an air source heat pump with a reed bed to deal with waste water and all properties have energy efficient bulbs. Two cottages also feature log burning stoves.

Organic and Fairtrade also featured in our cottage, which had two bedrooms on the ground floor, one with twin beds and in the other, a super king bed.

All beds were made up with organic sheets and duvet covers and both bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms, each with a toilet, sink and fabulous showers with organic towels, soap and toilet rolls all provided.

An oak staircase led to an impressive, large, open plan oak-floored lounge and dining room with a good sized kitchen, equipped with cooker, dishwasher, fridge freezer, microwave, toaster and eco kettle.

Kitchen towels, all cleaning materials and Fairtrade tea and coffee were also provided at no extra charge.

Designed to mould into beautiful surroundings, large windows make you feel very much a part of the outside world.

And in the dining room patio doors opened out onto a decked patio, with a picnic table and chairs – from here we had a picturesque view of wildflowers, a herd of cows and just one farmstead in sight to call a neighbour.

There were also lots of little touches to make the cottage even more homely.