Hassness House

Open March to December | 11 rooms | Full Board | Free on-site parking | Wi-Fi available | Boot room & drying room | Honesty bar | Lounge | Garden | Transfers from Penrith Railway Station | Walkers, outdoor enthusiasts & groups welcome | Unbeatable scenery

Tucked away on the shores of Buttermere in the Lake District, with expansive views of the lake and the craggy fells beyond, stands Hassness House, our private country house in the Lake District, specifically tailored to walkers and outdoor enthusiasts. We've operated Lake District walking holidays in this unique property for more than 65 years and it remains a perennial favourite with our guests for guided walking holidays and independent, self-guided walking breaks around Buttermere and the Western Fells. Although within easy reach of Keswick, this is one of the remotest parts of the Lake District, where local Herdwick sheep dot the hillsides and red squirrels can be seen in the woods. Wildflowers and seasonal blooms of bluebells provide pops of colour among the greens and browns of the hills and fells. And it is this landscape that you’re here for. 

If you're looking to get away soon, see our Lake District holidays with late availability. Or check to see where you could save with our range of special offers and discounted holidays based at Hassness House. Otherwise, browse our full range below.

This was the favourite Lakeland location of legendary fellwalker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright, and you’re in the perfect position to immerse yourself in the beauty of Buttermere and the Lake District. The madding crowds don’t come anywhere nearby, and the surrounding hills, including Red Pike and High Stile, Dale Head, High Spy and Haystacks, are generally less well stomped on a Lake District walking holiday than the more readily accessible peaks.

A beautifully located Lake District country house in its own grounds on the shores of Buttermere among the western fells, Hassness Country House is the perfect base for guided and self-guided walking holidays in the Lake District. Step inside to discover the rich history and natural beauty of Hassness Country House, or learn more by reading an expert guide to Hassness Country House and walking in the Lake District from one of our experienced walk leaders...

Rooms

Accommodation at the house is in comfortable twin, double or single rooms. In total the house sleeps just 19 people, across 11 bedrooms. Seven of these have en-suite facilities, while the others share high-powered modern shower rooms and toilets, which are located across the hall from the bedrooms. Toiletries and towels (both hand & bath) are provided for each guest, as well as a hairdryer in each bedroom. All bedrooms are lakeside with many overlooking the tranquil lake and the imposing fells beyond. The remaining rooms have a peaceful garden view.

Facilities

Hassness Country House offers a retreat from today’s always-connected world. There's no TV, no phones in the bedrooms, and very little mobile reception in this sparsely populated valley. If you do need to contact the outside world beyond the fells, Wi-Fi is available throughout the property and there’s a payphone available. There is a cosy lounge complete with leather sofas and a large picture window looking out over Buttermere. Comfortable and welcoming, it is a great place to curl up with a book in front of the fire after an exhilarating day exploring the many, easily accessible trails, or swap stories with your fellow guests about trails tramped and summits bagged. There is a large garden to the front of the house and a terrace at the rear that is a great spot to watch for birds and red squirrels.

Food & Drink

Hassness Country House has a strong culinary reputation. The kitchen serves delicious home-cooked meals sourced from the very best of local ingredients and showcases regional specialties, such as slow cooked Herdwick lamb, Cumberland sausage and Damson fruit tart. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options as well, and dietary requirements can be accommodated. Guests can indulge in a hearty cooked breakfast with tasty homemade preserves, a substantial packed lunch on the hills and the promise of cakes with coffee or tea upon return. Dinner is a hearty three-course meal. There’s also a small honesty bar that offers a selection of red and white wines, bottled beers and an assortment of spirits with which to toast your day in the hills. Despite the remote location, the nearest village is just two miles away. Buttermere village might be a tiny traditional hamlet but it has two pubs where you can drop in for a pint of local ale, and a café offering traditional cream tea or a homemade ice-cream. And on the one day a week that the kitchen is closed at Hassness House (Wednesday), head here for a cracking pub meal.

You can easily fill your entire time at Hassness Country House exploring the fells and surrounding slopes, looking out for roe deer and red squirrels. Other draws include Buttermere itself, which is regarded as one of the best round-the-lake walks in the Lake District and a wonderful spot for a wild swim. There are lovely beach-side views from the edge of Crummock Water elsewhere in the valley too. On the west side of Crummock, look out for Scale Force, the tallest single drop waterfall in the Lake District, plunging 170ft through a narrow gorge. Find Sourmilk Gill too, which thunders down nearly 400m of steep fellside from Bleaberry Tarn to Buttermere - when it is in spate this cascade is particularly impressive.

Alternatively, seek out the 'secret valley' of Rannerdale, which is filled with bluebells between April and May. Or step back in time and explore the region's industrial past at Honister Slate Mine at the head of the infamous Honister Pass - the last working slate mine in England is renowned for quarrying beautiful Westmorland green slate and you can delve deep into the mines, or take on their adventure activities from crossing the longest infinity bridge in Europe to abseiling and climbing their fixed via ferrata routes.