Windermere
Cottage Retreats

2026 Self-Catering Breaks in Bowness, Ambleside, Keswick & More!

Home
Cottages Latest Cottages Favourites Contact Us List Your Property
Briars Lea Overview Reviews Photos Attractions

Briars Lea, Bowness-On-Windermere

Guest Rating
Rating
4.8
out of 5
Guest Rating
Rating
4.8
out of 5
Sleeps up to 8
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 4

Briars Lea is a four-bedroom holiday home in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria. This property sleeps eight guests across four en-suite bedrooms and sits minutes from Lake Windermere. The house features an open-plan layout with modern fixtures throughout.

Bowness-on-Windermere offers direct lake access and waterfront activities. The town centre provides shops and restaurants within walking distance. Private parking for three cars makes arrival straightforward.

The ground floor contains three bedrooms: two super-king-size zip-link rooms (convertible to twins) and one double. Each has an en-suite shower room. Upstairs you'll find a king-size bedroom with en-suite bathroom.

 

About Briars Lea

Briars Lea is a four-bedroom holiday home in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria. This property sleeps eight guests across four en-suite bedrooms and sits minutes from Lake Windermere. The house features an open-plan layout with modern fixtures throughout.

Bowness-on-Windermere offers direct lake access and waterfront activities. The town centre provides shops and restaurants within walking distance. Private parking for three cars makes arrival straightforward.

The ground floor contains three bedrooms: two super-king-size zip-link rooms (convertible to twins) and one double. Each has an en-suite shower room. Upstairs you'll find a king-size bedroom with en-suite bathroom. The first-floor kitchen includes two electric ovens, gas and electric hobs and a dishwasher. The living room opens onto a balcony. A separate media room offers additional space.

Windermere Train Station sits 1.5 miles away (5 minutes). The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction is nearby. Ambleside is 5 miles north (15 minutes). Kendal lies 7 miles east (20 minutes).

The enclosed rear garden features a hot tub on the side deck. Two dogs are welcome. Briars Lea suits families wanting lake access and space.

Check Prices & Availability »
At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

More Cottages You May Like

Briars Lea Attractions & Days Out

Explore the wonderful attractions and activities surrounding Briars Lea 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.

Blackwell
Distance: 1.4 miles (3 min drive)
LA23 3JT
Lakes Aquarium
Distance: 8.3 miles (15 min drive)
LA12 8AS
Laurel and Hardy Museum
Distance: 15.7 miles (24 min drive)
LA12 0DB
Coronation Park
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3EU
Dales Way
Distance: 0.7 miles (2 min drive)
School Knott
Distance: 2.2 miles (7 min drive)
LA23 2DS
The Cornish Bakery
Distance: 0.5 miles (1 min drive)
LA23 3DB
Gift Shop
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3HJ
Booths
Distance: 1.9 miles (5 min drive)
LA23 1QA
Windermere Station
Distance: 1.9 miles (6 min drive)
LA23 1AH
Kendal Bus Station
Distance: 10 miles (17 min drive)
LA9 4BT
Bowness Pier 3
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3HQ
Blackwell
Distance: 1.4 miles (3 min drive)
LA23 3JT
Lakes Aquarium
Distance: 8.3 miles (15 min drive)
LA12 8AS
Laurel and Hardy Museum
Distance: 15.7 miles (24 min drive)
LA12 0DB
Coronation Park
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3EU
Dales Way
Distance: 0.7 miles (2 min drive)
School Knott
Distance: 2.2 miles (7 min drive)
LA23 2DS
The Cornish Bakery
Distance: 0.5 miles (1 min drive)
LA23 3DB
Gift Shop
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3HJ
Booths
Distance: 1.9 miles (5 min drive)
LA23 1QA
Windermere Station
Distance: 1.9 miles (6 min drive)
LA23 1AH
Kendal Bus Station
Distance: 10 miles (17 min drive)
LA9 4BT
Bowness Pier 3
Distance: 0.3 miles (6 min walk)
LA23 3HQ

Is Briars Lea Right For You?

Discover why this cottage is ideal for different types of visitors

For Families
The property has four Smart TVs and a dedicated media room with library. The enclosed rear garden provides safe outdoor space for play. Lake Windermere sits minutes away with boat trips and waterside activities. The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction is 0.3 miles away. Note the garden pond requires adult supervision at all times.
For Couples
The hot tub offers private relaxation after lakeside walks. Four en-suite bedrooms mean privacy when sharing with friends. The first-floor balcony overlooks the garden. Lake Windermere provides romantic waterfront strolls and sunset boat cruises. Bowness restaurants and cafes sit within walking distance. The media room creates a cosy retreat space.
Pet Friendly
Two dogs are welcome at Briars Lea. The rear garden is fully enclosed with lawn and patio areas for exercise. Ground-floor bedrooms make access easy for older dogs. Note the garden pond is not enclosed and requires supervision. Bowness offers dog-friendly lakeside walks and several pubs welcome dogs inside.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at Briars Lea

Boardwalk Bar and Grill

Located 0.3 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 3HQ

ChoccoBar Hot Chocolate House

Located 0.2 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 3BX

Bryson's Café

Located 0.3 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 3EH

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about Briars Lea

Does this cottage have a hot tub?
Yes, Briars Lea has a hot tub on the side deck area. The hot tub is accessible from the garden and guests can use it throughout their stay.
Is it pet friendly?
Yes, two well-behaved dogs are welcome at Briars Lea. The rear garden is enclosed but the pond area requires supervision for pets and children.
How many people does Briars Lea sleep?
The property sleeps eight guests across four bedrooms. Three bedrooms are on the ground floor and one king-size room is on the first floor.
What are the bedroom arrangements?
Ground floor has two super-king zip-link rooms (convertible to twins) and one double room. The first floor has one king-size bedroom. All four bedrooms have en-suite facilities.
Is there parking available?
Private driveway parking is available for three cars. The parking is off-road and included with your booking at no additional cost.
How far is it from Lake Windermere?
Lake Windermere is just minutes away on foot from Briars Lea. You can walk to the waterfront, boat launches and ferry terminal without needing a car.
What facilities are in the kitchen?
The first-floor kitchen has two electric ovens, gas and electric hobs, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, coffee maker, kettle and toaster. It's fully equipped for self-catering.
Are towels and bed linen provided?
Yes, all bed linen and towels are included in your rental. You don't need to bring your own or pay extra for these items.

Briars Lea Reviews

Briar Lea is a fantastic house. Feels immediately cosy when you walk thru the door. The balcony is fabulous to sit out on and had drinks with family and friends.
Kathryn
We had a fabulous five days spent in this beautiful house. The pictures dont do it justice, the house is so much bigger in person. It was great having the two floors as well. The garden and hot tub area was fabulous, especially liked having the upstairs decking to sit out on too. Everywhere very comfortable and everyone enjoyed theirselves. It was also perfect for walking into Bowness. The only minor issues we had was we had no heating so that meant the towel rails in the bathrooms werent working so we were unable to dry any of our towels, the washing machinedryer was not working either, the weather wasnt great so we couldnt hang them outside. It was extremely difficult to get in touch with Sykes as there wasnt any number left for any sort of help or maintenance if needed, no number for the owner either. We finally managed to get in touch through Sykes who was sending someone out to us but unfortunately he could not fix the problems and left. Another minor niggle is the outside lighting at the front door doesnt work. These are small issues which are easily sorted though and otherwise we had a super stay and would definitely come back.
House was great. Perfectly positioned for visiting all the places we wanted to. It was clean and tidy and very well kept. Offering the space for a large group to have their own space aswell as collectively gathertogether. Woukd highly recommend
What an amazing place for a 50th. Great location and facilities. Lots of room.
Amazing place. Close to village but far enough to be away from the hustle. About a 9 min walk in. Accommodation was gorgeous. Would definitely book again.
We absolutely loved our stay at Briars Lea and didn't want to leave. It's in the perfect location, clean, modern and comfortable. We all said we would love to return and will definitely be recommending it to family and friends
Melanie
The house has lots of space for large families and is very well located for access to the lake and town of Bowness! The garden was great for both kids and dog. It was nice to have such a large enclosed space. Lots of parking at the property with no messing about trying to get street parking with a permit, which can be common in the lakes. The only comment we would make is to recommend a barbecue to enjoy the garden more on nice days.
Beautiful and spacious property, close to the centre pf Bowness.
Stunning house , gorgeous views , very well maintained. Glorious hot tub , making this a break to remember, so much so we have booked it for next year Easy walking distance to Bowness Fantastic bus service , easy to hop on & hop of whilst travelling to other towns, amazing shops, very friendly people .
Gordon
Just got back from this fantastic house , everything about it was lovely, right ... Just got back from this fantastic house , everything about it was lovely, right in the heart of the town , fantastic garden , hot tub lovely and relaxing, exceptional inside and out , had a problem with a broken part on hoover when we went to use it and there was a new part delivered the next day , the host who replied was brilliant, would recommend this to everyone, only downfall was horrible weather apart from that two very happy families, oh and both dogs ended up in the pond one night as was raining so much in the dark couldn't see it but thats the silly dogs fault , one thing to think about is maybe some lights in the garden very dark especially if the weather bad , would definitely recommend to book , also The Albert pub is a definite place to visit for drinks and food
Douglas
The home is great and has been refurbished well. It is in a great location for access to the ferry and piers to go up and down the Lake. 10 minute walk gets you all over Bowness. A welcome pack would be appreciated with details on, bin collection days, which bin takes recycling or gen waste. How to control the heating? How to use the appliances. How to lock patio doors downstairs. How to open up the cover for the hot tub. How to deal with dirty towels and bed linen on leaving day, Stripped off the beds or not? Towels left in shower trays etc. would definitely go back with the family.
Cherie
As previously mentioned by guests there was no information book, this needs to be sorted out. Some of the garden steps, decking needs repairing. The bins need to be sorted out , there was rubbish around the bin area on arrival and it did not look inviting as you enter the property. Someone had turned off the emersion so we were not happy having cold showers on Sunday morning . If we would have had an information pack we would not have needed to contact out of hours. The washing machine in the top kitchen needs sorting out because when in use the whole kitchen shook.
Michael
Had a brilliant stay house was up to spection garden was great for dogs. Hottub was well used by everyone. All ready booked again for next year. Just a short walk to restaurants and bars got to give it five stars.
Lovely property great location, maybe a welcome pack would be nice , The only other thing would be it needs a bigger airer or washing line at the property, being the lakes we all had lots of wet bits to dry x having said this we would use this property again as very spacious and the local town has an abundance of places to eat and things to do. Thanks for having us x
Vennessa
Truly beautiful house in perfect location to BownessonWindermere. We did not use the car all week as everything was in a 5 minute walk. The house is huge, with ample space for a large family to spread out. All the furnishings and amenities are quality and comfortable. The hot tub is huge and luxurious and the garden is beautiful. My dog fell in the pond but that was her fault for being notoriously thick. Thank you for a fabulous week.
The property was absolutely amazing and just a short walk to Windermere and local shops & bars. I would highly recommend this property as it accommodated everyone needs. The hut tub and gamescinema room was outstanding! Thank you for everything it was fantastic!
The Cottage was fine however the customer experience was an absolute nightmare! Customer services are extremely poor for Sykes Cottages. You cannot speak to a human and get fobbed off left right and centre. We wanted to extend our stay to 7 days as the price was the same but we were unable to speak to anyone with any authority. I was unable to do it online either and ringing the customer service line was a waste of time. This spoiled what should have been a nice relaxing break and we wasted our money paying for a full week but only getting to stay there for 3 nights.
Charles
Fantastic property in a great location and just as advertised. The space both inside and out was perfect for the three generations of us and two dogs. Easy to walk into Bowness as well as immediate access to the ferry to explore the far side of the lake. The fact that we had 7 days sunshine in MarchApril made it even better!! Would definitely recommend.
Jessica
Lovely home and great location. We have left glowing feedback in the visitors book too. Would definitely recommend to others.
Vanessa
Beautiful house, ideal location, exceptionally clean and has everything you could possibly need. Only negative was a 9.00am check out.
Fantastic overall, one tiny problem please leave a note to help people find the cutlery draw in the kitchen upstairs
Stunning property. Plenty of room for everyone so you aren't on top of each other. The down stairs area is perfect for older children to have their own space. Situated 5 mins out of town so perfect for walking there and back.
Vivien
I was extremely disappointed with sykes customer service and will be submitting a complaint. If you look at whattsapp for example your team make contact I reply then nothing! Trying to get through to speak to someone not easy. Most of the people i spoke to did not follow through with their promises. Absolutely appalling service. Happy to speak to someone but I doubt you will even bother to contact me!
Fabulous property to stay in, we will definitely book again.
Michelle Anne
Briars Lea was wonderful ! The location is perfect with a short walk to the lake. The pictures do not do the house justice, the garden is enclosed and beautiful the hot tub area is fabulous! There is 2 bedrooms downstairs both with outside doors to the garden they are almost like separate quarters with one room with a kitchen and a small lounge off it and the other with a cinema room and sitting area off it. both with lovely bathrooms Upstairs 2 more bedrooms 2 bathrooms and a great lounge dining, kitchen all very modern with a balcony overlooking the garden. Would defo book again a real gem thank you we loved it. Michelle.
Leave a Review
Been to Briars Lea? Please leave a review and share your holiday experiences.
Name
Month of stay
Year of stay
Review

Related Categories

Holiday Cottages in Windermere With ParkingHoliday Cottages With Fishing in WindermereLuxury Accommodation WindermereSykes Cottages Windermere
Lake District Business Park, Mint Bridge Road, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 7RG