Around 45 years ago, Crake Trees Manor was born – and we’re still going strong to this day. Our offering is now bigger and better than ever, with shepherds’ huts, camping pods, bed and breakfast, self-catering cottages, campervan and towing caravans, a campsite, and so much more. We thought we’d take a trip down memory lane, back to where it all began…
Before we came to Crake Trees Manor, our bed and breakfast services started at Meaburn Hill Farmhouse in Penrith. Following advice from the Agricultural Advisory & Development Service, we set up a wonderful five-bedroom self-catering holiday cottage which had a lovely oldy-worldly charm and overlooked the picturesque village of Maulds Meaburn. This was an ideal way to combine our love of running a farm with having children and making the most of our beautiful 16th Century longhouse.
The first of our two current self-catering properties came about in 2000. After three years of planning appeals, we purchased the derelict Brew House in Maulds Meaburn, which became a quirky cottage featuring a unique blend of modern and old styles. We then went on to purchase one other self-catering property, Cottage on the Hill, which is an elegant 1950s bungalow with stunning surrounding views.
In 2000, we decided to take a leap and apply for planning permission to convert a large field barn at Crake Trees into a house. We lived in a series of caravans until the conversion was finished, and that’s when we set up shop at Crake Trees Manor!
Business was steady and we loved welcoming guests to our little corner of Cumbria, until the financial crash of 2008, when our bookings dried up and the country tried to negotiate their way through one of the worst recessions the UK has ever seen.
We knew that we had to reinvent our business and our accommodation into something much more flexible and robust, and it was then that we decided to build a shepherd’s hut. At the time these were a rather rare find in the UK (the word glamping hadn’t appeared in mainstream vocabulary yet), and we took inspiration from one we’d stayed in somewhere in the south of England.
We’re delighted to now have three shepherds’ huts which are all skilfully hand crafted. Each hut has its own space in our meadow, so they all have different views over the farm which stretch to the Pennines. They’re stylish, comfortable, and relaxing, and two of the huts (Tyan and Tethera) even have their own private wood-fired hot tubs!
To further increase our accommodation offering, we purchased four camping pods from a nearby caravan site who no longer needed them. These pods now overlook our stunning wildflower meadow, and each one has a fire pit outside so guests can enjoy beautiful summer evenings toasting marshmallows and listening to the crackle of burning logs.
Our next mission was to build communal facilities for guests to use at their own convenience. We created a quirky and efficient shower block from repurposed materials, which now have individual wet rooms and underfloor heating. We also purchased wood-fired hot tubs for two of our shepherds’ huts and our two self-catering cottages for guests enjoy a private soak, as well as a wood-fired hot tub in our Gothic tower ruins which guests can book as an additional extra.
We decided that our next venture would be to branch out into a camping site. We brought a 30-day licence and were delighted to welcome many guests into our beautiful green paradise. It was so successful that our campsite has now been established for over two years and it can accommodate up to 40 tents at once! Situated in a stunning wildflower meadow, the campsite also features cutting edge individual wet rooms, perfect for anyone who values their privacy whilst camping.
Our accommodation offering is completed with two cosy bed and breakfast rooms which boasts sensational views across the farm, and a budget friendly Stable Bunkhouse which is ideal for walkers, cyclists and explorers.
A few years ago, we began to think about what we could offer our guests beyond their accommodation. We decided a fun thing to bring people together would be Pizza Nights, with pizzas and burgers cooked on the aga. As this became more and more popular, we expanded this offering and created a Pop-Up Pizza Café in the Farm Kitchen during the summer months. Chef Lee serves pizza, flatbreads, cake, and drinks five nights a week, and this year the Farm Kitchen will be opening in May!
At the same time, we opened the Raven Bar, which serves a wonderful selection of local beer, cider, wine and more, and last summer we started to host live music nights too. Coming together for a drink, a bite to eat and an evening of live music is a lovely way to get families, couples, single travellers, and people from across the village together to enjoy the stunning views of the sun setting over the valley.
Sensational Staycations at Crake Trees Manor
Experience the love, passion, and creativity we’ve put into Crake Trees Manor over the last 45 years with the perfect Cumbrian retreat. With a choice of splendid self-catering properties, shepherds’ huts, cosy camping pods, a beautiful bunkhouse and bed and breakfast accommodation, plus a luscious green campsite and campervan and caravan pitches, we’ve got every option you could possibly want. Book your countryside getaway at Crake Trees Manor today!
