Bluebells, magnolia and quince in March

Yesterday, 28 March, I noticed that the bluebells were out in the White Moss House garden. With the hot weather and sun, the magnolia has already burst into bloom, and the quince is starting to flower too.

Bluebells at White Moss House, Grasmere, 28 March 2012

The quince at White Moss House, Grasmere , 28 March 2012

We open today after our winter break. Usually, we've got weeks of daffodils ahead when we open, and I can fills the rooms with daffodils from our garden for ages, well into April. Today I've had to scour the gardens for the few remaining daffs. They were lovely, but they've finished for the year.

If you've got time to visit before Easter, take advantage of our special offers. Our bed and breafast offers are updated daily . Click on this link to go to the special offer page on our website. Why not bookmark the page to keep up to date with our special bed and breakfast offers? These are mostly late minute offers, but there may be other special rates from time to time.

I might as well show you the magnolia too- that's going to be out for a few weeks yet.

The magnolia at White Moss House, Grasmere
Come and see it!

Can you fit in a last minute stay before Easter?

From tomorrow, up to and including Thurdsay 5 April we are offering 2 nights bed and breakfast for two guests, at the rate of only £159 in our smaller rooms, and £199 in our larger rooms.
We can't promise that the amazing weather will last, but if it does revert to the cooler weather that we usually get in March and April, the log fire will be lit in the Wordsworth lounge, and you are welcome to play the piano too!

The log fire in the Wordsworth lounge at White Moss House

Pottering about in the herb garden

It's been a lovely day in the Lake District. Peter went up Easedale and Tarn Crags with a friend from Grasmere, and I pottered in the herb garden. The lovage is just coming up. For a pretty picture of the lovage taken today please look at my Notes from a Lake District Garden..
If you want to know more about lovage I've written an article about how to grow and use lovage. which might interest you.

Looking forward to the clocks going forward this weekend, and to welcoming lots of lovely guests to White Moss House for B & B in a historic house owned by Wordsworth.

White Moss House Garden is buzzing

The view from my desk as I write is of the back garden at White Moss House. It's actually a wild woodland hilly slope. currently full of daffodils. However, it's the moving creatures that are keeping me amused right now.
This morning so far I have seen a deer, a red squirrel and a very splendid male pheasant.

Yesterday, sitting outside in the sunshine having lunch, my hair was parted by a very skittish chaffinch. Two chaffinches were chasing each other around in the most crazy way, and I just happened to be in the flight path.
All the birds are frisky right now. There's a blackbird on the terrace that seems intent on emptying all the soil from one of the flower tubs with its beak.

What does all this mean? Yes! Spring! We love the dry weather here. We laugh at the idea of a water shortage! It's just beautiful in the Lake District right now. We're busy spring cleaning to get ready for the arrival of guests from 29 March onwards. Why not think about a stay at White Moss House? We're in a great spot for walking and exploring the Lakes, and you might see a red squirrel any day you're here.

Please email me with any enquiry and I'll give you our very best rates. sue@whitemoss.com
This heron sometimes flies over the garden, but he actually lives on White Moss Tarn, just five minutes walk up the hill from White Moss House. He's there all the time at the moment,

The White Moss Heron

sue@whitemoss.com

Which is your favourite lake in the Lake District?

I've written a web page called The Top 10 Lakes in the Lake District, and I've got a poll on there for you to vote on your favourites.
It's just my view, but Rydal Water is number 1, and Grasmere is number two. I admit it, I'm biased. With Rydal Water just steps away from our door, and Grasmere a beautiful 10 minute walk away, I visit both of these lakes several times a week. Every day is different- the weather, the light, the trees, the birds.
Yesterday we saw the red squirrel in the White Moss garden again, we saw the heron on White Moss tarn, and a buzzard landed in a tress at close quarters.
This morning the news wasn't so good. I woke up to find the garden full of sheep eating the daffodils. These are our local Herdwick sheep. They think my garden is part of their "hefted" land, and it's hard to keep them out once they've got the taste of our lovely fresh grass. I've also written an article about Herdwick sheep too if you'd like to take a look.

White Moss House re opens on 29 March, and we have just one room left for that weekend. We do still have a room for the Easter weekend.

Grasmere and Helm Crag taken 10 minute's walk from White Moss House, January 2011

In April and May we are offering short breaks at our Grasmere holiday cottage with amazing views. Please email sue@whitemoss.com to find out more about availability and rates. We'd love to welcome you to the Lakes this spring. You can "wander lonely as cloud........" as Wordsworth and Julie Walters said!

See the Olympic Torch at White Moss, with a glass of Pimms.

We're starting to get excited about the Olympics, and here at White Moss House, the Olympic torch passes right by! Yes, the Olympic Torch goes right by White Moss House and gardens on Thursday 21 June.
We're not quite sure of the timing yet, but we think it will be in the afternoon, so here's what we're offering;
3 nights bed and breakfast, plus a great view of the Olympic torch from a seat in our garden, with a free glass of Pimms! Celebrate the Olympic Summer with us at White Moss House near Grasmere, in the heart of England's Lake District. Grasmere bed and breakfast plus the Olympic Torch!

The special 3 night price is just £339 for one of our larger rooms, or £279 for one our smaller rooms. This is for two guests, including our award winning breakfasts, and that glass of Pimms as the torch goes by.

The 3 night stay can be on the 19, 20 and 21 June, or the 20, 21 and 22 June.

There will be special events on the Thursday evening in the area to celebrate the overnight stay of the torch.
June is a great time to visit the lakes any year, but in June 2012, there is a very special Olympic Torch reason to visit White Moss House!
Please email sue@whitemoss.com to make your reservation.

Photo of the Olympic Torch from the Official Olympic 2012 website.

Great last minute offer for Brockstone Cottage

Have you got a gap in your diary any time from 13 March to 31 March?
Would you like to stay in a Grasmere Holiday Cottage with possibly the best views on any holiday cottage anywhere ( allegedly!)?
Our Grasmere holiday rental cottage, Brockstone is now on last minute special rates for this pre Easter period.

Here's the view- lunch on the terrace, photographed in January.

This way you can see Wetherlam, the Langdales and Silver Howe. Looking the other way you can see Rydal Water, Loughrigg and over to Wansfell. Nab Scar and the Fairfield Horseshoe are up behind the cottage.

Please email me, sue@whitemoss.com to make your reservation.