Tales of the riverbank (From Living Northeast)

Tales of the riverbank

1:02pm Tuesday 17th August 2010 in

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Phil Storey and his family visit a £3m luxury rural retreat in North Yorkshire.

BROMPTON Lakes is as far from a conventional holiday site as it is possible to imagine. There are no bars or cafes, no evening cabarets. And while there are tennis courts, mountain bikes and ample opportunities for walking, there are no plans to expand the activities on offer.

As owner Roy Stephenson puts it: “The kind of people who come here just want to take it easy and relax.”

Sitting on the balcony of our lodge, with the sun setting over the lake, it is difficult to imagine doing anything else but relax. The outside world could be a million miles away.

It was one of the planning constraints that the lodges hadn’t to be visible from the road. So from the lodges, the road can’t be seen either, which seems a fair exchange. Hundreds of trees, shrubs and bushes have been planted, adding to the enclosed, hiddenaway feeling.

There are 20 lodges around two lakes, enclosed by a bend of the River Swale. The site has won awards for its environmental credentials and the lodges are built of wood taken from sustainable plantations, with living sedum roofs providing insulation.

Natural spring water rises under its own pressure from a bore hole. Heat and hot water are provided by the lakes themselves, a pump circulating liquid glycol refrigerant around a closed loop on the lakebed, transporting passive solar energy. The refrigerant is compressed on its return and heat is created through a condenser.

We didn’t understand it either… Neither did Roy, who describes the technology simply as “magic”.

But work it certainly does. The lodge’s under-floor heating created a constant, dry warmth, and there was no shortage of hot water – even for a family of five.

The interiors of the lodges, which sleep six with room to spare, are the work of renowned designer Rosie Mennem, and each is different, containing handpainted artworks, original wall hangings and sculptures.

This is definitely not camping, and to describe it as a home-from-home assumes a level of affluence few of us are fortunate enough to enjoy.

This is real luxury. The open spaces within the lodges are vast, creating an airy feel, and with the large glass sliding doors pulled back, the great outdoors arrives in the living area, with the sound of the River Swale, duck calls and splashes from fish rolling on the surface of the lake.

On the subject of fish, anglers should avoid Brompton Lakes. Nowhere else will ever seem quite as good again. One after another – a fish, a cast – the carp in the lake fell for freelined bread. And they were not small – they were double-figure commons and mirrors that fought like stink. Eventually, each lodge will have its own private fishing platform.

The family? They were relaxing in the lodge munching snacks and watching the Funniest Ever You’ve Been Framed on a widescreen TV. Each to their own.

Fantastic though the fishing is, it’s not what Brompton Lakes is about.

Roy says: “It’s a luxury/leisure retreat, and the fishing’s a bonus really. It’s not the be-all and end-all of what we’re doing. For me, it’s just because the lodges are on the water. You open the curtains first thing in the morning, and all you see is the water and it’s lovely.”

TRAVELFACTS

Brompton Lakes is signposted on the B6271, between Richmond and Brompton-on-Swale.

For more information, go to bromptonlakes.co.uk or call 01748-850333.

LODGE LIVING

OVER the last two years it is estimated that over 70 per cent of new-build holiday schemes have been “buy to let” lodgestyle developments.

This is no doubt testament to the growing awareness of lodge holidays as a whole and helped by continuing demand for holidays here in the UK.

The high standards of UK lodge accommodation, hassles involved with flying and increased awareness of environmental issues saw lodge lettings increase by 20 per cent in 2007 compared with the previous year.

Further growth is expected as Brits take an increasing number of shorter and more spontaneous breaks.

TRAVEL FACTS

Brompton Lakes is signposted on the B6271, between Richmond and Brompton-on-Swale.

For more information, go to bromptonlakes.co.uk or call 01748-850333.