New: luxury beachfront cottage 15 minutes from Wasdale

My postcard-perfect 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom fisherman's cottage has private steps down onto the beach at Ravenglass.
It's been tastefully redecorated throughout and is just 15 minutes from Wasdale and Eskdale for the best walking in England.
It's on the medieval Main St of Ravenglass, the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park.
I come here monthly with my family, so we've had time to get the details right - luxurious beds, fast internet, rainfall shower, well-equipped kitchen and a level of comfort well above the average.

The 'beach' is actually a tidal estuary with sand in some places, sticky mud in others, as well as a motley collection of boats, wading birds and a big rusty anchor. It's great for walking and bird-watching when the tide's out. Great for admiring from the deck when the tide's in.

Across the water are Drigg dunes, which are a must to explore. They are Europe's largest nesting site for black-headed gulls, a sanctuary for the rare natterjack toad and home to lots of adders! Behind them is Drigg beach -- a long, wild, windswept sand beach.

The village has 3 pubs (all of which serve food), a post office and a tea-room. The Inn specialises in fish and standards are usually high. The nearest supermarket is in Seascale, or you can get Tesco to deliver.

Ravenglass was also the most northerly port of the Roman empire, and the old Roman bath house still -- just about -- stands amid a network or walking trails that take you up to Muncaster Castle, a grand country pile well worth a visit for its bird of prey displays and fancy gardens.

For walkers, Ravenglass lies at the bottom of both Wasdale and Eskdale, for the best walking in England. It's about 15 minutes to the bottom of each valley -- extremely convenient for climbing Scafell Pike (England's highest mountain), driving over Hardknott Pass (England's steepest road) or swimming in Wast Water (England's deepest lake, brrr!).
There are lots of easier walks too, including some great steam-train/walk/pub combinations.

The building is a 1715 fisherman's cottage, part of a terrace of old houses, so expect low ceilings and small windows looking onto the Main St. At the back, the house has been extended, so the windows are large, looking over our brand-new deck to the sea-wall at the end of the garden and the beach beyond. There's a low wall between ours and the neighbours' houses.

The kitchen is large and equipped for living, not just holidaying. So if you have gastronomic ambitions, go wild: it's a pleasure to cook and eat in as you watch the light change over the sand-dunes.

The living-room is low-beamed, so watch your head. There's a gas fire for cosiness without hassle, 2 armchairs and a big sofa, with loads of cushions on all of them. The TV is a 46-inch SmartTV, so with the fibre internet (40 Mb/s) you can enjoy Netflix, iPlayer, etc.

Upstairs, the twin room faces over the main street. The beds have memory-foam mattresses, velvet headboards and their own reading lamps. There's a big chest of drawers for your clothes.

The double room has a built-in wardrobe, kingsize bed with antique wood-panelled headboard and memory-foam mattress. It also has a huge bay window looking out to sea. There is a small en-suite bathroom with toilet, sink and shower.

We've just refurbished the family bathroom, so it's immaculate with rainfall shower, bath and underfloor heating.

Parking: we have space for one car at the front of our house.
If you bring a second car, there is free parking at the station, which is a 2-minute walk.

Trains: Ravenglass is well-known for its trains, with 2 stations.
As well as being on the coastal line that runs from Carlisle round to Lancaster, it is home to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. This is a narrow-gauge line that runs 11km (7 miles) up Eskdale through splendid scenery. Beautiful steam and diesel engines run, and it's perfect for letting everyone in your group enjoy an end-of-walk pint or three.