What does £6 million get you? Two homes, and probably the best view in the Lake District
At Waternook and the Great Barn, luxury sits alongside the raw scale of nature.


They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. That might certainly be true of Waternook and The Great Barn in Cumbria. If it were up to me, I would simply stop typing at this point, and just let the images speak for themselves. I am sure many people would be quite delighted to hear less of me.
Sadly, the internet and its many algorithms do not work that way. So I must also describe this property — for sale with Savills for £6 million — even though I could never do it justice. What we have here is two properties, namely Waternook and The Great Barn. Standing in some 26 acres of grassland and woodland, in a stunning position on the edge of Ullswater and with more than 825 metres of shoreline access. As locations go, it does not get much better than this in England.
Waternook is the principal property on this estate/fairytale piece of land. Finished to an exceptional standard, the 17th century stone farmhouse offers six bedrooms and has been significantly extended in recent years. Along with all the boring usual things like having a ‘kitchen’ and a ‘living room’, the Waternook also has something I’ve not seen before, which is a Laconium spa with a bar in it — like putting the antidote next to the poison bottle.
A bit further down the hill is the Great Barn, itself a four-bedroom property that was once, you guessed it, a barn. Like many conversions, it presents itself in an open-plan format, with highlights including a central entertaining space, as well as a large balcony overlooking Ullswater. Should those two houses not be enough, then the Boathouse is a ‘rare and much desired addition to the property’, say agents, who note that the building, which has traditionally been used to store boat equipment, could be repurposed to provide some form of further accommodation or entertaining area.
Despite the raw scenery surrounding the property on all sides, the hamlet of Howtown and Hallin Fell are nearby, while the market town of Penrith is only 10 miles down the A66.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Stonehenge, Avebury and the stone circles of Britain, with Professor Vicki Cummings
One of Britain's top experts on stone circles, Professor Vicki Cummings, joins the Country Life podcast.
Credit: Knight Frank
An enhanced Elizabethan Manor house in Kent with gardens by Gertrude Jekyll
With 9,400sq ft of living space and almost eight acres of gardens, Stonepitts Manor near Seal Chart is a rose
Credit: DOMVS
A Grade II-listed Dorset manor house where sweeping staircases and four-poster beds meet pristine kitchen and swimming pool
Lashings of history, plenty of space both inside and out and a great location – Muston Manor is an idyllic

James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
A woolly mammoth skeleton is among the curiosities for sale to save fire-ravaged Parnham Park
The auction of the owner James Perkins' collection, hosted by Dreweatts, tomorrow (May 13), will be used to fund renovation works at Parnham Park in Dorset.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
The ‘utterly unique’ skincare brand that’s used in the ‘world’s best hotel’ spa
The Seed to Skin brand was the byproduct of one woman’s length fertility journey — it’s so good that today it’s used in a hotel voted the ‘world’s best’.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
Five Cotswold dream homes on the market from £3m to £18m, as seen in Country Life
This week we have a Cotswolds-themed rundown of some of the finest homes to come to the market in this beautiful part of England.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A modern masterpiece for sale in Cornwall that's just one mile from the beach
Hay House combines location, elegance and modern family living to create a special home for the 21st century.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rollercoaster, Bauhaus department store and Brutalist football stand top the latest Buildings at Risk List
The latest Buildings at Risk List from the Twentieth Century Society has been announced. Sunwin House department store and Blackpool’s Grand National Rollercoaster both feature.
By Jack Watkins Published
-
Lutyens's last masterpiece comes up for sale in Oxfordshire, with 27 bedrooms and a cricket pitch
Middleton Park in Middleton Stoney is a vast country home that must surely be among the nation's best
By James Fisher Published
-
A 10-bedroom manor house in the heart of the Cotswolds with all the trimmings
Waterton House sits on the edge of Ampney Crucis, and is as elegant as can be.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A seven bedroom Buckinghamshire rectory that might be a little haunted
Grade II-listed the Old Rectory is a home of astounding charm and beauty, and comes with a friendly visitor.
By James Fisher Published
-
Over the Hills and Far Away: Robert Plant's Welsh hideaway is up for sale
Other notable residents of The Argoed in the Wye Valley include George Bernard Shaw and Beatrice Webb.
By James Fisher Published
-
Period charm and contemporary tastes collide in an eight-bedroom listed home in Durham
Morton House is a rare example of a home where you can have the best of both worlds.
By James Fisher Published