High Lorton farm’s five-star quality B&B

A bed and breakfast overlooking the Lorton Valley has been awarded a five-star silver award for quality in tourism.

Karen Nicholson, who has won a five-star silver award for quality by Visit Britain. Karen owns and runs Sinside End Farm bed and breakfast in High Lorton.Swinside End Farm, in Scales, High Lorton, was presented with the award by Visit Britain.

The organisation said the B&B had an excellent standard of housekeeping, hospitality, bedrooms, bathrooms and breakfast.

Karen Nicholson, 37, who has run the bed and breakfast since 2000, said: “I’m ecstatic to get the award because there’s only one other farm in the area that has five stars and has met the high criteria.

“It’s always been my dream to do something like this ever since I started work at The Coledale Inn in Braithwaite when I was 14.

“It was ideal to start a bed and breakfast because it meant I could work from home and also help my husband Andrew with the farming.

“Running the B&B and the farm is a busy time because I have to be up from 6am to make breakfast and see to all the rooms and then in the afternoon I’m out helping Andrew with the newborn lambs.

“There’s nothing else that I’d rather be doing.”

Karen said that when they first opened the bed and breakfast they only had three rooms but over the years they had added a master bedroom, en-suite bathrooms and a new dining area and porch.

“We’ve put a lot of money into developing the business and it’s really paid off,” she said.

“I named the rooms Lorton Valley, Red Pike, Swinside and Low Fell after my favourite walks.

“We have visitors who come from all over the world. Last weekend we had a couple who came from Tanzania who had been recommended to come here and stay.”

Karen and Andrew moved to the farm 12 years ago and started breeding beef cattle and Herdwick sheep.

She added: “I come from a farming background as my dad farmed at Braithwaite Lodge and Andrew’s grandparents had a farm in Loweswater. It’s a dream come true.”