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 No 3 Swiss Villas sleeps up to six people in
three comfortably sized
bedrooms, two double bedrooms being on the first floor with a twin room on
the second. There's also a cosy and comfortable lounge with an open fire
(great for relaxing after a long walk on a winter's day), a well-sized
dining room,
compact but nicely-equipped kitchen and a bathroom on the
first floor.
Although the front entrance involves a few steep steps up from
the road,
there is rear access which is step-free and very handy for dog walkers
returning with muddy boots and paws. The house has full central heating and
a small but private open area at the back, ideal for
sitting outside on a summer's day with your morning coffee or evening
reviver.
The main bedroom and sitting room have lovely views over the town and
towards Wansfell, rising above Ambleside to the east. The house has
been lovingly refurbished and decorated, adding modern comfort to
Victorian charm.
Being so centrally located, No 3 Swiss Villas is great for walkers and
their dogs. You can choose between driving out to sample the delights of,
say, Borrowdale or Kentmere (both within easy reach), or leave the car
behind and head for the hills straight from the front door. Paws For A Walk
particularly enjoyed walking over Wansfell to lunch in
Troutbeck before returning via a lower route to Ambleside. Loughrigg Fell
is another excellent (and not too strenuous) circular route that you can
easily enjoy direct from Swiss Villas. And for the more adventurous (not to
mention more energetic) walker, there's the challenge of the Ambleside
Horseshoe, a great ridge walk that offers fantastic views over the entire
Lake District. If you are planning to do it with your dogs, though, do be
absolutely sure that they are well-trained, responsive and obedient.
There's nothing worse to take on a felltop walk than an out-of-order hound!
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One of our favourite bits of Ambleside (and another good reason to stay at
Swiss Villas) is Rothay Park. It's a couple of minutes' walk away from No 3 and
so is very handy for those first-thing-in-the-morning and
last-thing-at-night strolls that all dog owners need. It's a delightful
little park, bounded on two sides by fast-running, crystal clear water, and
well away from traffic and noise. There are great views of the surrounding
hills, too.
 With a well-equipped kitchen and good local shops (those Cumberland
sausages take a lot of beating!) it's tempting to stay in at Swiss Villas,
especially
after a hard day's walking. But if you do want to venture out in
the evening, Ambleside has plenty of good restaurants and pubs, all within
an easy walk
of No 3. Paws For A Walk's undoubted favourite is Zefferellis— and not just because it's the closest to Swiss Villas! Zeffs is a
wonderful cinema and restaurant, serving excellent, great-value
food.Slightly more upmarket, but equally impressive, is Fellinis, a Mediterranean-themed vegetarian restaurant owned by the
same people as Zefferellis.
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 No 3 Swiss Villas is an attractive Victorian terraced house, located right
in the heart of Ambleside, the bustling town which is itself
at the heart of the Lake District. Perhaps surprisingly for such central
accommodation, the house is light, quiet and peaceful, a result of both its
elevated position and its setting at the start of a cul de sac leading to
Ambleside's imposing parish church and the wonderful dog haven that is
Rothay Park (more of which later!). It's a bonus that the owners, Anne and
Dave, live next door at No 2. They're always happy to chat, suggest a walk
or advise on the best places to eat out.
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