There’s nothing like disappearing into the countryside for a weekend, especially when it’s the Lake District, and especially when your escape is taking place in a multi-storey, luxury treehouse.
Three huge bedrooms, two bathrooms, a hot tub, a full kitchen, three balconies, a cosy lounge, and a slide that will zip you down to your very own den filled with games and a bar.
Welcome to Silva Treehouse, a beautiful bolthole near Penrith that might be one of the most well-designed pads we’ve ever been blessed to clap eyes upon.
The whole ‘digital detox’, screen-free movement has become a bit of a thing in recent years, with a whole company dedicated to making cabins where you lock your phones away for the weekend.
Silva Treehouse offers no such novelty lockbox – but one look out of those gigantic windows at the rolling countryside and you’ll drop your phone willingly.
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There’s no telly, no Wi-Fi. In fact, there’s only about four buttons in the entire building. It’s just a radio, a few board games and those staggering views, and you won’t want anything else.
From sitting on a plush sofa with the log burner kicking out heat, watching the sun set over the fields, to getting up early and watching deer and hare frolicking in the dawn mist, there’s way more to soothe your soul here that you could ever get from Netflix.
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The layout of the treehouse itself is remarkable. Guests head up a short flight of stairs to a huge deck, which is home to a large dining table and the hot tub.
The stunning views from the Silva Treehouse loungeThe master bedroom in the Lake District treehouseThe hot tub with countryside views
Inside on this level is an open-plan kitchen/dining room/living space, kitted out with all the equipment you need to keep yourself fed and not having to leave the house for days (the hosts also left us dozens of eggs from their chickens).
Up another short flight of stairs you’ll find the master bedroom, with a four-poster bed and its own whimsical balcony, plus the smallest (but still double) bedroom, where you’ll wake up to one of the best views in the place.
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Then in the very rafters of the treehouse is bedroom number three, a huge mezzanine space where you can sleep surrounded by wood.
This is a very grown-up and sophisticated treehouse, but whoever said that can’t be loads of fun too? This place has got all sorts of entertainment to help you switch off, relax, and be a bit silly too.
And that’s where the coolest feature comes in, accessed via the second deck – a metal slide that plummets you back down to ground level, and to your very own den.
A bar, a ping-pong table, a dart board, a fire pit (complete with marshmallows for toasting), a pizza oven, hammocks, an extra bathroom, and loads of seating too, all tucked down beneath the main accommodation.
The bar in the denThe den beneath Silva Treehouse
If you can get down that slide without squealing “Weeeeee!” and regressing back to your childhood, we don’t want to know you (there is a door if you don’t want to brave the slide).
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If you can tear yourself away, there’s prime countryside on your doorstep, from the Lake District itself to the SSSI of the River Eden, including sandstone caves, hidden waterfalls, mountain views and riverside strolls.
It’s taken the family behind Silva Treehouse 15 years to painstakingly construct it from homegrown timber amongst the trees, with the ambitious project growing bigger as the couple behind it, Lucy and Grant, had more ideas.
It’s really, really been worth the wait.
See more pictures below and book your stay with Canopy & Stars HERE.
Silva Treehouse in the Lake District
The firepit beside Silva TreehouseEnjoying the viewsSilva Treehouse has a slideThe smallest of the three bedroomsThe living room at Silva TreehouseThe balcony off the master bedroomThe wood-fired hot tub in actionThe mezzanine bedroomEnjoying the viewsA log burnerBathroomSilva Treehouse has a slideSilva TreehouseSilva Treehouse kitchenThose views again…The log burner in actionSilva Treehouse comes with binocularsLooking up at the balcony
Featured image: The Manc Group
Travel & Tourism
Pop-up park and rides announced to manage ‘sheer volume’ of people travelling to Manchester city centre
Daisy Jackson
Four new pop-up park and rides will open in Greater Manchester from this week, to help people travelling into the city centre over the Christmas period.
Transport for Greater Manchester has announced the scheme will kick in to handle the ‘sheer volume’ of people heading into town for festive events and Christmas shopping, with around 80,000 extra trips made in one weekend alone last year.
The news comes after a weekend that saw car parks congested and the city streets gridlocked with traffic.
TfGM is now encouraging people to use public transport – including the new park and ride services – instead of driving this winter.
The four park and rides will provide an extra 1000 free parking spaces, with frequent bus shuttles then completing journeys into Manchester city centre.
Millions of people are expected to visit this year for events including the Manchester Christmas Markets, shopping, football matches, concerts and nights out.
The Bee Network is hoping to help all those people save cash, beat traffic, and keep the city centre moving.
Other measures being introduced this year, as part of a joint approach by TfGM, Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), include later-running trams at weekends, temporary parking restrictions and traffic measures, and round-the-clock CCTV monitoring.
Trams will run until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays over the Christmas period, with extra double trams running at busy times.
Temporary weekend parking restrictions are being introduced on Swan Street and Liverpool Street, with weekend closures inbound on Corporation Street to reduce congestion around Shudehill, and a no right turn from the Arndale car park to ease congestion on Withy Grove.
The four new park and rides, with 1,000 extra parking spaces, will be open every Saturday and Sunday from this Saturday (22 November) until 21 December.
They’ll be located at Booth Street West, Central Park, Belle Vue and Irwell Place.
People are urged to plan their journeys carefully this Christmas.
Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer at TfGM said: “Christmas is one of the best times to enjoy Manchester – so much is going on and there’s such a buzz to the city centre. Our message is clear … the Bee Network is the best way to get there and home again. Board the bus, jump on the tram and plan your journey in advance.
“With plenty of frequent buses and trams to and from the city centre, single bus fares from just £2 and trams from just £1.40, the Bee Network is the easiest, quickest and most affordable way to travel this Christmas.
“Our pop-up park and rides mean you don’t need to struggle for parking in the city centre, but can park for free and finish the journey on a dedicated bus for just £2 single or £4 return and completely free for under 16s.
“As well as the new pop-up park and rides, there’s also 24 park and ride sites across Greater Manchester where you can park for free and jump on the tram – with all the locations and latest tram times available in the Bee Network app.
“We know roads and the network are going to be really busy, especially at weekends. That’s why we’re working closely with Manchester City Council and GMP on a joined-up approach to keep people moving safely around the city as they experience the brilliant things it has to offer.”
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “Christmas is always a hectic period on our roads and this year we are redoubling our collective efforts to keep the transport network moving across Greater Manchester.
“With millions of people set to visit Manchester City Centre we are urging people to plan their journeys ahead of time and where possible, leave the car at home. There are a huge number of ways to get to town, be that a bus, tram or train, and these will often be a quicker and cheaper alternative.”
Mollie’s Motel announces opening date in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Mollie’s Motel has announced the opening date of its hotel and diner in Manchester.
The brand, which promises value-luxe, design-led accommodation, will be opening in the Old Granada Studios next month.
This will be the most ambitious Mollie’s Motel to date, and its first city centre hotel and diner (the first were roadside sites in Oxfordshire and Bristol).
Inside, there’ll be 128 rooms across five floors, ranging from doubles to twins to bunk rooms, with prices starting at an incredibly reasonable £139.
There’ll also be studios and a selection of luxe suites featuring freestanding bathtubs, walk-in wardrobes and Peloton bikes – a new chapter for Mollie’s.
Also opening in the iconic former TV studio before the end of this year will be Soho House, with the members’ club taking over the top three floors.
Soho House Design has worked on the build of Mollie’s Motel to preserve the modernist facade of Old Granada Studios and make playful nods to the building’s vibrant history.
Studio IV at Mollie’s Motel in ManchesterStudio IV at Mollie’s Motel in ManchesterA VIP room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterA VIP room at Mollie’s Motel Manchester
It’s part of St John’s, the neighbourhood that is also home to venues like Caravan, Fenix, The Trading Route and Courts Club, and will have cultural institutions like the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Opera House and Aviva Studios on the doorstep.
Mollie’s Motel rooms in Manchester will nod to the building’s heritage with dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes, plus rainshowers, super king bed, Dyson Airwraps, GHD straighteners and Cowshed toiletries.
The sixth floor will be home to 23 bedrooms designed specifically for Soho House members, plus an 80sqm private apartment with two bedrooms and an open plan living room with kitchenette.
On the first floor, guests will have access to a state-of-the-art Soho House gym, with a free weights area, studio space, steam and sauna, plus a balcony with casual seating.
Mollie’s DinerThe green room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterMollie’s Motel Manchester now has an opening date
As for the diner aspect, Mollie’s Diner will have 110 seats plus private dining for 30, all designed in a mid-century style with classic counter seating and luxe leather banquettes inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac.
It continues with Studio IV, an open-plan cocktail bar with live music and entertainment, VIP bar and snug, and an outdoor heated terrace.
Mollie’s Motel will work with local artists to create bespoke artworks for the rooms and public spaces.
Bookings for Mollie’s Motel Manchester are now open HERE.