The lodge at Brayton Park
Lake District

Brayton Park Luxury Lodges: Wild Carp Fishing – Hot Tubs & Stunning Views

If you are looking for fishing information please click here.

I have recently stayed at Brayton Park Lodges and we had a great time there (me, my wife, and our children ages 6 and 9). The setting is absolutely stunning with breathtaking views of the hills of the north lakes in a beautiful park-like setting. I have now stayed here twice including once in a Wordsworth lodge and once in the Lawson lodge – The Lawson is my favourite. 

Disclaimer: I’ve visited Brayton Park twice staying in a Wordsworth Lodge and then the Lawson Lodge. We paid s is my independent review. I am booked to go to the Lawson Lodge again in 2024.

The lodge at Brayton Park
Brayton Park view of the lodges on arrival
Brayton Park ducks that visit daily for food
Brayton Park view down to the lake from a lodge
Lodges from the lake
Brayton Park 8 acre Lake
The lodge at Brayton Park
Brayton Park view of the lodges on arrival
Brayton Park ducks that visit daily for food
Brayton Park view down to the lake from a lodge
Lodges from the lake
Brayton Park 8 acre Lake

Key Information - Brayton Park Lodges

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On Site Facilities

What You Will Find At Brayton Park Lodges

Brayton Park lodges are at a high level of luxury. When we arrived we were amazed at home large the lodges were after staying at other lodge parks. These are high-class lodges with everything you could need. 

We booked a Wellington and got number 2 at random. This was probably one of the best locations with views over the grass down to the lake.

The living area was spacious, our lodge had dining for 6, a sofa and 2 armchairs and a good sized well fitted kitchen. It had 3 bedrooms including the ensuite master. What we really liked was the main bathroom had a door out to where the hot tub was. This was very handy for changing and getting dry. 

To the side of the lodge, there was a large grassed area that was great for the kids to play on. The lodges all have large grassed mounds between them that adds to the feeling of privacy.

As soon as you arrive at Brayton Park you settle into the relaxing surroundings. The drive past the lake on arrival is a beautiful site and all the grounds are well maintained. There is an onsite bar and restaurant that offers food to your lodge. We had this a couple of times and the food was excellent, with a good choice of foods and some tasty desserts. 

There is also a farm shop on site that sells a range of meat, some good looking pastries and some nice looking bread and cakes. This was not open during our visit but if you check out the Brayton Park Facebook page you will see the pictures of the amazing looking food. 

There is a 9 hole golf course by the bar and clubhouse and this seems popular. You could turn up and pay and play at the course. 

What Else Will You Find On Site

We mainly booked these lodges as we were looking for a luxury lodge with a hot tub in the North Lakes for a holiday, the carp fishing was just a bonus extra. I struggled to find out much information on the lakes and the fish before we went other than the carp we were around 10lb and there were a couple of bigger ones.

During the first week in a Wordsworth lodge, we (me and my children) fished the lake for 4 half-day sessions around what else we were doing during the trip. Here is one of the 4 double takes we had!

Double take of carp at Brayton Park

There is one lodge that is right on the lake with its own private peg. This was not the lodge we had booked so you have to take your gear to the bottom end of the lake as fishing is only from the tree-covered bank of the lake. This was a bit of a pain!

Whilst there I got chatting with 2 of the 3 members that fish the lake and found out a lot of information. I put it in bullet points here for easy reading!

  • The lake is 7 acres and was dug out by monks at a monastery around the 14th-16 century. At the first peg, you get to, slightly to the right there are still steps in the water from that time (You can’t see them but can feel them with a lead).
  • The carp are on average 6-8lb, they are all wild commons that have bred in the lake. There is a couple in the 13lb – 14lb range.
  • There is a big lily bed that comes up in the summer making the first peg almost unfishable. I went in the spring and you could see it starting to come up.
  • The lake is very shallow in parts and some areas, even out in the middle, are around 2-3 feet deep. On the warm spring days, we could see the carp basking in these shallow areas and catching well from them.
  • The only fish in the lake are common carp and crucians, apart from an occasional natural hybrid there are no other fish or coarse fish at all.
  • In our best session, we had 11 carp in just under 3 hours from 2 rods. That morning they were going for it on one of the shallow spots!

What you need to take

Here’s a guide to what I took and would take again

  • Bank sticks or a pod are fine. (If you are in the lakeside lodge then you’ll need a pod as it’s a decked peg).
  • Solid bags with 14mm wafters worked well for me, another visitor was doing well on corn and a method feeder.
  • I just used bags and no extra freebies as I was fishing at 12ish wraps with no spod. If you are there when it’s warmer I think boilies and a throwing stick would work well for bating up. 
  • Shorter rods if you have them. I fished with 12-foot carp rods, with all the trees a 9-foot or 10-foot rod or swing tip would be better.
  • A decent side padded unhooking mat, I’m not sure if the fish are caught that often as even after letting them tire before landing they were still feisty on the mat!
  • Usual tackle for that size fish.

The Lawson Lodge – Private Peg

Here is the peg from the lakeside lodge –

Private peg from the lakeside lodge

I spent a week at the Lawson Lodge in May and had a great week catching carp. The peg above is massive and the outdoor space was amazing. The hot tub overlooks the peg and the lake and you can see carp jumping all day. 

We fished quite a lot during our stay, mainly in the mornings and evenings. Over the week we managed to catch 86 carp with numerous double takes. They were all the standard Brayton Park wild carp, long and lean and between 6 and 8lb. 

I fished with PVA bags which worked perfectly.

If you are planning to fish during your stay the Lawson Lodge is highly recommend. 

The course is a 9-hole 2,323-yard course that looks well-kept. At the time of writing it is £10 for 9 holes or £15 for unlimited rounds. 

The payment was made via an honesty box in the car park. Food and drink were available to all residents and non-residents in the clubhouse. 

Brayton Park is well-ranked in our golf lodge break guide. It is perfect for a luxury break for a casual golfer. 

There is a dress code that you would expect with no tracksuits, football shirts etc allowed. You are expected to wear a shirt on the course but the code seems quite relaxed. 

The on-site restaurant is in the golf clubhouse where you get your keys. They have a good choice of locally sourced food and we found it to be very nice.

They also have a separate menu for in-lodge dining that you can ring up and order to your lodge. It is best to pre-order as it can be busy at times.

How To Find The Lodges

What Is In The Local Area

The site is around a mile from the village of Aspatria which makes it feel nice and secluded. In Aspatria, you will find a couple of pubs, petrol station and co-op among other shops. The nearest big town is Penrith which is a further drive away. 

Distances To Nearest Facilities

Brayton Park Site Map

Brayton Park lodges site map

*Site map was taken from the source and is subject to change, check the website for the most up to date information. 

The lodges seem to be selected at random when you book. The ones overlooking the lake are more desirable. The Lawson is the only lodge with private fishing. The front 3 Darwin lodges have a view of the golf course. All lodges seem to have a view over to the mountains of the north lakes in the distance. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the lodges all have hot tubs?

All the lodges at Brayton Park have private hot tubs.

It is best to check when you book as new lodges were being added at the time of our review. 

Do the lodges have private fishing?

Only the Lawson lodge has a private fishing peg. Other lodge guests can access the lake by going down the road and fishing from the tree-lined side. 

What attractions are near Brayton Park?

There are numerous attractions around the northern Lake District. We visited a forestry commission site where there was s Gruffalo trail and a high ropes style course. They have a lot of walks and different level cycle trails. They also hire bikes and helmets. 

The nearest beach, Allonby, is not large and is a pebble beach. There is a very nice ice cream shop on the front by the main car park. 

You can visit part of Hadrian Wall which is around an hour drive away. This is a National Trust property where there was a fort. 

You can also drive into the central Lake District where there are numerous attractions to visit. It is around a 1 hour drive to Bowness on Windermere, although that could be longer with traffic a busier times.

Is there on site food and drink?

Yes you can dine at the restuarnt or order from the in lodge menu. There is also a farm shop on site. 

Are there any pubs in walking distance?

The on-site pub is. If you were a keen walker you could walk to the pub in Aspatria which is approximatley 1.5 miles away. 

Can you have shopping delivered?

We had out shopping delivered from Tesco and was Sainsbury’s delivering to the lodge next to us. 

Are the lodges suitable for children?

We found they were great for our 6 and 9-year-old. They had a lot of space inside the lodge and there was good outside space too. There is a large grass area overlooking the lake where other children would play sometimes. 

There are things to do in the local area but we spent most of our time around the lodge, playing, fishing and in the hot tub. 

Do they allow pets at Brayton Park?

No, pets are not allowed. 

Can you park next to your lodge?

Yes, parking is available alongside all lodges and looks like you could get at least 2 cars by any of them. 

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