Harley Young takes a trip down memory lane with a walk along Crosby beach and chippy tea for supper
A 10-minute walk from Waterloo station sits Crosby marine lake’s shoreside retreat, The Lake House. Established in 2022, this restaurant and 14 bedroom hotel boasts panoramic views across the lake.
With strong family values, it’s dog (and child) friendly and has a series of outdoor events throughout summer.
Harley Young spends 24 hours at The Lake House and its coastal surroundings.
Checking in
Arriving at The Lake House, my partner Dave and I spotted plenty of young families in high spirits, enjoying a weekend of warm weather and making the most of the outdoor seating and entertainment areas that take up the surrounding grassy area.
The energy inside was bustling. Past the reception we could see elderly couples enjoying a coffee and a natter, friends catching up over cocktails, children giggling and colouring in with crayons as plates were being swiftly brought to tables. It all felt very positive for a sunny Saturday afternoon.
We were quickly seen by a member of the team who greeted us warmly and checked us into our room for the evening.
The room
We were situated in a fair-sized and modern double room overlooking the front of the building, out towards the car park and garden seating area.
The rooms themselves are in keeping with the nautical seaside theme and feature splashes of ocean blue and aquamarine without being gimmicky or on the nose like some coastal hotels end up looking. There’s also a hint of industrial modern chic with the help of wooden and brown leather accents like bedside tables and desk chairs.
Well equipped with a pull-out sofa bed, large flat screen tv, open plan wardrobe with drawer storage, tea and coffee equipment and a full length mirror by the door, this tastefully decorated room had everything we could need for a short stay in Crosby.
Exploring Crosby
We took a mooch along Adelaide Terrace that adjoins the path leading to The Lake House, marvelling at the pretty pastel coloured terraced houses that give off that quintessentially British seaside feel.
Being so close to the sea, we decided to take the half an hour stroll to Crosby beach to see artist Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ exhibit sticking out of the sand. These eerie humanoid sculptures give Crosby beach an almost post-apocalyptic feel, but one where you’re never truly alone. There’s always someone watching. Weird.
That didn’t put the children and dogs off from playing though as they built sand castles and caught frisbees as they ran up and down the dunes, the wind turbines trundling along as the sea air kicked them into motion.
We made sure to get our steps in then turned back towards Crosby town and took a wander onto the high street, stopping off at Spit Roast.
We decided on a roasted chicken breast each and some sides to share; BBQ fries and mac and cheese. All of which filled a hole and fuelled further wanderings as we mooched on into Great Crosby.
My good friend Lowri recommended we take a walk over to Rock Salt, a quaint little bistro and bar on Coronation Road. The atmosphere was simply buzzing so we sat out front with a drink soaking it all in.
Before we headed back to our home for the evening, we stopped off at a local takeaway and enjoyed fish and chips on a bench as the sun set over the lake. Bliss.
Rise and shine
Both of us slept peacefully until mid morning (probably a combination of The Lake House’s comfy beds and not having our cat around to pounce on our heads at 3am) and headed downstairs for breakfast.
At some point while we were asleep, the weather had taken a turn, going from British summer time to virtually winter in the space of eight hours, but that didn’t distract from the glorious lakeside views outside.
We pulled up a pew in the restaurant and glanced over the breakfast menu as a member of staff took our drinks order.
Not one to turn down a hearty start to the day, I went for the ‘Lakeside Breakfast’; bacon, sausage, hash brown, tomato, fried eggs, mushrooms, beans and black pudding with a slice of bloomer toast.
Nicely presented and plenty to go at, this dish did the job of staving off any hunger for the next few hours.
Dave decided on the smashed avocado and poached eggs on sourdough toast with chilli and truffle. A zesty sounding dish that would certainly wake up any groggy guest. The eggs were perfectly cooked with a nice golden yolk. Perhaps a little too overpowering for first-thing-in-the-morning fodder, but this would suit nicely as a lunch menu item.
The Verdict
The Lake House is a great alternative to travelling miles away from home to get your summertime seaside fix, with plenty to see and do for visitors of all ages.
If you’re looking for a dog-friendly, welcoming hotel that has plenty of outdoor space surrounding it, book a stay at The Lake House in Crosby.
The Lake House, Cambridge Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 1RR
The Scores
15.5/20
Sleep quality 4/5 - Slept well throughout the night.
Breakfast 3.5/5 - Well presented and of good variety.
Service 4/5 - Friendly, knowledgeable and attentive.
Facilities 4/5 - Well equipped for an overnight stay.
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