The Tree House, Forton, Lancashire ? review

Me Tarzan, you city softie with a yearning for a taste of nature ? this stylish and luxurious holiday home on stilts near Lancaster is a memorable boltholeThe first thing to point out is that the Tree House is not a treehouse. Certainly not in the classic Boy's Own sense. One of four individual self-catering properties at a fly-fishing lake, Cleveley Mere, near Lancaster, it sits amid a tight knot of trees (there is even one growing through the roof), but it has been built on stilts, rather than in the stout boughs of some enormous gnarled oak.Nonetheless, this Scandinavian-style lodge is a memorable bolthole. The owners, the Burnsides, previously had an interior design company, and it shows. Personally, I found certain features (L-shaped white leather sofa; an Opti-myst "flame effect" fire, inset below a large flatscreen TV) a little blingy, but, taken overall, from small details such as the tree-stump bedside tables, to the handsome Miele kitchen, this is a genuine, Grand Designs-style "vision", brought to life in wood and glass.Midwinter, despite its glass frontage, the Tree House was seriously toasty, and the bed (handmade mattress with a down topper) is arguably worth the trip alone. Fittingly, I slept like a log. Guests receive complimentary wine, chocolates and free-range eggs, laid by hens, Ken and Tucky, and, for minimum hassle, you can also pre-order a well-stocked, good-quality breakfast hamper (�45, products from Booths, the Waitrose of the north).On a cold day, you may be tempted to simply hunker down indoors, with the Wii and the Tree House's collection of DVDs and old school games (KerPlunk!). But, particularly in summer, Cleveley Mere offers much to see and do.You may be minutes from the M6, but there are deer, peacocks and otters to spot around the 34?acre site, and numerous pedalos, canoes, mountain bikes and ziplines that guests can use. There is also a games den (pool, table football, etc), a secluded summer house and a small riverside beach. The Tree House itself is connected by a rope bridge to a lakeside "sunset deck", and has its own barbecue, separate fire pit, rowing boat and sun loungers. There are also activities you can pay extra for, such as fishing lessons and clay-pigeon shooting.That action-adventure aspect of Cleveley Mere won't suit everyone, of course. In bad weather, it can be slippy and boggy underfoot. I nearly went for a Burton stepping down from the games den, and with its rope-bridge and tight internal spiral staircase, the Tree House is no place for elderly, infirm relatives. There are other minor caveats, too. Bear in mind that, while the Tree House sleeps four, two of those are in single beds on a mezzanine above the lounge. That's fine for a family, less so, perhaps, for four adults. Two months after it opened, I also came across a couple of teething problems (a loose banister; a blind falling down while I was showering).All in all though, the Tree House is a gem. No, it's not cheap, but you could easily waste that money on nothing, elsewhere. Whereas this really is something special.? For more information on Lancashire, head to visitlancashire.comSelf-cateringLancashireUnited KingdomShort breaksTony Naylorguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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