In the Lake District, perched 1500 feet up on the flanks of Skiddaw, is a hostel known as the loneliest house in the UK.
Skiddaw House is loved by hikers and cyclists as the saving grace from a lonely journey through the heather and hills of this stunning landscape, where its manager Sue Edwards provides a roasting fire, cosy bedrooms and jaw dropping views over the fells of the Lake District.
Such is its isolation that Skiddaw House was once described by novelist Hugh Walpole as “one of the loneliest dwelling-places in all the British Isles”, he wrote in his 1932 murder-mystery novel The Fortress.
This building is known as the most remote in the UK, and until now, has been almost entirely inaccessible by car – but I was lucky enough to be given a chance to tackle the steep, narrow, winding path up to Skiddaw House in a brand new Dacia Duster.
I was apprehensive at the opportunity, as I have recently moved to England from New Zealand and have never driven a car in this country, let alone been one of the few people to tackle a notoriously challenging off-road route to this isolated house.
But I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, so I packed my bag, made sure my emergency contacts were updated and headed off to the Lake District.
Immediately there was another first: the Duster is a left hand drive, which I’ve never driven before, and the handbrake was nowhere to be found.
Brushing aside my slight panic, I got behind the wheel and after a brief rundown on where the handbrake was (to the left of the steering wheel, and automatically on when the car is in neutral) we were off. After some teething issues with a hill start, I was stunned by how easy it was to drive.
After a two-hour scenic tour of the Lake District past Lake Windermere and some of the more awe-inspiring mountains I’ve ever seen, we reached the start of the ascent to Skiddaw House.
Travelling in convoy, we began the climb. Initially, the drive was simple through farmlands with plenty of curious sheep taking a look at our vehicles winding slowly upwards. Then, the road seemed to fall away on the left hand side directly below my seat as we continued to climb.
The narrow path was edged by heather on one side, and a 30 foot drop down to the river below on the other, which I tried very hard not to look at.
But the Duster took it all in stride, striving on despite my shaking hands on the wheel. Up ahead, slicing through the dark mountainside, was the snow white froth of Dash Falls cascading down the hills.
It was so beautiful it took my breath away – although that might have also been because I was white knuckling the steering wheel so hard.
After curving around the falls, we continued on and the road narrowed again. Although we had passed the sheer drop, another challenge arose with the path being enclosed by purple heather and rocks to either side.
The Dacia Duster has a corner safety system which sings a rather pleasing sound out when an obstacle is detected to let you know you might be getting a little close. This alert rang out incessantly as we bumped through the heather.
The car handled the jagged path incredibly. Despite the rattling of the road, the car stayed on the straight and narrow and took every rock, boulder, bush and bump with ease. It wasn’t until we got to the house that I was told my car had been travelling with two wheels in the hedgerow and two wheels on the road, tipping the vehicle at a jaunty angle almost constantly.
The suspension is so good I had barely even noticed I was sideways. Luckily, if you’d rather drive horizontally, the Duster has a feature that can be switched on which will display the exact angle you’re tilting at on each axis.
As we reached the culmination of our journey up to the house, we turned a corner in the heather-covered moors and there it was, looming up out of the mist.
The building is a sight to behold. Perched atop a hill, it’s surrounded by 200-year-old trees which have been blasted by the howling wind over the centuries. The forest to the back of the house seems to bow towards it in reverence and the two-storey property sat solidly in the mist staring out over the hills.
Like something out of a novel, the house commands you to drive towards it. I could imagine weary travellers climbing the mountains and feeling that thrill of discovery as they came across it. It is not exactly a welcoming-looking building but rather a compelling one.
Once we drove through the gates we were immediately welcomed by Sue Edwards who has lived at Skiddaw House and cared for its guests for the last two years, along with her lolloping spaniel Jura – who’s official title is “Head of Meet and Greet.”
Sue’s passion for her work and for the property is obvious and the house itself is a warm hug in the middle of the unforgiving mountains. A roaring fire, hot tea, and the cosiest bedrooms I have ever seen offered a welcome reprise from the bitterly cold wind whipping at my face as I drank in the scenery.
There’s no electricity, and no phone signal at Skiddaw House but you don’t need it. The house is truly an escape, and with the silence of the countryside pressing against you from all sides it’s an incomparable experience.
After one of the best sleeps of my life, I awoke and went out to the garden of the house to take a final look out to the fells of Skiddaw. Standing just metres from the house, where my travel companions were bustling about making tea and breakfast, I could have been the only person in the world.
Despite being so close to people, I could not hear a word from them over the dull whistle of the wind through the heather and between the mountains. I don’t know how long I stood there staring out across the dense mist, but it could have been years. The fresh air whipped my hair and wound across my ankles but I didn’t care. All I felt was peace.
Finally, we bundled back into the cars and began the descent down the mountain and back to reality. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so regretful to leave a place behind, but I know I’ll be back.
This trip was a true outdoor experience made possible by Dacia. All elements of our journey to Skiddaw House, on-road and off-road, took place in the All-New Dacia Duster. Find out more via dacia.co.uk .