Merlewood is part of the Holiday Property Bond portfolio offering exclusive access to over 1,400 properties to its 42,000 investors across more than 30 locations. You can find out more about Merlewood below, but first a brief explanation about the Holiday Property Bond.

A. How can I holiday better?

Invest from £5,000 in the Holiday Property Bond for exclusive access to a portfolio of over 1,400 top quality villas, cottages and apartments in over 30 locations across the UK and Europe. For each £1 invested you will receive one Holiday Point each year which you can use to book the properties. And when staying in them you do not pay a commercial rent, just a no-profit user charge covering actual running, maintenance and refurbishment costs. This charge is level throughout the year so there are no high season premiums. For a studio for two the charge averages about £300 a week, for a two bedroom property sleeping up to six around £460 a week. And there are larger properties available. This no-profit user charge is only payable when you want to go on holiday. Your only ongoing commitment is a quarterly fee of around £30 – that is around £120 a year.

B. Will there be more properties in the future?

As we attract more investors the more properties we will add to the portfolio – increasing your holiday choice still further.

C. How long can I holiday with HPB?

For life if you wish – the holiday benefits last as long as you hold the Bond. In due course you can pass it and the holiday benefits to your children and grandchildren, as many of our earlier investors have already done. If, however, at some point you and your family no longer wish to holiday with us you can surrender your Bond back to the company after two years or more (subject to deferral in exceptional circumstances). You will not get back the full amount you invested, although we would hope that you will have had some wonderful holidays. What you do get back will reflect initial charges (25%) taken before your money is invested in the HPB fund of holiday properties and securities. The fund itself also pays annual charges of around 2.5% and other overheads. The value of the fund’s properties and securities can also go up or down and so, like most investments, your capital is at risk.

More about Merlewood

Merlewood was formerly the home of Alfred Binyon whose nephew was the poet Lawrence Binyon. Today it provides 55 wonderfully comfortable self-catering holiday cottages and apartments in beautiful and peaceful surroundings, within easy reach of the southern Lake District.

The property is in Grange-over-Sands, a seaside resort that has retained its Edwardian charm. You truly feel as if you are stepping back in time here, with its pedestrian-only promenade, popular bandstand and lovely ornamental gardens. Even the shop fronts have stayed the same!

Windermere, Coniston Water et al are easily accessible, while for the more urban-minded, the city of Lancaster – often and unjustly overlooked in the guide books – is just a half-hour drive away.

There is a selection of dog-friendly holiday homes to let, and we also welcome kids and young families. Enjoy our on-site steam room, indoor swimming pool, children's playground and even crazy golf. There is plenty to see and do both at Merlewood and in the surrounding areas, all of which you can enjoy from the comfort of your luxury holiday property.

Merlewood is part of the Holiday Property Bond portfolio offering exclusive access to over 1,400 properties to its 41,000 investors ("Bondholders"). If you are not already a Bondholder and would like further details please see below.

Relax in some beautiful gardens

On a sunny day, what could be better than walking around some well-crafted gardens? Grange Ornamental Gardens has a Victorian feel and boasts a huge range of shrubs and trees, as well as rare genii.

If you venture out as far as Windermere during your stay, you may want to visit Holehird Gardens. Within its 17 acres of land, it features a variety of natural spaces, including rock, walled and heather gardens. Plus, an alpine house and many trees and shrubs.

Try the original sticky toffee pudding

A beloved British sweet, the sticky toffee pudding was apparently invented in Cartmel in 1960. A visit to this charming village is a must, then! It's also home to the best restaurant in the country (according to The Good Food Guide): L'Enclume.

When you're not gorging on food, be sure to visit the 12th-century Cartmel Priory and the National Hunt racecourse (the smallest racecourse in the UK).

Keep the whole family entertained

If you're planning to take the kids away with you, there are plenty of family attractions to keep them entertained. Fell Foot Park not only has outdoor and indoor play areas for the little ones, easy access to the lake means everyone can go for a paddle or swim, or even hop on a boat.

Ducky's Park Farm is also great for a family day out. It has a huge outdoor play area, a selection of rides and you can get up close to a variety of farm animals.

Learn more about the local area

There are plenty of museums around Merlewood should you want to learn more about the local area. Kendal Museum is well worth a visit, just for the fact it's the oldest in the country! Here, you can find out more about the area's natural history.

Promising Vikings, Victorians and warships, the Dock Museum in Barrow-in-Furness is free to visit and popular with families. It even has a playground. If you prefer cars to ships, however, you may prefer the Lakeland Motor Museum in Backbarrow.