Paddle the lakes
Pick up a kayak, canoe or paddleboard from the Activity Hub and head out onto Beaumont Lake at your own pace
Silverlake Estate
A private lakeside estate in the heart of rural Dorset, home to 8 individually designed holiday homes, an award-winning spa, on-site dining and hundreds of acres of unspoilt nature reserve. It’s a place built for families, groups and couples looking for stunning spaces, lakeside adventure and the kind of stillness that’s hard to find anywhere else. Just 2.5 hours from London and ten minutes from the Jurassic Coast, choose from one of the 8 properties for a smaller escape, or book several together for larger gatherings.
The Homes
The Silverlake collection on Birch Stays spans eight individually designed properties, ranging from snug lakeside cottages to spacious contemporary homes sleeping up to eleven guests. No two are alike. Each has its own character, setting and feel, from the wood-burning warmth of Brook & Bay House and its reclaimed timber interiors, to the elevated views and rooftop terrace of Sky & Water Retreat, to the sweeping apex window and sculptural staircase of Hillcrest Haven. The Willow & Water House is the largest of the collection at five bedrooms sleeping eleven, while Lakeview Mews offers an intimate two-bedroom escape with private garden and direct views across Beaumont Lake.
All properties are fully self-catered, come with a welcome hamper of locally sourced produce, and include access to the Hurricane Spa, the Activity Hub and the wider estate as standard. Whether you’re planning a family break, a group getaway or a quiet retreat for two, there’s a home here to suit.
RESERVE FOR FREE: We’ll hold your dates for 24 hours, completely free. Resort Activities
Silverlake is set up for activity or complete stillness, and most guests end up doing both. The estate’s inclusive activity hire means kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, bikes and e-bikes are available to all guests from day one, no booking fees, no faff. The freshwater lakes are calm and clean, making them ideal for a morning paddle or a first attempt on a board, while the network of trails through heathland and ancient woodland offer easy walking or cycling at any pace. For something more structured, the Hurricane Spa runs a full programme of treatments alongside its heated outdoor pool, sauna and gym, and the Hurricane Terrace is on hand for a lakeside lunch or woodfired pizza whenever the mood strikes.
Hurricane spa
Spend a morning in the heated outdoor pool, sauna and treatment rooms overlooking the water
Cycle the estate
Borrow bikes or e-bikes and explore the trails through heathland and woodland at your leisure
Fish on otter lake
The estate's private fishing lake is one of the quieter corners of Silverlake, ideal for an afternoon away from the group
Guided nature walk
The estate's nature reserve is home to over 420 moth species and 21 butterfly species; guided walks are available for those who want to know what they're looking at
Tennis courts
The perfect spot for a quick knock-about or an entertaining game of five-a-side football with family and friends.
Spa and Fitness
The Hurricane Spa sits at the heart of the estate, designed with nature at its core and built to feel like an extension of the lakeside landscape around it. Reserved exclusively for Silverlake guests and homeowners, it offers a genuinely complete wellness facility without needing to leave the estate. The centrepiece is a 20-metre heated outdoor infinity pool overlooking Beaumont Lake, with sun loungers, a poolside drinks ordering service and direct access to the private lakeside beach.
A sauna, a dedicated relaxation lounge and a full suite of treatment rooms round out the offering, with therapists delivering a bespoke menu of treatments using GAIA Skincare, an organic, nature-inspired product range developed specifically for holistic wellness. For those after something more energetic, the gym is equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym kit for cardio, weights and stretching, with qualified personal trainers available to book. The roof terrace above the spa serves as the Hurricane Terrace and Bar, where guests can wind down with drinks and views across the heathland and lakes after a treatment or a swim.
Food & Drink
On the estate, the Hurricane Terrace and Bar is the social hub for eating and drinking, set on the roof of the spa building with open views across Beaumont Lake and the rolling Dorset countryside. It serves locally sourced drinks, cocktails and light food throughout the day with no booking required, and runs a seasonal tapas menu on selected evenings drawing on Dorset produce and Mediterranean flavours. Next door, the Pizza Shack operates through the season from a woodfired oven, serving hand-stretched sourdough pizzas made with fresh, local ingredients. For evenings in, all properties come fully self-catered, and pre-prepared meals made by the estate’s chefs using produce from the sister Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds are available to pre-order for arrival. Private chef arrangements can also be organised on request.
For those wanting to explore beyond the estate, the surrounding area is strong on food and drink. The Wise Man Inn near Dorchester serves seasonal British dishes with a modern edge, The Castle Inn at Lulworth offers locally sourced pub food with views of the Dorset countryside, and Shell Bay at Studland provides fresh local seafood on the water’s edge. The Thimble Inn in the Piddle Valley is a thatched, award-winning local pub with Palmers ales and seasonal Dorset cooking, and the Smugglers Inn at Osmington sits on the South West Coast Path with views out to Portland.
The location
Silverlake sits within a private gated estate in rural Dorset, just 2.5 hours from London and 10 minutes from the Jurassic Coast. The nearest town is Dorchester, with Wool train station a short drive away offering direct rail links into London Waterloo in just over two hours. It’s an easy base for groups wanting genuine countryside seclusion without sacrificing accessibility, and the surrounding area rewards those who venture out. The Jurassic Coast stretches from Chesil Beach to Old Harry Rocks, taking in Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and the sands of Studland Bay along the way. Inland, Corfe Castle and the Isle of Purbeck offer history and walking in equal measure, while Bournemouth and Sandbanks are close enough for a day by the sea. Whether you’re after coastal walks, seafood lunches, country pubs or National Trust countryside, everything is within comfortable reach.
