Our Family, Our Farm, Our Otter Tarn

Otter Tarn is very much a family story. John and Kath Blackett came from farming roots, with dairy farming followed over the years by arable and sheep farming. John later became the founder of a major UK pet food manufacturing business, but farming and the countryside always remained an important part of family life.

In 2004, John and Kath bought Mungeon Farm, a run-down farm that had once formed part of a historic estate. Extending across 500 acres with a beautiful 13-acre fly fishing lake, it was never simply a business opportunity. This was to be their forever home – the place they had dreamed of, where the family could return to its farming roots and begin a completely new chapter.

From the moment they arrived, caring for the land was part of that vision. The farm has been involved in a Higher Tier environmental scheme since 2004, beginning a long-term commitment to protecting and improving the landscape, its habitats and wildlife. Much of what guests experience at Otter Tarn today has been shaped by more than two decades of careful environmental management.

John and Kath also began imagining a new future for Mungeon Farm, and this is where Otter Tarn was born. Kath’s incredible eye for detail and passion for creating something truly special played an important part in shaping what it would become. Together, John and Kath were the vision and driving force behind it all – combining their love of farming, family and the land to create the Otter Tarn we know today.

The Otter Tarn journey began with an old, run-down cattle barn. Rather than lose part of the farm’s history, John and Kath saw what it could become, transforming it into Mungeon Barn, the four-bedroom luxury barn conversion guests stay in today.

From there came the first four lodges – Billy Boo, Tewets, Silly Knott and Neddy Cut – followed later by Toad Mire and Horse Spout. Each was designed specifically for its place within the landscape. From handmade kitchens and oak interiors to carefully considered views and outdoor spaces, every detail mattered. The aim was never simply to build holiday accommodation, but to allow guests to experience the farm, lake, wildlife and countryside that our family loves, while enjoying somewhere genuinely special to stay.

You may have already noticed that our properties have some rather unusual names. Billy Boo, Silly Knott, Tewets, Neddy Cut, Toad Mire and Horse Spout probably tell you a little about the personalities behind Otter Tarn too. We have never wanted the estate to feel overly formal or corporate – the names are part of its character, and a little of our family’s quirky personality has found its way into Otter Tarn along the way.

That same passion remains at the heart of Otter Tarn. Kath is renowned among our guests for her warmth, personal involvement and extraordinary attention to detail, with many returning guests knowing her personally. For Kath, hospitality has never simply been about providing somewhere beautiful to stay – it is about making people feel genuinely welcome and cared for.

In more recent years, John and Kath’s three children have become involved in the business too, fulfilling something they had always dreamed of – creating something the family could build and enjoy together. We have always been an incredibly close-knit family, so seeing three generations now working together towards the same goal is something very special to us.

At the heart of that shared ambition is the family’s clear belief that owning this land comes with a responsibility to give something back. Our vision is to leave the farm and its landscape better than we found it – not only for our family today, but for the generations that will follow.

That philosophy is now rooted in everything we do at Otter Tarn. It influences how we farm, how we manage the land, how we protect and create habitats, how we develop the estate and how we make decisions about its future. For us, sustainability isn’t a separate project or a recent idea; it is the continuation of a commitment to the land that began when John and Kath arrived at Mungeon Farm in 2004.

And while we work to protect its future, we also want to share Otter Tarn in all its glory today – its landscapes, lake, animals, wildlife and the experiences that come from having 500 acres of the Lake District to explore. We want our guests to experience the place our family knows and loves and to understand a little of why it means so much to us.