This welcoming holiday home is a spacious and beautifully finished mid-terrace barn conversion sleeping up to 4 guests in a quiet rural location just outside the village of Blencow. The upstairs living room is a stunning vaulted space with exposed roof timbers and a large wood burner for cosy evenings lounging on the sofa round the fire. Traditionally furnished and perfectly finished with paintings and ornaments befitting the room, it has an effortlessly timeless style, inviting you to sit down and make yourself at home. The dining kitchen downstairs has been similarly well designed and impeccably finished with everything you could possibly need, perfect for sociable meals around the table. There should be no arguments in choosing bedrooms either: the two main bedrooms are both exceptionally light and spacious with a sofa or comfy chairs for daytime relaxing as well as a king-size bed in one room and two doubles in the twin room. A third cosy double offers plenty of flexibility in a property for 4 people. The upstairs bathroom could be taken from a boutique hotel and there is also a shower room downstairs. Outside an enclosed garden offers sunny al fresco dining with views across the fields. This is a dog friendly property offering everything you need to spoil your four-legged friends but it is not suitable for any children.
Whilst there is three bedrooms, we are only able to accept an absolute maximum of four guests at the property.
The property is located between Blencow and Greystoke. Blencow is an attractive and peaceful village that is home to Grade I Listed Blencowe Hall. Just over a mile down the road, Greystoke has a village shop, a cafe, a pub and a heated outdoor swimming pool (open May to September). The market town of Penrith is just a 10-minute drive away and offers a range of independent shops as well as supermarkets and places to eat. There are a variety of walks you can do from the property without using the car; take in country lanes and rural footpaths and explore this lesser-known corner of Cumbria. There are also pubs to choose from in the surrounding villages. Hutton-in-the-Forest is just a few miles away; both the house and gardens are well worth a visit and there is a cafe to sample too. Or, for something a little different, take in a puppet show at the Upfront Gallery. There is a cafe here, too, plus local art exhibitions.
The wider area offers something for everyone. For an active holiday there are walks and cycle routes a plenty for all abilities. The High Street mountain rage can be seen from the property, as can Cross Fell in the Pennines, and both offer challenging walks. Beautiful Ullswater is just 6 miles away and best for quiet lakeshore ambles. Lowther and Brougham Castles are obvious choices for some architectural history, or go further back in time and seek out the stone circles of Long Meg and Castlerigg, both enigmatic and beautiful. Head for the shops in Keswick or Carlisle; either can be reached in around half an hour by car.
The property is an amazing property, managing to be both spacious and cosy at the same time, a real home from home.
From the parking area the property is accessed through the enclosed garden from where the front door leads into a large tiled hallway. A boot and coat rack are awaiting your outdoor clothing and the space on offer here gives you a good idea of how roomy the rest of the house is. A trunk at the bottom of the stairs contains most of what you will need to make your four-legged friends feel at home including cosy beds, throws and towels, dog crates and the use of an outdoor kennel can also be provided on request.
To the right of the hallway you will find the beautifully designed kitchen dining room. To the left the dining table seats four, perfect for sociable meals in. Even the most reluctant chefs cannot fail to be impressed by this kitchen, with American style fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, four-slice toaster and electric range cooker with double oven it has all the mod cons. There are ample cupboards containing everything you could possibly need with plenty of room left over to store supplies. The island unit adds storage and worktop space plus a breakfast bar - just as good for perching with a glass of wine to keep the chef company as for an informal breakfast. There is a Smart TV on the wall and the room is dual aspect with windows to each side overlooking the garden to the front. But the best feature is the room itself which is, somehow, effortlessly just right.
Straight across the hall up a single step are two bedrooms with a toilet and shower room in between. To the left down a small step is a huge bedroom with two double beds giving it the flexibility to be used as a twin or a double room. With a side window plus big glazed doors out onto a gravelled area with table and chairs, this is a lovely bright room. There is a chest of drawers and a wardrobe as well as the bedside tables but this room is simple and uncluttered. A Smart TV on the wall and a sofa make this a private space to escape to as well as a beautiful bedroom.
The stylish downstairs toilet and shower room is fully tiled with a large shower cubicle, beautifully finished with a shelf built into the wall.
The other downstairs bedroom is a cosy double with a window out to the road at the back. Storage can be found in a chest of drawers, there are lamps on the bedside table plus a mirror and TV on the wall.
Back through the hall and past the cleaning cupboard which houses a clothes airer, hand held clothes steamer and hanging space as well as the usual accoutrements, the carpeted stairs lead up and around past a huge feature mirror to the stunning first floor living room.
Exposed roof timbers, wrought iron chandeliers, stags head sculpture on the wall, wood floor, brown leather three-piece suite around the large wood burner; this room is timelessly elegant. Long winter evenings in will be welcome here to make the most of this beautiful room in which you will feel instantly at home. Relax on the two-seater sofa and two chairs with a glass of wine ready on the coffee table and choose from watching the mesmerising flames in the wood burner or taking in a movie on the wall mounted Smart TV. A good supply of logs will be provided with extra available for a small charge. The solid dark wood sideboard and side table hold lamps for atmospheric evening lighting, there are traditional paintings on the walls and two additional comfortable chairs. Windows look out to the front over the fields to the Pennines beyond.
Back past the stairs a corridor leads to the huge first floor bedroom with king-size bed and lovely views. The front window looks out over fields to Cross Fell in the Pennines and all the way round to the High Street range in the eastern Lake District, whilst the side window offers views of High Street and Mell Fell. This room is so spacious that there is ample room at the far end for 2 comfy chairs round a coffee table for enjoying some time out relaxing in the peace and quiet or watching the wall mounted Smart TV. Traditional heavy wood furniture - wardrobe, chest of drawers and bedside tables - add to the luxurious feel of this beautifully finished room.
Opposite the bedroom is the stylish main bathroom, another room you will want to spend plenty of time in to make the most of. Have a soak in the big feature bath with shower attachment or just a wash in the super-sized sink. Either way you'll be surrounded by a mixture of tiles and painted wood panelling with built in shelving for towels and toiletries - you really could be in a luxury spa. Plenty of light comes in through the skylight window for total privacy and also making the room feel even more spacious.
Heading outside the enclosed front garden is charming with a mix of lawn, shrubs, flowers and a patio. Al fresco dining is a must in summer with a table and 4 chairs on the sheltered, south-facing patio making the most of this peaceful location and views across the fields. The patio also gets the morning sun, perfect for a quiet cuppa to start the day. As the name suggests, swallows still nest elsewhere on the farm and you will be able to watch them swoop overhead or perch nearby to sing their cheerful song.
The property is a spacious, beautifully finished, comfortable property that you won't want to leave at the end of the week so make the most of it, settle in, relax and enjoy the special ambience of this lovely house. Please note that this property does not accept children under 18.