With exposed beams adding character and a wood burner to keep you warm, this home is a great escape for six guests. Head out to explore straight from your door and enjoy your proximity to the local pub.
Situated in the attractive village of Hesket Newmarket, this stone-built cottage has been lovingly renovated by its current owners to create a home which combines plenty of traditional features with comfort and practicality. Sleeping six people, it is ideal for families or couples travelling together and makes a perfect base for exploring the northern Lake District from Penrith to Keswick and Cockermouth. Carlisle, the Solway Coast, Hadrian's Wall and the Eden Valley are also within easy reach.
Good sized rooms, a well-equipped kitchen, exposed beams and stonework plus plenty of light combine to make this cosy cottage a lovely place to be. Add to this an enclosed south-facing courtyard garden plus fabulous views and footpaths for access to the fells and you have the perfect base in which to relax and enjoy your holiday. A large wood burner in the living room provides extra cosiness and mesmerising flames for snug winter breaks. The property is close to a local pub with its open fires, Hesket Newmarket ales and good pub food for those evenings after a day on the fells.
Hesket Newmarket is a small unspoilt village in the northern Lake District providing that sought-after mix of a peaceful location that is within easy distance of numerous local attractions. There is a village shop for necessities as well as a post office, tea room, pub, and a small children’s play area right opposite the cottage which will keep younger members of the group happy. Walk from the door with a choice of the more challenging High Pike and Carrock Fell or a gentle walk to neighbouring Caldbeck along the river, plus numerous local footpaths mean there are walks to suit all abilities. Caldbeck is another tranquil village tucked in a green valley surrounded by moorland; it has a historic church, pub, several cafes and craft shops plus a large duck pond on the green and a beautiful section of Cald Beck running though its centre.
This area of the northern Lake District is known as Back O’ Skiddaw and is quieter than the tourist hotspots of Keswick and Ambleside, making for peaceful walks amongst rolling fells or less used paths up the popular Skiddaw and Blencathra. All of the starting points for walks within Wainwright’s Northern Fells book could be reached within a 30-minute drive. If you prefer something a little less active then you are also within reach of the attractive market towns of Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith plus the historic city of Carlisle, all of which are worth a visit. The historic properties of Hutton in the Forest, Mirehouse and Lowther Castle are a similar distance away, all of which have lovely tearooms for treating yourself too! The Eden Valley, Hadrian’s Wall and the Solway Coast are also within easy reach giving you wide horizons to explore. If you want to be in a home-from-home property in a quiet location away from the main tourist hotspots, yet within easy reach of all of the northern Lake District and Cumbria, then this cottage is for you.
Locally rumoured to have once belonged to the local Stobbart family, it has been renovated by the current owners to combine plenty of traditional features with comfort and practicality. It has such a welcoming atmosphere that you will not fail to feel instantly at home. The cottage has light bright rooms yet a really cosy feel and all the main living rooms and bedrooms have lovely views to the front over the green to the woods and fields beyond.
The front door leads into a central hallway with practical tiled floor for muddy boots and handy hooks above the radiator for drying out coats on wet days.
Off the hall is a homely country kitchen with a centrepiece Aga giving this well planned room a warm heart; the farmhouse style is continued with a double Belfast sink, exposed beams and quarry tiled floor. Traditional style does not mean no 'mod cons' and the kitchen is well equipped including a microwave, dishwasher, television and radio. There are even some cookery books to inspire your creativity! The owner recommends the bottom oven of the Aga for slow cooking a casserole while you are out enjoying the fells. A solid wood table with seating for six and views over the green completes the room making it a social space for spending time with friends and family creating fabulous holiday memories.
Off the back of the kitchen is a handy utility room with American-style fridge/freezer including an ice machine - just right for completing your favourite tipple. There is also a washing machine and tumble dryer, plus a clothes airer for utilising the Aga to dry clothes overnight. A Belfast sink can tackle dirty boots. There is also an electric oven and gas hob in here, as a back up for the Aga.
Back across the hallway past a convenient and spacious downstairs toilet/shower room is the cosy living room. A large wood burner in the fireplace entices you to spend evenings in front of the fire whatever time of year you visit, logs are provided to get you started. Traditional oak coffee table and sideboard, exposed beams, woodcarvings and the fireplace make for a lovely country cottage feel which can be enjoyed from the two comfy sofas. When you tire of staring into the flames or watching the world go by on the green outside the window there is a TV and DVD player to entertain you plus a good selection of games and jigsaws can be found in the sideboard. Or you could head to the desk under the stairs at the back of the room to make use of the maps provided to plan your next walk. A large map of the area on the wall is also ideal for planning days out. The sitting area can be curtained off from the stairs for added cosiness and privacy.
The wooden stairs lead up to a spacious and light landing area with skylights and exposed stone features. There is space here for the cot, though it could be moved into either of the double bedrooms if required.
Off the landing are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The first bedroom straight across from the stairs up a further step has a king-size sleigh bed, fitted wardrobe, chest of drawers and exposed beams. The other is a twin bedroom (this can be made into a super-king upon request, just let us know at the time of booking) and has a wardrobe and chest of drawers for storage. The third bedroom snuggled between the other two is a cosy bunk room with chest of drawers and exposed beams. All three bedrooms have stunning views across the green at the front of the house to the fields and woods beyond, a good excuse to linger over a morning cup of tea in bed!
The bathroom is lit by a skylight making it lovely and bright. A tiled floor and shower over the bath mean it is practical whilst the choice of tiles, wonky walls (look at the tiles in the corner over the bath!) and sloping ceiling maintain the traditional cottage feel of the property.
A door at the bottom of the stairs leads out into an enclosed gravelled courtyard garden which is a real suntrap. A BBQ and picnic bench provide for dining alfresco and, if it gets too hot in the sun, take a seat on the bench under the pergola which supports a shady grapevine. The back gate opens onto a pathway leading onto the common at the back of the cottage giving direct traffic-free access to the footpath network.