Dog Friendly Cottages in Kirkby Stephen

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Ewan - Verified booking

  We had a lovely week at High Sprint Gill.

  The enclosed garden really is enclosed, and our two "lively" working cocker spaniels enjoyed exploring and taking a wee sip from the stream (until it dried up in the heatwave!). The view from the garden was - WOW - panoramic across the dales. There are some lovely mature trees around the cottage and a wide variety of birds visiting. A wooden bench and picnic table are a nice touch for eating outside, and there is apparently more garden furniture around but we didn't use it. The cottage itself stayed cool indoors, providing a relief from the heatwave, and although the Aga cooker stayed hot, it wasn't a problem for us. In normal times, when temperatures are cool, the Aga will be a lovely background warmth in the cottage. We used it for some cooking: the hot / very hot plates heated up pans nicely and worked well for shallow frying. The oven was great for heating things up too; faster than we expected. There is also a conventional electric oven and large microwave. Overall, the kitchen was well-equipped and had all that we needed, including a radio. The owners left plenty of dish-cloths and drying towels, which was kind. A small boot room on the ground floor provided some extra storage, and there was a toilet, sink, washing machine and tumble dryer in this room too. We didn't need the dryer as it was hot enough to hang washing on the line outside; pegs were provided. The main lounge was spacious, with two comfortable sofas, CD player, freeview TV, DVD, and VHS. You can educate young children on historic media technologies of yore while on holiday. We didn't use the open fire, but it looked easy to use and was already set up to be lit when needed. Extra fuel was available with an honesty box to cover the cost if you need to light a fire each night. We reckon the cottage would be very cosy in the late autumn or early spring when the Dales get a bit chilly. A second dining room is provided, complete with another freeview TV, dining table and chairs, and an old upright piano. We enjoyed playing games in the dining room at night and the piano was an added bonus if you fancy some DIY music. The dining room had an electric heater if it gets chilly, and there are some lovely exposed beams in each room. The cottage feels like you are stepping back in time, and is the most characterful property we have stayed in with Sykes. Upstairs there are creaky, slightly uneven floors, and beautiful views out across the moors or down the lane. The master bedroom has a sink, which was handy for us as a family of 4 adults, and plenty of storage. Beds were comfy, although one matress probably could do with an upgrade on one of the single beds as it was rather thin (would be fine for under 12s though). The bathroom was large and includes a bath, bidet and shower. Everything worked nicely for us, although the shower occasionally took a while to get going. This was just part of the charm of the cottage for us though: the cottage gets water from a spring, and water is heated from the Aga. The owners left small supplies of toiletries in each room, which was great. Overall, we got the impression that the owners really care about their guests and work hard to make the cottage feel homely and comfortable. High Sprint Gill is highly recommended if you want to 'escape' for a while and enjoy being in the Dales and spotting hares, red squirrels, or birds of prey. Mobile coverage was good on Vodafone and other networks, if you need that, and the Wifi was also good but don't expect to stream 4K video. It's a short drive from Kirkby Stephen, which has a Co-op, Spa supermarket, garage, and take-aways if you want a break from cooking. The bakery, pubs and cafe looked good, but we didn't have time to sample them. We spent some time in the Fat Lamb pub garden (walkable from the cottage; about 2.5 miles) during our stay, and the walk from the pub to Ravenstonedale was worth it for the scenery, although we ended up staying on the road most of the time to avoid livestock. For dog walking, there were a couple of viaduct walks that were quite sheltered (from the heat) and mostly flat for easy walking. Opportunities for off-lead walking are limited to places without livestock, which rules out most of the Dales during the summer, but the Smardale viaduct walk was mostly off-lead, provided some shelter from the sun, and had impressive views and can provide shorter or longer routes as required. We also visited Sedbergh and Acorn Bank (national trust), but in 'normal', cooler weather there are plenty of walks from the cottage if you want to leave the car behind or get on a bike. The cycle routes look great, and not always too steep. There was a large parking space outside the cottage, with enough space to turn around. The lane approaching the cottage is quite bumpy and narrow (7 foot at one point), so pump-up your tyres. There is a single garage attached to the cottage but we didn't use it. In summary, this is a wonderful cottage with heaps of character and has everything you need for your stay. It's rural, beautiful, and quiet. Just what we needed.

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• Claire - Verified booking

  A lovely but rainy two weeks!

  Sally End is well equipped and in a beautiful remote location, but with Kirkby Stephen and Sedbergh both close enough to pop in for supplies. The garden is safely enclosed (even for beagles!) and has good views, even in the rain. There's good parking space out front, and everything for checking in and out was simple. The rooms are a good size, though I didn't get on with the bed and my husband didn't get on with the sofa! The Aga meant we were never cold, but stopped us eating round the table as much because it was very hot in August, even with the rain. I'm sure it's delightful when it's cold out, though, and my husband enjoyed cooking on it. Sally End was supplied with clean cloths, cleaning products, and a Henry to easily tidy back up after our stay, oh and our teenager took full use of the WiFi on rainy days - it seemed really fast and sturdy enough to play online games on his phone, so he was happy. We enjoyed the variety of DVDs and books supplied! Overall, a cosy base to stay to explore Cumbria, the Yorkshire Dales, and the Lake District, even in summer storms - with it's thick walls and the aga, we almost forgot the winds and rain outside!

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• Carla - Verified booking

  Absolutely perfect little cottage in a idillic location.

  Lots of local walks right from your doorstep. The inside decor is well thought out and is spacious but also super cosy. The weather was on my side so enjoyed the garden as did my dogs, one literally slept on the grass all day long! The snug and its rocking chairs looking out onto the garden and fields beyond was perfect. The owners live next door and were very friendly and said I could knock on their door if I needed anything. The only one thing I feel I need to mention is the garden fencing, if you have a very small dog or a fence jumper this garden will not be secure enough.Also if they are reactive to sheep as they are in the field at the bottom of the garden. Having 4 dogs myself and 2 of them being super reactive and escape artists i know I could not bring them. Having said that the two I did bring had the absolute best time and I will 100% be returning to Lime Tree Cottage

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• Jim & Pauline - Verified booking

  My husband and I (plus our collie) had a most enjoyable holiday at High Sprintgill - it was lovely to stay in such a beautiful cottage which still retains much of its historical character and charm.

  
The cottage was cosy and warm and the use of the open fire in the evenings after walking on the fells during the day was very special and really contributed to the enjoyment of our holiday. However the Aga was the real highlight - it really is the heart of the cottage and so welcoming to come back to after being out all day. The cottage was spotlessly clean and maintained to a very high standard and Robert and Sara were friendly, helpful and kind hosts - they genuinely care and look after their guests ensuring they have the best holiday possible. High Sprintgill is situated in a very quiet and peaceful area - the location is amazing and the local scenery is stunningly beautiful - it is wonderful to have direct access to the higher fells and beyond. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at High Sprintgill and look forward to returning to this lovely cottage.


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• John - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful, relaxing stay at Lime Tree Cottage.

  The cottage is perfect. Very tastefully decorated throughout, comfortable and well equipped. The welcoming basket from Stephen and Judith was much appreciated. The garden was ideal for the dog. Plenty of space and enclosed with views of open fields and countryside all around. Winton is a beautiful, quiet location with plenty of walking options. A meal at the Bay House pub is recommended but definitely book first. The nearby town of Kirby Stephens had plenty of places to eat and drink and the people were all welcoming and friendly. It's location gives access to the Lakes, Pennines and Yorkshire Dales which are all a short drive away. Already planning our next stay. John, Karen and Bert the dog.

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