Guests say
The Old Farm is a characterful cottage praised for its beautiful location, charming gardens, and historical feel. Guests appreciate the well-equipped kitchen and the property's overall homeliness. While some guests encountered issues, the positive aspects such as the stunning views and the cottage's tranquillity are consistently highlighted.
Several reviews mention cleanliness issues, including cobwebs, dirty dishes, and a general lack of thorough cleaning. However, some guests found the property clean, indicating inconsistency in cleaning standards.
The location is highly praised for its tranquillity, stunning views, and proximity to local attractions. It is described as an ideal setting for a holiday in the Lake District.
Guests find the beds comfortable and the cottage cosy, though some mention low ceilings and steep stairs. The warmth of the property and the quality of the linen are appreciated.
The kitchen is well-equipped, but there are reports of maintenance issues such as a noisy fridge-freezer, problematic showers, and outdated decor. The gardens are well-received, but some outdoor furniture is lacking.
Some guests were pleased with provided towels and dishwasher tablets, indicating thoughtfulness. However, the lack of a welcome pack in some instances suggests that such gestures are not consistent. It should be noted that gifts are a kind gesture and not a guaranteed amenity.
About this property
A beautiful old farm cottage resting within the sleepy hamlet of Skelwith Fold, The Old Farm is a spectacular holiday home from which to explore Cumbria on a family retreat. Thought to date back to the 15th century, this historic holiday cottage offers a welcoming base and an idyllic location within the Lakes at any time of year. Take a couple of steps down into the porch where you can kick off your boots before venturing in to discover the beauty of the living/dining room where a woodburning stove awaits to warm you up after a day of rambling, this room boasting character in its rustic oak beams and traditional furnishings creating a homely aura, with a TV with Freeview and a CD player found here too for all you entertainment needs. Move through to the kitchen to find even more charm in its stone flooring and pine units housing all the essentials for a self-catered stay between here and the utility including an electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, heated airer and a dishwasher, boasting all you could need and more for a week’s escape. Sit around the breakfast table together, or take to the terrace garden at the rear of the property and dine alfresco, while the front lawn makes a lovely spot for your canine companion to play. The ground floor is also home to a single bedroom which is served by the sparkling ground-floor shower room, making a great choice for a sleeping spot for those less able, while up the ten stone steps to the first floor you will find a king-size room with an adjoining single room, wonderful for those travelling with a little one, and a fourth and final twin room, the family bathroom resting up here too where you can choose from a quick rinse off or a soothing soak following a day of adventure. The property rests within a wonderful position for the avid explorer; take a stroll down the hill towards Chesters by the River, where you can start your day with a warming cup of coffee and perhaps an accompanying cake, before joining the Cumbria Way alongside the River Brathay, linking the two historic towns of Ulverston and Carlisle, taking you to the wonder of Elterwater to find a café, pub and restaurant to take your pick from for a rewarding beverage of choice. For all of your local amenities spend some time in Ambleside, where you can find even more wondrous walking routes alongside the Stock Ghyll Force, while a trip to Grasmere offers you the excitement of Dove Cottage, home of the poet William Wordsworth and his sister. The literary lover is bound to love it here, with plenty of attractions surrounding Beatrix Potter being within easy reach too such as the National Trust owned Hill Top in Near Sawrey, once the author’s home, and The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere, offering wonder for all ages. Other notable attractions within easy reach include Rydal Mount & Gardens displaying the work of Wordsworth himself with stunning gardens to roam, Brockhole on Windermere hosting a variety of outdoor attractions from mini-golf to zip-wires, the National Trust Wray Castle and so much more, with the National Park boasting ample opportunities for walking, cycling, golf, fishing, horse riding, watersports and so much more. The Old Farm is a truly special holiday home, perfect for families seeking a memorable escape to Cumbria.
Lying at the northern tip of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake, Ambleside makes a superb base for touring the central Lakes, with Grasmere and the Langdale Valley just a short drive away. There is plenty to do here - cruises, boat trips and watersports on Lake Windermere itself and numerous shops, restaurants and pubs in the village to suit all tastes. On the lakeside at Waterhead, the parkland offers lovely views down the lake and a short stretch of beach, whilst a walk in the other direction, following Stock Ghyll through woodland, will bring you to the entrancing waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force. Along with the Lake and the great walking on offer, Ambleside is also famous for its annual rushbearing ceremony and the diminutive 17th century “Bridge House” - one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and now the National Trust Information Centre.
Accommodation
Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size, 1 x twin, 1 x single, 1 x ground-floor single.
Ground-floor shower room with shower, basin and WC.
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC.
Kitchen with dining seating.
Utility.
Living/dining room with woodburning stove
Electric central heating and woodburning stove.
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, heated airer, dishwasher, cot, high chair, TV with Freeview, CD player, WiFi and a selection of books.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Travel cot and highchair available on request.
Garage parking for two small or medium cars and off-road parking in front of the garage doors.
Front lawn and rear terrace garden with furniture.
One well-behaved pet welcome.
Sorry, no smoking.
Reviews (23)
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Sarah
Good points: wonderful old farmhouse in peaceful hamlet with great views, pretty garden, characterful interior - wobbly floors and exposed beams. Decent white bed linen, comfy beds, nice & warm. More space than expected: useful wash room and double garage. Weak points: judging from the quality and condition of the kitchen, bathroom and shower room they haven't been modernised since the late 1970s. Furnishings old fashioned (not in good way). For the rental price (£767 for 3 days) I would expect higher quality furnishings, bathroom & kitchen. Things that need changing urgently: 1. Kitchen glassware: the wine glasses were thimble sized, the tumblers were free with petrol tokens in the early 1980s. Awful! 2. Whilst well-stocked, the kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery were ancient, low quality and grubby; I put on a dishwasher cycle on arrival. 3. Please provide washing up liquid & kitchen surface cleaner. 4. Decent quality hand soap from a local gift shop would show a little care & attention to compensate for kitchen & bathroom agedness. 5. Ancient deep-cleaning equipment (e.g. stainless steel cleaner / fly spray) under kitchen sink made the kitchen stink - needs chucking out. 6. Guest instruction manual was dog eared and shabby - needs replacing & updating. 7. Previous guests hadn't put rubbish in black bags, so this was left by the bin men.
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Lindsay
Be aware that the adjoining room to the main bedroom is not accessible in any way but through the main bedroom, and also that though the description states the garage is suitable for 2 small to medium cars, you will not be able to exit the garage easily if you do try and put two medium cars in it. The facilities were very poor, with the upstairs shower completely unusable as water pours through the kitchen ceiling every time you try (obviously an ongoing problem based on the water stains on said ceiling). There is no support available from Sykes during your stay, as we discovered after phoning the emergency number within the posted hours to try and find out why we had no water one evening, and were unable to get hold of anyone. When we followed up the next day and also reported that the shower was unusable, we were promised Sykes would look into the issue then heard nothing else for the remainder of our stay. This resulted in four adults on a fairly active holiday having to share a single shower, which was not ideal. Following our trip we have reported these issues to Sykes, and received very little response other than "we have passed your concerns along to the local office". Unfortunately we would not use this company again, and would caution others to read other reviews before booking. Had we done so, we would have noticed the string of negative feedback this cottage has had over the last 12 months and would have made alternative plans.
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Colin
Need a car to get around as nothing too close by, and the single lane tracks may present a problem to some. Location itself is perfect for walking, stunning scenery. Could do with a light outside rear of property. Some more home comforts (salt/pepper etc) would of been nice but otherwise the kitchen was well stocked. Lights failed in part of the property on our last night as we were going to bed, so not too much of an inconvenience - likely a fuse but could not find the box! Had an issue with wasps towards the end of our stay. Would stay again, more likely in Summer months.