Booking available via Heart of the Lakes
Dating from the early 19th century Jane's Cottage is almost two hundred years old and was originally built to house farm labourers. The cottage is located on the western side of the farm yard between the barn and the yard entry, so visitors are nestled snugly at the edge of a working farm yard, but are sufficiently removed from the day to day bustle of farm activity to be perfectly comfortable.
When staying in the cottage you'll regularly hear the clop of horses' hooves, cockerels crowing, and the bleating of sheep and goats. Don't be surprised if a horse pokes its head over the fence to take a peek at you while you're relaxing in the garden, or if a flock of sheep is herded past the garden gate while you're having your tea.
Some visitors to the farm enjoy getting involved with the day to day farming activities. So milking goats, feeding goat kids and lambs from bottles and hunting for where the hens have laid their eggs are all things that happen on a regular basis - depending on the time of year. If you ask us you can sometimes join in the fun.
At Old Farm we have several horses in addition to our other farm animals, so we will also offer stabling for your horse if you want to bring it on a horse riding holiday. The stables too are scheduled to be refurbished and we will soon offer stabling and a secure tack room and can provide feed for your horse and advice on the best places to hack out in the local area.
We're also happy for you to bring your dog so long as they are kept on a lead at all times. Even the best behaved dog can behave unexpectedly in the presence of farm animals, so it's important that they not be allowed to roam free outside of the cottage for the safety of our livestock.
If you want to stay in comfort in the countryside but are game for a slice of real working farm life right outside your window, then Jane's Cottage is the place to come.
We look forward to having you stay with us.
Jane's Cottage is set well away from the road at the top of a slightly bumpy private lane. The cottage nestles into the side of a hill with expansive views of the surrounding countryside and a view south looking down toward Esthwaite Vale and the village of Hawkshead. The cottage has two gardens with a picnic area, storage for bicycles, and parking for your vehicle. It is an excellent base for exploring the Lake District, or for simply enjoying a pleasant stroll to nearby pubs such as the Drunken Duck or the Outgate Inn. Hawkshead village itself is about a twenty minute walk along a public footpath through the fields.
Jane's Cottage was completely refurbished in 2016-17 by builders who restore historical properties for the National Trust. Extra effort was put into retaining its charm and original features while adding all the modern comforts to create a welcoming home, we went to great lengths to preserve some of the charming drunken angles of the original building. The cottage consists of a mezzanine bedroom with a double bed that also has a large bed trucked away in a quiet snug area ideal for kids or potentially another couple. Downstairs is a lounge, kitchen and bathroom and a comfortable sofa bed that can sleep two more people. The cottage can accommodate up to three couples or a single family.
You can choose to cook in the oven/hob in the kitchen or for the more adventurous chef, we have a wood burning stove with hot plates and oven located in the living room (an excellent place to keep a pot of tea warm if nothing else). Logs are available for purchase as needed.
Having disabled family members ourselves we've paid attention to disability access requirements while we refurbished the cottage, and while we weren't able to meet every standard we'd have liked because of the age of the building, we've done the best we can. We're pleased to say you can access the cottage by wheelchair, plug sockets are within reach and the bathroom contains disabled friendly features too.
Features
50 inch wall mounted TV with freeview channels and DVD/Blu-Ray player
Free wifi
Washing machine and tumble-drier
Wood-burning stove and hotplate
Kitchen with electric oven, gas hob, dishwasher, fridge and microwave
Wet room shower with Japanese style bath that seats two
Dogs are most welcome if kept on a lead at all times while on the farm
We can supply local food such as eggs, lamb from our own farm or pork and bacon from a neighbouring farm
Stabling and feed for horses is available at extra cost (coming soon)
Secure storage area for bikes and other outdoor equipment
Private garden and picnic area
Parking for your vehicle
Short walk to the local pub
