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Otters Holt

(Ref. 1103091)

Great Asby near Appleby-In-Westmorland, Cumbria & The Lake District Show on map

4.7

Sykes rating

  • 5 Guests

  • 3 Bedrooms

  • 1 Bathroom

  • Pets Yes

Features

  • Four poster bed
  • Open fire
  • Garden / Patio
  • Cot available
  • Highchair available
  • Dishwasher
  • Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing
Cleanliness
Comfort
Facilities and Maintenance
  • All reviews
  • cottage (22)
  • village (14)
  • lovely (13)
  • stay (11)
  • our (11)
  • beautiful (10)

28 Customer Reviews

  • "This was our 3rd stay at Otters Holt in past 13 months ."

    A delightful cottage in a beautiful setting . Welcoming .warm and well appointed. Hopefully will be back again

    Reviewed by Jeff5.0Dec 2024

  • "The property was great for visiting the Yorkshire Dales, lakes and surrounding areas."

    The local pub is worth a visit proper pub food. The cottage is cosy and clean and everything you need in the kitchen. Great space upstairs with good sized bedrooms.

    Reviewed by Emma4.4Aug 2024

  • "Fantastic Stay in the Countryside - Highly Recommended!"

    We stayed at Otters Holt for 3 nights in mid August, and it was a wonderful experience. The property is nestled in a village just a short drive from the nearest town. The surroundings were unbelievably peaceful, with stunning views of the countryside. The property itself was spotless and well-equipped and maintained. The decor was absolutely beautiful and it is such a cute and cosy home. It had everything we needed for a comfortable stay, including a fully-equipped kitchen and reliable Wi-Fi. The beds were extremely comfortable (the main bedroom was absolutely gorgeous!) and the outdoor seating area was perfect for enjoying the sunset. The real fire was also lovely and cosy in the evenings. There were numerous leaflets and booklets which provided recommendations for local restaurants and activities. The local pub (literally a 1 minute walk!) served beautiful homemade food and was very welcoming to visitors and dogs. There’s so much to do in the area and there are public footpaths at every turn. The village is lovely, and everyone very friendly. We visited Ullswater Lake, Rutter Force Waterfall, Penrith and the Medieval Castle. All easy to do in the time we had. The garden space was lovely to relax and unwind. It was a haven of tranquility, with birds chirping and flowers in full bloom. In the morning you can hear the sheep and cows. Overall, I would highly recommend Otters Holt to anyone looking for a relaxing and comfortable retreat in the countryside. I will definitely return!

    Thank you for that. It’s mission accomplished when we get a review like yours. We try really hard to make it how you described. Thank you again. Glad you enjoyed your stay. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Adele5.0Aug 2024

  • "Nice cottage in a nice village."

    Small, but comfortable.

    Reviewed by David4.4Jul 2024

  • "Another lovely stay at Otter’s Holt!"

    Loved the cottage and village on our first trip so decided to come back to explore the area a bit more. We found lots of new and interesting dog walks around Great Asby so Daisy our Labrador was delighted too

    Reviewed by Judith5.0Apr 2024

  • "What a little gem!"

    Such a lovely tastefully decorated well equipped and welcoming cottage in a very friendly village. Lots to explore around the Eden Valley and Yorkshire Dales as well as the busier tourist attractions in the Lake District so we hope to come back soon!

    Reviewed by Judith5.0Dec 2023

  • "A nice inviting cottage, toasty warm."

    Bedrooms lovely and comfortable. Well equipped kitchen. Loved it so much booked again for next year.

    Reviewed by Sarah4.7Oct 2023

  • "Very comfortable cottage."

    Standard of cleaning very high, thank you. Beds very comfortable. We are very considerate dog owners and travellers but the message left about the dog rules as soon as we entered the property was we felt over emphasised by its harsh tone and found it rather unwelcoming for a pet friendly cottage. Otherwise we would be happy to stay again if we are in the area in the future. Thank you.

    Thank you for your feedback. I can only apologise for the note. This was left by the cleaning company. It’s a new note but we also didn’t agree with the tone and filed the last one away at the back of the welcome book. I’m sorry it was returned to full view. We welcome all dogs and responsible owners. We trust that people know their dogs and don’t leave the dog in the house on its own to do mischief. If that were to happen, then we would hope that any damage or excess cleaning if they got on the beds were admitted to and paid for as most would. We don’t encourage dogs on the sofa but recognise that they have a tendency to try it on when backs are turned so we leave throws and blankets for guests to use at their discretion. Apart from that, we want people to think of the house as they would their own. I’m sorry that they chose to leave that note. We will talk to them about it. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Fiona5.0Oct 2023

  • "Very well appointed cottage, nicely furnished and felt like a home rather than just a rental."

    The village is ideally located to go to Lakes or Pennines, but also lots of walks from the doorstep.

    Reviewed by Anne5.0Sep 2023

  • "Lovely property in a beautiful location."

    Very easy to get to the Pennines and Lakes. The local pub was lovely. We were surprised to not find a washing machine in the property - the length of our stay meant we had to utilise a local laundrette quite a few times.

    Thank you for your comments. The list of facilities are listed on the website. We had a finite amount of space in the kitchen and chose a dishwasher instead of a washing machine. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Lizzee3.4Sep 2023

  • "The property and the amenities were great."

    The only issues I would say were that the hot water was really hot and could do with being turned down a bit to avoid burns, especially for younger kids; maybe install a stair gate to stop dogs from running up; maybe have a thinner duvet on the double beds in the summer as it was really hot during the night. Also, I didn't realise the parking space in the driveway was for the neighbouring cottage. All in all a fantastic cottage in a great location

    Thank you for the feedback. I will look at turning the boiler down a few degrees. We don’t want anyone hurting themselves. We do have to keep it at higher levels than you do at home because of regulations for commercial property but we will set it to the minimum allowed. I’ve been thinking about a stair gate as it was mentioned by a guest last year. I didn’t install one because of the aesthetics but I’m going to look into getting one that will blend in when not in use. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Craig5.0Aug 2023

  • "We had a wonderful 7 night stay at Otters Holt, cottage was beautiful & the welcome pack was a lovely touch!"

    Everything we needed for our family of 4 & our Labrador! Plenty of towels, hand soap, tea and coffee, tea towels and milk upon our arrival. Travel cot and high chair were provided & we would definitely come again. Situated in a quaint village, with a playground for the kids and village pub! Lots of walks and family activities within a 30 minute drive, on a rainy day we even managed to find a pool and softplay to entertain the kids in Penrith.

    Reviewed by Holly5.0Aug 2023

  • "This was our first visit to Otters Holt and we absolutely loved it."

    There was everything that we needed and more. Ideal location for us to explore Cumbria and Yorkshire. We would certainly look to visit again.

    Reviewed by Fraser5.0Jul 2023

  • "Stunning well furnished and decorated cottage in a nice village within easy reach of some of the best country side in England."

    One nice pub in the village and a bus stop that has all the history of the village plus books,Dvds,jigsaw,and details of local walks

    Reviewed by Jeff5.0Apr 2023

  • "Couldn’t get either of the televisions to work, it was a little dusty and ..."

    Couldn’t get either of the televisions to work, it was a little dusty and cobwebby in places, but a lovely little place, garden was very nice too, shame the weather wasn’t good enough to use it very much

    Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry if you found cobwebs. We had done a thorough spring clean before your visit but cobwebs soon spring back. With regards to the tvs. They were just switched off at the plug and are working fine. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Elisa3.4Apr 2023

  • "We had a lovely stay with our grandchildren at Easter."

    The cottage is very cosy and in a lovely friendly village.

    Reviewed by Paul4.7Apr 2023

  • "We loved your place and it was perfect for us - very comfy, warm and great location."

    Unfortunately the new landlords at the pub were new and not doing food so we cooked each night but good range of dishes/pans etc in the kitchen too. The master bedroom in particular is wonderful - large with a huge comfy bed and vaulted ceilings. The photos don't do it justice. Great Asby villagers are so friendly - we and our dogs were really made to feel welcome as visitors and will be back!

    Reviewed by Maggie5.0Mar 2023

  • "A beautiful cottage with great walks nearby ."

    We walked from Rutter Falls to the New Inn pub and enjoyed great food . The master bedroom was so spacious and comfortable. We went to the village pub which was only open at weekends and enjoyed chatting to the friendly people from the community. Will definitely be coming back . Our grandson enjoyed the little village play ground about 100 metres from the cottage . You will not be disappointed with this treasure of a find .

    Reviewed by Angela4.7Feb 2023

  • "Review We had a great time here!"

    We stopped for three nights over the new year period. The cottage is really cosy, even more so as the xmas decorations were still up when we were there, which was a nice festive touch. The property itself is a bit top heavy. Downstairs you have a cosy living, dining kitchen which includes under floor heating, upstairs is much bigger as it stretches over next doors driveway/shared walkway. The kitchen is fully stocked with the usual kitchen crockery but has lots of extras like waffle maker, slow cooker and electric whisk. It also had phone chargers, hand wash, dish soap, dishwasher tabs, tea towels, foil & clingfilm. As well as staples such as salt, pepper & vinegar. Also some nice welcoming shortbread and hot chocolate!! The main bedroom has a vaulted ceiling, wood burning stove and plenty of drawers/wardrobe space. Very spacious relaxing room. The bathroom has good supplies: body wash, bath foam, hand creme & body crème. The bath is huge and great for soaking. We visited the Three Grey Hounds (local pub) on NYE, which is a nice place and very reasonably priced. Other than the pub there’s not much else in Great Asby so we’re glad we brought ample supplies of food / drink and a couple of bags of logs as there’s no shops in the immediate vicinity. A few minor things that slightly let the place down for us: - when we arrived there were three dog poos in the backyard. One of my dogs unfortunately stood in one, which wasn’t a great arrival - my dog knocked a toy ball under the couch, when we fished it out it was absolutely caked in dust and hair, think it needs a good hoovering under there - I’m not a tall guy but even I had to duck down to see in the bathroom mirror. It’d be good if it could be moved up the wall a few inches Other than the above, we really enjoyed our stay and would happily return for a quiet get away. We’d like to visit in the summer months as I imagine it’s nice to sit out by the river in the sun.

    Thank you for your comments. I’m sorry about the mess in the garden. We try to leave poo bags for guests but sometimes they get missed and with it being dark early, our cleaner must have missed them. We will take this up with them along with the dust under the sofa. We hope you will visit again in the summer months but please be aware that the stream outside the house sometimes dries up in dry weather. The spring in the centre of the village provides permanent water all year around but it is a run-off stream from the hills above at our point. Being Cumbria, you never know. It can change from bone dry to a metre deep and back again during the course of a week no matter what the month. Property Owner

    Reviewed by James4.7Dec 2022

  • "The cottage is beautiful ."

    Set in a charming village it’s everything you need for an amazing relaxing hideaway . We cannot express enough how wonderful our stay has been . The owners are responsive to any queries . Can’t wait to come again x

    Reviewed by Rob5.0Dec 2022

  • "Beautiful cottage in a lovely little village."

    Very well equipped, and spacious. Underfloor heating was luxurious. Close to great dog walks. The three greyhounds is recommended as food was delicious. Would definitely recommend this cottage to everyone.

    Reviewed by Debra5.0Oct 2022

  • "Lovely cosy cottage."

    The area is very quiet and beautiful. Enjoyed driving into Appleby as there’s nothing to do in great asby itself. The pub was closed a couple of days as well while we were there. There was a lot included in the cottage like toiletries, welcome pack, dog biscuits, and throws for the furniture. This was great but wish we knew this ahead of time as we brought all these with us and we could have saved space in our small car. Dogs are not allowed upstairs. However, there is nothing stopping them from wandering up so a stair gate would be helpful. Or, fix the doors upstairs so that they close over properly and prevent dogs from entering the rooms. The garden was lovely and mostly enclosed but we had to block off an open bit using sun loungers to stop our dogs sneaking through into the next garden. Pros - lots of good communication from booking to arriving. Added extras like welcome pack etc Huge comfy bed in main room Shower and bath were lovely and big Quiet area with hardly any noise or traffic Easy to get to nearby towns Tesco do grocery delivery here which we did WiFi was great Underfloor heating was lovely Wood burner nice to have Lots of space in the cottage Clear instructions and info in visitor pack Cottage was very clean and welcoming Cons- no stair gate to prevent our nosy dogs from wandering upstairs. 3 out of 5 doors don’t shut over properly from outside again not preventing dogs from entering them. We were constantly chasing them downstairs until we blocked the stairs ourselves using a sunlounger. Would be helpful to know exactly what’s included in extras so we didn’t bring things with us that we didn’t need. We have a small car with family of 3 and 2 dogs so could use extra space. Area a bit too quiet for us. No shop in village No signal on our phones Overall the cottage was beautiful and we enjoyed our stay. Would return for a family weekend. Wouldn’t bring dogs again as it’s hard to stop them wandering around and I was wary of them leaving dog hair upstairs as they cast a lot. The area was just too quiet for us.

    Thank you for your feedback. We have now fixed the upstairs doors so that they shut properly. We are at a loss how your dog got out of the garden. We have a large Labrador and a small poodle and neither of them have been able to escape. The only place we can imagine the dog got out was by scrambling over the oil tank based on the location of the sun lounger. Credit due to the dog if that was the case. Property Owner

    Reviewed by Tracey4.1Oct 2022

  • "Would recommend to anyone lovely cottage"

    Reviewed by Dean4.7Sep 2022

  • "The cottage was well-presented and pretty."

    Generally very clean apart from several spiders' webs and a really yucky pile of dust and hair that had built up behind the bathroom bin. Also, lacked a full-sized ironing board, scissors or any wooden spoons

    Reviewed by Sheelagh4.4Sep 2022

  • "Beautiful cottage and village."

    The cottage was comfortable and well equipped. Would recommend to friends and family and would visit again.

    Reviewed by Helen4.7Aug 2022

  • "Lovely cottage, very comfortable, and had everything we needed as a family of four with two small children."

    Delightful and superbly peaceful surroundings. Would highly recommend.

    Reviewed by Agnes5.0Jul 2022

  • "Stunning cosy country paradise"

    Reviewed by Steve5.0Jul 2022

  • "Absolutely beautiful cottage in a lovely friendly little village, the cottage had everything that you needed and was very beautifully presented and every little detail was thought of."

    Would 100% stay here again. Highly recommend.

    Reviewed by Kirsty5.0Jul 2022

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Summary

  • Three bedrooms: 1 x super king-size four poster bed with TV and woodburning stove, 1 x double, 1 x single
  • Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC
  • Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining and sitting area with woodburning stove
  • Oil central heating with 2 x woodburning stove
  • Electric range, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, slow cooker, waffle maker, coffee grinder
  • 1 x TV, 1 x Smart TV with Netflix (please use own log in and subscription), DVD player, WiFi
  • Books and board games
  • Fuel, power and starter pack for woodburning stove inc. in rent
  • Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
  • Highchair and travel cot available
  • On-street parking
  • 2 well-behaved pets welcome
  • Rear enclosed garden with patio and furniture
  • Sorry, no smoking
  • Shop 5.2 miles, pub 0.2 miles

The property

Otters Holt is a charming river side stone terrace cottage in the National park conservation village of Great Asby.

Unusually this Cumbrian village sits within the Yorkshire Dales National park, situated in the beautiful Eden Valley, where the Dales meet the Lakes it makes the perfect base for exploring this stunning part of the country with the Dales and Lake District National parks on your door step.

With a fantastic open plan living, dinning kitchen with inglenook fireplace, stunning double height master bedroom with a romantic super king four poster bed and wood burning stove, two further cosy bedrooms and pretty enclosed courtyard garden, countless walks and cycle rides on the doorstep and a friendly country pub a short stroll away.

Otters Holt makes the perfect choice for a romantic couples escape, a group or family holiday, come share our little bit of Eden.

The cottage boasts a lovely comfortable interior; be welcomed into the open plan living space where you can look forward to evenings relaxing in front of the crackling wood burning stove, chatting, playing games or watching your favourite TV show or DVD.

Conjure up a delicious home cooked meal in the well equipped kitchen dinner, with handy dishwasher, ready to enjoy at the dinning table for five as you recount the days adventures, and why not try making waffles for breakfast!

Climb the stairs up to the first floor where you will find a well appointed bathroom and look forward to an indulgent soak in the bath after a long country walk or refreshing morning rinses under the overhead shower.

When sleep calls choose from three lovely bedrooms; a generous super king size with romantic four poster bed, wood burning stove and TV, as well as a double and a single, all with plenty of storage for your belongings.

Outside, the pretty front cottage garden has views of the beck (which sometimes runs dry in the summer months) and faces east; perfect for a morning cuppa while listening to the birds and babbling beck.

If you’re lucky, you may see red squirrels on the beck side looking for food.

The secure back patio garden catches the afternoon and evening sun, a great place to enjoy a glass of wine and some alfresco dining.

A short walk along the beck is the renowned Three Greyhounds pub offering a warm welcome and home cooked meals, there are also a number of cosy country pubs and tea rooms and even a chocolate factory with cafe within the surrounding villages.

For a wider selection of amenities take the short drive to Appleby-in-Westmorland where you can stock up on essentials.

Visit Appleby castle or the grade 2 listed building of St Anne’s hospital, wander along the River Eden,test out your swing at the excellent Appleby golf course or hop a train on the world famous Settle to Carlisle scenic railway.

Great Asby is an exceptional location sitting in the beautiful unspoilt Eden Valley, within the Dales National Park and only a short 10 mile drive from the Lake District National Park and Penine AONB.

The village is a paradise for walkers, cyclists and nature lovers surrounded by numerous walking trails and cycle routes.

Red squirrels and roe deer are regularly spotted in and around the village, red squirrels have even been seen in the garden.

Otters, dippers and kingfishers have been seen in the beck not far from the village, why not see how many different birds you can spot at our bird table!

Great Asby Scar nature reserve, on the outskirts of the village, is an important and rare limestone pavement habitat and offers stunning distant views of the lake district fells and pennies mountains.

Continue on to Penrith gateway to the northern lakes, home to a remarkable 14th century castle, the fascinating Penrith museum which houses Roman pottery, the Thacka Beck nature reserve and renowned Penrith Beacon Monument which sits over looking the town, is a great hiking spot.

From here venture in to the Lake District National Park, where you can explore Dalmain House and historic gardens, try your hand at a wide variety of water sports at Ullswater or tackle the famous Hellvellyn peak.

This and more awaits you at Otters Holt.

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £250.

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About the location

APPLEBY-IN-WESTMORLAND

Penrith 14 miles.

The historic town of Appleby-in-Westmorland lies in a loop of the River Eden and is overlooked by the North Pennines, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the Lake District Fells showing on the western horizon. Set at the heart of the lush Eden Valley and steeped in history, this is one of the loveliest towns in the north of England and was originally the county town of Westmorland. Appleby is nestled between the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales, so guests can enjoy the contrasting scenery of these two National Parks, plus numerous walking and cycling opportunities as well as the fantastic leisure centre in the town. Appleby has a wonderful selection of quality independent shops, cafes and delicatessens selling locally produced food and crafts. The picturesque street of Boroughgate, with some interesting old buildings, is at the heart of the town and links the well-preserved Norman Castle with the fine medieval Church of St. Lawrence. Appleby is a major stop on the Settle-Carlisle Railway, which is one of the most beautiful railway journeys in Britain, and still today many of the old steam trains wend their way along this line and over the historic and awe-inspiring Ribblehead viaduct. With the delightful Ullswater and the magnificent Lake District within easy reach, this is an ideal holiday location.

View more holiday cottages in Appleby-in-westmorland

This property offers the following short breaks:

  • Winter
  • Off-season
  • Last minute
  • Christmas