Please note that Saturday changeovers are usually preferred from April to October, when most bookings are full weeks. Chestnut Cottage is a traditional whitewashed Lakeland cottage on the south slopes of Skiddaw. Many things make Chestnut special but for most people it is the breath-taking views that matter the most. From the kitchen, lounge, bedrooms and patio you look south over Borrowdale and Newlands. Even as you lie in the bath you will look north up to Carl Side and Skiddaw Little Man. It’s a special feeling to soak away the aches of a hard walk whilst being able to look at the route you took. The cottage was extended in 2017/18 and is now about twice the size it used to be. The slate rear wall is now a feature inside the house and there is a new master bedroom with a luxurious en-suite, plus another upstairs bathrooms and an alternative staircase. In spite of the scale of the changes, Chestnut retains the charm and character of the old house, alongside the comfort and practicality of the new space. You will enter the cottage through the farmhouse door of the spacious, newly built kitchen. This features solid oak work surfaces, an induction hob, fan oven, grill microwave, dishwasher, washer-dryer, Belfast sink and an extendable 6' dining table. This is a light room with lovely views and we’ve put bookshelves in here to hold a collection of maps and guidebooks to help you plan your days. We are keen cooks, so the kitchen is equipped with good quality pans, sharp knives and almost every utensil you could need from a mortar and pestle to a hand blender. From the kitchen you walk through into the main room of the old house: a large, comfortable lounge with a huge oak beams, a large log-burning range (logs provided), various sofas and chairs, and a games table. This is a lovely room to while away long winter evenings or to relax after a good dinner. If the weather takes a turn for the worse you can keep everyone entertained with our collection of DVDs, books, games and toys. Between the lounge and the kitchen there’s plenty of space for everyone to find somewhere to relax without getting under each other’s feet. From the lounge the old slate staircase leads steeply to the first floor and bedrooms 2 and 3 with their bathroom. Those with older legs might prefer to take the easier route upstairs via the new back hallway. The back hallway joins on to the lounge. Here you will find plenty of space for drying wet walking gear. The old rear wall of the house now forms one side of the staircase which leads directly to the master bedroom. Off this high-ceilinged rear hallway is a downstairs WC which also provides space for drying gear (not that it ever rains in the lakes, obviously!). The master bedroom at the top of these stairs is a newly built double bedroom with vaulted ceilings and an en-suite bathroom. It has views on to the garden and to the south over Borrowdale, Newlands, the Coledale hills and Whinlatter. The en-suite bathroom includes a double ended bath and a separate shower cubicle, WC and washbasin. The bathroom has views of Carsleddam, White Stones and Skiddaw Little Man. If you leave the bathroom door open you can lie in the bath and look over Borrowdale on one side and the Skiddaw range on the other; we can’t be the only people who think that life rarely gets better than this. The master bedroom has a doorway directly into the middle bedroom, which can be kept bolted if you prefer. The middle bedroom can also be accessed from the landing at the top of the old slate staircase and sleeps four people in a bunk bed and two single beds, which can be put side-by-side for a couple. The third bedroom is a double with a king-sized bed. Both of these rooms share the same magnificent view to the south; and this is works particularly nicely in bedroom 3, where you can look over Borrowdale whilst drinking your morning tea in bed. These rooms are next to the family bathroom which has a large bath, WC and washbasin, and more nice views to the north. Outside there is a nicely sheltered seating area with a wooden bench directly outside the kitchen door. From here there are steps up to a large patio area with table and chairs and another bench. A pint of beer in this lovely spot tastes even better if you’ve earned it by walking up some of the many hills you can see to the south or the north. The rest of the garden heads steeply up towards White Stones and Carl Side and is in the process of becoming a wildflower meadow. The front garden and patio are planted with herbs, roses and wildflowers to attract wildlife. The cottage is visited by red squirrels and a wide variety of birds, and birdseed is provided for guests to keep the feeders topped up. There is parking in front of the cottage for two cars, with more space down the lane. Here are some common questions about the cottage 1) Can I bring my dog? We're sorry but due to the presence of a lot of free-range chickens in the area we do not allow dogs other than disability assistance dogs (but please give us warning of this). 2) Will this cottage work well for sharing with the grandparents? Yes – if they might struggle with the steep slate stairs then they will probably prefer to have the master bedroom; if they are OK with the steep steps then they can use bedroom 3. 3) Will this cottage work for 3 couples? Yes, the middle bedroom can be arranged for a couple with the pull-out bed being the same height as the other single. 4) Will this cottage work for two families sharing? Yes, provided the kids are happy to share the middle room and provided two of them will be happy to share the bunk bed. There’s plenty of space for two families now that there’s two bathrooms, a big lounge, big kitchen and downstairs WC. 5) Can we bring our bikes? Of course. Let us know if you’re planning to do this and we’ll try to arrange some storage space for you. We’re keen cyclists too and you’ll find various cycling guides around the place. Please contact us if you have any other questions. Damian