Notes from the host
Barley Hill Cottage
Barley Hill Cottage is the quintessential rural retreat with “a view to die for” over the rolling farmland of the Bowmont Valley to the neighbouring hills of the Northumberland National Park. Far from its more humble beginnings as a shepherd's cottage, the building has recently been extensively renovated to a high standard throughout in a rustic style befitting the magnificent, natural surroundings.
Quintessential rural retreat with views to die for
The cottage is incredibly light being south facing and the area at the front of the cottage is a fabulous place to sit and have lunch or enjoy a glass of wine in the evening while the setting sun lights up the valley and hills with breathtaking beauty. Equally fabulous views are on offer from the raised garden at the rear of the property.
The beautifully presented interior has been decorated in a simple, rustic style in warm, earthy tones in keeping with the surroundings. The Chalon-style kitchen is handmade by a local craftsman and merges seamlessly with attractive antiques and state of the art beds with ultra-comfortable mattresses and sumptuous White Company linen and towels.
Barley Hill Cottage is well placed for exploring many of Northumberland's natural hidden gems. On its door step in one direction lie the Cheviot Hills, the rolling blanket of people free hillsides that slope and swell amidst the 400 square miles of Northumberland's National Park. Here you will find some fabulous walking and cycling from gentle forays to extensive rambles amidst spectacular scenery.
GROUND FLOOR
Small entrance hall with an adjacent cloakroom with basin, WC, and small storage cupboard.
Kitchen - the beautiful, handmade, Chalon style kitchen is fully equipped with double gas oven with 4 ring gas hob, fridge with ice compartment and dishwasher. There is ample storage with a handmade welsh dresser for storage of glassware and crockery and an additional pantry cupboard in the hall. There is an additional chest freezer in the storage room outside.
Dining - the dining area has a table and chairs for 4 guests, while the charming cosy seating area has a log burner for the cooler months with logs are provided and two double sofas. There is plenty of indoor entertainment provided including HD television with Sky, CD player with iDock and a selection of books and magazines.
Utility/boot room with washing machine. The room houses the boiler and hot water tank, is ideal for drying outdoor kit and also as serves as an excellent sleeping quarters for dogs.
Bedroom one with zip and link beds which can be set up as a 6' super king double or 3' twins as required, fitted wardrobe and chest of drawers.
En-suite shower room with walk in shower, basin and WC.
Bedroom two with 5' double bed and chest of drawers.
En-suite bathroom with bath with shower over, basin and WC.
OUTSIDE
To the front of the property is a gravelled patio garden with outside seating area boasting outstanding views across the Northumberland National Park. There is an additional gravelled patio area to the rear of the property with a charcoal barbecue in addition to a raised garden area with fabulous views to the hills. The garden is fully enclosed at the front and rear for the safety of dogs and children. External rod racks are also provided. An outside shed houses a freezer, and can be used for storage of bicycles or other items.
PARKING
There is private parking for two cars to the side of the house.
BABIES & CHILDREN
A travel cot and highchair are available on request. Guests with small children should be aware that there is a low wall linking the rear garden to the patio area with an unfenced drop of approximately 4 feet at the highest point.
DOGS
Two dogs are welcome at Barley Hill Cottage. We ask that dogs are kept off the furniture and out of the bedrooms. We also ask that dogs are clean before entering the property. Guests with dogs must follow the footpaths, and have dogs on a lead in the vicinity of livestock. As this is a shooting area, access to the woods with dogs is not permitted and guests must ensure pheasants are not disturbed by their pets.
GUEST AMENITIES
Bed linen and towels are provided for guests. A hairdryer is provided in each bedroom.
WI-FI & MOBILE COVERAGE
Wifi is available. Mobile reception at Barley Hill Cottage is also limited, however the reception improves if one walks a little way up the hill behind the cottage.
HEATING & ELECTRICITY - IMPORTANT!
Hot water is provided by solar panels, backed up as necessary by an oil fired boiler which also provides central heating. The entire building is insulated to a high standard, so heat loss is kept to a minimum.
Due to the rural location of Barley Hill Cottage, and the owner's understandable decision not to ruin the view with overhead power cables, electricity in the cottage comes from a cleverly designed private power supply system, incorporating a generator, batteries and inverter. This provides a standard (230 V AC) supply, capable of delivering all the normal lighting and power requirements of the building. As in any normal house, power is available 24 hours a day, though the diesel generator only runs for a limited number of hours each day to top up the batteries. The generator is almost silent, can barely be heard from inside the house, and is only faintly audible when sitting in the garden outside. It is designed to be as economical as possible, and so as to preserve absolute silence, does not run at night. In order to keep the running hours of the generator to a minimum, guests are encouraged to be especially careful not to use electricity unnecessarily. If heavy loads are to be used (for example washing machine, or dishwasher) it is best to ensure this is done during the generator's daily running periods. This will actually minimise both fuel usage, and the time for which the generator runs. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION
If you are looking for a property in a similar style, The Smithy, Crookham sleeping 2, The Bothy at Reedsford sleeping 4+2, The Barn at Reedsford sleeping 2, The Byre at Reedsford sleeping 4 and No. 9 sleeping 4 share the same owner.
Hosted by Crabtree & Crabtree