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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: WhitstableDave on 14:05:11, 30/06/20

Title: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:05:11, 30/06/20
In the not-so-distant past, my wife and I were happy to sleep in tents on our holidays to faraway places such as the Scottish Highlands. We weren't walkers then and we travelled by motorbike, but the principle was much the same: carry only what can be strapped to the bike and rough it!

Nowadays, we prefer self-catering cottages and all the comforts they bring.

I've noticed in the months I've been a member here that tents feature regularly, while cottages and other types of accommodation barely get a mention. Having stayed in a dozen or so self-catering cottages in the last three years, I’ll attempt to restore some balance by reviewing some here. And who knows? Perhaps someone might decide they like the look of one and rent it for a week or two…
 
I’ll start with Hywel Sele Lodge near Dolgellau in Snowdonia:
 
We’d spent a week in a cottage near Snowdon a few months before and fallen in love with Snowdonia. For our next visit, we decided we’d like to be within easy reach of Cadair Idris, and we discovered this castle-like cottage online:
 
(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Hywel_Sele_Lodge_1.jpg)
 
Hywel Sele Lodge is actually an early Victorian folly, which serves as a gatehouse on the Nannau Estate. But it really does feel and look like a castle.
 
(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Hywel_Sele_Lodge_2.jpg)
 
There are two bedrooms, but we found it the perfect size for just the two of us.
 
From the windows, there’s a good view of the Cadair Idris range:
 
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190601/ae9f9e1bc514dcc9c1b9e2336382bef4.jpg)
 
And this is the almost genuinely medieval toilet!..
 
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190601/085c89b6179e4a669ae786a4180f1882.jpg)
 
We arrived and found the key in a prearranged place. We saw no one all week and left the key where we’d found it. The cottage is about 100 yards down a tree-lined track – here, we’re returning after an evening stroll:
 
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190601/dc17ddf6c813c900a28c2e2be97a526a.jpg)
 
We loved Hywel Sele Lodge and would recommend it highly.  O0
 
Oh, and in addition to Cadair Idris, we did a good many other excellent walks in the area. My personal favourite (meaning not my wife’s!) was the climb up Aran Benllyn and on to the summit of Aran Fawddwy. Aran Benllyn is about 9m shorter than Cadair Idris while Aran Fawddwy is about 12m taller and the two summits are 1.5 miles apart. Whereas the summit of Cadair Idris was very busy, we had this pair completely to ourselves – and the views were every bit as spectacular!
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: SteamyTea on 15:27:35, 30/06/20
Where did you leave the keys.
I fancy sitting on that throne.
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: BuzyG on 15:29:25, 30/06/20
I that Liberace's lost loo by any chance.  ;)
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: SteamyTea on 15:33:14, 30/06/20
I that Liberace's lost loo by any chance.  ;)
Ewwwww
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: BuzyG on 15:35:41, 30/06/20
We have found many great and relatively cheap places on Air b&b in the past few years.  That lodge is particularly cute though.  O0 


We find the later you book the more chance of finding a quirky often excellent bed for the night, as the regular rooms sell out first and there is always another place to stay. (Just as long as you have a car that is).
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 19:24:05, 30/06/20
We frequently stay in self catering accommodation in the UK and abroad. It is more flexible and better value than hotels or B&Bs (IMO) and my wife wouldn’t rough it by camping. She has camped with me in the New Forest and the Lake District, but decided it wasn’t for her.
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: Brandywell on 19:32:44, 30/06/20
I've noticed in the months I've been a member here that tents feature regularly, while cottages and other types of accommodation barely get a mention. Having stayed in a dozen or so self-catering cottages in the last three years, I’ll attempt to restore some balance by reviewing some here.
 

Please don't!!!   :(
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 19:39:59, 30/06/20
Please don't!!!   :(
Why ever not? Not everyone has to stay in a tent in order to go walking. I would be interested in reviews of self catering properties, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: SteamyTea on 21:33:24, 30/06/20
Why ever not? Not everyone has to stay in a tent in order to go walking. I would be interested in reviews of self catering properties, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.
What is needed is a set of cheap places to stay along well used routes.
Ones with washing machines and tumble dryers.
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 21:40:24, 30/06/20
What is needed is a set of cheap places to stay along well used routes.
Ones with washing machines and tumble dryers.
Not everyone wants the same things. I am past the stage where cheap is the main priority. I would imagine the places that WhitstableDave has mentioned were not selected solely due to a low price, but that won’t be an issue for some. To me well used route means popular or busy. That is also not my cup of tea.
Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
Post by: Brandywell on 21:51:24, 30/06/20
Why ever not? Not everyone has to stay in a tent in order to go walking. I would be interested in reviews of self catering properties, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.
Well I can't speak for the Highlands and Islands but here in Cumbria there are about 7.000 holiday lets, equivalent to a town the size of Kendal.  I say 'about' because nobody really knows the true figure. Most of them are owned by people who don't live in the county and have bought them with 'city money' as an 'investment'.  The majority of them avoid paying council tax by declaring themselves as small businesses and claim 100% business rate relief so hence pay nothing at all towards local sevices which include -
 
  • Road maintenance, repairs and street lighting
  • Local transport services like buses
  • Children’s social care
  • Support for elderly and vulnerable
  • Supporting children’s education
  • Preventing homelessness through social housing
  • Libraries, arts, museums, leisure and recreation services
  • Maintaining parks and open spaces
  • Waste collection, recycling and disposal
  • Street cleaning and flood defences
  • Administration of licences, permits and housing benefit
  • Planning and building control
  • Other services like coroners, courts, registrars, elections and tax collection
  • Long term investment


  • The resulting shortfall in the Council income arising from the prevalence of holiday lets in Cumbria has been estimated to be £20 million which is ultimately picked up by the resident council tax payers who are therefore subsidising this 'cottage industry'.  Most local residents become angry when they are made aware of that fact.  Nationally it is recognised that a village which has more than 10% of holiday lets suffers damage to local services. i.e schools, bus services, doctors surgeries and general community involvement. Some Cumbrian villages now comprise 50% plus holiday lets which also makes it impossible for local people to buy properties due to the inflated valuations.
    So, yes - please do resist the temptation to promote holiday lets as they are a scourge on the survival of local communities and village life in general.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: SteamyTea on 22:06:22, 30/06/20
    So, yes - please do resist the temptation to promote holiday lets as they are a scourge on the survival of local communities and village life in general.
    Down here, in Cornwall, they are the lifeblood of many places and bring in £m.  The majority are services and maintained by local business.
    Mousehole was a dying town until the tourist came, as was Porthleven.
    St. Ives has always been a bit odd as it was an artists place long before the tourist came.
    Part my income comes from tourism, so I don't have a problem with it.  They are just businesses like all the rest.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 22:27:07, 30/06/20
    Please don't!!!   :(

    I was going to ask "Why not?", but then I saw your lengthier reply.

    Please don't worry. We've not stayed in any self-catering accommodation in Cumbria and have no intention of doing so; so no reviews from there.  :)

    We did stay overnight at Heads Nook Hall near Carlisle (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=189&t=12954&start=60#p225768) on the way back from Scotland last summer though. Very nice! O0

    (BTW, I'm not 'promoting' accommodation, simply posting some reviews of places we've enjoyed staying in.)

     
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 22:41:56, 30/06/20
    I'm grateful for the interest shown in this topic, so here's another self-catering cottage in Snowdonia that we thought was brilliant - Clogwyn Cottage.  O0

    The cottage is one of two on a working farm at the foot of Snowdon (the other cottage is called Clogwyn Barn). We arrived at 4pm and were met by Jane, the lovely owner, who showed us the necessary bits and pieces then left us alone for the rest of the week. The farm is vast - Jane told us that it extends as far as the eye can see - including to the top of Snowdon. A big benefit of that was that we were free to wander anywhere on 'our' side of Snowdon, including using a private track up the mountain should we wish to try it!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_outside.jpg)

    The image below gives a good idea of the setting. The right-hand thick white line is the Rhyd-Ddu Path to the summit (which we went up on) and the the left-hand line is the Snowdon Ranger Path (which we came down on). The farm covers most of the land between these paths and footpaths lead directly to them from the cottage. These two mountain paths are much quieter than some of the alternatives on the other sides of Snowdon, which means that this cottage really is the perfect base from which to explore the mountain. Other mountains, such as Mynydd Mawr, are also within easy walking distance, as is a station on the Welsh Highland Railway - the track runs through the farm!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_location.jpg)

    The sitting area had two sofas and a log burner. A good supply of logs, kindling and fire-lighters was provided and we used it all - more fuel would have meant buying it ourselves and we didn't fancy a trip to find logs! The TV used FreeSat and there was a TV in each bedroom as well. Being in North Wales, it was no fault of the accommodation that there was never any phone signal and the internet connection was okay but less than reliable.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_sitting_area.jpg)

    The kitchen was modern, high quality and fully equipped. We'd taken our own coffee machine but an espresso machine with pods was provided.  O0

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_kitchen.jpg)

    There were two bedrooms. When we began our search for accommodation we looked for one-bedroom properties but couldn't find anything to suit us. So we extended our search to two bedrooms and that's when we found Clogwyn.  :)  We thought the cottage would be too small for four adults but that it would be perfect for a couple with two children.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_bedroom_1.jpg)

    And finally, the bathroom. The shower was extremely good - instantly hot and very powerful!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Clogwyn_Cottage_bathroom.jpg)

    To summarise: we thought that Clogwyn Cottage was absolutely excellent. It is in an amazing location and extremely good value. What's not to like?
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: rural roamer on 22:47:53, 30/06/20

    We never camp and would always go for a self catering cottage when away for a week, so always interested in recommendations. We often do LDWs though, so it’s usually B&Bs, pubs or farms for those.

    So, yes - please do resist the temptation to promote holiday lets as they are a scourge on the survival of local communities and village life in general.
    Surely there needs to be a balance! Many areas rely on tourism.


    What is needed is a set of cheap places to stay along well used routes.
    Ones with washing machines and tumble dryers.
    Not easy to get self catering places along LDWs if only staying one or two nights.


    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: redeye on 22:57:43, 30/06/20
    Any chance of putting links in for the cottages. We camp but have stayed in cottages over the years in various places so any recommendations are good  O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: rural roamer on 23:04:26, 30/06/20
    Maybe rather than long reviews with photos just a cottage name, where it is and a link. Otherwise
    I can see this thread being very long!
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 08:25:07, 01/07/20
    Maybe rather than long reviews with photos just a cottage name, where it is and a link. Otherwise
    I can see this thread being very long!

    I'm afraid that posting reviews with photos is my thing. Surely you've been following my Completely Covering Kent (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=39012.msg555013#msg555013) thread?  ;)

    But the great thing about threads is that you can ignore them at your leisure!  :)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 08:29:48, 01/07/20
    Any chance of putting links in for the cottages. We camp but have stayed in cottages over the years in various places so any recommendations are good  O0

    I'm afraid I deliberately don't include links because I don't want to be accused of promoting or advertising businesses. However, I am including the names so it should be a simple matter to google them...   :)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: richardh1905 on 08:58:24, 01/07/20
    Price is a factor for many, Dave. Any chance of including a ballpark figure for a week?
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Ridge on 10:09:20, 01/07/20
    Price is a factor for many, Dave. Any chance of including a ballpark figure for a week?
    £1227 for the only free week in August. Sleeps 3.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: barewirewalker on 11:26:49, 01/07/20
    I had good grounding in hill walking in my late teens, combined with rock climbing and by my 20s I was combining the two, mostly staying over night in barns, bunk houses or under canvas. When I came to walking in later life, I wound up my business 4 yrs short of the 2008 crash, but Mrs BWW continued to work. We did B&B's on her free days, which led to self catering cottages.

    I was fairly confident that I knew all I needed to know about walking, it was these marvellous breaks that made me realise that there is far more to walking than I had assumed I then knew. It is the variety of terrain, combined with the freedom of the day that these often gorgeous locations allow, less likely to be influenced by recommendations about where you should go by well meaning locals, yet close enough to to get into the feel of the place.

    We stayed in a converted  manorial gate house in the Gatehouse of Fleet, I had done tons of preparation for The Galway Forest, but the weather made it chancy to get a day to take risks, but we were fortunate, a one day gap gave us the opportunity the Walk the Merrick and to find the Grey Man of Merrick. Mrs BWW had told our host that it was one of our aims during our week, the day after, when he came round and she told him we had done it, he said, "Lots of people say they are coming here to do that, but you are first to actually do it".

    The cottage was beautifully done out, we climbed to the bedroom by a stone spiral stair case up a tower, decorated with a fantasy mural and had red squirrels feeding outside the kitchen window when we breakfasted. The furnishings were as similarly classy as the OP's photos and I think we negotiated an extra night outside the fixed weeks on the booking schedule. The nightly charge was similar to cheap B&B.


    One of my abiding memories were the colours of the stone of the Solway Firth, when the weather was claggy, the close-ups were as vibrant as any of the distant views we might have been missing on hilltops, we even had a deserted island to explore. I put down a marker on the tideline as it was falling, had I not so, we would have spent the night on that island.

    Sadly the one thing I did notice was the local walkers had really failed to develop routes in keeping with freedoms given to them by the 2003 Land Reform Act. We could have walked better routes low down, if there was a true understanding based on the intention of this law change.

    That is just one experience of these marvelous examples of our developing hospitality trade, shame a properly evolving share of the countryside, they are situated in, is not keeping pace.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: BuzyG on 12:19:40, 01/07/20

    So, yes - please do resist the temptation to promote holiday lets as they are a scourge on the survival of local communities and village life in general.


    I can't agree with your sentiments on holiday lets run as a business.  Regardless of where the property owner lives, they provide jobs in the service industry and income from those staying spending in the local community.  The simple economic fact is if a local village cannot generate enough local income to sustain it's population then the money either comes in from elsewhere or the village dies.  Blaming the people buying and running the holiday lets does not solve fundamental issues.  Second homes left empty apart from when the owners care to visit is a different if related matter.  Those I do take umbrage with.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 13:24:48, 01/07/20

    I can't agree with your sentiments on holiday lets run as a business.  Regardless of where the property owner lives, they provide jobs in the service industry and income from those staying spending in the local community.  The simple economic fact is if a local village cannot generate enough local income to sustain it's population then the money either comes in from elsewhere or the village dies.  Blaming the people buying and running the holiday lets does not solve fundamental issues.  Second homes left empty apart from when the owners care to visit is a different if related matter.  Those I do take umbrage with.
    That's the same old argument always trotted out by the Holiday Home Owners Association.  At least owners of second homes pay council tax. O0    Yesterday I saw the owner of a holiday let in a local village making preparations for re-opening on July 4th.  She looked a little sheepish when she noticed me watching because she was actually committing a fraud with one of her actions, by doing so she was undercutting the running costs of her competitors who do do the right thing along with the pubs, hotels and other businesses in the village.  Over the years that particular property/business, and the one fifty yards from it, have defrauded the council and its tax payers of thousands of pounds by receiving services to which they are not lawfully entitled.  ???
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: richardh1905 on 13:34:11, 01/07/20
    £1227 for the only free week in August. Sleeps 3.


    OUCH!
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Ridge on 13:39:00, 01/07/20

    OUCH!
    and £30 extra to take Tess.


    Too pricey for me but it has high occupancy for the rest of the summer so they are clearly pitching it at the right price for their market.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 13:45:06, 01/07/20
    £1227 for the only free week in August. Sleeps 3.
    Assuming you're referring to Clogwyn Cottage, we had a week at the end of September 2018 for around half of that price.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Ridge on 13:53:20, 01/07/20
    Assuming you're referring to Clogwyn Cottage, we had a week at the end of September 2018 for around half of that price.
    I was. I just looked through for the next available date which was mid-August, which is always going to be their peak rate. I've no problem with them charging that price or with people paying it.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Jac on 14:21:52, 01/07/20
    ..........  Over the years that particular property/business, and the one fifty yards from it, have defrauded the council and its tax payers of thousands of pounds by receiving services to which they are not lawfully entitled.  ???

    If they have not paid council tax and are in consequence not entitled to certain services why are the council providing them?
    Would appear that the council need to get their act together
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: SteamyTea on 16:06:08, 01/07/20
    If they have not paid council tax and are in consequence not entitled to certain services why are the council providing them?
    Would appear that the council need to get their act together
    I agree. I pay my council to enforce their own interpretation of national legislation. This is not the same as someone committing fraud or a criminal act.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: barewirewalker on 16:32:17, 01/07/20
    £1227 for the only free week in August. Sleeps 3.
    OUCH!
    That is high season in an area that attracts visitors, per night per person it is £58-43. 10 years ago I was paying £35 ppn for B&B. The point must be that these figures are feeding into the statistics that prove that walking and other countryside leisure pursuits contribute to the rural economy.

    An old farmstead conversion at the head of Lock Katrine had some fabulous bijou lets. We had a 2 person let for a week, during which we walked daily doing routes totally to ourselves, equal to the more popular circuits and because we had the let, that supposed to be Rob Roy's birthplace, we were on the private road that ran around the Lock. We were able to catch the cross Loch ferry one way back to usual start and climb Ben Venue the do a return route around the far side of the loch. The crowds were on the west side of Loch Lomond but we could have been in Wester Ross for all the people we saw out walking.

    I have often pointed out to farmers that difference walking alone makes to the Scottish economy is ten time the total product of all the Field Sports and still they will not realise how much the landowners are pulling the wool over there eyes. Until effort is made to research how this part of our economy works no one will be able to understand it.

    We all have a choice how much we spent, should we not respect those who deliver quality service and think positively how it all links together.

    BTW the trip across Loch Katrine in the Victorian power boat, especially the return trip of the first of the day gave us almost a private cruise, a wonderful start to the climb up Ben Venue on a superb clear day. Our unusual way back, that did not fit the usual routes had us climbing deer fences, because the gates were not mapped or in the right places.


    There are always rogue traders, should they be the example that all break the rules.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: tonyk on 17:25:19, 01/07/20
    If they have not paid council tax and are in consequence not entitled to certain services why are the council providing them?
    Would appear that the council need to get their act together

     Most holiday lets have to pay business rates,albeit at a slightly lower rate than if they were paying council tax. If they are paying business rates rather than council tax they should also be a paying a fee to the council to have their waste taken away.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: BuzyG on 17:39:55, 01/07/20
    That's the same old argument always trotted out by the Holiday Home Owners Association.  At least owners of second homes pay council tax. O0    Yesterday I saw the owner of a holiday let in a local village making preparations for re-opening on July 4th.  She looked a little sheepish when she noticed me watching because she was actually committing a fraud with one of her actions, by doing so she was undercutting the running costs of her competitors who do do the right thing along with the pubs, hotels and other businesses in the village.  Over the years that particular property/business, and the one fifty yards from it, have defrauded the council and its tax payers of thousands of pounds by receiving services to which they are not lawfully entitled.  ???


    The reason they trot out that argument is because it is valid and true.  O0  They Pay business rates not council tax as they are a business.  Most of them are normal average people who have taken out bank loans and taken on risk.  Some will be loosing money hand over fist at the moment,.  I know a few of those and none of them are moaning about it,  They are just looking forward to 4th July and trying to keep their businesses afloat.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 18:06:09, 01/07/20
    I'm afraid that posting reviews with photos is my thing. Surely you've been following my Completely Covering Kent (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=39012.msg555013#msg555013) thread?  ;)

    But the great thing about threads is that you can ignore them at your leisure!  :)


    Looks like a great place with plenty of character, I was in Dolgellau a few years ago and really fell for the place (spent a lot of time in Roberts' cake shop!) as we stayed in Arthog just down the road.   Excellent walking area where you can put your boots on by the front door and have some fantastic time in the hills, and as always for Wales lots of historical sites to explore if you're looking for a switch up. 
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 18:14:52, 01/07/20

    The reason they trot out that argument is because it is valid and true.  O0  They Pay business rates not council tax as they are a business.  Most of them are normal average people who have taken out bank loans and taken on risk.  Some will be loosing money hand over fist at the moment,.  I know a few of those and none of them are moaning about it,  They are just looking forward to 4th July and trying to keep their businesses afloat.
    Most holiday lets don't pay any business rates as they are small businesses and qualify for 100% rate relief so local councils get nothing at all from them. O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 18:16:32, 01/07/20

    OUCH!


    Worth mentioning that high season peak pricing is likely 1/3 higher than off-season, and another 1/3 different towards low season properties (outside of xmas etc). 


    You also may want to approach owners directly after using the property the first time as every owner wants to build a directory of excellent customers who are no hassle + who keep the place in good condition, and often give a discount for direct letting outside of their agent.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 18:16:48, 01/07/20
    If they have not paid council tax and are in consequence not entitled to certain services why are the council providing them?
    Would appear that the council need to get their act together
    To paraphrase  Donald Rumsfeld,  - I don't know but I do know that they know about it.  Perhaps their different departments don't actually communicate with each other or maybe they are just plainly inept and lazy. ::)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 18:55:35, 01/07/20
    Most holiday lets have to pay business rates,albeit at a slightly lower rate than if they were paying council tax. If they are paying business rates rather than council tax they should also be a paying a fee to the council to have their waste taken away.


    It's also very possible that were they to qualify for rate relief that they may opt to reduce the letting availability and instead pay council tax for regular collection, which is what is often done for properties with very high demand in high season but have a comparatively short season - a good example might be coastal holiday lets, properties in areas likely to deal with changeable weather and a short summer season, or those where owners prefer to attend the property off-season themselves for maintenance.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 19:24:13, 01/07/20
    All that tax stuff is well beyond me, so here's our third and final Welsh cottage where we stayed just a few months ago - Dry Dock Cottage on a canal in the Brecon Beacons.

    We'd climbed two of the Welsh Three Peaks (Snowdon and Cadair Idris), and only Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons remained. My wife still had seven days holiday for the year left, so we decided to find accommodation within easy reach of the mountain. After many hours of searching for something a little different, I found the perfect place - Dry Dock Cottage on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

    In the description, I particularly liked this bit:

    Quote
    Dry Dock Cottage has a number of truly unique features, one being that you can enjoy coffee sitting in your armchair below canal water level with a spectacular view of the waterway and the Skirrid Fawr mountain beyond...

    The cottage was absolutely amazing. Not shown in the photos is the 'cinema room', which is down a few stairs in the centre of the open-plan cottage; it has electric reclining chairs, a big screen and a thundering sound system! Another thing worth mentioning is the hi-tech electrical system where everything can be operated by a tablet.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Dry_Dock_Cottage_collage_1.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Dry_Dock_Cottage_collage_2.jpg)

    The front windows open fully and it was great fun watching boats come under the low bridge and try to make the turn without hitting the bank...  :)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/IMG_20191019_315015B15D.jpg)

    This cottage, another cottage of similar size and a house (centre of photo below) are near each other and are operated by a major narrow boat company based a few miles along the canal.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/IMG_20191019_225295B15D.jpg)

    It's a fantastic walking area and, except for the Pen y Fan horseshoe, we did all of our walks that week directly from the cottage.  O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 19:43:12, 01/07/20
    Most holiday lets have to pay business rates,albeit at a slightly lower rate than if they were paying council tax. If they are paying business rates rather than council tax they should also be a paying a fee to the council to have their waste taken away.
    That's true some councils do collect trade waste for a fee.  But our local council does not - quote from their website - It is illegal to dispose of your waste by:
     
  • using a street litter bin
  • pretending it is household waste
  • using recycling banks

  • Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 19:57:10, 01/07/20
    All that tax stuff is well beyond me, so here's our third and final Welsh cottage where we stayed just a few months ago - Dry Dock Cottage on a canal in the Brecon Beacons.

    We'd climbed two of the Welsh Three Peaks (Snowdon and Cadair Idris), and only Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons remained. My wife still had seven days holiday for the year left, so we decided to find accommodation within easy reach of the mountain. After many hours of searching for something a little different, I found the perfect place - Dry Dock Cottage on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.



    Absolutely stunning.  Love the kitchen furnishings and the style of the place, definitely 'on the list'.   Brilliant conversion and seems cinema rooms are getting really popular for some of the more decked out cottages.


    edit:  Also seems they used a wet-room design bathroom, which are definitely a bit of a luxury and expensive to put in but really pleasant to use since they maximise usable space.  Obviously plenty of thought put in to it.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 20:24:38, 01/07/20

    It's also very possible that were they to qualify for rate relief that they may opt to reduce the letting availability and instead pay council tax for regular collection, which is what is often done for properties with very high demand in high season but have a comparatively short season - a good example might be coastal holiday lets, properties in areas likely to deal with changeable weather and a short summer season, or those where owners prefer to attend the property off-season themselves for maintenance.
    Can't understand why any holiday let owner would want to choose that option, certainly not in the Lake District where the holiday let 'industry' operates for pretty much over the whole year nowadays. ;)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 21:20:53, 01/07/20
    Can't understand why any holiday let owner would want to choose that option, certainly not in the Lake District where the holiday let 'industry' operates for pretty much over the whole year nowadays. ;)


    Well, I don't want to get this thread more derailed, but in short many people don't actually make a huge amount of money in the low season months due to static changeover costs on a per week basis - costs which have increased with Covid.  On top of that you're still dealing with dilapidation and deterioration of the fixtures and fittings at a fairly standard rate the more weeks per year you let out, often at a  faster rate in winter months due to wet conditions meaning guests are in the property for more time and using everything more, greater heating and electricity costs etc - also some things like soft furnishings needing more rejuvenation than you'd like due to carelessness.  In many ways there are a lot of hidden costs which aren't immediately appreciated to the tenant but are there and need budgeting for.


    Many owners decide instead to let the 139 days allowed whilst keeping under the small business tax requirement rate to switch you to estimated rated value (which works against luxury properties), whilst still paying the council tax bracket to give them the convenience of being able to visit themselves.  If it was purely about making money you'd be able to find a conservative investment fund which would give you a better return at far less work, but for many it is a lifestyle business with a significant return to the local areas -  particularly when running luxury properties which often have six figure capital expenditure on improvements which allow for local building and services jobs to flourish as well as gardening, cleaning, laundry, letting and admin services to actually manage the process.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: pdstsp on 08:08:18, 02/07/20
    Love the dry dock cottage there Dave - looks an absolutely fantastic place.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Brandywell on 08:10:02, 02/07/20

    Well, I don't want to get this thread more derailed, but in short many people don't actually make a huge amount of money in the low season months due to static changeover costs on a per week basis - costs which have increased with Covid.  On top of that you're still dealing with dilapidation and deterioration of the fixtures and fittings at a fairly standard rate the more weeks per year you let out, often at a  faster rate in winter months due to wet conditions meaning guests are in the property for more time and using everything more, greater heating and electricity costs etc - also some things like soft furnishings needing more rejuvenation than you'd like due to carelessness.  In many ways there are a lot of hidden costs which aren't immediately appreciated to the tenant but are there and need budgeting for.


    Many owners decide instead to let the 139 days allowed whilst keeping under the small business tax requirement rate to switch you to estimated rated value (which works against luxury properties), whilst still paying the council tax bracket to give them the convenience of being able to visit themselves.  If it was purely about making money you'd be able to find a conservative investment fund which would give you a better return at far less work, but for many it is a lifestyle business with a significant return to the local areas -  particularly when running luxury properties which often have six figure capital expenditure on improvements which allow for local building and services jobs to flourish as well as gardening, cleaning, laundry, letting and admin services to actually manage the process.
    Thanks for your explanation. :)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: BuzyG on 12:02:51, 02/07/20
    All that tax stuff is well beyond me, so here's our third and final Welsh cottage where we stayed just a few months ago - Dry Dock Cottage on a canal in the Brecon Beacons.

    We'd climbed two of the Welsh Three Peaks (Snowdon and Cadair Idris), and only Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons remained. My wife still had seven days holiday for the year left, so we decided to find accommodation within easy reach of the mountain. After many hours of searching for something a little different, I found the perfect place - Dry Dock Cottage on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

    In the description, I particularly liked this bit:

    The cottage was absolutely amazing. Not shown in the photos is the 'cinema room', which is down a few stairs in the centre of the open-plan cottage; it has electric reclining chairs, a big screen and a thundering sound system! Another thing worth mentioning is the hi-tech electrical system where everything can be operated by a tablet.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Dry_Dock_Cottage_collage_1.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Dry_Dock_Cottage_collage_2.jpg)

    The front windows open fully and it was great fun watching boats come under the low bridge and try to make the turn without hitting the bank...  :)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/IMG_20191019_315015B15D.jpg)

    This cottage, another cottage of similar size and a house (centre of photo below) are near each other and are operated by a major narrow boat company based a few miles along the canal.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/IMG_20191019_225295B15D.jpg)

    It's a fantastic walking area and, except for the Pen y Fan horseshoe, we did all of our walks that week directly from the cottage.  O0
    This on is my favourite Dave.  O0


    What a place to stay for the night after a walk on the tow path.  MrsG would love it.


    Where exactly is it? I took a look at the website but I still could not pin down the exact location of the cottage.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 13:44:47, 02/07/20
    This on is my favourite Dave.  O0


    What a place to stay for the night after a walk on the tow path.  MrsG would love it.


    Where exactly is it? I took a look at the website but I still could not pin down the exact location of the cottage.

    Find Llanfoist on the OS 1:25k map. Follow byway south to a kink in the Mon & Brec Canal where it has Boat Houses / Tunnel / Glebe Wood.

    The cottage is at the kink - the tunnel (for a path) runs under the canal right by the cottage.  :)

    (We had terrible trouble finding it!)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: BuzyG on 15:51:03, 02/07/20
    Find Llanfoist on the OS 1:25k map. Follow byway south to a kink in the Mon & Brec Canal where it has Boat Houses / Tunnel / Glebe Wood.

    The cottage is at the kink - the tunnel (for a path) runs under the canal right by the cottage.  :)

    (We had terrible trouble finding it!)


    Perfect that is where I thought it must be from the walk description in the web site,  where they mentioned the mountain Blorenge behind it. O0


    Who needs grid references when you can have a treasure hunt instead.  ;)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 17:20:58, 02/07/20

    Perfect that is where I thought it must be from the walk description in the web site,  where they mentioned the mountain Blorenge behind it. O0

    Who needs grid references when you can have a treasure hunt instead.  ;)

    I've never been one for grid references!  ;)

    A path to the Blorenge passes right by the cottage. The first photo in the trip report I posted...

    The Blorenge from Llanfoist (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=39271.msg559044#msg559044)

    ...is of my wife on the path about 20 yards after we set off up the hill.  :)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: rural roamer on 18:11:40, 02/07/20
    One of our favourite cottages is also in Snowdonia. We stayed in Ty Hebog (sleeps 2) at Perthi Holiday
    Cottages just outside Beddgelert. There’s also another cottage and a lodge but they’re not right next to each other which is good. Perthi is a working farm. From the patio we had wonderful views all round including across to Moel Hebog. We walked up Snowdon via the Rhyd Ddu path so it was an easy drive to the car park. The farm is up in the hills but has a short cut walk into Beddgelert giving the best of both worlds.  Plenty of walking from the door.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 18:51:32, 02/07/20
    One of our favourite cottages is also in Snowdonia. We stayed in Ty Hebog (sleeps 2) at Perthi Holiday
    Cottages just outside Beddgelert. There’s also another cottage and a lodge but they’re not right next to each other which is good. Perthi is a working farm. From the patio we had wonderful views all round including across to Moel Hebog. We walked up Snowdon via the Rhyd Ddu path so it was an easy drive to the car park. The farm is up in the hills but has a short cut walk into Beddgelert giving the best of both worlds.  Plenty of walking from the door.
    We passed quite close to where you stayed. We took the train (Welsh Highland Railway) from Rhyd Ddu to Nantmor and walked back via Beddgelert and Beddgelert Forest. An excellent walk in a fantastic area!
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 19:11:50, 02/07/20
    The location of self catering properties is at least as important as the property itself. Many years ago we had a week at Mireside Farm on Ennerdale. The cottage was attached to the farmhouse. It was very peaceful and had good access to walks. We had a week at Wester Alligin above. There were views across the loch to the south and plenty of wildlife including daily golden eagles  :) and midges  >:( . In more recent years we have stayed in a couple of properties in Shieldaig. Here we have seen sea eagles, otters, golden eagles and many other birds. There is a good walk onto Shieldaig peninsula directly from the house and it is only a short drive to the Torridon mountains and Applecross peninsula and not too far to some fantastic beaches that are almost empty most of the time. This part of Scotland is also great for being on a boat, which can take you to more areas for walking.
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 17:02:34, 03/07/20
    Dry Dock Cottage was the last self-catering accommodation we've used as a base for a walking holiday and from there on I'll work backwards in time... Last August, we spent a week in the Coigach, a peninsula in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland.

    There are actually two 'Brochs of Coigach' - ours was a one-bedroom house and the other further along the access track has two bedrooms. By the way, a broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure; I guess we stayed in a rather more modern version!

    The cottage is situated in a tiny village called Polbain, which is about 13 miles north-west of Ullapool as the crow flies, but much further by road! We arrived after driving about 10 miles north on a fast 'A' road followed by about 15 miles on a twisting, single-track road past scenic lochs and truly spectacular mountains.

    Despite arriving at the owner's house in Polbain exactly at the correct time, we had to wait about 15 minutes for him to arrive and take us to the cottage. I realise that's not a long time to wait, but it's never happened before and 15 minutes is plenty of time to wonder what we're going to do if no one turns up and we're stranded in a remote village hundreds of miles from home!

    But that was soon forgotten and we quickly settled in for a week at this, our fifth Scottish 'hobbit house' in just over three years. Like the others, the Broch is a modern architectural marvel and we loved it. However, in some respects (which I'll get to shortly) the accommodation itself was a little less impressive than those we've had before. We loved it mainly for its stupendous location and the absolutely stunning views!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Brochs_of_Coigach_1.jpg)

    This is the view towards Loch Broom from the road above the brochs (ours is the nearest and least hard to spot). There are mountains in the distance in all directions; the islands nearby are the Summer Isles; sheep, rabbits and pheasants are in the field in front and deer were often seen nearby - as was a sea eagle. It really was a fantastic setting.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Brochs_of_Coigach_5.jpg)

    The panoramic windows dominate the living room area, but the furnishings were a little spartan in comparison with similar cottages. A design feature throughout was the use of blue tubular steel supports, but the one in the centre of the view actually blocked it somewhat. While we were being 'introduced' to the broch, I asked if there was a TV. The owner just indicated the view as if to say that a TV would be superfluous, but of course with a couple of hours between sunset and bedtime there is no view... But no big deal, we used our laptop to watch stuff on iPlayer. We were also a little disappointed by the limited number of books and maps provided. The modern log burner (just visible on the left) was a big plus though.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Brochs_of_Coigach_2.jpg)

    The bathroom is very large, very modern, very luxurious, and has a sauna (sadly not in the photo). As with a previous cottage (Eagle Bay), the bathroom has two doors - one from the bedroom and one from the small entrance hall. We wondered if the reason is to allow visitors to use the bathroom without going through the bedroom?

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Brochs_of_Coigach_3.jpg)

    The bedroom has an incredibly comfortable bed, but again is sparsely furnished. What isn't lacking though is art - original and (apparently) quite valuable. A strategically placed book on the living room coffee table was about an artist named John Bellany, who was a Scottish painter and (apparently) very important (according to Damien Hirst), and several of the pieces are indeed by him - including the big one above the bed. Unfortunately for us, we hated it all!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Brochs_of_Coigach_4.jpg)

    I didn't take a decent photo of the kitchen area, but it is modern and well-equipped. However, there's no microwave, which we thought an odd omission for luxury self-catering accommodation.

    With at least as many books about art as about the area, and furnishings and artwork that seemed chosen to suit the owner's quite specific taste, we felt that the accommodation was lacking in comparison to all the others we've enjoyed. However, I read through the visitor comments book and almost every entry was gushing in praise - although I didn't see a single mention of the art...

    Perhaps my review comes across a little negative so I'll end by saying that we'd happily book a Broch of Coigach cottage again... for the wonderful location and those gorgeous views!

    I should also mention that some incredible mountains are within fairly easy reach, including Cul Mor, Cul Beag and the Fiddler (all of which we climbed), as well as Suilven and Stac Polly (which we left 'till next time!).  :)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:47:32, 06/07/20
    The spent the week before our stay at a 'Broch of Coigach' (above) at Black Sheep House on the Isle of Harris. The accommodation is by the coast in the tiny village of Carminish, about a mile east of Leverburgh. The location is quite wonderful, with a tidal lochan just yards from the huge panoramic windows.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_1.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_6.jpg)

    I'm still not sure how to properly describe this type of structure. I like to call them 'hobbit houses', but Black Sheep House is quite unique, being a renovated Hebridean blackhouse with a seamless contemporary extension. Whatever it is, it's amazing!

    The living area is very spacious with very high quality furnishings and fittings and a fantastic view. Chairs are upholstered in Harris Tweed, the TV is smart, there's a great many electric sockets to charge devices, countless lighting options, a quality sound system, loads of books and maps... and (out of shot) a desk with a computer and printer, which was a first for us and extremely useful.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_4.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_2.jpg)

    Although we didn't use it and only went upstairs once, there's a bedroom on a mezzanine above the kitchen area. Oh, and the computer area is to the left of the (provided) walking sticks! The kitchen area is modern and extremely well-equipped with everything we needed, and there's a breakfast bar where we chose to eat our meals - leaving the dining table to put our bits and pieces. And we were delighted to find a 'starter pack' of food, treats and an excellent bottle of champagne.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_3.jpg)

    I believe the house is intended for two people with the mezzanine bedroom being an alternative to the main bedroom; we chose to use the latter, which was just perfect - a very comfortable bed and plenty of storage space.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Blacksheep_House_5.jpg)

    For some reason, I forgot to take a photo of the bathroom. It's probably the smallest we've had in our Scottish cottages so far, but it's still very luxurious with a Japanese style soaking tub and the most incredible mosaic tiling we've ever seen!

    And finally, although we arrived on Harris a few hours early, an exchange of texts resulted in us letting ourselves in (the door was unlocked) and the lovely housekeeper soon came and welcomed us. We like to rate the accommodations we've stayed in and if Black Sheep House isn't the very best, then it's easily the equal best...  O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:39:50, 08/07/20
    A little under a year ago, we invited the family to spend a week with us in the Peak District. With another four adults and three children making nine of us, we needed bigger accommodation than usual!

    We found the perfect place - Woodland Spa, a large bungalow with a private garden at Landal Darwin Forest. The setting was unlike anything we'd done before, being a 44-acre holiday resort near Matlock in Derbyshire. It was perfect for the children because we were very near a swimming pool and play areas, and we could explore the extensive woods that surrounded us.

    And it was perfect for my wife and me, because we were able to go walking in the area - including doing a Kinder Scout circuit from Hayfield. We even did a few walks with the whole family, including a fantastic Dovedale walk from Milldale on the hottest day of the year so far!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Woodlands_Spa.jpg)

    We all enjoyed the week so much that we booked Woodland Spa for late spring this year. Sadly, that's had to be postponed to next year, but the price has remained the same even though we'll be going during a peak week in the summer. I had my reservations about choosing a resort as a base, but I needn't have worried - Landal Darwin Forest is brilliant and we're all looking forward to returning!  O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:35:41, 10/07/20
    Next is a cottage we stayed in for four days during the Easter break last year....

    I'd walked all of the North Downs Way in Kent, but none of it in Surrey. So we decided to find accommodation near to the trail and do some circular walks that included sections of the NDW. The plan was to go back again this year and do some more sections, but of course, that wasn't to be.  :(

    We were lucky to find Deerhurst Cottage in Wotton, Surrey. Not only was it perfect for a short stay, but it was very close to the NDW and only a 90 minute drive from Whitstable.

    We were also extremely lucky to get the cottage for four nights over the Easter break since the normal minimum period is seven nights. By a stroke of luck and probably because we applied at a late date, the accommodation was available - and for an extremely good price. We paid just £340.  :)

    My photos don't do the setting justice. The cottage is tucked away in a secluded part of the beautiful grounds of a large manor house. The only sounds are those of birds - including a family of pheasants that enjoy the garden. The grounds are very extensive and include private woodland and we were invited to explore as we liked.

    We were delighted to discover that the whole area is extremely well served with byways and well-maintained footpaths. It really is an excellent place for walking.

    The cottage itself suited us perfectly. It accommodates four people and so was plenty big enough for two. The owners were extremely pleasant and unobtrusive, which is always a bonus! And we had everything we needed, including very fast wi-fi.   O0

    I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_1.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_2.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_3.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_4.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_5.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_6.jpg)

    And this one shows a part of the Japanese garden that we passed through on our way to the woods and out to the byway beyond:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Deerhurst_Cottage_7.jpg)

    Incidentally... Surrey is England's most wooded county.  8)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 16:09:50, 13/07/20
    Continuing our journey back in time... The second week of our summer walking holiday in 2018 was spent on the Isle of Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

    The cottage is called Coillabus and is situated high up on the Mull of Oa in the south of Islay. The roads on Islay were the least good(!) Scottish roads we'd experienced thus far, and getting to the house required driving about three miles from Port Ellen along a very rough and twisty single-track lane. But after the first time, we got to know where extra care was needed and the drive became part of the fun. In fact, the very real sense of remoteness was what we soon came to love about this house.  O0

    This was the third similar cottage of the 'hobbit house' style that we'd spent a week in and in some ways it's the odd-one-out. As well as the remoteness of its location, Coillabus was the first house we'd had with two bedrooms (making it relatively the most expensive for the two of us), and so it was considerably larger and perhaps less 'hobbit-house-like' than the others. Arriving after a week in the fabulous High Trodigal on Kintyre (see next review!), we initially felt slightly disappointed. However, Coillabus soon grew on us and we quickly came to love it... and we were very sad indeed to leave at the end of the week!

    It might seem an odd thing to say... but for me, this house was all about those windows!   :)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_outside_1.jpg)

    The two windows on the right are the bedrooms (there's another window hidden on the far right), and on the left is the huge open-plan living room, dining area and kitchen. The object under cover in the centre is a 'star tub'!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_outside_2.jpg)

    I took this panoramic photo with my phone. I realise it looks a bit odd, but I wanted to show just what amazing views there were from the living area:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_living_room_wide.jpg)

    We spent most of our waking hours out walking, but when we were in the house I spent most of my time standing at the windows!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_living_room.jpg)

    I mentioned that there were two bedrooms and we chose the one with the windows that provided the best views. The bed was the most incredibly comfortable we'd ever slept on - we learned that it had a Hypnos mattress and we treated ourselves to one when we got home!:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_bedroom.jpg)

    We were spoiled for bathrooms - and toilets! There were two en-suite bathrooms plus a toilet room off the entrance hall.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_bathroom.jpg)

    Oh yes, and there was a separate sauna room - with a window (and another window in the door!)...  ;)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Coillabus_sauna.jpg)

    What Coillabus lacked in comparison with the other similar houses we've had - such as having only a basic (i.e. not very good) TV and a relatively limited supply of books, maps and guides, and other little touches, it made up for by being in an absolutely fantastic location and being designed to take full advantage of the wonderful views. Also, with the weather that week often being damp and cool, we made very good use of the log burner!  O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 22:43:42, 14/07/20
    For the first week of our walking holiday in Scotland in the summer of 2018 we rented a cottage called High Trodigal near the Mull of Kintyre, about a mile from Machrihanish.

    When we look back on the various self-catering accommodations we've had, High Trodigal is always top of our list - or equal top anyway. It really is a fantastic cottage in a stunning location!

    The front...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_outside_1.jpg)

    ...and the view from the front - a track leads down to the road which runs between Machrihanish and Campbeltown. The latter is about a 20 minute drive away on a fast normal (ie. not single-track!) road.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_outside_2.jpg)

    There are chairs at the front (above), but we tended to relax outside on the patio area at the back. The vast plain below has a good many milk farms and (with the aid of binoculars) the small airport can just be seen. We didn't see more than one small plane take off each day though. Machrihanish is to the left from where a wonderful sandy beach stretches for miles to the north, and on a clear day the islands of Jura, Islay and Gigha are easily seen.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_view.jpg)

    Inside, the house is modern and immaculate - as can be seen from the photos...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_lounge.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_kitchen.jpg)

    ...but it's the thoughtful touches you can't see that made it perfect. For example, there was an excellent selection of books, maps and guides - including a printed tide-table to show when the causeway to nearby Davaar Island would be passable. The TV was a Sony smart TV with Netflix, etc. and there was a bluetooth Bose speaker which my wife used to listen to podcasts from her phone - in other words, the fixtures and fittings were of a very high quality! And the 'welcome hamper' provided a great selection of local produce as well as a very nice bottle of champagne. There was also a stylish log burner, but the weather was pleasantly warm so we didn't use it.

    The bedroom (this was a one bedroom house)...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_bedroom.jpg)

    ...and the bathroom. That's a sauna opposite the shower, and the bath was of the whirlpool variety and had built in lights:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/High_Trodigal_bathroom.jpg)

    I must mention one more thing. The owners were quite delightful and it was a real pleasure meeting them. In conclusion then, we thought High Trodigal was a fabulous place to spend a week of our holiday and we can't recommend it highly enough!   O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 09:52:38, 15/07/20
    Some of these designs are superb, particularly the ones with a little elevation and the owners choosing to design the inside around the outside space rather than shutting you in and not letting you gaze out properly.

    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:53:10, 17/07/20
    Between 2011 and 2018, my wife and I spent a week every Easter or Whitsun in a log cabin by a lake in the Cotswolds. There are 8 cabins of various sizes that sleep between 4 and 11 people spread out around a 100 acre lake in a private nature reserve. The site, owned by Log House Holidays, is absolutely wonderful!

    At first, we chose one of the smaller cabins just for the two of us, while in more recent years we've invited our two daughters and their husbands to join us - as well as a steadily growing number of grandchildren (currently three).  :)

    The perfect log house for six adults and three children has proved to be the second largest one - Moodara, which we rented in 2017 and 2018. Moondara comes with a rowing boat (which I love!), a small beach and a tiny island with a fire-pit that's reached by a bridge.

    You might wonder what this has to do with walking... and the answer is of course that the area is fantastic for walking and that's what we do there. The Thames flows past only yards from the site; it's little more than a stream here and we've followed it to its source twice. On the second occasion we took younger daughter and husband! Walking in the area - especially at Easter or Whitsun - tends to be very wet underfoot!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Moondara_Log_House_1.jpg)

    Kayaks cost extra, as do bikes. The lake is a haven for birds. We've also seen lots of frogs, and even grass snakes swimming.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Moondara_Log_House_2.jpg)

    The log houses are very spacious and environmentally friendly - the water for the hot tub and house is heated by the lake.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Moondara_Log_House_3.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Moondara_Log_House_4.jpg)

    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 09:17:32, 22/07/20
    There's been some discussion recently about walking in the Auvergne in France, so perhaps this cottage report will be of interest to someone. This is where we were based for a week's holiday in the autumn of 2017.  :)

    We found Le Gîte de la Péreire by browsing for somewhere to rent near the village of Saint Saturnin where my wife's family lives. Saint Saturnin lies a few miles south of Clermont-Ferrand.

    The house is on the edge of Chadrat, an old, picturesque village which nestles in the hillside, and is surrounded by farms and rolling hills. It certainly is a lovely, peaceful setting! This is a view of the house from the farm track opposite:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_0.jpg)

    The house is a converted barn with extremely thick walls. It might look enormous but the garage and connected storage area behind the accommodation are reserved for the owner. It's still big, but perhaps not quite as big as my photos suggest!

    There's a parking area for guests at the top of the slope opposite the garage door and behind the tree, and that's where our car is parked:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_1.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_9.jpg)

    There's a large, raised patio area which overlooks a lawn that slopes down to trees and a stream. Well, there would have been a stream, but it hadn't rained much recently!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_2.jpg)

    Downstairs, the accommodation is open-plan and very spacious. Everything is absolutely immaculate!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_3.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_4.jpg)

    Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom and separate toilet. This is the slightly smaller bedroom (which we didn't choose) and out-of-shot there's a single bed meaning the house comfortably sleeps five.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_6.jpg)

    And this is the bigger bedroom that we did choose:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_7.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_8.jpg)

    You can probably tell from the photos that the décor is unusual. There's a mixture of modern and renovated antique furnishings which we thought works very well. This is the bathroom, or perhaps it's the washroom - because there's a washing machine but no bath!:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/le_gite_de_la_Pereire_5.jpg)

    We really liked both the property and the location, being close to the volcanoes of the Auvergne. And we also liked the price - under 400 Euros for the week. Okay, it wasn't the high season but it was still a week during school holidays in France and we were amazed by what we were getting for the price. New to us though was the hefty 'breakage deposit' of 600 Euros - but fortunately we didn't break anything! There was a small additional charge for electricity but it was only a few Euros - the open fireplace is just for show and the heating is all electric radiators. For us, the real additional cost of the holiday was the Channel Tunnel - about £190 - and the motorway tolls - about £100, although we think it's well worth that to drive for hours on smooth, almost empty roads. :-)
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 09:41:58, 25/07/20
    Back to Scotland for the next one...  :)

    We spent the second week of our holiday in August 2017 at a cliff top cottage called Airidh na Síth overlooking Loch Eireasort on the east coast of Lewis. The cottage is one of two similar accommodations collectively called Eagle Bay Cottages, and I find it easier to refer to the one we had as Eagle Bay Cottage than try to use the Gaelic name!

    We'd seen photos of the cottage and its setting on the website, but that didn't stop us saying "Wow!" about... everything. We arrived at the cottage by going down the cliff top on a private single-track road and we mistook two ordinary grassy hills for the cottage roof before we found the one with an actual building underneath. We stopped the car and I took a photo:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_1.jpg)

    We arrived early so we had time to really appreciate the brilliance of the structure, which, by the way, we learned was designed by an architect who'd won a TV programme called Grand Designs. We hadn't heard of him or seen the programme, but it was still quite cool to know!

    I'm not sure it would be possible to place a building in a more stunning location. It's not overlooked and the only other properties visible from the cottage are in the far distance across the loch. It feels completely remote, yet it's only a five minute drive to the main road, which, on the Western Isles is a road on which a vehicle goes by every minute or so - during busy times!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_2.jpg)

    Loch Eireasort (or Erisort in English) wraps around the rocky outcrop into which the cottage blends and the views from inside are always spectacular. In the distance are the mountains of Harris and in and around the loch there's an abundance of wildlife. I don't know how long I spent standing at the panoramic window with binoculars or camera in hand, but it was a lot!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_3.jpg)

    Time for a tour...   :)

    The open plan design of the cottage, minimalist styling, and high vaulted ceilings combine to create a feeling of great space. Yet at the same time, it feels part of the cliff itself. There's a log-burning stove in the living area (which we made good use of), but that's partly to provide a snug focal point because there's also under-floor heating throughout. Another nice touch was the sophisticated lighting system, with, for example, up-lights in the floor and dimmer switches allowing a wide range of illumination effects. The TV was of the 'smart' variety and had both Netflix and Amazon Prime; previous occupants hadn't logged out of the latter but we didn't charge anything to their account...   ;)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_4.jpg)

    I'm afraid we only used the dining table and chairs as a dumping place for our rucksacks and wet outdoor clothing (it rained a lot that week!), preferring instead to eat at...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_5.jpg)

    ...the breakfast bar in the kitchen area. The angled position of the bar provided a good view of the TV - as well as through the panoramic windows in the lounge area. The kitchen was extremely well equipped and, as at the previous accommodation on South Uist, we found a generous supply of treats -including fresh cakes and posh champagne.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_6.jpg)

    The cottage sleeps two people and the single bedroom is huge, as is the bed. Unfortunately, regarding the bed frame, style took precedence over common sense because it had a low ledge sticking out about six inches which seemed to be designed for bruising shins - and it did!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_7.jpg)

    Both of my bedroom photos show only about half of the room. I took the first to show the rock face outside one of the windows, and the second to show the view through the other window.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_8.jpg)

    The bathroom is also very big and comprehensively fitted. Perhaps strangely, it has two doors - one from the hallway (not featured in my photos) and one from the bedroom. (Incidentally, all of the cottage's internal doors slide into the walls which enhances the overall feeling of light and space.)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_9.jpg)

    The door in the photo below (left) is to the sauna room (right)!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_10.jpg)

    And lastly, I took this photo through the bathroom window because there was a sheep grazing outside.  :)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Eagle_Bay_Cottages_11.jpg)

    To summarise, we absolutely loved Eagle Bay Cottage and were very sad to leave. My review didn't cover everything, such as the huge collection of DVDs and books, the very comfortable sofa and armchair, and the large outside storeroom built partly into the rock face and which contained, amongst other things, two brand new bikes that were available to use, but I hope it gives a fair overview. We lacked for nothing, and when it was time to go we simply left the front door unlocked and drove away. As at the previous accommodation this holiday, we were trusted to have been good tenants - and that always leaves a nice feeling.  O0

    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 19:11:28, 28/07/20
    I date my becoming 'a walker' from when I acquired a GPS watch and started to record my walks. That was in October 2016 and our first walking holiday was during the following summer. The first accommodation to be the base for our walks was Corrodale Cottage on South Uist.

    In the southern Outer Hebrides, the larger islands of South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist  are linked by causeways, and some smaller islands such as Berneray in the far north and Eriskay in the far south can also be reached by causeways. We wanted to see as much of the Uist islands as possible so we wanted our accommodation to be somewhere in the centre - and Corrodale Cottage fitted the bill perfectly. Nowhere on this island group was more than a 40 minute drive away.

    The cottage is on a large, grassy plot by a single-track road with rough farmland on the other three sides, so although there are other properties around, it feels quite remote. The photo shows an outbuilding behind the cottage which serves as a very large utility room.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_1.jpg)

    Alongside the utility building there's a very nice decked patio from where we could watch...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_4.jpg)

    ...the local cows. In the distance are the hills of South Uist.

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_5.jpg)

    The rear of the cottage - and plenty of parking space!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_2.jpg)

    The wonderful view that greeted us every morning (when it wasn't raining that is!):  ;)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_3.jpg)

    Inside, the cottage is cosy, luxurious and immaculate. The kitchen / living room is quite compact but extremely well-equipped and very comfortable. The photo shows some of the 'welcome' gifts left for us (far left and on the table), and there was a bottle of good quality champagne too. Out of shot are the peat-burning stove, the TV system (with DVD player and Sky), and various other pieces of furniture. As walkers, we were pleased to find that a very extensive range of maps and books of walks had been provided and of which we made very good use!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_6.jpg)

    Like the rest of the cottage, the bedroom was of the highest standard. Sadly, my photo doesn't do justice to the impressive four-poster bed, but I think you can get an idea of the quality of the bedding...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_8.jpg)

    The next photo shows part of the bathroom, which again was of the highest standard. The spa bath was brilliant (literally, because it had lights), and I'm told that the provided toiletries were suitably upmarket!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Corrodale_Cottage_7.jpg)

    As you can probably tell, we were absolutely delighted with Corrodale Cottage, but I must also mention the delightful lady with whom we booked. She was extremely pleasant and helpful, and asked that when we leave at the end of the week we simply hang the key on a hook in the hall and leave the front door unlocked. It's quite refreshing to be trusted.

    For anyone wanting to explore the Uist islands from a central location and in total comfort, Corrodale Cottage is perfect!   O0
    Title: Re: Self-catering cottages for walking holidays :-)
    Post by: WhitstableDave on 16:27:03, 01/10/20
    We booked a week in Townend Barn for Easter at the start of 2020, but the lockdown meant postponing our holiday in Devon until September. As it turned out, we're delighted we didn't cancel, because we loved the cottage and the surrounding area very much indeed.  :)

    Our plan was to do a week's walking on Dartmoor, and the village of Lydford was the perfect location. Dartmoor is only a short walk away and some excellent trails, such as the Granite Way and the Dartmoor Way, pass through the village. There's also the spectacular Lydford Gorge just down the road, but it's a National Trust site and there were too many restrictions in place for our liking. Another time perhaps?

    Townend Barn is behind the owner's house and feels completely separate and private. There's a parking space in front, but the entrance to the barn is from the secluded garden area at the rear. Speaking of 'rears', there are some quirky ornaments...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Townend_Barn_1.jpg)

    The secluded garden at the rear and the entrance to the barn:

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Townend_Barn_2.jpg)

    The design is open plan, with the small bedroom screened with a curtain. The extremely nice bathroom has an excellent shower and is next to the 'bedroom' - there is a door between them!

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Townend_Barn_3.jpg)

    There's a decent TV out of shot and a grand piano (which we didn't use). There's also a very good selection of books and maps, and a log burner (which we didn't use either!).

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Townend_Barn_4.jpg)

    Once we'd unpacked, we went for a stroll around Lydford. Here are a few photos to show what the village and the area are like...

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Lydford_walk.jpg)

    (http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/Lydford_walk_2.jpg)

    In summary: we really liked the accommodation and the area. The owner was extremely friendly but also unobtrusive. And we thought the price was very reasonable at around £500 for the week. Especially highly recommended as a base for exploring Dartmoor!   O0