"Few houses in the Lake District offer a more wholesome stay than this cute cottage in a dinky village near Penrith. We simply dropped off the M6 motorway, wound down a few country roads, and then found ourselves in Great Strickland, where the Eden Valley fans out to the east, and the famous Lakes lie to the west. The village itself has just a pub and a clutch of houses, among which lies this charming stone cottage, adorned with big sash windows and climbing plants. Opposite is a little village green and a red post box: a quintessentially English scene. The cottage is a neat blend of old and new: rooms have original beams and stone walls, but monochrome colour schemes and easy chairs give them a fresh and contemporary look. A fireplace warms the living room, a forest-green kitchen is the heart of the house, and a bright conservatory looks out over the cottage garden, perfect for sunny days. Upstairs, three bedrooms (double, twin and a single) accommodate up to five. We stayed as a family (with dog included) and found this a warm and inviting place to come back to after days out hiking and biking around the Lakes - Ullswater is the closest. And when the weather wasn’t so friendly, a stock of games and TV with all the channels kept us entertained. For a family break with natural beauty on the doorstep, you won’t find a better base. Highs Warm, cosy, ancient stone cottage with lots of mod cons - WiFi, Netflix, Google Nest Super comfy beds in all three bedrooms A convenient location for exploring the Lake District but also the lesser-known (and less busy) but equally pretty Eden Valley A snug village pub is just a minutes' walk away and serves excellent pies Good for families and dogs - there's a twin room and a single room, plus a pebbled back garden Lows Low ceilings and uneven stairs show the true age of the cottage There is only one loo, shared by all three bedrooms, and it's not quite as high spec as the rest of the house Some road noise but it's not a busy village" - Kate Parsons
