A ‘charming’ Cheshire cottage has been named among the best in the UK for walking holidays.
The Hayloft on Blackden Lane, Goostrey, was bestowed the honour by the Cool Places website, which provides an online guide to bespoke accommodation.
It describes the bolt-hole for two as “a perfect little base” which is set “in the grounds of a country property but also nice and private with fields all around”.
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The facilities on offer include parking, bike storage, electric car charging, an enclosed dog kennel and stables – yes you can take your horse with you! – which are available via prior arrangement.
Describing the cottage, Cool Places state: “Where they used to pack hay is now a cosy space for a couple, done out in an attractive, contemporary country style of exposed brick and floorboards under solid timber beams. There’s a mezzanine level above that maintains the height and light, but all the living space is downstairs on one level.
“A tiled shower-room and double bedroom lies on one side, open-plan kitchen-diner and lounge on the other, and while the bedroom is compact, there’s plenty of leisure space beyond. There’s a twin sofa and bucket chair in the lounge, a little dining area under the beams, and a decent-sized country kitchen with everything you need for cooking cosy meals.
“Patio doors from the lounge lead out on to a private outdoor space with garden furniture and field views. There’s bike storage – and some nice, flat rides hereabouts – and because this is Cheshire, not only can you bring your dog (there are outside kennels) but also your horse, if you tell them in advance. The village pub is a mile away, the nearest shop a couple of miles, though if you’re not stocking up in local organic farm shops and artisan delis, you’re not doing Cheshire right.”
Another cottage ranked among the UK’s finest for walking holidays, lies on the Cheshire-Shropshire border. The ‘elegant’ two-bedroom property is in the Gothic gatehouse at the entrance of the vast Combermere Abbey Estate. “Stone Lodge is a perfect cottage for a couple or a family of four, and is also dog friendly, with a large enclosed garden,” states Cool Places.
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