Country Hideaways | West Cottage | Thornton Rust, Leyburn

Yorkshire Dales. Sleeps up to 5

West Cottage is an out of the ordinary and spacious traditional farmhouse, full of delightful surprises. Its two characterful sitting rooms and dining room, with cosy fire places and wood stove, provide ample room for everyone to find their own comfortable nook to relax in. The driveway in front of the cottage leads to a lovely, secluded garden and a lower paddock on the hill side. Overlooking the dale, a terrace provides an idyllic place to sit, reflect and enjoy the view towards the crags of Ellerkin, and eastwards as far as 40 miles to the Hambleton Hills.

Entry is through a porch door to the dining room, formerly the farmhouse kitchen with a traditional kitchen range. To one side of the dining room is a comfortable sitting room with stone fireplace and polished wood floor and ceiling. Off the other side of the dining room is a well-equipped kitchen with stone tiled floor leading down two stone steps to a hallway/utility room with flagged floor, open stonework and exposed beams. This in turn leads to a spacious lounge, with polished hardwood floor, vaulted ceiling, wood-burning stove and views out to the garden and the fells beyond. A low glass door leads from this lounge to the driveway and garden. Adjoining the hallway is a tiled shower room with washbasin and toilet.

A stone stairway which is carpeted rises from the dining room to an intermediate landing giving access to a bathroom with bath, washbasin and toilet. A second, larger landing, serves three bedrooms, a room with twin beds, one small single room and the larger room a super king size bed.

This quirky and very cosy cottage retains many of its original features such as panelled window reveals and seats, panelled ceilings and doors along with picture rails, stone and oak floors and fireplaces. Period fixtures and fittings, fine artwork and memorabilia are set against a general decor that captures the essence of an early dales farmhouse but with all the modern comforts of life. A unique and truly homely cottage with wonderful views across Wensleydale and great walks just on the doorstep.

This cottage is located in Leyburn. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Yorkshire Dales National Park and Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve, while Dales Countryside Museum and Artbarr gallery are cultural highlights. Raydale Preserves and The Forbidden Corner are also worth visiting.