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Smardale Hall

Guest Rating
Rating
4.7
out of 5
Cumbria » Smardale Near Kirkby Stephen
Sleeps up to 8
Hot Tub
Dating back to the 14th century, this enchanting Grade II listed semi-detached cottage is attached to the owner's home and sits on a working livestock farm with sheep and cows in a delightful rural location between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks.Complete with unique towers and turrets, this striking cottage provides spacious accommodation for any group hunting for a holiday with a difference.The large sitting room features a cosy woodburner and a hideaway space set into each adjoining tower, providing a cosy spot to retreat with a book.There are three comfortable bedrooms, including one with en-suite facilities, and a family bathroom, located in the first floor turret; another unusual feature of this delightful cottage.
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About Smardale Hall

Dating back to the 14th century, this enchanting Grade II listed semi-detached cottage is attached to the owner's home and sits on a working livestock farm with sheep and cows in a delightful rural location between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks. Complete with unique towers and turrets, this striking cottage provides spacious accommodation for any group hunting for a holiday with a difference.

The large sitting room features a cosy woodburner and a hideaway space set into each adjoining tower, providing a cosy spot to retreat with a book. There are three comfortable bedrooms, including one with en-suite facilities, and a family bathroom, located in the first floor turret; another unusual feature of this delightful cottage.

Outside, there is a sunny walled garden, and guests are welcome to use the shared lawns that overlook the farmyard. If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the native red squirrels and deer that dwell in the Smardale Gill nature reserve on the doorstep.

The traditional market town of Kirkby Stephen is just three miles away and offers a good variety of amenities, and the option to enjoy a breathtaking journey by steam over the Ribblehead viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle Railway. The quaint village of Ravenstondale is a short drive away and has excellent pubs and tea rooms, plus the 9 hole golf course allows visitors to leave their green fees in an honesty box, and enjoy a relaxed game in pretty surroundings.

This charming cottage will be loved by guests of all ages.

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At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

Cottages Near Smardale Hall

2 Miles
Sleeps 4
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 2
Beautiful stone-built cottage resting in an enviable location with stunning views across rolling countryside, 6 miles south of Appleby-in-Westmorland. Pet-friendly. WiFi. Shop and pub 4 miles
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2 Miles
Sleeps 8
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 4
A superb four-bedroom barn conversion settled in Wharton near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. Open-plan. Child-friendly. Hot tub. Sedbergh 12.8 miles; Reeth 25.5 miles; Penrith 29 miles.
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5 Miles
Sleeps 4
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 2
Located in an elevated position in the stunning Lune Valley with breath taking views over the Howgills and the Yorkshire Dales. Making this a fantastic base to explore the Yorkshire Dales National Park, perfect for walking, hiking, pony trekking or enjoy fishing on the river Lune.
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6 Miles
Sleeps 19
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 10
Waterfall Retreat is a stunning, ten-bedroom home resting in Tebay near Orton, Cumbria. Near National Park. Waterfall views. Gym. Pet-friendly. Rural. Kirkby Stephen 10.6 miles; Kendal 14.3 miles; Penrith 18.9 miles; Keswick 35.5 miles.
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7 Miles
Sleeps 6
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 3
A pretty, three-bedroom home resting in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. Hot tub. Close to amenities. Penrith 14 miles; Barnard Castle 26 miles; Carlisle 32.6 miles.
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8 Miles
Sleeps 6
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 3
This stunning reverse-level property resides in Sedbergh, Cumbria. Enclosed garden. Woodburning stove. Smart TV. Hot tub. In a National Park. Kendal 15.1 miles; Hawes 19.6 miles.
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9 Miles
Sleeps 4
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 2
Delightful semi-detached stone character cottage located in the hamlet of Keisley near Dufton. Hot tub, pet-friendly, open plan with beams and woodburner. Good walking from the door. Appleby-in-Westermorland 5 miles.
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10 Miles
Sleeps 2
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 1
A first-class, detached farm conversion with luxury hot tub in a beautiful countryside location. Woodburning stove. Lots of character and charm. 1 mile from Sedbergh.
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11 Miles
Sleeps 2
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 1
Set within Howgill Valley, on the owners farmland grounds you have plenty on offer along with breath taking views over the valley. The historic village of Sedbergh is around a 20 minute walk away.
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11 Miles
Sleeps 23
Pets 1
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 11
A beautiful Victorian house lying amidst the hills in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Sedbergh. Woodburning stove. Two hot tubs. Ideal for large families. Incredible views. Kendal 12.3 miles; Hawes 14.7 miles.
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Smardale Hall Reviews

The weather was poor whilst we were there but that was not be the fault of the host or Sykes. We did enjoy the log fire with the essential logs immensely.
Amazing property and area, it was great that we could have a walk round and see all the animals. We will definitely be back!
Had a lovely family trip to Smardale, loved the kitchen and the space of this holiday let. It was simply away from it all but the WiFi worked. The views of the countryside were lovely and to be sat in the hot tub as the Sunday steam train passed by on the main line was really special. Walks galore from the property or very nearby or simply to relax In this piece of English history was a delight.
Our return to Smardale was fabulous. It felt like coming home. We last booked in 2018. Everything was great with notable upgrades since our last visit. It's not often that the 15th century is attainable. We love the property and the owners are very approachable and always on site. We had a lovely week and would love to book again.
Gillian
We really enjoyed our stay, it's not often you can stay in a C14th listed building. The owners are lovely and friendly. The setting is beautiful and peaceful. Perfect for us.
Catherine
We had a wonderful stay in an amazing house that took our breath away! The owners were very generous and made our New Years getaway even better than we could hope for! An unforgettable stay. Thank you xx
Matthew
Easy access, beautiful property, helpful host and provided plenty of wood for the cold snap we had would certainly stay again!
The hosts were excellent very friendly and had gone to the effort of decorating the house for Christmas for us! They were helpful with all our requests too. The house is unique we loved it and will be back.
We have had a brilliant family weekend in this amazing, quirky property . Played hide and seek with the grandkids loads . Took full advantage of the hot tub . Plentiful supply of logs for the wood burner . Nothing was too much trouble for the owners . Went in a walk at the nature trail right next to the hall . Highly recommend the Black Bull in Nateby couple of miles away for good pub grub .
Manasa
Smardale hall was a unique and wonderful place for a holiday with the family. Our children called it the 'castle house' and the living room and the fireplace captivated them and us a lot. The beds were super comfortable and despite being old and huge, it felt pretty warm particularly when we had the fire going. The kitchen was very well equipped and see managed to have dinner there most nights and even Diwali and a birthday celebration. We only met Steven the owner once as he led us up to the place with his car at we got there in the night and couldn't see there we were going and again as we left. He was lovely and very hospitable. We loved waking up to sheep being rounded up in the pen and beautiful sunrises and sunsets through the many large windows. There is a local walk that is along the old train line that is really beautiful and friendly for all ages. If there are any cons, it would be that you need a car to get here and it's a B road at the end so be prepared for awkward backing up in case you encounter oncoming traffic. Good news is Sainsburys delivers groceries so you don't need to pack everything to go here. The bathrooms are in the turrets and are quite cold so pack some robes to keep you cozy as you get in and out of the shower. Finally, we tried the hot tub on one night but it was warm. We should have asked Steven to help get it hotter but we didn't. Mainly as our mobile phones didn't work there. However, the internet is super fast so you can keep in touch with the world if you want to and plan nearby adventures. Thank you for having us and hope to return in the future.
This was our second time at this property. It is a fabulous get away location. We would highly recommend it.
Lyndsey
My friends and I enjoyed our stay at Smardale Hall thoroughly! The character of the building, the views, the hot tub made this holiday incredibly special. The hosts were incredibly kind and friendly. Only minor problem was the shower in the en suite either ran very hot or freezing cold. But this did nothing to spoil our moods! We all said that we would definitely recommend this place to others as well as return ourselves!! Thank you for a great holiday!
Lovely stay. Beautiful setting. Will definitely be back xx
Nicola
We had a wonderful week at this property. Stunning views from the house and the hot tub, plenty of logs for the wood burner, great location easy walkbike ride to Smardale viaduct from the property, super comfy beds and the most friendly owners who, despite it being the height of lambing season, found time to let us experience their farm. Wed definitely love to return.
Cheryl
A unique property in a beautiful area. We had a wonderful stay and the owners were very helpful. Lots of walks and wildlife at the local nature reserve. Don't miss the farmers market at Olton and the Wensledale creamery is worth a visit too. We've been here before and we'll definitely return again.
Excellent location, lovely characterful property, in keeping with its age! We had a really comfortable stay! Not the best hot tub, could of done with being a bit deeper, when you sat in it most of you was out of the water so we were freezing!! Thank you for allowing us early entry because of the storm! We really appreciated it! Well be back soon!
We had a lovely week at Smardale Hall. Our hosts were tremendously attentive the fire was lit before we arrived, there was an endless supply of wood and coal and they were immediately on hand for any questions we had. The house is spacious with a lovely kitchen and drawing room and the bed was superbly warm and comfortable. The house is on a working farm and the hosts were more than happy to show us around and even included us in the sheep scanning. The local walks in the Nature Reserve are wonderful with beautiful countryside all around and the Lake District is an easy drive and only about an hour away. Highly recommended for a very quiet weeks getaway or just a weekend break.
Rachael
Lovely property with lots of history and character. Idyllic location with fabulous views and great walks on the doorstep.
We experienced all 4 seasons in a few days but the best by far was watching the snow fall from the hot tub. A roaring fire awaited us on arrival, which was most welcome the hall itself was well stocked and apart from catered to our very need. A very helpful farmer owner even transported us into local town for much needed shopping after we got snowed in. Would definitely be staying here again it was a very restful place to stay
Its location was excellent for us. It allowed us to meet up with our daughter and at the same time travel down with our son. Its isolated location suited us perfectly and yet it has great walking nearby. Local service at Kirkby Steven suited us just fine and they were just superb. We would love to go bsck to this venue again in the future.
Its a castle! !
Christine
Fantastic place to be. Cottage was lovely and clean. Owners were fab and allowed my son to see all the animals and feed the calves. He loved it! Only downside was that the owners were told thered only be three of us also shown this on the app but our confirmation email had correct no which was 4
Absolutely wonderful. ..that was our second time visiting Smarsdale Hall.... we'd love to go every year!!!!
Lesley
Had a fabulous week at Smardale Hall. Its so quiet and peaceful with just farm noises and the clickety clack of the train in the distance. The weather forecast hadnt been great, but it turned out really well and we sat outside for all but one meal. The friendly dogs often popped by to say hello too. Plenty of room for five of us, a lovely light and wellequipped kitchen, we enjoyed the hot tub and used every day. Visited lots of different places in the Lake District and Barnard Castle and also walked into Kirkby Stephens and back for a car free day. Highly recommend!
Phyllis Lrene
Excellent hosts, friendly e very appropriable. Views stupendous, especially from the hot tub.Local nature reserve,highly recommend.We spent a wonderful week away staying here.Hopefully in the future will return.Thank you Gill Steve e family.
Enjoyed an exceptional stay at Smardale Hall, wonderful accommodation, warm welcome from owners and beautiful weather the whole time perfect!
The pictures dont do this house justice , so beautiful and spacious well situated hot tub loads of space in the house beautiful fire just loved it we didnt want to leave!
Fantastic holiday! Only problem was the WiFi which was ok in the kitchen, not ideal for work
This is a lovely property and great for kids as there is a lot of space inside and out. I heard my son telling someone he met at a play area that we were staying on a working farm and he was so excited by this, the goats scared him though lol. The house itself is large and spacious, agree with someone else, if you want brand new with whitewashed walls then this isnt the place for you! This property is homely and because of the old style of the building the decor fits beautifully. Beds are comfortable, its very clean and the kitchen is amazing. The WiFi isnt the greatest and one of us needed to work while there self employed and couldnt connect the laptop to the WiFi, the owner came round and very kindly provided us with another WiFi and code which worked. The hot tub is lovely and placed where the views are beautiful house one side which is great to Look at and fields the other. Kids were excited to see the steam train going past from afar, we had a little walk along the old railway line and we enjoyed playing hide and seek inside when it was raining. We took a couple of our own games to play but there are some there, the kids played with some dinosaurs they found. Overall, a gorgeous place that has been very well looked after and very clean.
A lovely setting and very relaxed place to be . Thank you
The owners are friendly, welcoming and very responsive. There was an issue with the hot tub, and they were out to fix it almost within minutes of being made aware. The beds were exceptionally comfortable, and there was plenty of space for everyone to be together or to have space apart. Magnificent views, wonderful wildlife and farmlife all around. I can't fault anything about this holiday.
Philip
Smardale Hall is a unique and fascinating place to stay. The ancient house is comfortable and welcoming due to the friendliness and generosity of the farmers who live next door. I will be booking it again soon.
Lovely hosts we had a great weekend on the farm!
Lovely location, and hot tub was great and secluded. Like other reviewers have said, it is an old property and so you get what comes with that age of house, but as long as you are happy with that it is a lovely place to stay, beautiful location and plenty of walks from your doorstep. The owners are friendly taking the family on a tour of the farm yard as we were looking at some of the animals, and had the fire roaring away ready for our arrival. We'll certainly be coming back, great location and property for a family break.
This holiday letting is fantastic. We went as a group of 2 families with primary and pre school age children. Steve and his family could not have been more helpful and friendly. It is on a working farm and Steve let the children look round it and even hold the chicks. The views are amazing and the hot tub was used every day. The size of the building is enormous and there is a lovely open fire and big kitchen to host everyone in. We will definitely be going again.
Nicola
Beautiful 16th century listed building. Some parts needed updating but you would expect this of this building. We had a fantastic weekend with the hot tub being the bonus. It is very remote which is exactly what we wanted. Extremely well stocked with everything you need. Beds very comfortable. The owners were lovely, going above and beyond our expectations. We will definitely return.
The hosts were great people and the house is lovely and large. Loved the hot tub in the garden looking at sheep over the wall. All in all a great experience
Rachel
This was our third visit to Smardale we love the house, the location, the farm and the owners. It's such a relaxing place to be, and the hot tub at the end of a long walk is very special. We hope to be back next year!
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Attractions Near Smardale Hall

While there'll be plenty to keep you entertained an Smardale Hall itself, if you plan to get out and about and see some of what Cumbria has to offer, here are some of the nearby attractions you can enjoy during your stay. Please note that some of these activities and days out are paid and it's always a good idea to book in advance to secure your place where applicable.

Found a special day out near your cottage? Please let us know and we'll add it so that other visitors can enjoy it too!
Ullswater Steamers - CA11 0US
about 22 Miles
This is an award winning Lake District attraction and they have been operating cruisers on Lake Ullswater for over 150 years.  There is no better way to explore the lakes than on water and you could even combine a cruise with a spectacular walk.  For great days out in this region then this attraction is highly recommended and will appeal to couples as well as families.  Corporate groups are also well catered for.
Lakeland Wildlife Oasis - LA6 1JH
about 23 Miles
Located in the Milnthorpe area of Cumbria we love this local attraction.  With an eclectic mix of fascinating wildlife and hands on displays this centre is educational as well as fun.  You can wander around at leisure admiring the exhibits which range from chameleons to computers. Some of the most threatened species are kept at the park as part if international breeding programmes.  Check out their website for the latest opening times and admission costs which are great value for money.  There are discounts for pre-booked parties of 12 or more.
Rydal Mount & Gardens - LA22 9LU
about 23 Miles
Rydal Mount & Gardens are wonderfully situated between Lake Windermere and Rydal Water offering breathtaking scenery. The home of William Wordsworth from 1813 - 1850 the grand home is now lived in by the poets descendents but parts of the house and grounds are open to the public. Why not take a guided tour and see the rooms where many of the famous poems were written. The gardens are beautiful at all times of the year but in the summer offer a spectacular display of colour. There is also a gallery and a tearoom. Discounts are available for group bookings.