Hollens Farm Cotage, Grasmere, May 2015
Our first major getaway this year will be another visit to the delightful Hollens Farm Cottage in the Lake District in February. So in the excited anticipation here is a post on our stay last spring.
G and I love the Lake District and tend to go there every year. This time instead of the usual B&B accommodation we decided to rent a cottage for a week. We were open to the location, but it had to be an old cottage with original olde worlde interior and decor. I searched and searched various sites for days on end but nothing jumped at me. I almost thought what we were looking for existed only in our minds when I finally stumbled upon the Hollens Farm. It was free the week we wanted it for, and I was so pleased to find it was situated in Grasmere, one of my favourite Lakes villages. Dove Cottage, the poet William Wordsworth's home, which I love, is only a short walk up the road. And Grasmere has a more or less central position in the Lake District which means that from there it is not far to go to other lakes and place.
The cottage dates from the early 19th century. It was the home to a dairyman who ran a farm with a Jersey herd supplying milk to Grasmere. It was thought that originally it was an inn amid a small cluster of old farm buildings which have been adapted over the years into several homes.
Front view. White washed walls contrast the stone wall of the back.
Back view. There is no garden, just a communal yard but it does not matter that much when you have such stunning beauty of nature virtually next to the cottage. The views from the upstairs windows are stunning. And there is always plenty of scope for growing plants in pots, both at the front and back of the cottage.
The lovely washing dolly belongs in the bathroom but I took it outside for a little photo session. I liked it so much that I decided I wanted one for myself. On our way back to Leeds we stopped at the antiques centre in Skipton and sure enough they had one just waiting for me to buy it. It looks very pretty in the corner of my bathroom with a couple of linen lavender bags hanging off one of the arms.
In the Hollens Farm it serves as a spare toilet roll holder which I thought was an ingenious idea.
The photos of the cottage certainly attracted me to it immediately, but they could not convey the real look and feel inside the cottage. And I do not think any photographs could! When we opened the lovely wooden front door (which is a stable door!) and stepped into the kitchen we gasped and laughed at the most charming and inviting interior.
Just love this old window above the kitchen belfast sink with its deep wooden windowsill and wooden beams above it.
Lovely Rayburn cooker that it is such a joy to cook on, and it kept the kitchen warm at all times since it never gets switched off.
Beautiful dresser and the lamp I keep searching for as it is now a must have in my dining room. I got so many ideas for my own home from this inspiring place. On the right a lovely cushioned bench running along the length of the wall can just be seen.
The main bedroom window with its breath taking view onto the fells and delightful window seat adorned by vintage cottage style cushions. I placed a book of Wordsworth's poems there which I found in the bookcase on the landing.
My vintage nightdresses hanging on the wooden door of our bedroom.
Second bedroom boasting twin sleigh beds.
These walking sticks are stood in the kitchen near the front door. I paired them with G's shoes seemingly abandoned in haste near the open back door for a quick still life shot. Trevillion Images liked this image and accepted it for their collection. They were drawn to its presence of people feel without the actual presence of people.
I had omitted to take any shots of the living room. It is a very pleasant room and the lack of inspiration is almost certainly due to us not lighting the log burner as there was no need with it being springtime. This is probably the main reason why I am looking forward to staying at the cottage in winter time. So looking forward to the cosy ambience created by the flickering flames in the wood stove. Without doubt there will be pics of the living room this February as well as more pics of this adorable cottage.
G and I love the Lake District and tend to go there every year. This time instead of the usual B&B accommodation we decided to rent a cottage for a week. We were open to the location, but it had to be an old cottage with original olde worlde interior and decor. I searched and searched various sites for days on end but nothing jumped at me. I almost thought what we were looking for existed only in our minds when I finally stumbled upon the Hollens Farm. It was free the week we wanted it for, and I was so pleased to find it was situated in Grasmere, one of my favourite Lakes villages. Dove Cottage, the poet William Wordsworth's home, which I love, is only a short walk up the road. And Grasmere has a more or less central position in the Lake District which means that from there it is not far to go to other lakes and place.
The cottage dates from the early 19th century. It was the home to a dairyman who ran a farm with a Jersey herd supplying milk to Grasmere. It was thought that originally it was an inn amid a small cluster of old farm buildings which have been adapted over the years into several homes.
Front view. White washed walls contrast the stone wall of the back.
Back view. There is no garden, just a communal yard but it does not matter that much when you have such stunning beauty of nature virtually next to the cottage. The views from the upstairs windows are stunning. And there is always plenty of scope for growing plants in pots, both at the front and back of the cottage.
The lovely washing dolly belongs in the bathroom but I took it outside for a little photo session. I liked it so much that I decided I wanted one for myself. On our way back to Leeds we stopped at the antiques centre in Skipton and sure enough they had one just waiting for me to buy it. It looks very pretty in the corner of my bathroom with a couple of linen lavender bags hanging off one of the arms.
In the Hollens Farm it serves as a spare toilet roll holder which I thought was an ingenious idea.
The photos of the cottage certainly attracted me to it immediately, but they could not convey the real look and feel inside the cottage. And I do not think any photographs could! When we opened the lovely wooden front door (which is a stable door!) and stepped into the kitchen we gasped and laughed at the most charming and inviting interior.
Just love this old window above the kitchen belfast sink with its deep wooden windowsill and wooden beams above it.
Lovely Rayburn cooker that it is such a joy to cook on, and it kept the kitchen warm at all times since it never gets switched off.
Beautiful dresser and the lamp I keep searching for as it is now a must have in my dining room. I got so many ideas for my own home from this inspiring place. On the right a lovely cushioned bench running along the length of the wall can just be seen.
The main bedroom window with its breath taking view onto the fells and delightful window seat adorned by vintage cottage style cushions. I placed a book of Wordsworth's poems there which I found in the bookcase on the landing.
Second bedroom boasting twin sleigh beds.
These walking sticks are stood in the kitchen near the front door. I paired them with G's shoes seemingly abandoned in haste near the open back door for a quick still life shot. Trevillion Images liked this image and accepted it for their collection. They were drawn to its presence of people feel without the actual presence of people.
I had omitted to take any shots of the living room. It is a very pleasant room and the lack of inspiration is almost certainly due to us not lighting the log burner as there was no need with it being springtime. This is probably the main reason why I am looking forward to staying at the cottage in winter time. So looking forward to the cosy ambience created by the flickering flames in the wood stove. Without doubt there will be pics of the living room this February as well as more pics of this adorable cottage.
OMG - gorgeous both the place and your photographs!
ReplyDeleteLiz
It looks like the perfect place to atay...
ReplyDelete