The Wilderness

The cottage had everything we needed and was tidy when we arrived. The owner had left a homemade cake, which was delicious and very welcome after the long drive. It’s a lovely place to get away from it all, with a secure garden for our dog. The old miners’ cottage is quite dark inside, though, and we needed the lights on most of the day in the lounge and dining room. There’s a twin room downstairs and a large upstairs bedroom with a double bed and a day bed. The track to the cottage is uneven, but our well-loaded family car managed without trouble as long as we took it steadily. For the wood-fired hot tub, the local shop sells softwood logs that burn quickly. Seasoned hardwood is better value, and works well in the log burner too. There’s a steep walk up the hill behind the cottage, but the whole family managed it. It’s also useful to know Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda deliver there. We’d definitely stay again.

The secure yard for dogs and the cleanliness were the only real positives for me. The cottage was very dark even with the lights on, and the staircase was steep and slippery. It was also difficult to find and reach because of the very uneven, uphill dirt track. There are much better places to stay.

A really comfortable lodge. Just give the hot tub plenty of time to heat up.