Linskeldfield Holiday Cottages

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Name: Linskeldfield Cottages
Reviewer: Jo Southway 

Located in the Lake District, in the Derwent Valley, these cottages are part of a 200-acre farm. With pods and camping pitches also on site, it is a great place to suit all budgets and preferences. There are four cottages in total and we stayed in Otter’s Pocket. In the outside areas there are many animals for you to meet such as owls, hens, rabbits, alpacas and goats. But even more animals like to visit as the farm is such a haven for wildlife, including owls, squirrels, otters, swans, geese and many more. Attracted to the farm by the natural tarn, or small mountain lake, guests are welcome to take a walk around and use the hide for wildlife spotting. There is plenty for younger members of the family to do, with a wooden play area and places to play other games such as football, hopscotch, ride-on toys and a playhouse, as well as an indoor games room. Inside our cottage, we found an open-plan ground floor that felt cosy and welcoming. The hallway has hard floors, perfect for drying off muddy feet before heading into the carpeted area. The sofas were super comfy. Holiday lets often opt for leather sofas due to their easy clean nature and although I totally understand why, we much prefer a cosy fabrics of a like they have here. Although a small cottage, Otter’s Pocket has everything you could need for your stay, with somewhere to chill and watch TV, a dining area to sit and eat, and ample kitchen space. Everything you need for cooking is provided, with essentials such as salt and pepper, utensils and oven gear. There are also some wonderful added extras to welcome you, which means you won’t have to find a shop straightaway including homemade bread, jam, eggs, milk, butter and some local cake and biscuits. There’s also tea and coffee, in case you were wondering. Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a bathroom. All are well furnished and the bathroom has a bath with shower above, which is always an important factor for us as I cannot survive winter without long bubbly baths. 

The weather could not have been more wet and chilly but the cottage is definitely a warm and cosy sanctuary to get back to at the end of a soggy day. Even better is that there is an outside dog shower to clean off those muddy paws. Our first day, we wanted to explore the farm more, as arriving late meant it was too dark to see much. The tarn offers a stunning walk to take your dog and spot wildlife. A calm and peaceful way to start the day watching the swans glide across the water. We really enjoyed taking a wander around the farm’s aviaries and seeing the magnificent owls and other birds on site. We could see how lovely the campsite clearly is in the warmer seasons and took a peak at the facilities, which are perfect for people wanting to stay in a motorhome or tent. They also have a halfway option of camping pods, which offer a glamping experience situated right next to the nature pond. The dogs even got to have a run in the fenced field, which is another great addition to the site. We needed to get supplies so we headed for one of the nearest towns. There’s a choice of Cockermouth and Keswick. A trip into Keswick saw us end up with more outdoor gear than we went with and some incredible chocolate fountain kebabs from the Java Coffee Shop. Every shop and cafe you step into seems to allow dogs, with most welcoming them in with treats, cuddles and water bowls. After our spot of retail therapy we wanted a nice forest walk for the dogs so thought we’d check out Wythop Woods. 

The dogs were unphased by the hammering rain and we had a wonderful adventure finding waterfalls. There are numerous routes to choose from, depending on how long you want your walk to be. Back at the cottage, we made use of the on-site farm shop to buy some cheese and other local goodies to add to our tea. Over the following days, the rain didn’t let up and made for some wet and muddy outings. But the landscape made up for the weather providing an immense backdrop to all our walks. You can drive around Crummock and Buttermere lakes and find various parking spots with footpaths off up the fells or around the lakes themselves. Our break mainly revolved around walking and food and there was certainly no shortage of places for a drink, a quick snack or a full meal. But one place in particular became a repeat brunch visit. A cafe tucked away in a little street in Keswick called Lake Road Brunch. We have visited our fair share of dog friendly places and we were in total agreement that this is the best place we have ever had brunch. The second you walk in the door the staff could not be more friendly and welcoming. They make you feel like a truly valued customer and nothing is too much trouble. The decor is funky and modern with seating both downstairs and up. The food is incredible, offering a standard and separate vegan menu. Well thought-out dishes are presented beautifully while being great on portion size and not pretentious. There’s also a dog menu so you can order a doggy brunch and have your pooch enjoy a meal with you. On one visit I counted 15 dogs come and go for brunch, five of which were in one party. The staff were not in the slightest phased. We have already been planning our return visit to the area for another holiday purely so we can eat brunch there. During our stay, we also checked out a couple of the local pubs. At Emily’s Black Lion in the quiet village of Ireby everyone in the pub had dogs with them and there were some tasty specials on the evening menu. Another was the Oddfellows Arms in Caldbeck, which was clearly popular with the locals, with both a full restaurant and bar. We managed to sneak a spot when someone was leaving. Even more lucky it was right next to the wood burner. Not only can you get a drink from the bar but there’s a whole selection of dog treats too. A nice menu with many traditional meals and great looking food.

 You are spoilt for choice on day trips in this area. With attractions to suit all tastes such as a wildlife park, castles, heritage sites, and distilleries. Having never been to Hadrian’s Wall and it being under an hour away we decided to make that one of our trips. You can walk the Hadrian’s Wall path with lots of parking options along the route. There are information points in the area to tell you all about the history and remains. Obviously any trip to the Lake District has to factor heavily on the lakes. As well as walking around and checking out viewpoints at Crummock and Buttermere, we also visited Derwentwater, Ullswater, Coniston, Windermere and, our closest, Bassenthwaite. While there, we took shelter from a storm at the Bassenthwaite Lake Station cafe, a beautifully converted train with tonnes of original features making it the most quirky and charming place for lunch. A lovely menu but the afternoon teas looked particularly special and I was rather disappointed we didn’t have one booked seeing them being transported past us. 

Staying in the area we walked off our yummy treats at Dodd Wood where again there are parking spots and access routes with walks around the forest. For fuel and shops and all the necessities we either went to Keswick or Cockermouth. For the dogs’ needs, we particularly liked the WCF Pet and Equestrian store in Cockermouth and Podgy Paws in Keswick. Both had a fantastic selection of products and lots of natural, quality treats that we tend to opt for when choosing things to keep the dogs occupied and enriched. If you like to visit the coast while away, then the nearest beaches on the west coast are around a thirty-minute drive. Parton Beach, Workington Beach and Maryport all allow dogs year-round with some restrictions, such as being on-lead in certain areas. We had the most amazing time in the Lake Play time on the beach District and wished we had weeks to explore. 

It is not our first time in the area and definitely won’t be our last. Linskeldfield Cottages are really well located particularly to explore the north lakes which we found to be more rugged and breathtaking than those in the south. With tonnes of options for days out and different landscapes for hiking, mountain climbing, watersports and coastal visits, it is a location that suits the whole family, but above all it suits dogs.

Linskeldfield Cottages Reviewed by Jo Southway and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 83.  For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine