Toys abound in the shadow of the towering Howgills. Not least the two hot tubs on the terrace under the seeded roof canopy with the uninterrupted view of the hills. Jump in, bubble and boil, dry off and barbie your burgers at Howgrills Den.
Fire up the pizza oven and chill with wine and beer on the picnic tables or sit on the outside sofas beneath the pergolas and stare at the fells through the glass fences. When your dinner’s done, it’s time to hit the den again for a cold one from the fridge and a frame or two of pool. Life could be worse.
Big group? Family celebration? Birthday ending in a zero? School reunion? Fellside House sleeps 28 and, unlike some country escapes with vast bedroom space, it’s got the living areas to put its money where its mouth is. So pack your Prosecco, put your feet up and pick yourself a movie.
After a day on the fells, dump your muddy footwear in the boot room, shower off and join the throng in the open-plan lounge on the handmade leather sofas with the light flooding in through the large windows. Or head through the interconnecting glass doors to the lounge with the flatscreen TV.
Catch films or box sets on the Smart TV in the cosy glow of the log fire. Or just tuck yourself away in the snug to sneak a few pages. Take a drink out to the den for a game of pool, a bit of Bully on the dartboard or to play a little ping-pong. Stay up as late as you like: breakfast is served when you say so in the country hotel with all the best guests.
There’s a commercial kitchen here equipped with everything you could need to make marvellous meals all week, with a little help from your friends at the Three Hares Deli. If you’re not up for it, call Kevin from Cumbria Catering for a one-off celebration, fully catered break or pre-prepared lasagne, pie, chilli or chicken curry.
The dining room will take 24 and there’s a separate dining table with 6 seats in the TV lounge. Foldable trestle tables and additional chairs are available upon request for dining in the lounge and TV room so that everyone gets to eat and drink together. For a little more free-range fun, head outside on warmer days to prepare food in the Howgrills Den (with sides of darts and pool). Barbie your burgers and bangers or break out the pizza oven and gather around the picnic tables under the big Dales skies.
Sometimes, only a takeaway will do. So get on the phone for a bistecca di tonno or a spaghetti vongole from Al Forno or the finest fresh-cooked fish and chips from The Haddock Paddock. They’re both good for eating in, too, or perhaps you’d prefer gravadlax or confit of duck from The Dalesman.
For quirky, intimate and cosy, try British classics at the Cross Keys Temperance Inn, with its view of Cautley Spout, England’s highest falls. Smatt’s Duo is good for light bites after long walks, and The Stone Close Tearoom will do you breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meals.
No shortage of bedrooms here. Fellside House sleeps 28 in 12 rooms, all with their own private en-suites, plus the option of three additional sofa beds for children. Luxuriate in rolltop baths and crisp cotton bedding as you drift into a deep slumber amid the silence of the North Pennines.
On the ground floor, bedroom one offers twin beds, while bedroom two is a double. Bedroom three is also a twin, bedroom four provides four beds in two bunks, and bedroom five is a twin with en-suite walk-in wet room that’s perfect for someone with a disability.
Upstairs, bedroom six and seven are twin rooms each with a sofa bed, while bedroom eight and nine offer double beds. Off the library, bedroom ten is a twin, bedroom 11 offers four beds in two bunks, and bedroom 12 is a double with double day bed and open-plan bathroom (with toilet cubicle).
Kids love space and there’s plenty here, even when it’s packed to the rafters with 28 mums, dads, aunties, grannies and cousins. There’s plenty scope for spreading out in the two interconnected living areas: the garden room’s great for chilling out with video games, while the TV room offers freeview, Netflix, & Amazon Video.
WiFi? Fellside House comes with B4RN full-fibre broadband, the world’s fastest rural Internet service at up to 1000Mbs. Should be enough for uploading to Insta and passing a little time on TikTok. For shyer types, the snug/library upstairs is perfect for literary escapes.
Outside is kiddie heaven. The two undercover hot tubs come with idyllic views, outside shower and seating area, while Howgrills Den is a great place to lose a few hours over table tennis, pool and darts. It’s also a superb source of sustenance as the food-preparation area for the barbecue and pizza oven. What’s not to love?
