Restored and revived describes 18th-century Lakeland coach house Johnby Cottage. It’ll describe you, too, as you’re awed by the double-height oak-floored reception room, warmed by the underfloor heating and have your spirit raised by feeding logs into the sandstone fireplace.
Through the arched windows, Mell Fell rises invitingly. Once it’s conquered, there’s no more welcoming place for a hillwalking hero than Johnby Cottage. A breakfast kitchen fit for a regal feast opens onto the main reception, en-suite bedrooms are big, beds are deep, and the crackling fire invites tall tales and long drinks.
The gardens at Birkmere Hall are where serenity lives. On a bluff above the River Petterill, they offer views to the Lakeland fells, across the rolling Eden Valley and beyond to the big horizon.