Dog Friendly Cottages in Northumberland

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Joanna - Verified booking

  Could be lovely - but needs a lot of attention.

  The worst was the VERY dangerous electric towel rail – this is hot to burning levels – I burned my hand twice hanging up towels and when I caught my elbow on it while getting out of the bath and it immediately blistered and burned through layers of skin casing a nasty burn which is still painful 5 days on. There are no rails in the bath or wall and it is quite a high bath - so nothing to get hold of when getting in and out and I’m a fit adult. This would be really dangerous for children, anyone elderly or disabled – the rail is a real health and safety issue heating to the temperature of an iron and was not even labelled with a warning sign as dangerous as very hot. When we arrived at 4.30 (check in was from 4.00) the wooden floors and tiled entrance had recently been mopped and were very wet meaning that both humans and dogs were slipping a lot until they were eventually dried. We couldn't use the drive for parking as a large ATV was parked there for the duration of our stay so we had to park on the road – meaning we had to carry all the luggage and load dogs directly onto the road in the rain. Parking area was very overgrown so passenger had to get out into thorns. Dustbins are left out at the front of the cottage - adding to the general dilapidated appearance. The upstairs floor looked derelict – even worse state than downstairs. The photos must be old that were used in the advert as it didn’t live up to expectations. Random clutter left in corners and behind the washer – which had been poorly fitted so that the doors didn’t close. Needs a thorough update, decorate inside and out and a deep clean. Paint on windows cracked inside and out. Light switches, plug sockets, table mats, chopping board all needed cleaning. Curtains in sitting room and hall were grubby on the bottoms and dusty with cobwebs. Damp on bedroom wall. Fuse boxes all exposed – need boxing in. Only one loo roll for 4 nights and 3 dishwasher tablets seems rather mean. The garden is a jungle and not dog proof. Nettles and thorny roses everywhere, full of weeds and overgrown shrubs, junk and dying planters. Such a shame as it could be a lovely place to sit out. View from kitchen was onto a mass of nettles. So – whilst it was in a beautiful location with walks close by, I would not recommend it until plenty of TLC has been lavished on it. Photos available. Bit of a long list - but it wasn't cheap and we expected better.

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• Simon - Verified booking

  Just lovely.

  It's easy to romanticise over the bleakness of the location and the hardships it would have brought in days gone by but now, it is just perfect for those who want to be close enough for Hadrians Wall, Barnard Castle and High Force yet far enough away to just open the door, be on the moors within a minutes walk and not see a living soul for ages (plenty of sheep though). I believe the house is an old miners cottage with a fabulous fire place and log burner taking centre stage in the front room. Sadly we didn't need to light it as the weather was beautiful yet comfortable indoors as the house was cool due the thickness of the stonework throughout. There is a pub in Allenheads (20-30 min walk) very friendly but they don't do food. The pubs in Allendale do however the one landlady did not appear to be as friendly for some reason but their food was awesome. There are some nice walks around the village but it is definitely worth travelling out for the day as there is lots of National Trust related sites nearby. It is worth noting that the neighbours, Sam and Charlie had a wonderful knack of turning up when we needed advice but apart that you will not get disturbed apart from the occasional bleats and baa's from the other neighbours. As I sat by the brook that runs at the bottom of the garden I imagined that this is the kind of place you would have expected to find William Blake when he wrote the poem "And did those feet in ancient time" Note. Do not be offended; Dogs must be kept on a lead, especially tiny ones like mine that could have easily disappeared down one of the many rabbit holes given the opportunity.

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• Coral - Verified booking

  The place was spotless and so impressive, huge sized property, lovely area in the porch to store bikes which was important to us.

  Its a huge grand design type property which must have been a real feat of engineering and they did very well. We went to lots of local places like Keilder Water (although they were still suffering from the aftermath of storm Arwen and lots of trees had been lost. Bellingham is a lovely little village with a couple of cafes and a useful co op, a few pubs, within a few miles of the church are some lovely pub/restaurants. We also went cycling round the local roads which are quiet once you get off the road the cottage is on, they are hilly though. The road is not busy that the cottage is on but the speed that drivers drive at is pretty bad, no thought for people who might be cycling or walking which is a shame. However the little lanes off that road are fine and you can safely cycle to Bellingham by going via Helsleyside without too much trouble, there is a lovely route over the hills to Wark too and if we were better cyclists that would be a beautiful ride. We went over to the coast which was cold but lovely. The property is very warm, particularly upstairs no matter how much we tried to turn it down so if you get cold then you wont suffer here in the winter. My only little niggle is that the sofas are very low to the ground without proper back or neck support as they have low backs too, also could be a few more side tables and foot rests as old knees cant get out of sofas that low or deep. We were welcomed with a lemon drizzle cake made by the cleaner which was really nice.

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• Hayley - Verified booking

  We recently had the pleasure of staying at Englewood Cottage, and it truly exceeded our expectations in every way.

  Nestled just outside the quaint village of Allenheads, this charming stone-built cottage offered the perfect blend of historic character and modern comfort. The original features added to the cottage's cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The accommodation was spacious, well-furnished, and incredibly well-equipped. The kitchen had everything we needed and more, with all the utensils and equipment we could ask for. The four-poster double bed was a highlight, offering a comfortable night's sleep, and the multi-fuel stove made the sitting room a perfect place to unwind in the evenings. What really made our stay special, though, was the stunning surroundings. The garden, which runs down to a small stream, was a peaceful haven where we spent many hours enjoying the fresh air and beautiful views. The sound of the stream and the abundance of wildlife made it feel like we were in our own little slice of paradise. The surrounding moorland is simply breathtaking, offering endless opportunities for walks and exploration. The remote location was exactly what we were looking for – peaceful, tranquil, and away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Our dog was also made very welcome, he loved exploring the garden and surrounding area as much as we did. If you're looking for a cozy, character-filled retreat in a stunningly beautiful location, we can't recommend Englewood Cottage highly enough. We left feeling refreshed, relaxed, and already planning our next visit!

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• Zoe - Verified booking

  What a fabulous property, spotlessly clean, fully equipped for our very rainy week in July.

  Extremely helpful housekeeper Claire, and so much to do in the area. Book a visit to the Dark Sky Kielder Observatory for an evening of stargazing fun, Lovely walks in and around Kielder water and the little market town of Corbridge is well worth a visit for unusual independent shops.The wonderful Hadrians wall is on the doorstep at Housesteads, and a visit to the stunning grounds and Arts and Crafts beauty of Cragside within an hour.Its hard to think of any negatives with the Greysteads church, perhaps its worth saying that if you are staying with a dog there are no walks from the property ( that we could locate), the road is quite busy with logging lorries so not an option during our stay for dog walking along the road, and to get to the lovely little fenced off garden from the church you need to walk through the graveyard to let your dog off the lead or carry your coffee to the outside space.This was the only minor issue late at night in the rain ! . and something that makes total sense given the property is a church, but wasn't mentioned in the details.Overall one of the very best properties we've stayed in.

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