Bonny Bits Cottage

The most beautiful cottage we ever stayed in.

We found different lovely touches every day. It had all the amenities needed and was so comfortable, anything you could think to need was provided. The location was just on the doorstep of the Pennine Way and close to many lovely walks/sights.

Superb cottage, couldn't have been any better!

We would love to add some original feedback about Bonny Bits but it has all been said before in earlier reviews and we endorse ALL of the positive comments.

We have stayed in other cottages that mighr match Bonny Bits high standards of comfort, cleanliness, furnishings and attention to detail. HOWEVER, the owners' passion and personal touches make Bonny Bits stand out amongst other great places! This is before mentioning the stunning location at the crossroads of the Coast-to-Coast and Pennine Way, enabling wonderful walking opportunities, as well as interesting places to visit within easy driving. When the pub down the road re-opens, it will be close to perfect!

We originally planned to stay for three nights.

We loved the cottage so much that we asked to extend our stay; a request which was graciously granted. We were a party of four made up of two couples seeking a peaceful environment and some fresh country air which we certainly got. The house is beautifully and thoughtfully appointed throughout - so charmingly decorated that I felt compelled to do a FaceTime tour for my daughters. No surprise that they loved it as much as I. Thanks to Neil and Michael for sharing their lovely cottage with us. We would all love to return in the future.

The listing says the property is not suited to under-fives but you may like to consider if it suits less mobile older people too - with the rope banister, steep stairs and above all the rear access - it is not mentioned by Sykes that the front garden is not accessible from the house, therefore you have to enter via the shared rear access which is overgrown, slippery and, most importantly, lacks any lighting at night, hence could be hazardous.

A handrail would be useful too. (You can only get to the front garden by walking round on the roadway but the front door can't be used.). But this aside the area is very pretty unspoilt countryside with friendly people, nice cafes and shops in Alston, good walks nearby - out of season some places like the lead museum don't seem to open very often but a ride on the Settle railway, a visit to Vindolanda and of course the delightful walks were the highlights of our stay. We much appreciated the pot of tea at Garrigill post office and Nenthead Hive Friday coffee morning - an amazing conversion of an old chapel. Inside the cottage the best thing is the bed which was the most comfortable ever! The heating works well but there is not enough bright lighting to read by. I can see the owners put a lot of thought into the cottage, so I hope these comments are not too negative but intended to be helpful.

This is a lovely characterful cottage.

It's set in a quiet lane about 3 miles from Alston, where there is a Coop and Spar, a variety of pubs, a bakery and petrol station. There are lots of walks in the area which are lovely. Lots of river walks and waterfalls. The cottage had everything you need. The kitchen and living room were full of character, as were the bedrooms on the two upper floors. Two bathrooms were great. Parking for two cars under a tree at the back of the property, access to the cottage is via the back door, near to the parking.

There is a fantastic place for relaxing.

All facilities you need are there and you don’t need to take anything with you. Just there needs some lights on TV area. I recommend it for everyone who wants to relax.

Bonny Bits Cottage is fabulous, the it was the photos that helped make the decision to choose it, yet on arrival they did not do it justice.

It really is beautiful. The attention to detail and the way it has tastefully been renovated and decorated is perfect. It is so peaceful too, the surrounding area and village is picturesque and only a 10 minute drive from Alston. On arrival we had been left a welcome gift pack and card, which was a lovely touch. Watching all the wildlife in the garden, especially on the window bird feeder was fantastic, especially for our children aged 8 and 5. Although we didn’t get to see any red squirrel we had a great spotted woodpecker that visited each morning. Walks from Bonny Bits Cottage were tranquil, especially Ashgill force. Communication from the owners Michael and Neil was fantastic, and I cannot thank them enough for allowing us the opportunity to share their special cottage with us just for a few days, it made my wife’s 40th birthday perfect. The garden is beautiful and well maintained, with sounds of the close by little waterfall and of course all the wildlife. Bonnie bits has many fantastic reviews and it’s thoroughly deserved, I remember reading a couple of reviews that the rear area of the cottage was scruffy, on the contrary this is lovely, it is so in keeping, with wild plants growing between the stones and original features. We would thoroughly recommend the cottage to anyone and we will certainly visit Bonny Bits again. A very special place indeed.

We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful, quirky property.

It felt homely as soon as we entered. The attention to detail here is exceptional, from the artwork and fittings around the house to the comfortable mattresses on the beds. We particularly enjoyed watching the birds eat through the bird feeder on the sitting room window. Great communication with the owners. We would love to stay again.

Lovely quirky property, well equipped, comfortable beds, beautiful scenery and the thoughtful welcome gift was very much appreciated.

There were a few very minor things ... the garden is so overgrown that it's difficult to walk on the path so it could just use a bit of tidying, and the toaster is faulty (toast doesn't pop up when ready so you have to switch it off at the wall, hence the fire alarms went off the first time), but on the whole we had a very enjoyable stay.

Our second stay and it's still my favourite holiday cottage

Wonderful!

Didn't like bonny bits cottage I loved it beautiful on the inside and out waterfall on your doorstep what more could you ask for thank you for sharing your amazing cottage

Absolutely stunning cottage breath taking as soon as you walk through the door Bony bits cottage is a home away from home My family did not want to venture out much as the fire place was just too inviting and the beds extremely comfortable I enjoyed cooking in the kitchen as there was everything you would need to prepare a lovely meal it was an absolute delight

My wife and I loved the cottage.

It was beautiful inside, very tastefully decorated, clean, modern and full of nice touches. Very thoughtful of the owners to leave wine and some flapjacks. The owner's guide to the cottage, and recommendations for walks and where to eat, was witty and thorough. I would thoroughly recommend this cottage. In addition to the living room/kitchen area, the bedrooms, batrhrooms and showers were all a pleasure to behold. Given their embracement of the feedback from holidaymakers, and their own classy input, there seems to be little that the owners haven't considered. The village of Garrigill is pretty, as is the whole area, and the re-opening of the George and Dragon pub in 2025 is a welcome one. We spent our time on a number of walks and on visiting Alston, Penrith, Hexham, Carlisle and the Lake District. Plenty to see and do but one of the highlights was just to watch the birds in the cottage garden. It's teaming with them. We'll be back!

Absolutely fabulous, Quiet little cottage, Well maintained and fully furnished had a luxurious feel and a comfortable environment for relaxing.

Great for walkers and wild life. Didn’t see any red squirrels

This was a wonderful property, loved the character and the setting.

..great place to get away from everything. Lots of lovely personal touches, with the design and really appreciated the quality of everything throughout the cottage!

I've stayed in lots of holiday cottages and this is quite simply the best!

Fabulous decor, every single detail is so eclectic and stylish. Beautiful garden and village. I'll be booking for next year

Absolutely gorgeous cottage, both stylish and incredibly comfortable in a lovely part of the world.

Would highly recommend a stay in Bonny Bits cottage - it’s so lovely you don’t want to go outside but the surrounding area is wonderful walking country with gorgeous riverside walks, splendid waterfalls and majestic fells nearby. Well worth a visit!

Absolutely lovely little place!

I've stayed in a lot of nice places over the years, but this is top of the list. I've never felt so immediately welcome in a strange place, despite arriving in the dark and having a moment of idiocy in not writing down what the key code was (and not having internet signal outside the door!). Once I read the directions properly, it was super easy to find...! Cheeky birds tapping on the window for breakfast was hilarious, the cottage was clean, homely and had everything we needed. Only the weather let us down, so I guess that just means we'll need to go back to see it in summer!

Lovely, comfortable, well maintained property.

Everything you need for your stay and it is really pretty. Brilliant location for visiting the sights. Fab bottle of wine

Bonny bits Cottage is a cosy beautifully styled retreat.

It was a pleasure to come back to after walking in the surrounding area. The owners have put a lot of effort into making it a fantastic holiday experience which we greatly appreciated. We will be returning!

Bonny bits cottage had been on our to do list for a while and our visit exceeded our expectations.

The cottage has been refurbished to a very high standard. The fixtures and fittings are high quality and we had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. The upper floor bathroom is particularly stunning with wonderful views from the bath! The owners have compiled a very comprehensive visitors folder with information about the cottage and local area. We really appreciated this and enjoyed the walks from the cottage.The village is very quiet (don't expect amenities on your doorstep) we were aware of this and the payoff is peace and tranquility. It was like stepping back in time! Alston is just a short drive away for your nearest shops. If you are looking to get away from it all then Bonny bits is the perfect place to be. I'm sure we'll be back again!

Lovely stay!

Perfect spot if you want to get away from it all.

We were very impressed by Bonny Bits and enjoyed our stay.

Clearly a great deal of care has been taken in the modernisation, decoration and furnishing of the cottage. It was spotlessly clean, warm and comfortable. The kitchen was well equipped. Garrigill is an interesting and friendly place to stay. We were made to feel very welcome by the local people.

A delightfully quirky cottage, which lived up to our expectations following a recommendation.

Bonny Bits is the perfect home away from home, we had a lovely stay over New Year.

Neil was also a very accommodating host, we were in touch both before and after our stay and he was more than helpful throughout.

Gorgeous cottage in the perfect location for a quiet getaway.

Well equipped, so cosy and nice little touches such as board games, food for the birds and cook books. We did not want to leave the cottage during our stay as we loved it so much but we did venture out on a few walks from the cottage which were lovely. We will definitely be back!

Perfect in every way!

Admired the way it is furnished and the quality of fittings etc.

Appreciated very much the welcome package and the abilty to feed and watch the birds from the window feeder Minor points: A Kitchen hand towel would be useful. The directions given could be improved, e.g. coming from Penrith/Alton or Castle Barnard. FYI The cupborad to the right of the fridge is damp, the salt was quite wet.

Bonny Bits cottage was exactly how we imagined.

Cozy, comfortable and picturesque. The morning visits from the birds in the garden, lovely interior and exterior furnishings, log burning stove and great kitchen appliances/equipment. Wonderful property. Jacob

Had a long overdue 14 day break in a lovely part of the country, which the cottage reflected beautifully.

Full of character and wonderfully presented, Bonny Bits Cottage delivered the relaxing hassle free break we hoped for.

We had an excellent time and thoroughly enjoyed our comfy stay at the cottage in tranquil and beautiful surroundings.

Decor and furnishings tastefully done to a high standard. Bottle of wine and yummy eats a special and welcoming touch on our arrival. All and all a fabulous time and we are well pleased !

The cottage was outstanding - every detail was considered even down to leaving food for the birds!

The cottage was warm and very comfortable. We enjoyed having breakfast outside in the garden. The wildlife attracted to the garden was lovely to watch. The walks from the cottage were stunning all provided in the book. Thankyou too for the OS map which was very useful.

There is only one word I can use to describe Bonny Bits, 'WOW'!

You really have created a wonderful sanctuary to escape from the city. The interior design is outstanding, as is the tranquil garden. The furnishings and decor are luxurious and perfectly encapsulate the character of the cottage. The location is simply idyllic. It is clear that you have spent a lot of time transforming this beautiful cottage, whilst enhancing the character and history of the building. I really do take my hat off you to for doing such an amazing job! The little treats were very appreciated, as were the print outs of local walks. I think the bed was probably the most comfiest I have ever slept in. We were taken aback by how much wildlife you get in your garden. We were lucky enough to see a red squirrel having a wash in the garden right next to us whilst enjoying our tea. All of the little touches made our stay perfect. You really have thought of everything. We travel alot and I can honestly say that Bonny Bits is without a doubt the nicest place we have had the pleasure of staying in. We will definately be back.

A very much loved cottage Well designed and attention to detail Just a delight

Every aspect of the cottage has been well thought out with everything you could need whilst away.

The attention to detail and decorating style makes it really unique and stand out from other places we have stayed. The village is nice and quiet with the town a short drive away. We spent the week doing some things locally but also not too far to visit Penrith and Keswick for the day. I would advise someone who has low mobility to not stay at this cottage as the stairs are quite steep and the bannisters are rope, so would be a struggle getting up and down. Not a negative point for the cottage though as this is expected, from the age of the building and from the listing and photos. The owners are very nice and provide all information and contact details you may need.

We have stayed in many rental holiday homes over the years but this has got to be the most beautifully decorated and charming.

It’s just another level, so much thought has gone in to the decor, furnishings and equipment provided. And so delightfully quirky! Absolutely loved our stay and was actually glad it was typical rainy February weather as it was a joy to stay in. Lovely surroundings too, you can venture out on nice walks in picturesque countryside from the door. Alston is pretty with some great shops to explore. Loved the drive to nearby Penrith via the Hartside pass through the clouds. Would love to return and would thoroughly recommend. The only downside is that it will spoil you for any other cottages you stay in afterwards!!

Fantastic cottage, comfortable beds, immaculate.

As it was Christmas time we really appreciated the Xmas lights, tree and foliage decorations. Can’t find a negative.

The property owners of Bobby Bits Cottage have restored and decorated this property to an exceptional standard and it's the first time we have had a holiday and upon arrival and entering it was even better than the pictures.

It is perfectly placed for a base for you to explore Cumbria and come back stick the log fire on and relax in this gorgeous cottage. We again for the first time ever will be booking again, if we can get booked after this feedback. Well done guys, me Vic and the boys had a wonderful time and Thank you it is BEAUTIFUL.

The weather wasn't great but we didn't mind as we just loved being in the cottage listening to the waterfall and watching the birds.

Blissful. Marked facilities down slightly because in the rain there is really limited space to put wet coats, wet boots and socks and wet rucksacks. A small lean-to outside or access to the shed opposite would have been helpful. But a lovely relaxing holiday in a beautifully furnished, comfortable cottage.