Winster Fields
Description
Windermere 5 miles.
A superb, semi-detached barn conversion set in a quiet, rural location, close to Windermere in the heart of the Winster Valley, part of The Lake District National Park.
Luxuriously appointed throughout, this immaculate cottage near Windermere provides excellent accommodation, and with three bedrooms set over three floors, it's ideal for families looking for a quiet retreat from which to discover the beauty of the Lake District.
This charming cottage benefits from a spacious open plan living area, fitted with a superb kitchen and opening out to a private patio and shared lawns, where the views of the surrounding countryside are a delight.
Settle here with friends for a summer's alfresco meal and discuss your holiday plans, and with the area being home to an abundance of wildlife, you will be sure to spot some of the native deer and red squirrel here or whilst on one of the many walks from the doorstep of this Lakes cottage.
Admire the giant redwood tree, which sits proudly in the shared grounds, this lovely cottage has the advantage of all the peace, quiet and beauty of being nestled away in glorious countryside, whilst the bustling village of Bowness is just ten minutes' drive away.
Cartmel Fell is home to The Masons Arms at Strawberry Bank, one of the area's iconic pubs, from Winster Fields you can take the nearby bridleway that brings you out just a stone's throw from the pub.
Walk up Gummers How for spectacular views of Lake Windermere, or descend into the serene Lyth Valley to admire the many Damson trees.
Take a trip to Fell Foot Park and Gardens where you can enjoy a lakeside picnic and children can make use of the playground.
The vibrant twin towns of Bowness and Windermere hold enduring appeal for visitors to the Lake District National Park, with each providing a range of nearby attractions, amenities, cinema, shops and restaurants to suit all tastes.
A variety of boat trips and boat hire are available from Windermere Lake Cruises in Bowness to Brockhole, Ambleside and Lakeside (at the southern end of the lake where the Lakeside Aquarium and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway are situated).
Winster Fields is a magnificent cottage in the enchanting Lake District, to be enjoyed at any time of the year.
Your dates
Everything you'll need
- Wifi
- Baby Friendly
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- Ground Floor Bedroom
- Wifi
- Baby Friendly
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- Ground Floor Bedroom
- Pets Not Allowed
- National Park
- Off Road Parking
- Smoke Free
- Near Walks
What guests are saying
Wonderful views from the elevated position.
Dark skies promised a spot of stargazing, but of course it was cloudy. Lovely comfy beds and pillows. The main room has 3 super comfy sofas and a very well appointed kitchen. Small niggle was the kettle needs replacing, but happy to see a coffee machine. A nice touch to have milk, tea, coffee, sugar and biscuits to start us off. Very interesting artwork and wall hangings. I would have loved to know the link to Bhutan. A couple of tips. On the single track journey take your time and trust your satnav. On the last day we found a honesty box just behind the cottage where we could buy fresh eggs. What a treat.
Thank you very much for this feedback, so pleased with your comments. I have replaced the kettle, the old one did indeed make a noise like rumbling thunder, hope this one is better. I volunteer in Bhutan so visit quite often. It too is a very special place but shares features with the Winster Valley in terms of beauty, tranquility, clear streams - usually, but a lot less altitude. Finally, I am pleased you found that the people next door have fresh eggs for sale and bird boxes too.
Great, spacious and well equipped place with wonderful views and great walking opportunities right on your doorstep.
My apologies for the slow response. I am so pleased you enjoyed Winster Fields and its environment. I think it IS very special, understated but so tranquil and beautiful. It is excellent many others agree.
The house was very spacious and clean and was in a good location for reaching the main destinations.
Walks and good pubs nearby. The beds were very comfortable, a good nights sleep was had by all. The road up to the property is very narrow and takes a bit of getting used to, but is manageable. The sofa and tv are a bit dated and could do with upgrading, but it’s a lovely house overall with great views.
Thank you for this very positive review. The narrow lanes really are a part of the unique character of the area! Upgrades to the TV and sofas are likely early in 2026.
Absolutely loved this place.
Beautiful inside with stunning views and walks in every direction. Maybe needs a smart TV but we were lucky with the weather so we were not sat in. Great value for money.
Thank you! An upgrade to the TV is highly likely in early 2026. The views at all times of year are really lovely, all part of the tranquil setting and the area in general.
Thanks we really enjoyed our stay and hope to return in the future.
Very lovely location and a property that catered for all our needs.
Thank you very much for this positive feedback, I am delighted that you hope to return. The tranquility of Winster Fields makes it a bit special, while providing easy access to the bright lights of Windermere etc.
Fantastic property in a lovely, quiet corner of the Lakes.
We found it to be well-equipped, comfy and wonderfully warm despite the chilly weather outside. It's ideally placed for visits to Windermere and beyond. There are plenty of walks from the doorstep – including to the always-excellent Mason's Arms at Bowland Bridge. Loads of parking but be aware that the surrounding lanes are rather narrow and often steep although there's very little traffic.
Thank you very much for the feedback, yes the lanes are narrow and can be steep but contribute to the charm of the area, and excellent if you like biking.
Great location, very picturesque and quiet.
Good size comfortable house. It needs a proper deep clean, unwashed cutlery, sticky hob, TV remote control was filthy. We left the house much cleaner than we found it. Happy with the price but we wouldn't return unless we could be assured the house had been thoroughly cleaned. Generic descriptions of property were misleading. We thought that it had a wood burner and an external EV charging point. We couldn't find either, although the adjacent cottage had a wood burner. The new front door lock was problematic and requires resetting. It took several attempts by others in our group to open the lock from the inside of the house which could be a safety hazard in the event of an emergency. The hot water system cut out on 2 separate occasions and required rebooting and we were relieved that your responsive and helpful customer support lady was available to take my call and instruct us on how to do this. Apparently you know of this issue and it's surprising it hasn't been rectified. I trust you find these comments helpful.
Whilst pleased with the overall comments about Winster Fields, I am very disappointed that the guests found cleaning deficiencies. This is inexcusable and I have made the cleaning contractor aware of my disappointment and concern. I have specifically discussed the cleaning issue with the contractor, the cleaner in question has, I understand, apologised profusely for not dealing with the issues the guests experienced. The contractor is well aware of my and guests’ concerns. Please accept my apologies. The property will be fully redecorated during the first 2 weeks of February 2025 to be followed by the deepest of deep cleans. There is no reference in the published description of Winster Fields to it having either a wood burning stove or an EV charging point. The lock has been checked and I have had maintenance carried out on it and it has now been fully resolved. I have instructed the heating engineer to get to the bottom of the intermittent cut out issue with the boiler.
We arrived to find 2 wasp nests on the roof which were allowing wasps into the kitchen under the units.
Despite the exterminator coming, the wasps remained and we had many many wasps coming into the living area. We left half way through the week as we have young children and could do nothing to stop the wasps coming in and did not want them to be stung.
Unfortunately, we were not aware of the wasp nest until you reported them. There was a delay before the exterminators’ work took effect and I fully understand why you felt the need to leave the property and Sykes have now reached out to you to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction. The wasp nest has now been fully resolved.
The property is in lovely quiet location through narrow lanes ,easy access to the southern lakes .
Our stay was mostly positive however a few niggles is that we ran out of toilet roll so we had to buy some as there were no spare ones available in the property or any that we could find.The front door lock is a bit fiddly as the key kept turning and not locking but eventually found a way to lock it..Bit more attention to cleaning as cobwebs on the ceilings in a few rooms and a strange eggy smell coming from the sink/tap in the upstairs bathroom. Bit of strange one is that there were lazy wasps every morning in the kitchen/ lounge area most were dead but a few alive but didn't cause any issues. These are minor niggles as we enjoyed our stay ,all amenities are there and the property was quiet plus 20 mins walk to a pub via some fields to the Masons arms is a bonus..Lovely neighbours behind the property and could buy fresh hen eggs off them. Iron out the niggles as stated and it would be a perfect place to stay.
Thank you for your comments and generally constructive feedback, which I welcome. 2 toilet rolls are provided, one in each bathroom, which are intended to ensure guests have a supply before they inevitably go shopping. I will check the door lock and apply WD40 or change keys as required. Spiders and therefore cobwebs are an inevitable part of houses set in deep countryside, it is impossible to remove every single one, despite best endeavours. Periodic deep cleans are intended to remove cobwebs from highly inaccessible places. I will put some disinfectant and or drain cleaner down the plug holes which should deal with the smell complained of. There was a wasps nest which has been dealt with, the wasps would have been stragglers before all the killing agents took effect. And yes, the neighbours are indeed lovely as is the location and proximity to wonderful pubs with great food. I would also like to update guests on remedial work done at Winster Fields recently and provide a summary of the work as follows as of October 2024: A new front door lock is being fitted and the velux blackout blind has been repaired. The failed light fittings have been renewed and the silicone sealing around the baths renewed. The stain on the ceiling is due to a historic leak, this was resolved at the time and any stain will of course be remedied when the property has redecoration in early 2025. We have also added more information for guests pre arrival regarding general waste bin collections. The damaged chair has been resolved and curtains will be renewed. Sofas and cushions have also been checked for any necessary remedial work at the end of a very busy season and I will also be replacing cutlery as required. The property is being fully reviewed, replacement frying pans have been sourced, new charcoal filters are being installed in the cooker hood and the deepest of deep cleans has also taken place in October 2024, having also met the director of the cleaning and maintenance company at Winster Fields in early October. The property has also been thoroughly aired before and during the deep clean and drains have been attended to. Apologies to any previous guest for some service lapses and we have identified some operational changes for the cleaning and maintenance company to make to ensure high standards of cleaning will occur at all time in the future. I am proactively monitoring the situation moving forward with a further property check to be carried out again shortly, to ensure the standards remain as consistently high as possible moving forward.
Before reading this review, please note, we are not people who complain often and like to give fair and honesy reviews.
We want to provide honest feedback to the owner, so that guests can continue staying in this beautiful location. The owner has a pure gem of a property to rent out and we would love for them to continue to benefit from this. Winster Fields is set in a beautiful and peaceful location. It is a spacious, and has all the amenities you will need for a comfortable stay. We stayed in this accommodation 4 years ago and were really looking forward to returning for our holiday this year. Unfortunately, when we entered the property, it smelt 'fusty', like it had been shut up for weeks. There were wasps and flies all over the surfaces and the kitchen was filthy! The cutlery and crockery were dirty in the cupboards, the bin smelt, there were food stains up the walls, the cooker hood and tiles were covered in grease, as well as the lights in the kitchen. It was clear that the property had not been cleaned properly before our arrival. If cleaners had been in, then they really didn't clean it properly. There were public hairs in the bathroom sinks, and urine splattered on the toilet brushes. We were less that impressed in arrival. Such a shame as we couldn't fault the property four years ago. We contacted Sykes straight away, who were very apologetic and contacted the owner in a timely fashion. We were informed that the cleaners would be in the day after our arrival, but nobody appeared. I then contacted sykes again and they arranged cleaners for the following day. They did come this time, but again, it was clear they only did the bare minimum and only dealt with the issues I had provided pictorial evidence for. In my opinion, the owner needs to liaise with the cleaning company regularly and discuss non negotiatiables for weekly, fortnightly and monthly cleans to ensure everything is cleaned regularly. In addition to this, there are maintenance jobs that need to be reported to the owner, who lives away. Light bulbs were out, damp patches on the ceiling and a broken chair. These all should be addressed quickly to ensure a comfortable stay. There needs to be some investment into thsi property now, as it is looking worn. Decorating needs to be done, new frying pans and utensils in th kitchens and new sofas and cushions as they are worn and smell. I am disappointed to be writing such a negative review as we love the location and had such a lovely stay 4 years ago. We enjoyed our holiday in the lakes, however didn't feel as comfortable as we should have done in our accommodation, due to the cleanliness.
I take feedback very seriously, and act upon it when appropriate. I was notified by Sykes of the compaint from the guest who requested an additional clean, at that time, the nature of the complaint was not particularised by the guest, who was asked to provide photographic evidence. The house has been in use constantly over the busy summer period and had been cleaned the morning of their arrival, I am therefore surprised to read of her mention of it smelling fusty and to certain of other comments. After the photos were provided, the cleaning company's housekeeping manager personally attended on the Sunday to deal with the issues particularised, supported by photographs. The manager quite obviously could not undertake a full clean given the guests' personal effects were in the house. Some of the matters included in the photos can only be described as trivial, such as a scuff on a wall, a watermark drip on the side of a bread bin and some dirt on the top of a spotlight some 9 feet up, nonetheless all were attended to. I have discussed this matter with the cleaning company who have assured me the property is and will be cleaned to a high standard. There are no damp patches in the house but there are 2 marks on the ceiling of the main bedroom, which are COMPLETELY dry. They were probably caused by the bath above overflowing. They will be attended to when the house has its regular re decoration in the quiet period in January. I am not aware of a broken chair but will investigate this complaint. I stayed in the house at the end of May, after which new curtains donwstairs were fitted and 2 dining chairs with slightly loose backs were repaired. I note the comments about the frying pans and other utensils and the sofas. Items are replaced as and when required, also upgrades in amenities. The lighting in the house is predominantly by LED lights embedded in the ceiling, bulbs do occasionally blow but because there are so many lights even in the smallest rooms, lighting is not materially impaired if some bulbs are out. Bulbs are replaced on a regular basis but it is impossible to guarantee at all times that there will be no failures. Unfortunately, some guests are not quite as scupulous as this guest appears to be, sadly, some do put away dirty dishes or worse. I have not placed notices in the property to instruct how guests should behave, there is reliance on their common sense and generally impeccable behaviour. It is not part of the remit of the cleaners to examine every item in the well stocked cupboards for cleanliness, so apologise that the guest found some dirty items. Guest need to be aware that Winster Fields is in a very rural area and that is a big part of its attraction. There are flies, wasps and spiders in the vicinity, therefore guests might find casualities. The cleaners have been asked to pay particular attention to dealing with dead insects. I am sorry that the guest was not satisfied with the clenliness of Winster Fields, the cleaning company sees all feedback from guests and I have discussed with them issues arising from this feedback. Future guests will enjoy their stays at Winster Fields I have no doubt. William Tacon Owner
It would have been nice to have had bath sheets and not bath towels as far to small.
Extra toilet paper also one roll in each bathroom for 4 people not ideal I had to go buy extra. The property hadn't been cleaned properly, there were dead flys and insects behind the tv which again not ideal.
I am sorry this guest found regular sized bath towels insufficiently large for her needs, this is the first comment in about 20 years of this type. In my experience virtually all hotels and holiday lets provide bath towels rather than sheets. Toiletries are provided to ensure guests can function comfortably upon arrival, they are not intended to accommodate their needs for a week. I’m sure the guest had to buy groceries too for her stay. I sorry there were dead flies behind the TV, the guest does not confirm whether they appeared during her stay or upon arrival. Winster Fields is in a highly rural areas, there are sheep in adjacent fields so the odd fly should hardly be a surprise. However, I have asked the cleaning company to be on the look out for dead flies generally which they have confirmed they will.
The property was comfortable, well equipped and clean.
The parking is excellent and the view was lovely. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Can heartily recommend. The access to the property may be a little daunting to some drivers due to the narrow lanes but they were quiet and we rarely had to pull over for oncoming vehicles.
Thank you for this very positive feedback. I can understand why narrow lanes might phase some drivers but that is all part of the charm of the Lake District and in my experience , all drivers are very respectful.
Outstanding location and views.
Cannot fault the position. Take foil and cling film and frying pan. There is frying pans there but they are all like woks.
There are plenty of frying pans, and yes some are large as befits a property that can accommodate 6 people . To describe a regular large frying pan as being like a wok is a bit of an exaggeration!
Everything was great.
From beginning until the end. :) Our workers who have stayed here were really happy and enjoyed their stay. We will certainly come back!
Everything was great.
From beginning until the end. :) Our workers who have stayed here were really happy and enjoyed their stay. We will certainly come back!
Thank you. I am delighted to see you have just booked for another 2 weeks in April.
We found the property spacious and bright, and set in a lovely spot.
Had pretty much everything we needed in the kitchen and it was a comfortable stay. Kitchen appliances feel a little aged, but everything working as should be. House was extremely warm throughout, and we had no issues staying cosy in the autumn/ winter. Thanks for a nice stay in this beautiful part of the world!
The problem we had was the furnace was malfunctioning.
Although a couple of repair people came by and one got the system working the day after we arrived, by the morning it was not working again. The first maintenance person left us with three portable heaters, which helped a lot. I had no shower for four days. The owners offered us a refund of 100 UK, but we have not received this yet. We found the directions for the appliances difficult to follow and really did not want to read a manual to use the microwave or washer/dryer. Index card instructions would have been great. Other than that, we enjoyed our stay in this wonderful spot. Sally
I am very sorry you experienced this issue, it turns out that water had got into the oil tank, which has now been replaced in its entirety. This will solve the issue permanently. Am sorry too you found using the appliances difficult, your comment is noted. Sykes will be arranging the refund, I will press them to ensure it is dealt with. Again, please accept my apologies for the heating issue, of course I am pleased you enjoyed your stay despite the issues you encountered.
This was our second visit to Winster Fields and it was probably even better this time.
The view is lovely, the local setting spectacular and the property itself is excellent: it is bright and welcoming with everything we needed for a relaxing and re-energising time. The slight remoteness of the property was, for us, an added bonus. And the Wi-Fi is still very good. The weather was mixed but that's the Lake District. It was no problem spending time inside at Winster Fields on the two wet days: we did the OS map jigsaw puzzle provided, although having no picture, we did end up buying the actual map. The map served us well on some of the wonderful hikes we were able to do in the area and within a 30 minute drive.
I am delighted you enjoyed the house even more the second time, and of course excellent you found the real map useful. Jigsaw not really practical when out on a hike. There is a new internet provider but the service is more resilient than BT and very effective.
Fantastic property, lovely and clean, great views, excellent parking perfect for relaxing, walking, off the main road up very thin winding road take it slow but adds to the experience
Wonderful comments, thank you, they sum up Winster Fields and the surrounding area.
We had a lovely stay at Winster Fields.
The cottage was clean, comfortable and well equipped. A very peaceful location but within reach of all places of interest. Yes there are small lanes to manoeuvre to reach the cottage but we really had no problems. The weather was amazing. Thank you...we had a great time
I am of course delighted you enjoyed your stay, and the weather was kind. The small lanes are part of the charm the area around Winster Fields! main roads on the Lakes are pretty small. All part of the experience.
Couldn’t fault the cottage it was idyllic, the views were stunning and the cottage was the perfect get away for our girls weekend break away from all the hassle
Thank you for your lovely comment. Winster fields is there to be enjoyed at all times of year, including mid winter, as your family discovered.
The property location is wonderful and the layout is also perfect for us.
The downside is the cleanliness. This is the second time we’ve been and unfortunately the second time that we had to hoover the lounge area because it wasn’t very clean and there were also a huge amount of cobwebs-on the ceilings in most rooms and a lot over the dragon statue on the stairs. We thought it was perhaps a one off the first time we went but unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case. We decided not to report it because we didn’t want someone coming out during our stay to clean.
I am very sorry the guest was not satisfied with the level of cleaning. I shall be discussing this immediately with the cleaning contractor. I would urge that if guests are not satisfied, they should contact the cleaners because it is much easier then for them to take remedial action both immediately and to pinpoint issues going forward.
Lovely location and nice furnishing, beds comfy.
Would stay again. Dishwasher doesn’t work properly, lots of stuff still dirty every run. Blinds in attic room don’t keep light out-not suitable for babies and small children.
Thank you for your comments and you clearly have enjoyed staying at Winster Fields. I am sorry you consider the DW did not work well enough, the default setting (P4) is a relatively cool 50c economy setting which may well not be up to dealing with a full machine and potentially greasy items. I would recommend using P5 which is 70c - and much quicker. I have however asked the maintenance team to check out the machine for any fault. This is the first time the darkness levels in the top bedroom have been mentioned in 15 years! the Venetian blinds are as supplied by Velux for the windows and can be turned to adjust the amount of light admitted to the room. Sometimes, the individual slats can come out of their tracks. I have asked the maintenance team during a visit on 26 August 2022 to check the blinds to ensure they are properly in place.
Thanks for a lovely stay, me and my parents really enjoyed the tranquility.
Dear Mr Barton, I am very pleased you and your parents enjoyed your stay. The tranquility of Winster Fields is rather special!
A very stunning and relaxing property which is beautifully furnished.
WiFi was excellent and I enjoyed the outside seating area. Despite being a bit isolated, this was a perfect location for us away from the crowds and traffic. Plus it's relatively easy to reach most places within the Lakes by car. I would definitely stay here again. The dryer of the washer dryer wasn't working, which we only discovered once we had a full load of wet washing. The maintenance team were very quick to respond but couldn't fix it and thereafter we heard no more. Luckily the weather was good so we were able to dry outside using a clotheshorse. A few plates and glasses in the cupboard weren't clean but the rest of the house was spotless. In the warm weather, fans would be a useful addition.
I am pleased you enjoyed your stay in this very tranquil location, the combination of relative isolation - but near pubs and restaurants - but with the ability to access so many places easily is a key attribute of Winster Fields. I am sorry the dryer on the washing machine failed during your stay, a new appliance has now been installed.
Great place with amazing views.
Peaceful with nice walking trails. One problem was the late check in and early check out. If we stayed for one night then we wouldn’t have had much time.
Thank you for you feedback. We have since spoke to the cleaning company and Sykes have extended the check-in and departure times.
The cottage hadn't been hovered properly, and there was food left in the cupboards and freezer.
We couldn't arrive until 5pm it was pitch black, no welcome pack just a few teabags, biscuits and some out of date milk! The WiFi didn't work for all of the 7 days holiday. Other than that we did enjoy our stay.
I have drawn your concerns about the cleaning to the attention of the cleaning company, whose standards are very high, I'm sorry they have fallen short. I will check the date of the long life milk and replace as required. The internet was taken out by Storm Arwen, re connected the day you left, after intervention by the local MP and Ofcom. I had understood Sykes had advised you of this issue - beyond my control.
We had a fab time and enjoyed every minute.
The cottage was in a lovely spot with great views and was just what we were looking for. As a family of 4 and a couple I would probably feedback that there wasn't enough recycling/bin space. Luckily we were able to take a lot of rubbish home so it didn't affect us however spending Xmas with 2 children and 4 adults, you can imagine there was a lot to take home. Other than the above the cottage was great and we would highly recommend.
I am sorry you felt there was insufficient bin space, the biggest bin possible is at the property, much bigger than usual wheelie bins. The contractor will only empty the bin every 2 weeks, this is usually sufficient. Thank you for taking rubbish home, there is a recycling facility at the Broad St car park in Windermere, post code LA23 2AB.
The holiday cottage was beautiful we couldn’t have asked for anything nicer.
I am delighted you enjoyed Winster Fields. Now you have enjoyed Winster Fields directly, I hope you will be able to re book for a future visit online.
Beautiful holiday cottage in stunning location with magnificent views and ample parking.
Cleanliness and attention to detail in the cottage was fantastic. We will definitely book again!! We had a wonderful stay.
Good evening, thank you for such positive comments, I hope you can return as so many guests do. The house is being redecorated throughout in January 2022.
Beautiful location and views, away from the crowded tourist areas.
Kids loved it. The place was spotless and the kitchen very well equipped. Couldn’t fault it. We would like to come back one day!
Good evening, I am delighted you had such a good time, the property is so near to the centre of tourist activity geographically but is massively detached. An ideal combination. I hope you can come back.
We had a super time in this well presented roomy cottage with stunning views and spacious grounds.
I am delighted to hear you had a good time and hope the weather was kind to you.
Blackout blinds in the loft bedroom would be nice, fantastic peaceful spot
In midsummer with long days and short nights, I can understand that the Velux fitted Venetian blinds may let some limited light through. One of the great virtues of Winster Fields is its tranquility and great views.
Negative stuff: Some issues with the ground floor shower - lack of pressure/cold water - which we think might have been to both showers being in use at the same time.
Fridge could have been bigger. Noisy cooker fan and first floor bathroom extraction fan. Place didn’t have any signs of damp but there was a slight humidity/dampness that made it impossible to dry any washing and we couldn’t get the drier to work (might have been user error didn’t check instructions and managed to dry most stuff outside). Outdoor furniture was old greyed teak passed its best but useable. 6 chairs - one broken chair (unuseable) and one broken, but repaired. We did sit out a lot as there was a great view. BBQ looked new, but wasn’t clean so didn’t use it. Positive stuff: Lovely quiet location and possible to walk along footpath (1 mile) to Mason’s Arms pub for a pint. Everything work (except for intermittent water issues in shower). Lots of kitchen equipment, pans, crockery etc. Place was clean and all beds made with fresh linen and towels available. Good location for south Lakes - off the beaten track but all the better for it if you want to avoid the crowds at Bowness etc. and have walks that aren’t full of other people.
I have little doubt the apparent lack of water pressure was because both showers were in use at the same time. Our excellent water comes from a borehole and the pressure is very good for each shower individually. The heated towel rails are excellent for drying clothes and there is a drying rack too which can be taken outside. The garden has plenty of sunshine as it faces east and south. I am not aware of any issue with the tumble drier and in my experience extraction fans of any kind are not silent. Teak when left outside naturally goes silver grey, the damaged chair has been removed and the repaired one is perfectly serviceable. The garden furniture will probably be replaced for 2022, the problems of sourcing such items are pretty well known. Sadly, not all guests clean out the BBQ after they use it, it's not a very onerous task. I am pleased you enjoyed the view, it is lovely at all times of day. The proximity but yet huge distance from the crowds in Bowness and Windermere are part of what makes Winster Fields rather special - for those who are looking for somewhere just a bit special.
Had a great time at Winster Fields although the downstairs floor was not cleaned at all for when we arrived and there were bits all over the floor in the kitchen and living room area so i had to hoover up and mop the floor on arrival and the next day.
Not so great really. Upstairs was ok but we weren’t using upstairs! Although the bedrooms and bathrooms were ok. The bed was really comfortable and the views from the property were amazing. We loved the seating area outside and we were lucky we had some great weather to enjoy it fully. The boiler has had it’s day and smelt ‘oily’ when we tried to put the heating on so we gave up as we were concerned we would lose the hot water as had happened to another guest i read in a review. We would love to return although we wouldn’t unless the boiler was fixed or changed (it is too old and on it’s way out for the size of property especially) and the cleanliness issue is sorted. Apart from that it was great!
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback, I was happy to hear you enjoyed your stay at Winster Fields, which we believe to be an exceptional property. We take the cleaning and upkeep of Winster Fields very seriously, and if guests encounter any issues during their stay there are contact numbers for our cleaning and maintenance team to ensure problems will be dealt with promptly. If you had made us aware of any issues during your stay the team could have dealt with any cleaning and maintenance matters that you were not happy with, you could have also contacted Sykes Cottages and they could have contacted the team on your behalf. The general manager of the cleaning company I retain and their cleaning quality coordinator visited Winster Fields on 14 May, this was the day of your arrival, the report from the team is as follows- ' We found the property clean and with no obvious issues. All the areas under the cushions were hoovered and the sofas reset. The small coffee table was moved and the centre rug carpet area hoovered. All hard floors in the lounge/kitchen, hall and the lower bedroom floor were hoovered again. The stairs were hoovered by hand. The hall floor was cleaned with Trichem 100 spray and wiped by hand (on hands and knees) with a cloth for its entire length. The vacuum used was a new (this month) Dart 1 with variable height adjustment and set at its lowest setting. The kitchen was actually cleaned twice yesterday. Once by the cleaning team and once by us at the second visit. The worktops were cleaned with Trichem 100.' I am confident this is an accurate report of the way they property was cleaned before your arrival. My wife and I stayed at the property last week and there are no oily smells when the boiler fires up. Putting the heating on is as simple as turning up the wall mounted thermostat and hot water is supplied on demand. Guests do not need to do anything more. The boiler itself is serviced regularly and the issue of the heating cutting out as reported by a previous guest has of course been fixed, the boiler is the correct size for the property and is not too old to function correctly. Once again thank you for leaving a review following your stay, we hope we have answered some of your concerns.
Had to get beyond fact that the boiler stopped working for over 24 hours, with no hot water or heating over that time.
Provided with room heaters (which was appreciated) but still no hot water. Feedback in the visitors book commented on boiler problems months ago (before Lockdown), and plumber shocked at condition of the boiler - why then wasn’t it replaced beforehand, especially as property empty for months, so ample opportunity. Does not sit well with me. All in context of a week paying way over the odds (which we chose to do, but wouldn’t have if known boiler couldn’t even be sorted out). Not impressed.
Perfect location, beautiful views, unclean property (which is mentioned a lot in the visitor book)
Thank you for your feedback. The owner was disappointed to read your comments regarding cleanliness issues at the property. Once they were made aware of your comments they did make contact to offer a re clean that I understand you declined. The general manager of the cleaning company personally inspected the property just before your arrival and reported he found no evidence of poor cleaning practices. Your comments have been fed back to the cleaning company the owner uses and they will continue to monitor this going forward.
If only you had responded to customers’ feedback from a year ago I’d have been happy but to arrive at a property in the dark at 5pm to find the beds not made and no linen anywhere to make them myself is not acceptable.
Add to that a disabled husband and a young son, along with a global pandemic that meant this was a rare and greatly prized opportunity, then you’ve got one very annoyed customer. The kitchen should have been spotless and I wasn’t. The dishwasher was half full of dishes. 3 of the 4 TVs didn’t work . . . . . This could be a beautiful let. I am still waiting for some recompense from you. I had to delay my evening with family to wait for linen matter to be resolved and then had to have two people come into the house to make the beds. Not very covid safe.
I note the comments made by Ms Shaw on 30 October 2020 concerning her stay. An offer of compensation has been made and accepted gratefully by her and I now wish as the owner of the property to respond fully to her comments because they include some very important inaccuracies. It is acknowledged that the cleaning and maintenance service provider had not provided the complete set of new linen for the property and for this reason, compensation was offered promptly. The service provider has apologised for this failure. However, I have been advised by the general manager of the service provider, who attended the premises with a colleague promptly after being notified of the issue, that the missing linen was provided during his visit, it amounted to missing duvet covers, rather than a complete remaking of beds as alleged. He has also advised me that he and his colleague were in the premises for as little as 10 minutes and they were fully equipped with Covid appropriate protective equipment. The manager has also told me that Ms Shaw made no reference to the dishwasher containing dishes, Ms Shaw does not say whether they were clean or not. If the manager had been told of this matter, he would have dealt with it in an appropriate manner. Furthermore, Ms Shaw has not given any clarity to support her assertion that the kitchen was not clean, again, if she had, it would have been dealt with there and then. Finally, the statement that 3 out of 4 televisions did not work is wholly inaccurate, I suspect that Ms Shaw did not notice that the TVs had been switched off at the mains rather than on the remotes. It is an important safety matter to switch off TVs in an appropriate manner. The general manager attended the house on 9 November and called me by telephone, he demonstrated to my complete satisfaction that all televisions were fully operational.
We absolutely loved staying at Winster Fields.
The photos don’t do the cottage any justice as to the size and layout. Everything was provided and could not have asked for any more. Be warned the road to get to the cottage is a single lane but don’t let that put you off as the views are amazing and there is very little traffic by the cottage. Will definitely return.
Beautiful quiet location with easy access to the Lakes area.
Very comfortable house in secluded setting. Very few cars around in immediate area which was helpful as roads very narrow and a few potholes around. We were fortunate in having wonderful weather.
A beautiful barn conversion , very spacious with all necessities needed.
Loved the lay out & views all around the barn were so peaceful. It was a good 20 min drive to cartmel , I assumed it was closer as never researched this properly before we left. We would have liked to have been a bit closer to cartmel but there was 2 lovely pubs Just a 5 min drive that serve great food & very cosy . We had a 1 & a 3 year old with us & travel cot and high chair were ready as we walked in . Overall very happy with our stay & would recommend.
Lovely cottage (although hard to find in the dark!
!) - loads of equipment for the kitchen which was good as we went over Christmas. Really comfy beds, warm and loads of space. Beautiful, quiet location but only 20 mins from Windermere. You can walk, run and cycle from the cottage which is brilliant. Maps and guides in the cottage as well as games and DVDs etc. We would return again if we were going to the area. Highly recommended
Beautiful cottage in a amazing location (although VERY rural and not really walking access to any amenities)
A really beautiful barn conversion and very spacious, the pictures don't do it justice.
It was very clean and warm, just what we needed on a very cold week end. The location allowed some to head off into the hills and others to walk from the door, into some really lovely countryside, and such quiet roads! There is an amazing pub, The Mason's Arms that does great food just 5 mins away, very cozy and rustic with 2 wood burning fires, truly magical, a lovely evening out for everyone. The only thing I would add is the lack of information, for example, house stuff like where to leave rubbish, re-cycling, how to use the cooker etc and also, information about local walks would have been great, especially as a BT internet issue (which was happily resolved) prevented us from doing our own research. To sum up, we were all delighted with the accommodation and its location and would highly recommend to family and friends.
Tranquil location in excellent surroundings however the following defects were noted: -radiator in dining area not working; -DVD player in living room didn’t work; -various lightbulbs not working (lamps in bedrooms & lounge and ceiling lights); -a dust pan & brush would have been useful too; -recycling should have had clearer information.
Lovely setting and views.
Cottage is very spacious and comfy. Downstairs bedroom smelt a bit musty and the kitchen sink was a bit whiffy, but these are minor details. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Fantastic apartment.
It was a little piece of heaven. We will most definitely book this place again for our next visit to the Lake Lands. Although it was only me and my wife the place is fully suited for a family. If there was anything negative I would say the water pressure on the 1st floor bathroom is poor and would suggest that a booster pump be installed to resolve the issue - however there's a downstairs shower as well so it didn't bother us. The house itself is lovely really spacious and clean with everything you would need to be comfortable. The surrounding landscape is breath taking and it is well located with quick access to all the famous Lakeland landmarks you might wish to see or climb!
The holiday cottage was comfortable, well equipped and located and as described online, but we thought the ‘welcome’ tray wasn’t very welcoming - no biscuits, no fresh milk - in all 6 cottages I’ve stayed at over the last 6 years we’ve had fresh milk and cake or special biscuits on arrival.
The downstairs bedroom smelt damp and musty and the upstairs shower had very poor water pressure and fluctuating temperatures: we stopped using it in favour of the downstairs shower, which was better, though not great. The visitors’ book showed both these issues had been commented upon by other guests. The soap had run out in the downstairs bathroom and water came through the hall roof. So there were several issues, though we did enjoy our holiday in the Lake District.
The pictures do not do this place justice- views are fantastic and the cottage much bigger than it appears.
Overall, we enjoyed our stay very much -everything was as described and contributed to a very pleasant holiday at the cottage.
Unfortunately, the washing machine was broken and couldn't be fixed in time.
Wonderful location and beautiful views.
We had the most amazing time in this gorgeous cottage. Thank you to the owners for a superb break.
After an unforseen event meant we needed to change bookings at the last minute, Sykes were extremely efficient and helpful.
Our new booking at Winster Fields turned out to be a wonderful location, warm, comfortable, clean and well equipped. We had a superb stay. We couldn't be happier with the service provided or with the accommodation or location we visited.
Lovely cottage, for 2 it feels luxurious!
! Views spectacular.
Cottage had very poor water pressure which whilst you rang me on the day of our intended stay to inform us as a one of - seemed to be a regular occurrence from the visitors book i feel that whilst you stated that this would be fixed prior to our arrival it wasn't.
Only one water based device functioned properly at any one point in time - eg flushed the toilet - shower wouldn't work - so we had to plan around this when taking showers etc. Cottage smelled of damp if you closed up the rooms and there was evidence of water seepage into some of the rooms creating a hidden problem.. Cottage was tired and needed refreshing. ***OWNER RESPONSE*** I am sorry you experienced water pressure issues, the water comes from a private borehole which has been adversely affected by the recent extreme weather. The water quality is exceptionally high and the changed weather conditions have lead to full restoration of the supply. I shall visit the property to investigate the comments about damp smells and water leakage and take any action required to deal with any issues.
This was a fantastic experience booked last minute for a group of friends wanting o explore the Lake District.
Couldn't have asked for anything more. All in all a wonderful experience.
Thank you for your comments, I am delighted you enjoyed your short visit so much, 3 days is not enough!
Deep clean especially cooker and grill,
The cottage is well equipped and very comfortable A great base from which to explore the southern lakes Roads to and from the cottage are very narrow and steep in places Would have liked a small welcome pack on arrival - milk and tea bags You never did get back to me about the mattress size for the travel cot
Bigger than looked on photos, lovely and tranquil, only few miles from activities.
Fab
A chair or something to hang clothes in the further up bedroom would have been nice + something to put our belongings in the upstairs bathroom would have been better than the floor.
Apart from that, everything was truly perfect !
Some soap in the bathrooms would have been nice.
Otherwise, a really great cottage and holiday.
Excellent service from the initial booking to our departure on the last day.
Information provided by email in a timely fashion (billing, directions etc). Would certainly use Sykes Cottages again.
The Property at Winster fields was easy to live in with the thoughtful layout.
Lovely views and spacious feel. Would book here again.
Would definitely re-book
Absolutely beautiful cottage set in stunning surroundings we couldn't have asked for better, we will definitely be booking Winster Fields again.
Really lovely place defineltly go back will be booking for next year !
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Good to know
House Rules
Smoking
Not permitted
Property notes
Please note: If you wish to charge your car there are charging points near by at Booths supermarket car park in Windermere, around 6 miles away.
Stay Information
Check-in / Check-out
16:00 / 10:00
Property ref
26823
Parking
Off Road Parking
Guest & Pet Policy
Pets
Not allowed
Children
Not accepted
Accessibility
Ground floor