Ghyll Bank Barn

Ghyll Bank Barn was a beautiful cottage, perfect for the 2 of us.

It was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The kitchen was welcoming and had everything we needed. The views were spectacular and we frequently had sheep and cows looking in the window to check on us! We were close to everything we wanted to see in the national park and in spite of the weather we had a lovely stay. The only slight criticism would be the lack of a welcome pack, otherwise it was perfect.

Great accommodation with beautiful views.

Marvellous accommodation in a lovely location.

Kitchen has sharp knives, with a SHARPENER. Plenty of crockery and glasses, well equipped Kitchen.

A wonderful stay for our family of four - we loved it.

The accommodation is done to a high spec and has everything you need. It is perfectly out of the way in the quiet countryside yet now far from life too. It is the middle cottage of three big but there are barriers you can put up outside so you have a little more privacy. Great views. The accommodation was better than we expected and we are glad we picked to stay here. If you are cooking, just make sure you take basics like oil, salt etc (which we always do, but some places have). Ignore older reviews- it has smart tv etc. A great stay.

Location, heating, shower and hot water excellent.

Separate toilet downstairs an added bonus.Kitchen in need of new pans and utensils(only one teaspoon) The beds, especially the double bed, most uncomfortable and in need of replacing as did the duvet and pillows.The linen and towels very good. There was no "welcome pack" which seemed a little mean and would have made warm welcome. With a little extra care we would certainly stay again.

The roof window in the lounge has a leak and this drips on you when sitting on the couch.

The cottage would benefit form some new frying pans one is no longer nonstick while the other des not sit on the hob properly as it has a rounded base. The vacuum supplied struggled to lift particles off the carpet and it was hard to remove pet hair etc. The towel rail in the upstairs bathroom only comes on with the heating so you have to turn all the radiator's off to stop the bedrooms getting too hot. This is not communicated in the information in the cottage.

Loved this cottage, the view was worth the visit, just what we needed.

Ghyll Bank Barn is a fabulous property with amazing views of the surrounding fells and countryside, a real ‘away from it all’ location.

The property is beautifully proportioned with lots of space for a family of 4 although it was just the 2 of us and a dog on this occasion. The closeness to the surrounding sheep stock meant that we could really appreciate them in their own environment and we were grateful for bringing our dog’s long lead. The outside patio area is well equipped with seating, table, bbq and clothes airer should you need it. The negatives for the property are mainly aesthetic as the property does lack some personal touches. The cleaning pack on arrival was good (washing up liquid, tea towels, dishcloth & dishwasher tablets) however there was a shortage of some of the basics that we’ve experienced in other holiday properties before, such as more crockery, cooking utensils, baking trays etc, more mugs, better glasses and handwash in the bathrooms would also really help. As the property is up a narrow, steep track from the village of Staveley we did take food to prepare each night rather than eat out and whilst the kitchen is a great size with lots of storage we found the lack of some basics a bit of a challenge. Nothing that was a deal breaker though as the property itself and its location more than make up for anything it lacks. Overall a fabulous holiday property in a stunning location.

Amazing place to stay, long walks just from the barn and over all it feels like a home from home

Lovely little cottage which worked well for us for our week.

Perfect for a family of 4 for a holiday. Cottage itself was as described. We didn’t appreciate at the time of booking that there were 3 properties in this building. We had the central section which worked well for us but would have possibly booked elsewhere if we had been aware as more stressful with a young puppy with dogs either side and two boisterous boys. We were constantly worried about noise from the kids annoying the neighbours or the dog barking. The cottage doesn’t have a garden, more surrounding fields with sheep. Not ideal for our dog who is used to roaming an enclosed garden. For both the kids and dog, watching out for sheep and sheep poo was an issue. Although they were lovely to see and hear, especially when they were in the patio area!!! The cottage itself has most of the necessary items but lacked a few of the basics to allow you get going without having to head back to the shops. Our neighbours had supermarket deliveries which, if timed right, would be ideal. Also of note, there is Wifi downstairs but it doesn’t extent to the upstairs and the TV doesn’t have any smart features - easily overcome with a firestick bought at the Argos in Kendal. Also, very dusty throughout and need of a bit of a deep clean. Not too much of a problem but I had to wash alot of the kitchen items and sinks before use as I wasn’t convinced they were clean on arrival. The cottage is in an idyllic spot at the top of a hill just outside Staveley. We walked down to the village in 30mins with two 9 year olds. Bit of a trek back up again in the sun. Also, the drive up isn’t for the faint hearted as it is a tight, single track road with minimal passing places however, it does make the area very quiet. Staveley itself was perfect. Everything you need for a holiday and in close proximity to Windermere and Kendal. The owners of the cottage came to check on us and make sure we were getting in fine which was a lovely personal touch and very much appreciated. Overall, a lovely place to spend a week provided you are aware of the surroundings before booking.

Lovely barn in a beautiful location.

Only small criticism is the upstairs is very hot so maybe providing fans would be helpful.

Stunning property in a stunning location.

The owner came to see us on arrival and made us feel very welcome. Would recommend this place to anyone in a flash

Best ever great place for a holiday nice and quiet

Beautiful property in an idyllic location, very quiet and warm accommodation, very dog friendly perfect for exploring the lakes.

We spent a fantastic week in this lovely home from home barn in an idyllic location.

When we arrived in the early evening, the barn was beautifully warm and very well equipped. The owner, Mr Beaty showed up early into our stay and was very keen to ensure that we were happy with the premises which we were. The barn was exactly as shown on the website and the location and views were spectacular. As dog owners we were delighted with the large field attached to the barn (& shared with the other two barns) and our dog was absolutely at home in the barn particularly on the underfloor heating which was superb! We have already decided to return early in the New Year. Thoroughly recommend this lovely property.

We enjoyed our stay here.

Just one minor problem a very drippy kitchen tap, this has been mentioned by another guest and really needs sorting.

We had a lovely 4 night stay at Ghyll bank barn.

The property was beautiful and was well equipped, but could do with a few bits to make your stay more easier, like hand wash in the downstairs toilet and a small supply of basic kitchen essentials like oil, salt and tin foil. Everything else was great, the view from the front door was amazing. Will definitely be back!

This is a fantastic property which has been converted to a very high standard.

It is very spacious and very comfortable. The views from the patio area are breath taking. The beds are very cleanand comfortable and the bathroom has everything you need which is also high end spec. This is the perfect place to enjoy the splendours of the lake district. The property is approx 1.5 miles from satverley village and the lane is tight but a perfect retreat. If there is a negative is that the WIFI can be hit and miss but we were not there for technology we were there to be away from normal life. All in all a fantastic place and I would book again in a heart beat.

The listing said a 4 tick rating and although the location and cottage themselves are amazing there are few small niggling issues.

the tap that dripped relentlessly which had been noticed over 9 months ago. The lack of good quality cooking utensils and some cleaning issues. The glasses in the cupboards were stuck to the surface!! there were some basic cleaning products but a few more and better quality of clothes and tea towels would have been appreciated. the sofas have seen better days. On the beds were old fashioned sheets, not the standard fitted sheets which would have been more appropriate . previously we have stayed in Sykes cottage similar grade and it had all the bells and whistles and we were amazed - this felt a little lacklustre.

Lovely accommodation in a beautiful area.

Spacious accommodation, comfortable clean and warm.

Access to the patio area with gorgeous views much appreciated. The only negative point is that the kitchen was not well equipped- e.g. just one small pan and few of everything (4 plates, 4 mugs, 4 bowls etc)

Absolutely beautiful property So bright and clean with everything we needed also a very comfortable and relaxing place to stay.

Views are stunning and some lovely walks around the property. Highly recommended. We shall be retuning.

Gyll bank - The Barn, 9 - 16 Sep 2022 We have had a good stay here.

We know that most people dont bother to tell you what needs attention, but we think it is important. Overall the accommodation is adequate but needs some help. The kitchen tap is dripping relentlessly and it is really annoying. The kitchen is poorly equipped. I know it is the end of the season but surely the cleaning staff run an inventory? All the four saucepans are the same size!! 8 inches ish. Do the other apartments have all the big pans??? There is a knife block, all the knives are blunt. Two other knives in the drawer are blunt, including 3 inch knife that is not useful other than to deal with an apple. Luckily I read a comment from a previous holiday maker that there were no sharp knives, so I brought three of my own. I also bought a wok which we used instead of their small frying pans. The baking trays in the oven were burnt and unusable, which we saw immediately and the owners sorted that out as they were here for a short period. There are no black bags and very little cleaning materials. The top of the cooker is severely stained. There is no hob cleaner which would help the burnt on stains. And the washing up liquid is provided in tiny plastic containers. Would a whole bottle of washing up liquid break the bank? The settees don’t appear to have been hoovered recently. There were wrappers etc under the three piece and we were looking for something down the back of the sofa and it is full of crumbs etc. The downstair toilet door needs oiling. Because the floor is tiled downstairs with hard kitchen surfaces and there is very little soft furnishings, the whole place is very echoey. So dripping taps, creaky doors, they really have an effect. The cupboard doors in the cupboard need soft closing stops as again they bang away. The ad says that there is super broadband here. Thats as may be but it suggests that signal and connection would be good, but we have had long periods of no connectivity. It seems to be connected to how many people are using it during the day . I know you can’t do anything about that but do say that signal is still patchy despite super broadband. These comments are offered in the spirit of helping people that come here to enjoy this property after us. Lesley Dike

Beautiful place to stay with amazing views from the patio.

We stayed in the Barn (sleeps 4) with Cow Shed and Byre either side (sleeping 6/7), then the big house (16) and bungalow (3) across the driveway, so obviously be aware that you will probably have neighbors. Plenty of parking for everyone and had no issues with noise at all. The patio has dividers between the barns that you can pull across for privacy or leave open if you'd prefer, a really nice idea we thought! Plenty of chairs, tables and even sun umbrellas on the patio so you can sit in the garden and enjoy the beautiful view. Key collected from lock box, code given to us by owners prior to our arrival. The owner came to see us on our first night which was nice and he was a lovely man. Barn has everything you'd need to get by, including a welcome pack with washing up liquid, dish washer tablets and tea towel etc. Would say might be worth bringing a sharp knife for cooking though as I had trouble chopping veg! We will be recommending Ghyll Bank to our friends and hope we can return too. Great base for visiting Windermere etc.

Overall we really liked the property.

But what would have made it even better would be improving the kitchen equipment. Specifically: Not enough cereal bowls and mugs Not enough medium size glasses (approx half pint size) Kitchen knives were blunt No hand soap next to sink (or in the bathrooms) Also - Maybe some bigger sofas in the lounge area would have made it more comfortable.

Such a beautiful property in a stunning location.

Fully equipped and very comfortable after a hard days hiking.

After chatting to adjacent visitors we agreed lack of basic kitchen items like cooking oil, washing up liquid and cloths, dishwasher products etc was a let down and not consistent with overall quality of accommodation which is very high.

Really loved the setting and facilities eg bbq, 2nd wc etc.

Only thing to be improved upon, is upon a arrival to be greeted by the owner, all other places that we have stayed at we have been greeted.

Also a better quality toilet roll. !!!

Really nice location, house is equipped with most things and is clean and tidy with modern facilities, we would definitely stay again, my only negative would be that the picture for the accommodation needs to be clearer in description as i wasn’t aware that there are 5 holiday let’s on site… location is great for getting around as you are near the lakes and some big towns….

The only surprise is that the cottage was one-of-three but other than that it was perfect

Amazing views.

Lovely comfortable, quiet and cosy cottage. Set high and apart, yet close to Windermere, and a short drive to pubs and other eateries and facilities. Just needed foot-stools or a slightly larger couch to completely chill after a long day out.

Had previously tried to stay here on 2 other occasions that got canceled because of the pandemic but 3rd time lucky.

We had a great week. The barn is lovely, the views spectacular and the fantastic walks directly from the door were just what we needed. The barn was very comfortable and very well fitted out. The only issue we had, that has been mentioned before, is the lack of any hand soap or cleaning products. It is also the only Sykes cottage that I have stayed in that didn’t supply some sort of welcome tray. It was slightly disappointing to have driven all that way to then have to get back in the car and drive a further 4 miles to get stuff before being able to wash your hands or have a cup of tea. Other than that, no complaints from me and I would happily stay again.

On arrival at the property we were thoroughly impressed with the entrance area, so warm and inviting, and lovely and roomy for putting on boots, coats etc and for unloading and loading the car of luggage.

The kitchen was super and had everything you needed for a comfortable stay, including a nice oak dining table which could be extended. Then down four stairs was a super sized lounge with views of open countryside. A TV on the wall with Freeview giving us lots of choice and a DVD player should we have needed it. The owner had put in a decorated Christmas tree and had written us a card, which was a nice touch. A downstairs loo was a great addition. Upstairs was a grand bathroom which was super warm and cosy, (no shivering after a shower). A double bedroom and another good sized bedroom with twin beds. Having the dogs with us (property states one dog but we sought permission to take our daughters wee sausage dog too) the fact that there were plenty of walks straight from the house was a great bonus. My husband and I and our daughter and partner had the most enjoyable week here at Ghyll Bank, and will always remember our Christmas at Stavely.

Lovely cottage to escape from it all.

Fantastic views and everything we needed for a lovely break in the lakes, with picturesque walks right on your doorstep and only a short drive to Windermere. Only suggestion would be some hand soap in the bathrooms/kitchen but otherwise very well equipped. Would definitely return.

only problem we had the track or road well its not a road at all to Ghyll Bank is a single track lane if you meet another car you have had it as there are not many passing points on that track it needs to be updated for the track to have more passing places we met a van on the way down and had to reverse a long way back as the van would not give way

Would be great if gardens were a little more private.

The cottage is wonderful.

The location is beautiful, the view is great.

We enjoyed a lovely week at Ghyll Barn.

It was very clean and comfortable. The views were stunning and it was very peaceful and quiet. We loved seeing the sheep with their lambs, who were our only neighbours. One minor fault was there was only one toilet roll to last a week and nothing to clean the bathroom with but apart from that it was perfect.

we had a wonderful stay and were very happy with the cottage on the whole.

just a couple of niggles - the wifi/ internet is very slow and sometimes none existent and a few more utensils and new ones would be good. eg rusty peeler, frying pan warped and sharp knives

Everything was great except for the Wifi.

This was an excellent base to walk some of the lower fells with our 9 month old son.

The highchair has seen better days and is not hygienic or safe to put children into anymore. Our son needed propping up in it with towels as the straps were broken. A new one could be purchased for as little as £12 from Ikea and would have made the place perfect for him.

One of best holiday homes we have stayed in , Sykes is always of a high standard and this home was no exception.

Wifi was a problem , but we managed. Views were wonderful ,owners very friendly. My husband 'enjoyed' the pull up to the barn on his bike every morning , but it all contributed to a lovely Christmas in the Lakes.

Had an enjoyable stay at Ghyll Bank Barn.

Cottage had everything needed and is in a beautiful spot. Access to it however, is along a single track road with few passing places. Luckily we didn’t meet any larger farm vehicles but it could potentially be quite dodgy. We did report a cracked mirror in the bathroom and the owner arrived the same evening to take a look. It wasn’t replaced during our stay but I’m sure it was dealt with soon after.

My goodness the photos are just a taster of this wonderful holiday stay.

beautiful rural location We normally stay closer to main roads when visiting but here we really felt we were staying in the lakes.

a very enjoyable week weather could have better but all together great

The barn is absolutely beautiful both inside and out.

Only possible improvement would be mor crockery -only four dinner plates and three bowls

The only issue was regarding cleanliness as the oven was not clean, many cobwebs in the lounge, and the lounge carpet did not appear vacuumed prior to our arrival.

The cottage was lovely and these issues did not spoil our holiday.

Wow what an amazing cottage.

So well equipped with all you need to make your stay comfortable. I loved cooking on the ‘Range’’ cooker. The layout of the cotttage is perfect with lots of space. The bedrooms are of a good size. The scenery is magnificent especially watching the sun going down. The owners are very attentive and cannot do enough to help. I full hearted recommend this cottage and hope to bring the rest of my family. Thanks for a relaxing and enjoyable stay.

We really enjoyed staying in this cottage- it’s very comfortable, warm and well laid out.

The photos don’t do it justice. The kitchen has everything we needed for cooking Christmas dinner! The location is great- really good views when the weather cleared and so close to Windermere and Ambleside without the busyness of staying there. Wouldn’t hesitate staying again, but will bring our mountain bikes next time!

Cottage was first class with good views Access was difficult due to narrow country lane with limited passing places

An absolutely stunning location and a very peaceful trip.

The booking process was quick, easy and seamless. The cottage owner was friendly and keen to ensure that we had a good stay.

Booking process quick and easy with no problems before or during our stay.

Ghyll Bank Barn was a beautiful place, the interior has been finished to a really high spec with underfloor heating and a hot, powerful shower. The location is beautiful with fab views - a good 30-40 mins walk to the local village and the barn is up a hill. Garden is shared with the local sheep

Loved the location.

Cottage was very clean and facilities were really good would definitely book Ghyll barn again.

Gorgeous cottage but bit too far away from Staveley to make a walk to the pub at night enjoyable otherwise great.

An excellent base for a wide range of activities within the Lakes.

The Barn had everything we required for our 3 nights. A first class holiday cottage that was very dog friendly.

Very well equipped cottage.

Loved the decor, open plan.Generally great. Perfect location, stunning views and some great walks. Thank you.

Very comfortable cottage in a beautiful location.

Excellent location, very well equipped, modern & spacious for a couple & a medium sized dog.

WI-FI & mobile phone reception wasn't great- probably due to poor weather but not a problem for us, however if you need them all of the time it would be a problem. Great cottage to come home to after a day exploring.

The barn conversion was done to a very high standard, with a beautiful kitchen and bathroom, great under floor heating.

A couple of minor points, although the the kitchen was great to look at, it was minimally equipped with only 4 of everything, which meant that the full size dishwasher had to go on everyday. More crockery would've been a huge help. A 13.5 tog rated duvet is great for the middle of winter, but not ideal in the middle of summer; it meant that we removed the duvet from its cover and spent the week underneath just the covers it was far too warm.