Ale Cottage

Internally the cottage was clean and comfortable.

Various maintenance issues ie low water pressure kitchen sink, toilet seat in bathroom broken. Still remain outstanding. Outside Garden patio needs attention, rear gate is difficult to open and close. Village amenities not as described, no public house open in village The Black Lion closed for months.. Local restaurant/pub Snooty Fox in nearby village closed for months.

A lovely property in a wonderful location.

The views are spectacular and the village is close to other towns like Keswick and Cockermouth. We found the cottage really comfortable and were impressed with the well equipped kitchen and availability of sky tv and Netflix. While the steps to the property are steep, the enclosed garden was ideal for our dog to roam in. We do agree with some other reviews in that the property does need some TLC - there are a few signs of disrepair (the bath panel, en-suite toilet seat, broken plaster above wood burner, recliner), a lot of the pans in the drawer were dirty or showing signs of mould so unusable and we had no hot water from the kitchen or main bathroom for the entirety of our stay despite boosting the water heater, in fact we had hot water on only one occasion from the downstairs tap - thank goodness the showers didn’t work from the water heater. The pub next door was also closed the whole time we were there, we had hoped to eat there. It would have been useful to have information on opening dates/times. All in all we enjoyed our stay but if we were going for more than 3 nights or accompanied by a child we would stay somewhere else if these issues were still ongoing.

The cottage is now feeling a little tired, a lot of maintenance is required to bring it back to the normal standard we have become used to when booking with Sykes.

We travelled for 6 hours to our destination was disappointing to find that there was not even so much as a pint of milk on our arrival! We had to search for towels and the guest information booklet, which was vastly out of date. Many items were unusable or in need of some attention the oven, dishwasher, kitchen hot tap, reclining chair, toilet seat to name a few. The property is up for sale so whether these issues will be addressed remains to be seen but we would not return.

This is the 2nd time we've stayed at Ale Cottage and while it's a comfortable place to stay with everything we need the jobs that I reported last time we stayed (as have other reviewers) have still not been addressed.

As the property is up for sale it remains to be seen whether we will return.

We had a lovely week in Ale Cottage ,well equiped and cosy .

Beds were comfy but quite a few issues need addressing . Broken toilet seat in en suite on one hinge . Broken bath panel in bathroom . plug in kitchen not usuable all of which have been higlighted before . Steps outside need cleaning as trechourous when wet and the outside gate needs attention . Otherwise beautiful views ans well poisitioned for exploring the northern lakes .

My son and I were looking for a short break in an area he loves and is familiar with - the Lakes.

The cottage met our accommodation needs perfectly, extremely comfortable and well equipped throughout. We would readily revisit...

Ale cottage is in a rural location, with no phone signal.

However, it does have wi fi. The double bed was very comfortable. Can’t be said for the settee’s in the living room. The toilet seat in the en-suite is unsafe as it is hanging on with only 1 bracket. Lots of cobwebs around the house. The cooling fan over the double bed was covered in dust. The kitchen is very well equipped but some of the condiments were well out of date. Ale cottage is very spacious and we had a lovely week.

lovely property in a great area for exploring the lakes

Overall stay was god just a few things let it down.

We planned to cook every night but extractor fan didn’t work so this wasn’t possible . Not a major issue but this was known by the house owner that It didn’t work. Property just needs bit if TLC. Worked well for the dogs great outdoor space. Bathroom panel needs replacing Toilet seat needed replacing

Lovely well presented cottage in the quiet village of Ireby, very comfortable lounge and one of the best equipped kitchens I've seen in a holiday rental, 2 very comfortable bedrooms (1 upstairs, 1 downstairs) with a bathroom for each bedroom.

Now for the little niggles, please fix the toilet seat in the downstairs bathroom and please fix the paving at the bottom of the steps coming out of the cottage. These are fairly minor but do need addressing. All in all we had a fantastic time here and the pub next door is lovely

Ale cottage when we arrived l couldn't open the gate to access the cottage.

The door has sunk so you had to force it open the steps are very dangerous need repointing also the path is dangerous, cracked, uneven , and not level. Once into the cottage it was clean and quiet comfortable. Unfortunately the owner does not repair broken item's eg wall pug in kitchen near the kettle does not work , upstairs toilet lock broken on door. Downstairs damp lots of crystal mosture around not been emptied for a while got mould in them.

Sadly Ale Cottage is in need of some TLC.

Although we can see that it has been painted internally there are still some areas needing attention such as the cracked bath panel (it's been like this for a number of years), the gate is very difficult to open fully, the steps to the front door are very slippery in wet weather making them quite dangerous (I see a couple of comments in the visitor book to this effect too) and the garden is looking tired. On the plus side the cottage is clean and has pretty much all you need. The dogs enjoy their stay, particularly standing outside the patio doors on neighbourhood watch! Good to have your own parking space

Perfect for our holiday.

It's my second time staying at Ale Cottage. Everything we needed except oven gloves. I had to use my tea towel.

No milk left.

Maintenance required..otherwise fine

The property is beautiful inside and out plenty of room in the garden for the dogs.

It’s close to a lot of attractions and days out and of course mountain walks, lakes and beautiful scenery. The village the cottage in is very peaceful and we really did have the best Christmas here. The cottage had everything we needed and more even the logs and kindling was provided for us which was a bonus, will 100% book again loved it!

A lovely cottage in a quiet village .

Ideally placed for Northern Lakes . Comfortable and well appointed Next door to the pub but not disturbed by noise from it 15 minutes from Keswick

Everything detailed about Ale Cottage in Ireby was absolutely correct.

This cottage had everything we wanted having a King Size Bed in the downstairs bedroom with an on-suite shower room. Upstairs was a Twin Bedroom and a bathroom next door. The kitchen had everything we wanted to cook meals. The Lounge has Sky Television together with a Wood Burning Stove and it was lovely to relax after wonderful days out with our dogs. Visiting the Lake District in Keswick and some lovely places to walk our dogs in St Bees and secluded beaches and walking paths in Mawbray and Allonby.

Lovely upside down cottage,great spot in village,handy for pub next door,the cottage garden could do with a make over,new back gate etc,to make more secure for dogs.

overall it’s in a fantastic area and would certainly go back.

This is the best property we have stayed in and we holiday in the lakes twice a year.

We wanted for nothing. 10/10

Oh,dear,rather smelly and damp,otherwise fine.

The cottage is set in an idyllic setting.

Beautiful little village. Keswick is 30 minutes away and Cockermouth is roughly the same two lovely places to visit. The cottage is very clean and having 2 bathrooms is great. The dog's loved the small garden. The only negative side was there was no welcome pack ie tea, coffee and milk, so we had to then go and find a supermarket has there is no shop in the village. The balcony is a lovely area but if you are there with children or dog's you have to be careful has there's no meshing on the bottom of the rails.... It's a beautiful place to stay and the views are amazing...

The cottage was great for my friend and I with the dogs, it was well equipped with a secure paved garden area.

Perfect location for walking, nice peaceful village not far from Keswick. We all had a great time.

We enjoyed our stay my only feedback would be to update drinking glasses as there are only 3wine type glasses.

This was our 2nd stay at ale cottage the cottage is well equipped and very comfortable an ideal base for our activities we hiked walla crag blueberry peak and scafell pike the pub next door was excellent for the service and food we will definitely be returning 5* thanks

This is a fabulous place to stay!

Ale cottage had everything we needed. A fantastic base with some cracking walks on the doorstep!

The cottage was great, really comfortable and clean.

Great location too. Only thing we missed was a freezer which was on the listing but wasn't actually one in the property. Would be useful to update the listing so it's clear.

The cottage was perfect very well equipped log burner was fantastic to come home to after our long walks perfect base for what we wanted highly recommend and will definately book again thanks for a wonderful stay xx

We enjoyed our stay in your cottage.

There were lots of extras not listed, tea towel, wash liquid etc which was a pleasant surprise. Just a couple of grumbles. The shower cubicle in the en suite leaks quite a bit and there were some big old cobwebs downstairs too. The top set of steps in the garden are a bit slippery.

A lovely, spacious property with everything you need for your stay.

Loads of information available on places to visit and things to do. Well placed for the Northern Lakes and all they have to offer. A great place to return to and relax in after a day of walking. The garden was an ideal secure space for our spaniel to snuffle around.

The property is in a great area with northern lakes and towns easy to get to.

It was cleaned ok but there is a problem with the double room and en-suite which were downstairs - it smelt and felt very damp and the bathroom had a very unpleasant odor. We slept downstairs but used the shower upstairs. It did get bit better towards the end of the week once the heaters had been on and after I brought air fresheners. The garden was pretty secure but one of our spaniels worked out how she could get out but luckily we caught her in time. Overall it was well equipped and had plenty of maps, books etc.

Comfortable very well equipped cottage with a secure garden for the dog.

We had a lovely stay all week.

There was everything we could possibly need except the BBQ. Nowhere to be found. Single bed by window collaped. Several rungs came loose. The patio slabs needs attention as tripped a couple of times. Also with the chippings, it was quite difficult to clean up after our fur babies. Would highly recommend.

This cottage has everything for every season!

!! Enjoyed our stay, nice dog friendly pub next door, tasty meals and just lovely chatting to local people about the history of the village and surrounding areas. Quite central not far to travel for local lake and Keswick district with stunning views and the good weather made it fab.

Ale Cottage is in a great village location, with good views and handy for visiting Keswick and Buttermere.

There was a cosy log stove we used a couple of evenings. Everything for a week of self catering was thoughtfully provided. The patio area could do with a jet wash to clean it up.

Great property and location.

Only slight issue was that our party found the mattresses too soft.

Absolutely loved our week in Ale Cottage!

! It's the most well equipped cottage we've stayed in, clean and comfortable. I imagine it would be super cozy with the fire on but we didn't need it in July. Dogs loved having the patio doors open to pop in and out of. Great location for getting out and about and the village of Ireby is lovely and peaceful. We didn't try the pub as we were just too busy. Only downside for me was the garden furniture is really uncomfortable to sit on and as we had some lovely weather I wanted to sit out and admire the view but even sitting on a cushion it was not good. But heyho it didn't spoil a thing. Hats off to the owner for being so dog friendly as well!!

We loved our stay in Ale Cottage, would highly recommend staying there, ideal for looking around northern Lakes lovely little pub next door.

Jeff and Sue

Ale cottage is lovely well appointed and stocked cottage, there is everything you could possibly need whilst you stay there.

The garden is well fenced so your pets are safe outside ( but could do with a gardener to tidy it up a bit). The pub next door serves nice food and ales. All in all we would not think twice about staying there again as we had a very great time exploring the many places to go too around where we was with the use of a load of information and maps that the cottage has at your disposable . S again we found this cottage excellent.

very comfortable stay , cottage was very clean and well equipped.

Just needs a few light bulbs replacing throughout. But overall first class holiday cottage

A beautiful cottage in an ideal location for the north lakes.

There was everything that you needed for a very comfortable stay. The garden was perfect for our dog's and us to sit out in when it wasn't raining. The owner has thought of everything to make our stay a happy one

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Ale Cottage, it is clean, cosy and very well equipped.

Everything has been thought of and the furnishings are a good standard. The only thing I would suggest is providing a 'proper' hairdrier rather than a travel one, but no big deal. The location is lovely, and the pub next door is worth a visit for a friendly, warm welcome. The garden was safe for our dogs (one is an escape artist but she didn't get out!). We would definitely return.

Brilliant place to stay my husband and I have had a very recent tragedy and it give us the space we needed to recharge.

We will be back

This is one of the nicest dog friendly holiday cottages we’ve ever stayed in.

It’s clean, comfortable and well equipped. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.

We had a wonderful week in Ale Cottage.

It was clean, well equipped and very comfortable. The only small problem we had was the cottage was very cold when we arrived but we soon had the burner going and it couldn't have been cosier and once we sussed out the storage heaters we had a a lovely warm cottage to return to after a day's walking on the fells. We would love to return in the summer and be able to sit out in the garden on an evening and enjoy the beautiful views. The cottage also had the added bonus of being next door to the Black Lion...a great little pub.

We had a great stay really nice cottage

Very well equipped cottage.

Comfortable accommodation in a quiet village. Had a really great break. I highly recommend this cottage.

Second time at Ale Cottage for us and our three dogs,the locals are extremely friendly and the village is in a very quiet location but not too far away from places to visit with a Supermarket within a 10 minute drive.

The Cottage itself is very comfortable and well furnished with very good facilities such as a washing machine and tumble drier based in the garage which can be accessed from inside the property, I would highly recommend this property.

Fantastic cottage well equipped comfortable and clean.

Well situated to explore the surrounding area.

Lovely comfy cottage, extremely well equipped and clean, and in a most peaceful and relaxing location.

Us and our dogs loved our stay, and would definitely return to Ale Cottage again ;)

A couple of disappointments for us.

There was no milk in the fridge (we’d read reviews and others seemed to have had some so we didn’t take any). I tried to ring the contact number when we arrived as I had a couple of queries but couldn’t get an answer. Tbf I did get a call later. We were also surprised to have a gardener arrive one evening, restricting our use of the garden and upsetting our dog - I think it would be better if he did his work on handover day.

Very very clean and comfortable stay

Absolutely everything you would need down to spices in the cupboard.

Every pot, pan, cup, saucer and glasses (probably courtesy of the Black Lion next door). SkyQ in the double and the lounge was a bonus. Real fire was welcoming when the weather turned cold. Great central location to explore Cumbria and the Lakes. Would love to go back

Lovely cottage, very well equipped.

Very comfortable bed. Nice location as a base to explore. Extremely easy check in. No fuss holiday!

Lovely place to stay really enjoyed it the log burner needs looking at tried to have a fire one night after a days walking and it started leaking smoke out of the chimney other than that excellent.

Beautiful little cottage.

We had a lovely stay and would definitely return again in the future. Thank you so much!

Had a good time.

The cottage was cosy and comfortable, also very safe for the dogsFood next door was good, perhaps could do with an update on the information leaflets.Suggest more toilet rolls

Lovely cottage had everything we needed and more.

Very quiet village, pub next door was very handy! Well placed for getting out and about.

Had a lovely time.

Very comfy cottage. Especially the bed. Really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend if you are going with your 4 legged friend. We have 3 dogs and there was plenty of room for 2 adults, 2 teenagers and 3 dogs.

Great place in the quiet village of Ireby, everything we needed for a comfortable stay with my 3 dogs Booked already for next year

fantastic cottage heather has thought of everything information facilitys you couldn't wish for a better cottage , if any of your other customers go there , it wont disappoint,

Lovely, clean, well equipped cottage.

Really helpful, friendly owner who dealt with our questions promptly. Located slightly outside the normal Lakes Hub, but within easy reach of the northern Lakes. Situated in a small village with friendly pub next door, which serves food daily. The food is good and they serve handpulled bitters too. The cottage is well equipped, every kitchen utensil you can think of, it has it. Pasta, rice, tea, coffee are lovely touches, especially as we forgot the pasta. The kids loved having a fire at night. Garage is great if you take bikes, kayaks etc. Lovely garden for summer months. The dog enjoyed people watching from the French doors and from the garden.

This beautiful cottage couldn’t have been lovelier or better equipped the owners had thought of everything and for the first time since staying in cottages around Cumbria we haven’t had to buy coal or kindling for the fire.

The kitchen was extremely well equipped and the lounge area very comfortable and cosy. The village of Ireby is friendly and welcoming and we loved the farm shop with honesty box this was a real touch of the country. The pub serving food was open when we arrived but due to lockdown closed again. It’s a great base to visits lots of places and walk our lively dogs. We had a great time and will definitely return in the future.

We recently stayed at Ale Cottage for 5 days with our 3 beagles.

We couldn’t have asked for more. We did so much exploring and sightseeing from where we were and the surrounding areas are stunning. The cottage is warm, comfortable and has everything you need. We will definitely be returning. Karen & Alan Redfern

A very nice, comfortable and well equipped cottage.

A tastefully renovated property in a quiet village located in the North Western fells of the Lake District.

Equally convenient for the City of Carlisle, the Solway Coast and the Northern Lake District, there are plenty of places to visit. Tastefully modernised, this stone cottage is comfortable and clean with ample provision of appliances and extras. We were surprised at the volume of cleaning products left for our use. We brought our own alcohol-based cleaners but these were only used initially since the obvious cleanliness gave us the confidence and comfort that we feared may not be evident. Whilst over and above our expectations in many aspects, there are some minor issues which are easily overcome...bring a torch for the dark nights as the steps up to the cottage are dark and would benefit from, say, solar lighting. If you struggle with steps, there are 17 to contend with to gain entry and the top 5 can be slippery when wet. The property Information Book is comprehensive and a ‘must read’ when you arrive (in the cabinet drawer in the lounge). Maybe the bedding duvets could be a higher tog rating or hadn’t been changed from Summer rating when we arrived in early October although we weren’t too cold and never felt the need to use the wood burner. Previous mentions re the sofas are correct...not that comfortable but, nevertheless, functional Overall, nothing would dissuade us from a return visit should the opportunity arise and we have no hesitation in recommending this cottage to others.

The cottage has everything you could need and a lovely private garden.

Beautiful quiet spot within easy travel distance to Keswick - perfect base with dogs, thank you

The cottage overall was very comfortable, great amenities and very clean.

After reading a previous guests feedback from August, I was a little anxious in case the cottage wasn’t clean but it was generally in good order.

Just a little attention needed to cleaning the washing machine drawer and windowsills but there were plenty antibacterial sprays and cleaning materials around the cottage. The kitchen has every utensil you could possibly need but I would bin the rice and HP sauce left by previous visitors, as they look past their sell by date and not hygienic. Great views from the living room across the hills and the village is very peaceful. We didn’t use the log burner as the storage heaters were pre set to take the chill off the cottage. My only gripes were that the sofas are in desperate need of having new foam in the base cushions and are very uncomfortable to sit on. I had to get my pillows from the bedroom to use. Also the WIFI was an issue. It’s a restricted monthly supply of 60GB and renewed the week after our stay , so by Tuesday morning we were without Broadband! The pub next door is small and characterful and Mark and his assistant are superb hosts. But I would recommend reserving a table if you want to eat there , or you may not get a table. They take food orders until 7.30pm and the pub generally closes around 9.30pm depending on how full it is. All in all, an enjoyable break but a few adjustments to the facilities would make all the difference.

The cottage was well equipped but sub standard.

There were stains on the double mattress which we discovered just before we left which were disgusting. Dog poo stain on doormat. Dirty oven trays in oven. My dogs were professionally groomed the dsy before we left. They are now scratching constantly. I felt itchy the whole time. Garden full of weeds. Kitchen table sticky. The settees were old and uncomfortable and I'm not sure if they were fire certificated. Our holiday was ruined and we left early. Definitely not wirth the money and we should be offered compensation.

The cottage in Ireby Cumbria was excellent and exceptionally clean, the owner contacted us the day before were due to start our holiday stay there informing us of some minor issues in the property in hope that it did not spoil our stay ( it did not) There were lots of places to visit within driving distance and next door to the cottage we had the local pub which served good home made food.

In all we had a great holiday.

Fantastic place and we'll placed to explore the Lake District, it has everything you would want.

We have two dogs and one jumped off an unfenced 6 ft drop wall so I would say not entirely secure just something to make you aware of and when we first got to the property we went in to make sure the dogs were secure then unwittingly just shut the door to get luggage when we returned we could not get in, panic ensued then went to the local pub next door to cut it short 2 lovely men did the phoning for us (because phones were left in property) but nobody was answering we were informed that when you close the doors they lock, it took 2 hours to sort out not good at all I'm telling you this so you're informed I later found out that the information about the door's is on the well come pack to late it's happened to a few people I was informed .But saying all that it was a lovely holiday and we enjoyed it.

Ale Cottage is a lovely comfortable cottage situated in the friendly village of Ireby and is the ideal central location to visit some great Lakes locations.

The property has all the home comforts you would need and the garden has some great views towards Skiddaw The people in the village are really friendly and the pub is literally next door to the cottage with a warm welcome and great food. We'll definitely be back

Great cottage with a friendly pub next dootr

Absolutely fantastic cottage.

Everything you need. A total home from home. Took us a few days to get used to no phone service but just added to the peace and quiet in the end.

Everything was as stated in information details.

Facilities were excellent.

I would definitely recommend this dog friendly cottage and location.

We had a lucky week with glorious weather and spent a lot of time in the garden, which was safe for our dogs. The cottage was well equipped and cosy, but we had the windows and doors open most of the time to enjoy all that fresh air. The views from the cottage are beautiful and there were some good walks where we could safely let our dogs off the lead away from cars and livestock, with pretty streams where they could have a paddle to cool down. The pub next door was a handy bonus, but we only ate there once. The village of Caldbeck a few miles away was perfect for walks and ice creams and a look round in the local craft galleries. We slept in the upstairs bedroom where it was cooler and the beds were very comfortable.

Excellent, well maintained and very cozy.

Very well equipped cottage in a peaceful village off the main tourist track yet well within reach of all that you could want.

The cottage is dog friendly although there are some sections of the boundary of the garden that aren't fenced, however as it is raised above the road this will be fine for some but maybe not all dogs - ours enjoyed watching the world go by from their vantage point!

Excellent cottage, it a loverly location.

Sykes description was spot on. Would defiantly use Sykes again.

Great little cottage with everything there that you could need.

Pub next door so great to pop in after a day out. Would not hesitate to book this cottage again.