Dovecot Cottage

Perfect.

...Second time staying at this delightful little abode. The listing is accurate, read it and see the photos... I love this place, it is nestled at the foot of Alcock Tarn, on the edge of the woods with red squirrels and deer...It is very quiet and peaceful. All the amenities required are there..the fire was laid...a super long leash for the dog outside and a secure lead screw in the garden. Walks in every direction from Dove Cot as a base, it is a perfect get away for 1 or 2 people...the cube foot rest opens up to a single bed too. My only gripe (not against Dove Cot), is that Sykes is horrendous to contact by phone and by message it takes days to reply..They really let customers down and do a diservice to the owners because if the lack of customer care.

We enjoyed our break and even saw red squirrels in the garden.

The cottage is in a great location and is quirky. It had everything we needed for a short stay. Unfortunately, we found it to be quite grubby and had some concerns regarding fire safety.

Stayed at Dovecot Cottage multiple times, love it.

Compact & cozy. People need to read the description of the property careful, it is a unique place as it is a converted Dovecot, & therefore limited to what can be done with the property due tov it's size & building restrictions. If you are tall, claustrophobic, have mobility issues or are expecting luxury mod cons this isn't the place for you. However if you want somewhere cozy, tucked away but close to all the amenities of Grasmere this is the place. Downstairs, there is a small but well thought out kitchen, comfy lounge diner, with wifi, tv & log burner, a few books & lots of hooks to hang your walking gear. Upstairs there is a comfy bed, dressing area & bathroom with a roll top bath. The upstairs is in the pitch of the roof, so some care is needed in getting up out of the bath or bed, a bobble hat works well to keep you safe. Love it & will be back again when we can.

Ok.

Dovecot cottage is adorable when viewed from your allocated parking space - which is situated behind a gate, which remained closed for the duration of my 2 week stay. I've got a Medium sized SUV and I found it very easy to reverse into the space from the road. Upon walking up to the property, its visually impressive, with lovely views from the door, with a nicely grassed lawn area, ideal for our four-legged friends, a further delight was the long dog lead attached to the tree. After entering, you walk directly into the lounge, with the 'ladder' stair case upstairs - I will confirm, this is a wooden ladder, secure hand rails, very sturdy, but it's still a ladder, with no gate at the top, which I'll explain later. The ground floor consists of a lounge to the left, wood burning stove, 2 seater sofa and a 32" TV with Roku, various platforms including- YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, it's very warm, especially with the Gas Central Heating, and a kitchen to the right, Fridge/freezer (small freezer) kettle, toaster, microwave, Gas oven/grill and hob burners, sink/dishwasher - old school style, fairy liquid and a dish cloth, no noise, it works perfectly. The floors are tiled, with a rug (you'll see, ironically, it's ideal) it was very comfortable for my 2 week stay. Upstairs, either via the ladder

Our fourth trip to this beautiful place, Gorgeous basic little cottage, perfect location close to grasmere but away from all the crowds.

Rained all week but no matter, wet walks and cozy nights by the fire.

It is the most idyllic place we have stayed.

Stunning property - the pictures do not do it justice. Great location with brilliant walks from the door. Outdoor space brilliant - just a shame the weather and dark nights made us not fully appreciate it It would have been nice if 2 toilet rolls could have been provided considering we were there 4 nights! There were no specific instructions regarding bedding or towels so we hope we did the right thing Overall the most magical of stays in a stunning very practical property

The cottage is amazing in an beautiful area.

Infact we loved it that much we have rebooked. Just a observation the stairs are what I would call a ships stairs, you go down the same way you would go up. Other than that we couldn't fault the cottage, area, facilities.

A lovely little place for those of us still spry enough to use the step ladder up to the bedroom and bathroom.

Of course, in good weather you can access the upper storey from outside so I wouldn't write it off on that alone. The location is perfect. Couldn't have wished for better. I found the kitchen a little frustrating to use but then, it is small so I knew what to expect before I arrived. It's very comfortable, peaceful and well located so I'd happily stay there again.

The cottage was lovely - we spent most of the time sat outside in the garden looking at the views and we saw a red squirrel in the garden's oak tree.

It is a small place with very steep stairs but we were warned and it was not a problem - made it very cosy and full of character. The dog lead on the apple tree was a really thoughtful touch.

Cute and compact property Stay was warm and comfortable and had all that we needed It was clearly detailed in the listing but the step ladder to the upper level is not for the faint hearted

The Dovecot Cottage is lovely.

It is small, but contains everything you might need. We slept like babies and the bath is supercomfortable, especially after a long walk in the mountains. Thanks for your hospitality!

We had a great stay at Dovecote cottage.

We were lucky with a week of sunshine so were able to enjoy the beautiful garden. The location is ideal, there are a number of amazing hikes and walks right on the doorstep. The cottage had everything we needed, particularly the kitchen which was really well equipped for a small space.

Love Dovecot Cottage, have stayed here at least half a dozen times now.

Most negative reviews are from people who clearly haven't read the description of the property or have unrealistic expectations. Yes it's small & possibly not ideal if you're tall, not very mobile or claustrophobic. It is however, as described a converted Dovecot, small, but peaceful, homely & cosy. Clearly the owners stay here & have thought carefully about what to include in a modestly sized property, we liked the additions since our last stay of the curtain on the front door, bathroom blind & the towel rails over the radiators. Will be back to stay again.

Great little cottage, ideally located, close to a pub (5 mins ) and a short stroll to Grasmere village.

Everything you need for a short break away, stairs are not for the faint hearted but there is a back way so not a problem. Wood burner makes it proper cosy so bring some fuel. It's a converted stone Dovecot so don't expect 5* Spa luxury , if you like the Lakes then you'll like this place. Might be small but it's well laid out and we had a great time.

We spent a delightful week at Dovecot Cottage, and were very impressed.

It is in a peaceful, private, secluded location, well maintained, and remarkably well thought out and arranged for such a small space. The kitchen in particular was very well equipped compared to many other self-catering cottages/apartments. There is an excellent pub just round the corner and it is a fairly short walk into the centre of Grasmere. While the headroom upstairs is somewhat limited, particularly in the bathroom, we managed fine despite one of us being 6ft 2! The access from the ground floor to the first floor is very steep however, and would probably be unsuitable for those with limited mobility. All in all, it was a wonderful and very comfortable stay which we would highly recommend to those looking for a base within the heart of the Lake District.

A great place to spend Christmas.

Cosy and just right for two.

Our third stay at this lovely cottage, gorgeous as ever, simple but beautiful.

Rained all week but we loved it! Booked again for next year.

Such a charming little cottage and I would definitely return if staying in this area again.

We had 3 nights, on one of which we stayed in and cooked Italian and lit the log burner, and it was so cozy. Everything was as clean as it could be (in a rural setting, you are going to expect little cobwebs) but the important stuff like bedding and towels, soft furnishings etc were spotless. Indeed, the slanted ceiling upstairs would be a challenge for taller people after a few days, and the staircase a challenge for less able bodied guests (although, access to the upstairs can also be achieved via the outside staircase…so this is fine!)……but this little place was just magical. (Not really big enough for 3 adults…more of a couples or single traveller place)… A 5 minute walk to a lovely pub with excellent food (dog friendly), and a very pleasant few more minutes into the heart of Grasmere. There are lovely walks direct from the cottage, one of which we had the pleasure of seeing a couple of otters playing in the small lake. (And on the day of arrival, a red squirrel was in the cottage garden!) My only “miff” would be that there was no welcome pack….I have used Sykes cottages several times, and most have left a little tray with the basics on arrival to have a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit….but luckily we had our own. The village shop is currently (as at October 2024) being refurbished, so the nearest shop is in Ambleside. Highly recommend this little place!

Peaceful and cosy little cottage in a great location.

We loved it here. It's small, but we expected that - the photos and description on the website are very accurate. The views from the garden are lovely. We didn't use the car at all for the whole week. There are great walks from the door and it's only a 5 minute walk to the bus stop for the excellent service between Keswick and Kendal (giving options for several good linear walks). The nearest pub is 5 minutes away and the village is also within easy walking distance. The cottage itself feels secluded and is very tranquil. We would love to visit again.

This is our 4th visit so that speaks volumes.

The weather was unseasonably hot, in fact we should have packed for Greece. We did notice there was no corkscrew but bought one in Grasmere and left it the kitchen. Also a minor thing, a proper towel rail for the bathroom would be great as currently, the towels get draped over the doors or bannister. Thanks again

The cottage is tucked away in an idyllic position yet it's not far to walk to the village or pub.

We spent 5 nights there and didn't use the car everyday as there were plenty of walks from the door. On the first night the TV stopped working due to signal/aerial problems the next morning I contacted Sykes and whilst we were out the maintenance team fixed it which was great. However cleanliness was an issue. In the bathroom the tiles are porous and there is clearly a mould/damp issue. In the window there is a mould/damp spray cleaner. The extractor is not working suitably. The kitchen needs updating. It's a shame because the cottage is quirky and fun, especially climbing the ladder to the upstairs. As it is we wouldn't return.

We had a lovely time staying here.

The bed was very comfy and the location was great. We really appreciated the dog tether considering the garden was open, this meant we could relax when we were all sat outside. My feedback would be it would have been nice to have some more comforts considering the price e.g a couple of tea bags, a sponge to wash up with. It was also quite cold because of the age of the building, a curtain in front of the front door would really help I think

Not sure where this feedback is going as I cannot seem to display feedback to customers which is disappointing - seems that only good feedback is shared.

Shock! This property is not pet friendly and I am extremely upset about my stay. Within an hour of my stay I had to leave the property due to my dog getting injured from going up the stairs. I appreciate it states in the listing about the stairs but this cannot be sold as pet friendly. Shortly after arriving I used the toilet, upstairs, my dog followed me up. As it was a new environment for her this is not an unusual behaviour to have. However, she fell off the stairs as they are dangerously steep and injured her front leg. I vacated the property and booked in at the Swan at Grasmere Hotel - a lovely hotel (stay there instead). This set me back £450 on top of the cost of the cottage to stay at Dovecot. I sent a complaint to Sykes cottages and they said I did not have a case for any compensation as it is advertised on the listing. I completely understand it’s on the listing, however the property is no where near dog safe - if it was, there should be a stair gate at both ends of the staircase. When I suggested this to the customer service agent I spoke to she said “well did you ask for one” as if to say it is my responsibility to check if it is safe for my dog. Anyway I would stay away from this property if you have a dog, it is not safe and is being miss-sold. There are lots of other places to book which would make your stay a lot less stressful.

We loved our stay here, such a beautiful little cottage and surrounding area.

We barely had to drive as the walks from the cottage were so good with mountains and lakes within easy reach. Grasmere itself is a really sweet little place, very friendly and some nice places to visit and eat, great stopping point on the way back from a long walk. Only improvement would be to add a gate so the dog could be let off in the garden. We would definitely love to return in the future.

We had a fabulous short stay.

It was perfect for our nervous dog as it is secluded. We enjoyed the uniqueness of Dovecot and will definitely book again in the future.

What a delightful, cosy little place.

Very easy to find, located on the edge of the woods at the base of the fell. Very well thought out, considering the size of the space. The photos and description are very accurate. Good quality accessories in the cottage, al you need for a break in the Lakes, felt like a little cabin. Very nice.

Everything we wanted and more, perfect location, 10-15 mins to village, 5mins to local pub, several excellent walks on doorstep.

Peace and tranquillity in abundance. Yes it is small and yes stairs are steep but it's easy to adapt and we quickly became accustomed to it. Perfect getaway we will be booking again without fail 10/10

Dovecot cottage is a little gem.

It is beautifully designed and very cosy. We loved our stay here - even though the bank holiday weather wasn’t particularly kind. Important things to note - the stairs to bed are steep, the ceilings slope upstairs mean you do need to stoop at times. The garden is not enclosed. We wil definitely come back !! It’s a fantastic find!

This is our third visit to the Dovecot and we love it.

As keen walkers the location is perfect and we barely used our car all week. This time we were treated to a visit from a red Squirrel who spent time on the wall next to the bedroom window. The cottage is sensitively converted from the original and is a lesson in concise design. We look forward to returning for a 4th time if possible and would highly recommend this cottage for couples, with a small dog, who love walking.

Dovecot cottage is small and compact but for two people and a small dog this was an ideal property.

The cottage is well equipped and furnished. The location is simply stunning with hidden gems of waterfalls and panoramic landscapes literally on the doorstep. Instructions on how to find the property were spot on and key code and other information delivered via emails were extremely thorough. The steps to the upper floor are almost vertical, much like on a boat and so you do need to be fairly agile to climb them, although there is an outside set of stone steps that could be used. A couple of dripping taps could be easily fixed. We had an amazing few days in Dovecot cottage. Grasmere village is a ten minute walk away and with so many places to visit, walks to undertake and easily accessible lakes to explore, this really was a fantastic place to stay.

We had a lovely stay just before Easter.

Very friendly communication with the owner. Nice quiet spot but still an easy walk in to town for cafes and restaurants. Walking routes from front door and good bus service was convenient as we had no car with us.

A lovely cosy cottage with everything you need supplied in a small space .

The only thing that would improve the space for dog owners would be a gate to the garden to make it secure. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend the location of the cottage is perfect .

It was lovely.

Really comfortable bed and such a beautiful view. The cleanliness wasn't quite there (some food bits in dish drainer) but otherwise wonderful! Such a peaceful location.

First of all, we did enjoy our stay, it's a wonderful location and ideally placed for exploring the area without having to drive.

The facilities that have been fitted into a very compact space are excellent, and the property is well fitted out - the custom carpentry is very impressive! The kitchen has everything that could be needed, with the single exception of a rolling pin (I used a wine bottle). Both the bathroom and the bedroom suffer from very low ceilings. The photos in the listing do show both rooms as they are, but it's difficult to get an idea of just how little headroom there is from the images. It's not possible to sit up in bed and have a cup of tea, for instance, as the ceiling is too low. The bed is very comfortable though. In the bathroom the only oart of the room which allows a normal sized adult to stand up is the strip between the door and the toilet - other than that bending over is required - an inconvenience when using the sink. When we arrived there was a cleaning welcome pack - nice idea, but not well executed. It had dishwasher tablets (there is no dishwasher) and bin bags that were far too big for the small pedal bin in the kitchen, and no washing up liquid. This was rectified with a trip to the co-op, but the contractors doing the servicing were clearly not paying attention. Also there was one roll of tolet paper provided - this is not enough for two people, for a week. It was a nice touch to put up some festive decorations, we appreciated it. Although we came prepared as we have a log burner at home, it would also be a nice touch to have an initial supply of kindling & logs for at least one night. The information pack with local walks was very useful and got us to do some walks we wouldn't otherwise have attempted. But why in the list of pubs & restaurants is there no mention of the Swan? It's the nearest & we had a very good Christmas dinner there!

Our second stay at this wonderful place, only just made it because of the snow, luckily you don’t need a car, amazing walks in the snow and cozy nights by the fire.

Booked again for next year.

Would highly recommend this quirky comfortable cottage, especially when the sun shines in the afternoon creating a gorgeous glow through the dove cotes onto the landing.

Great facilities wood burning stove, very comfortable bath, looking out of the window whilst laying in bed and watching red squirrels. Also a lovely footpath adjacent to the property taking you up on a beautiful woodland path that brings you down to Rydal water.

Very good directions enabled us to find property easily after a long drive.

Cottage as described. Very quirky. Very clean. Kitchen very well equipped. Bed very comfy and bed linen clean and fresh. Lovely bath. We really enjoyed our stay. The walks from the door were amazing. Village very close by. Our few days were a great experience.

On arrival we noticed that the cottage could have been cleaned better, there was dirt/ dust on stairs and the cottage did not smell nice & fresh.

Also on the first night I was woken up by rodent activity above the ceiling in the bedroom ! As the ceiling here is very near you and its wooden then the noise was quite obtrusive ! This happened every night and as a result I did not get any sleep, this ruined our holiday as you can imagine. The central heating system also switched on every 20 mins or so throughout the night. A maintenance guy came out to inspect the boiler and he was made aware of the rodent activity. I did complain to Lakelovers but nothing was done and no compensation has been offered on our return. So if you like good sleep, then I would can not recommend to stay here.

We loved our stay here.

We woke up to five red squirrels in the garden, getting some nuts from the box. It was very cozy and accurately listed. Excellent walks straight from the door. Highly recommend.

What a gorgeous little place, fantastic setting just a short walk into Grasmere yet peaceful and very scenic.

The layout was quirky and cozy. Our dog loved the garden and all the long walks. We can also recommend the newly refurbished Swan Hotel, just a couple of minutes walk, for excellent food and very dog friendly. We loved Dovecott Cottage so much we have already booked another week later in the year.

Wow what an amazing little place so unique absolutely loved it I’m only 5 foot so everything was perfect for me.

The cottage was so well preserved and the garden was amazing lovely views and beautiful surroundings. We had everything we needed for our holiday and our dog got very settled straight away. We will definitely be coming back.

Great location and nice and closed to places to eat and drink.

Bonus was seeing a Red squirrel

Quirky, wonderfully peaceful location.

Well thought out inside. A gem of a property for anyone who enjoys something different. Highly recommend and easy access to lots of beautiful walks. We will definitely be booking again.

Hi I stayed at the devoted cottage form the 9th to 13th of nov.

Found it lovely as a little hide away with all the old furnishings on the out of the cottage. Though when we went inside we saw a ladder for stairs which yes it different and I no there is another door to access the bedroom but not every one wants to going around and in and out all the time just to go up stairs. Also the bath is lovely just wish I could of brought it home with me but not the shower part haha. I like the chair in the Corner we’re you could do under hair or makeup ect. All in all we had a really good time in the local villages and doing local thinks. Thinks we come up to lakes again. Many thanks Charlotte and bill

a lovely little cottage in a great location, we had a really good stay

Dovecot Cottage was an absolute delight!

It’s a beautiful and characterful place that was a perfect for our anniversary weekend get-away. We appreciated the love and craftsmanship that has clearly gone into this place. Highly recommend :)

I think the ladders in the property should be more accurately detailed.

Stunning cottage never wanted to leave

It's exactly what I hoped it would be, very quirky and cosy in a beautiful area near enough to walk into Grasmere.

I would love to stay again sometime.

Beautiful cottage bit of a struggle for me with mobility issues but spotted the side door to upstairs then I was fine.

Fantastic grounds my pooch loved it. We will return x

This property is a little gem well equipped very clean the only down side of it would be the stairs being more upright but it's very understanding cause of the size of the gap between the entrance and where the stair case is.

I wouldn't recommend an elderly couple or any one with stair difficulties because of stairs and using the other entrance to the upper part of the cottage. We are looking forward to coming back to this cottage our dog had a great time to when we got home the dog was upset and was very miserable we think it was cause we come home. Thanks. Mr & Mrs Dawes ( Elizabeth)

This is our 4th time staying at the Dovecot, needless to say we love it.

I'm delighted to find out that there is now somewhere to store my bike(s). The Dovecot is comfy & cosy, it is small but this well advertised & part of the appeal, though probably not great if you're tall or have limited mobility. The kitchen is compact but well stocked. The new hanging hooks proved useful. Nice garden, beautiful views from upstairs & we were visited by the resident red squirrels again.

I you like quirky this cottage is the place for you nice location quite local to Grassmere only a ten minute walk away

We loved our week in the Dovecote ; from the setting to the wonderful quirky interior.

We barely used our car all week as there were so many walks we could do from the doorstep; Helm Crag, Alcock Tarn, Easdale tarn up to Castle Howe, the Coffin trail to Ambleside and the Bluebell woods. The interior, although small was very well designed and there were plenty of places to hang wet clothes, store walking boots etc downstairs. My favourite part of the cottage was the dressing area in the dovecote and being able to sit outside in the garden and enjoy the view.

I have no idea why the agency sent us an email about we refuse to leave the property which was very rude and impolite.

Many corners in the cottage we’re covered with spider web, but the rest is nice.

While the cottage was just what I was looking for, in many ways, there were a few niggles that had a big impact.

The listing said that the price included electricity and fuel. When I arrived at the cottage I saw no fire wood for the burner. When I called the office, they said that I would need to buy my own, with the nearest place selling appropriate fuel being 12 miles away. This meant that my first night (of two) was without a fire. The heating and hot water pump made a LOT of noise. This meant that I had to turn it off over night, so as to allow myself to sleep. As such, the mornings were VERY cold. The description of where to park was a little confusing. I ended up turning into the "drive" only to find out that this was not the space. It then took me forever to get out, as there was no suitable egress. While I take my share of responsibility for this, it would make sense to put a barrier across that particular entry and make the signage more obvious and visible.

It was just a beautiful magical stay.

Perfect on the run up to Xmas because the town was so beautifully festive. Next time we are planning to stay for longer 2 nights wasn’t quite enough.

Perfect for an unusual and cosy escape, with excellent views of the fells opposite and original dovecote features.

Everything you’d want after a days walking. Easy access back onto Fairfield and only a short walk into Grasmere. The dovecote is surrounded by woods with red squirrels and the occasional tawny owl at dusk - a wonderful place!

Unfortunately the cottage was extremely poky, and certainly not worth the money charged.

The one excellent thing was the sightings of red squirrels, unfortunately there was no food left where it should have been.

It’s very overpriced for what it is should be £450 per week maximum.

Having said that we had a great week walking over 60 miles I wouldn’t like to spend a lot of time in there it’s very dark small windows. Red squirrels

Whilst the cottage was charming and perfectly located.

Also we understood quirky. The sheer physicality of getting in and out of the bath was almost impossible and triggered a bout of sciatica for me.

First evening there was a leak coming through kitchen ceiling from bathroom above.

Maintenance came next day said it was from faulty radiator valve, but this worried us immensely due to electric points where the water came through. Cottage considerably smaller than anticipated, stairs very steep and outside ones slippy and one loose another health and safety concern

Stayed at the Dovecot before, great cosy little cottage.

Only issues were the ash bin wasn't anywhere to be found