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Brunt How

Ambleside, Cumbria & The Lake District (Ref. 1042524)

4.3

Lakelovers rating Tourist Board ratings icon Tourist Board ratings icon Tourist Board ratings icon Tourist Board ratings icon

  • 7 Guests

  • 3 Bedrooms

  • 3 Bathrooms

  • Pets Yes

  • Show on map

Features

  • Off road parking
  • Open fire
  • Garden / Patio
  • Washing machine
  • Dishwasher
  • Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing
Cleanliness
Comfort
Facilities and Maintenance

* Based on a combined average customer score

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30 Customer Review(s)

  • James

    “1 Brunt How is a beautiful house, and despite a few issues, the fact we will come back shows we loved the place.”

    A lot of the issues were with the administration, especially now Sykes seem to have taken over all the rental companies and decided not to offer any support. The listing is true to life, and the house is as gorgeous as it looks in the pictures. I’ve wanted to stay somewhere really special in the Lakes for a while, and after giving up on the rubbish Pullwood booking site, found 1 Brunt How. My daughter, whose 10th birthday we were going away for, called it The Castle, and it was worth the ...

    A lot of the issues were with the administration, especially now Sykes seem to have taken over all the rental companies and decided not to offer any support. The listing is true to life, and the house is as gorgeous as it looks in the pictures. I’ve wanted to stay somewhere really special in the Lakes for a while, and after giving up on the rubbish Pullwood booking site, found 1 Brunt How. My daughter, whose 10th birthday we were going away for, called it The Castle, and it was worth the booking cost just to see her excitement when we decided we could go. Initially we had just peeked at the listing to see what it would be like if you had a fancy holiday in the lakes, but we were so taken by it, we went ahead and booked. Also worth the fee was the shower in the zip bedroom, it’s awesome, and I want my bathroom redone at home with that exact shower. The kitchen is the best equipped I’ve seen in a holiday cottage. There’s almost everything you need, including nice oven dishes, a really good oven and a combi microwave. I was able to bake a birthday cake while there, with a little help from Lakeland. The underfloor heating in the kitchen is lovely. It should be a given nowadays, but it often isn’t, and Brunt How’s internet was reliable. The wildlife and the views are amazing. So many birds, deer, rabbits and even a stoat came to see us. The view from the living room and both main bedrooms is just awesome, rain or shine. I can’t do it justice by describing it so I won’t try. Although close to Skelwith Bridge by road, I don’t recommend trying to walk there along the A593 as there’s no path and it’s too narrow. Ellers Brow and Foulstep is steep but not far. Even nicer is the bridleway 10 yards up Ellers Brow, as it takes you up towards Loughrigg and either back round to Skelwith Bridge via Loughrigg Tarn or over the saddle to Ambleside. They’re both wonderful walks with great views. If you get to Skelwith Bridge, Chesters is awesome. If you like seeing aircraft (my inner 9 year old loves it) Brunt How is brilliantly placed. If you take one of the walks above then it’s even better. The front of the house is also brilliant for stargazing. Be aware the drive to the house is steep. I was glad I’d recce’d the entrance on Google streetview, as I’d have missed it in the dark otherwise. My van bottomed out turning onto the steep base of the drive, but the in-laws’ SUV didn’t, just for reference. If you’re walking in or out, the steps from the front of house are easier. Hopefully helpful if you’re tired or less mobile. Badmin. As I noted above, a lot of the problems with the trip were outside the owners’ control, but should absolutely be within the scope of Lakelovers / Sykes / Heart of the Lakes / whoever the heck is administering the holidays, probably an AI hedgehog. Beware badly notified road closures. I’m pretty good with maps and have been to the Lakes a few times. The various councils in charge of the roads clearly have an aversion to notifying Google and Apple about road closures, so don’t rely on those maps to warn you. You could check the various Lake District, Westmorland and Cumberland websites for closures, but they’re blooming difficult to follow with reference to local names, and you’d easily miss a vital closure. I still haven’t quite processed how frustrated I should be at a road closure at Rydal, 3 miles shy of Ambleside, that was first notified by road signs in Grasmere. After doubling back to Grasmere, the first almost hidden diversion sign brings you back round to Rydal, but before the road closure so that was pointless. It’s also not like it was 2AM, this was just after 7PM. I contemplated taking Red Bank, but with a bike rack on and it being dark, decided against it. The fact the diversion signs began at Grasmere and took you back North is mind boggling. They had someone drive all the way to Troutbeck putting out diversion signs from Grasmere around Helvellyn via Troutbeck and Patterdale, but couldn’t be bothered to go 7 miles further to Rhegged and put out a sign saying no access to Ambleside via Keswick after 7PM. The reason I’m so cross about this is partly to try and stop anyone else having to go through this at the start of their holiday, mainly because my poor little autistic 10 year old had an extra 2 hour journey on winding dark roads late at night, partly because everyone else in the world notifies mapping agencies of this stuff, and partly because this is absolutely within the ability of tourist companies like Sykes running accommodation in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and who send directions to their customers in the multitude arrival emails. These agencies have local knowledge and understanding of council websites and local roads. This is rubbish service. Contacting anyone. Also rubbish service was the inability to contact anyone at the overlapping agencies. When you book you’re told the heating is set by the owners or Heart of the Sykeslovers so you don’t turn it up, to save energy. Fine, but I wanted to ask for the heating to be turned down or at least for us to be allowed to turn it down, as we’re sensitive flowers and don’t like too much heat. The Lakelovers contact phone numbers were for when you arrive. The website via logged in booking number just kept taking you round in circles, saying there were no amenities with options to change, so you could either add people to the booking or cancel it. The only way I could try and reach anyone was by the Sykes / Lakelovers WhatsApp, which got no reply despite repeated attempts, until I finally just asked why I hadn’t had a reply. Even after that they said they’d find out if the heating could be lowered, but I heard nothing further, so we just had to put up with eyeballs becoming raisins. At least the AI hedgehog probably would have told me he could only help with hedgehog related enquiries and had I thought of hibernation. Postage. We’d been let down by a local seller before the holiday so I ordered something online to be delivered to Brunt How. Not detailed in the blurb from, yup, Lakelovers / Sykes / Heart of the Lakes is a block on deliveries to the house. Thankfully it was Royal Mail, so I could have it delivered to the post office in Ambleside, but be aware if you’re going there for a birthday or something. Spring cleaning. One of the reviews a couple of years ago noted cleanliness. Brunt How needs a spring clean. I’m sure housekeeping do their very best with the surface clean turnaround of multiple properties. We dropped a piece of spectacles and needed to hunt around on hands and knees under the beds and drawers, and it was a bit grim, with lots of dust, cobwebs, a few uneaten crisps. You then start noticing more grub and don’t actually want to put your stuff down anywhere. Crockery had bits of stuff in, some of the cookware in the cupboards had cobwebs on, extractor fans and radiator backs were very dusty. Just needs a deep clean. I didn’t want a review to put anyone off staying as it’s an amazing place. I hope this is useful feedback. I’m very cross about the badmin at Sykes, but it looks like they’re here to stay as they’ve taken over everyone, even Sally’s I think, and I’ve seen them on some AirBNBs. I imagine owners are over a barrel as with the amount of competition you need an agency for exposure. It might be that only the owners can put pressure on Sykes to improve. There’s currently a very low bar. If the house is cleaned and you’re ok with a warm house and you’re not unlucky with the roads, I think you’ll have one of your best holidays ever staying at 1 Brunt How. Thank you to the owners for sharing their beautiful home.

    - James, February 2025

Summary

  • Highly Commended Four Star property
  • Three bedrooms: 1 x king-size with en-suite bath, shower over, basin and WC, 1 x family room with 1x Super King size zip link bed and 1x single bed with en-suite shower, basin and WC, 1 x twin
  • Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, heated towel rail and WC
  • Utility/cloakroom with basin and WC
  • Kitchen/diner
  • Dining room
  • Sitting room with woodburner
  • Oil fired central heating with 1 x log burners
  • Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washer/dryer, dishwasher, HiFi System with IPod docking station, TV with Blu-ray Player, WiFi
  • Fuel and power inc. in rent
  • Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
  • Travel cot and highchair available upon request
  • Off-road parking for two cars
  • Enclosed front patio and sloping lawned gardens to the rear with outdoor seating area
  • Use of the greenhouse with table tennis
  • One well-behaved dog welcome
  • Sorry, no smoking
  • No stag or hen parties

The property

Always a popular holiday venue Brunt How is a charming 19thC property standing in an elevated positon with beautuful views across the river Brathay towards Black Fell and Wetherlam. Set at the entrance to the Langdale Valley, Brunt How is ideally placed for a walking holiday or famiy escape n the central lakes.

Loughrigg Fell rises behind the house and there are many walks in the immediate area as well as easy access to the main tops of Great Langdale, Silver How, Pike o'Blisco and on to the highest peaks of the central fells.

With Ambleside only two miles away you are well placed for shopping and eating out.

Your local pub at Skelwith Bridge is about half a mile distant as is the well known Chesters overlooking the river. This large property has a wonderfully spacious feel retaining Arts and Craft features typical of the period, the mullioned windows with panelled reveals and a rose architrave being particularly notable. Accommodation: A steep drive leads to the elevated terraced area in front of the property.

Front door entrance into the roomy dining hall with beamed ceiling, period fireplace and large table for family meals.

The spacious luxury sitting room is a real feature with fine views from the dual aspect floor to ceiling windows (woodburner, flat screen TV, Blu-ray DVD, iPod/Hi-Fi, Wi-Fi).

Good sized recently fitted kitchen with breakfast table and chairs, as well as a very useful drying room, downstairs wc and basin.

Back door. Stairs from the dining hall access the three bedrooms.

The master to the front has fine views which you can admire whilst sitting up in your king-sized sleigh bed (new en-suite bath with shower over, basin and wc).

A second spacious bedroom is a super king zip link bed and one single bed.

The third bedroom is a smaller twin having use of the adjacent family bathroom (bath with shower over, basin and wc). Furnishings are very comfortable with a traditional feel and the house has fitted carpets throughout. Outside: Mature sloping gardens with pathways, steps and an elevated terraced lawn feature large rhododendrons, azaleas and towering firs, offering a riot of Spring colour.

Front patio area where you can relax on sunny days and admire the views.

Use of Victorian greenhouse with table tennis.

There is also a small seasonal stream serving a little pond that nestles below the rocky outcrop near the entrance.

Parking for two cars.

Pub and cafe half a mile.

Ambleside village 2 miles. Note:The property is fed by natural spring water.

Please note, no hen or stag parties allowed

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £250.

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About the location

AMBLESIDE

Grasmere 4.4 miles; Windermere 4.7 miles; Keswick 16.7 miles.

Lying at the northern tip of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake, Ambleside makes a superb base for touring the central Lakes, with Grasmere and the Langdale Valley just a short drive away. There is plenty to do here - cruises, boat trips and watersports on Lake Windermere itself and numerous shops, restaurants and pubs in the village to suit all tastes. On the lakeside at Waterhead, the parkland offers lovely views down the lake and a short stretch of beach, whilst a walk in the other direction, following Stock Ghyll through woodland, will bring you to the entrancing waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force. Along with the Lake and the great walking on offer, Ambleside is also famous for its annual rushbearing ceremony and the diminutive 17th century “Bridge House” - one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and now the National Trust Information Centre.

Please Note: This property takes a £250 refundable Good Housekeeping Bond

We are very conscious of the environmental impact and cost of heating at Brunt How. Heating is set at 20 for morning and evening, 18 during the day and 16 overnight. Whilst this is controlled remotely by the owner / Heart of the Lakes, guests can adjust the temperature using a pad on the wall. This lasts an hour, so for longer changes contact HOTL. The log burner in the sitting room makes this room very cosy.
If extensive increase is required to these temperatures or the property is heated above 21, an additional charge will be made of £30 per day. (Applicable November to March inclusive)
The heating system records the house temperature and temperature set. Please note that tampering with the system will result in forfeit of deposit.