The Old Farm

3.9★

6 Guests
4 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Pets Yes
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Features

Off road parking
Open fire
Garden / Patio
Cot available
Highchair available
Dishwasher
Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing

Cleanliness

Comfort

Facilities and Maintenance

* Based on a combined average customer score

25 Customer Review(s)

Sarah
December 2024

“Summary: Charming, old fashioned cosy cottage in a beautiful location with time-warp fixtures & fittings - BYO wine glasses!”

Good points: wonderful old farmhouse in peaceful hamlet with great views, pretty garden, characterful interior - wobbly floors and exposed beams. Decent white bed linen, comfy beds, nice & warm. More space than expected: useful wash room and double garage. Weak points: judging from the quality and condition of the kitchen, bathroom and shower room they haven't been modernised since the late 1970s. Furnishings old fashioned (not in good way). For the rental price (£767 for 3 days) I would ...

Good points: wonderful old farmhouse in peaceful hamlet with great views, pretty garden, characterful interior - wobbly floors and exposed beams. Decent white bed linen, comfy beds, nice & warm. More space than expected: useful wash room and double garage. Weak points: judging from the quality and condition of the kitchen, bathroom and shower room they haven't been modernised since the late 1970s. Furnishings old fashioned (not in good way). For the rental price (£767 for 3 days) I would expect higher quality furnishings, bathroom & kitchen. Things that need changing urgently: 1. Kitchen glassware: the wine glasses were thimble sized, the tumblers were free with petrol tokens in the early 1980s. Awful! 2. Whilst well-stocked, the kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery were ancient, low quality and grubby; I put on a dishwasher cycle on arrival. 3. Please provide washing up liquid & kitchen surface cleaner. 4. Decent quality hand soap from a local gift shop would show a little care & attention to compensate for kitchen & bathroom agedness. 5. Ancient deep-cleaning equipment (e.g. stainless steel cleaner / fly spray) under kitchen sink made the kitchen stink - needs chucking out. 6. Guest instruction manual was dog eared and shabby - needs replacing & updating. 7. Previous guests hadn't put rubbish in black bags, so this was left by the bin men.

- Sarah, December 2024
Lindsay July 2024

“Unfortunately our stay at this cottage was plagued with problems, in part due an overgenerous description of the facilities.”

Be aware that the adjoining room to the main bedroom is not accessible in any way but through the main bedroom, and also that though the description states the garage is suitable for 2 small to medium cars, you will not be able to exit the garage easily if you do try and put two medium cars in it. The facilities were very poor, with the upstairs shower completely unusable as water pours through the kitchen ceiling every time you try (obviously an ongoing problem based on the water stains on said ceiling). There is no support available from Sykes during your stay, as we discovered after phoning the emergency number within the posted hours to try and find out why we had no water one evening, and were unable to get hold of anyone. When we followed up the next day and also reported that the shower was unusable, we were promised Sykes would look into the issue then heard nothing else for the remainder of our stay. This resulted in four adults on a fairly active holiday having to share a single shower, which was not ideal. Following our trip we have reported these issues to Sykes, and received very little response other than "we have passed your concerns along to the local office". Unfortunately we would not use this company again, and would caution others to read other reviews before booking. Had we done so, we would have noticed the string of negative feedback this cottage has had over the last 12 months and would have made alternative plans.

- Lindsay, July 2024

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. We are sorry to hear of the issues that you experienced during your stay. We take all comments on board, and will be looking into the comments made. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Colin October 2023

“Very clean property, old with charm, but also with modern features.”

Need a car to get around as nothing too close by, and the single lane tracks may present a problem to some. Location itself is perfect for walking, stunning scenery. Could do with a light outside rear of property. Some more home comforts (salt/pepper etc) would of been nice but otherwise the kitchen was well stocked. Lights failed in part of the property on our last night as we were going to bed, so not too much of an inconvenience - likely a fuse but could not find the box! Had an issue with wasps towards the end of our stay. Would stay again, more likely in Summer months.

- Colin, October 2023

Thank you for your feedback, we are pleased to see that you found the property to be clean and modern. We take all comments on board. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Michael October 2023

“Having read a very doubtful review we were pleasantly surprised.”

Good wood burner and pleanty of wood. Well equiped and had a welcome pack. Great garden and view. Vacuum cleaner not very good. Grill needs attention. We put the bin out on the apropriate days but it did not get collected despite seeing the dust carts go past.

- Michael, October 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We take all comments on board. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Janice September 2023

“The exterior aesthetic of the cottage is truly beautiful and it is perfectly located with lovely walks from the door and a short drive to Ambleside & Hawkshead.”

The garden is lovely, although it's use was restricted due to lack of funiture (4 old plastic chairs). The linen was clean, water hot, heating adequate & kitchen well-equipped (although no order to storage & not everything was clean). Unfortunately, the negatives far outweighed the positives including large areas of black mould on the window frames throughout the cottage, on the shower room walls & the utility room walls & doors; ingrained dirt in the grouting in the shower room; thd lounge windows were difficult to close & the secondary glazing trims kept falling off; filthy floor, sink & resources (mops, sweeping brushes, hoovers) in the utility room; 2 hoovers available but both dirty and don't pick up dirt so unusable; cupboard interiors dirty; cobwebs around ceilings; broken hinge on kitchen cabinet above the sink - BEWARE if you don't hold it open, it falls down on you; 2 broken dining chairs; water stain & large crack on the bedroom ceiling; electric socket hanging off the wall & 5 of 8 lights not working in lounge; broken kitchen bin; red marks in the bath; dirty laundry in the laundry basket; info folder has incorrect info about bin day (so bin doesn't get emptied because no-one knows to put it out on Wednesday, not Thursday); no key to 'games' cupboard or door from utility room into garage. The maintenance team sorted the lights & socket, removed the broken chairs & banged the windows to close them. The cleaners did a re-clean (it felt very reluctant) but we still had to buy cleaning materials & clean the shower room, bath & utility room ourselves to make them useable. Sadly, the cottage is in dire need of some maintenance work & a thorough deep clean. So many issues have been raised in previous reviews; a shame no-one appears to be responding. Such a shame because it has the potential to be stunning. We left feeling massively disappointed & needless to say, wont be returning.

- Janice, September 2023

Thank you for your comments. We will ask our Housekeeping and Maintenance Team to look into comments raised. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Denise September 2023

“I first came to the Old Farm a year ago and loved it so much that I wanted to come back.”

The weather was wonderful this year so we were able to make good use of the garden, although an outdoor table would have made eating outside more pleasurable. It is quite difficult not to bring grass indoors as the lawn was mown but the cuttings left on the lawn. The fridge door is really difficult to open (as it was last year). The bin in the kitchen cupboard had broken so didn't come out when the door was opened. Also the local instructions for recycling etc are difficult to understand. The green wheelie bin was already full so our bag wouldn't go in. The other black wheelie bin (which shouldn't be used I understand?) was full of soil and old dog poo bags. Neither bin was emptied on Thursday. I put both bins out the night before in the correct place. I did however help a neighbour clean them both out and disinfect them before I left to try to resolve the issue. The cleaners came and were really grateful and nice people. They do a great job. I think that the only improvements that could be made to the Old Farm, as it is quite expensive to hire, are new kitchen units (most doors don't open or close properly) and a new dining table and chairs (chairs falling apart). The downstairs shower room needs upgrading as it's tired and some mould is forming on the walls. You would then believe that the price reflects the quality of the property. At the moment it doesn't. However, we think the Old Farm is wonderful and we very much enjoyed our stay.

- Denise, September 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are pleased that you had nice weather for your stay. We take all comments on board. Thank you. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Joan July 2023

“We have enjoyed our stay at the old farm , it had everything we needed , loved ...”

We have enjoyed our stay at the old farm , it had everything we needed , loved the gardens for dog to play , in a lovely spot , would have been nice to arrive to a small welcome pack , just milk and a couple of tea bags , but we went straight to Ambleside to stock up which is only a short drive away , Thank you for our stay in your lovely old cottage

- Joan, July 2023
Carole June 2023

“Cons No can opener?”

???? No welcome pint of milk in the fridge???? Hoover spreads dust/dog hair/debris doesn't collect it...totally useless bit of kit Bins never collected Pros Great location Very comfortable Fabulous enclosed gardens Brilliant wifi Very homely Definitely stay here again

- Carole, June 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay with us at The Old Farm. We are sorry you were disappointed about there not being a welcome pack, unfortunately as this is a self catering property not all owners do provide this. Regarding the can opener, we will pass this message on to hopefully get this resolved and get one put in the property, we apologise for any inconvenience this did cause during your stay. We hope to welcome you again soon. The owner relations team - Heart Of The Lakes Property Owner
Clare June 2023

“Wonderful, quiet location on a country lane with stunning views from the back garden.”

Parking for one small van and small car. 15 minutes to most of the stunning walks and pretty local town. Excellent bakery at the bottom of the road with somewhat miserable staff. Although 31° outside, downstairs was really cool because of the thick walls. Beautiful, cared for gardens front and back with the front garden separated from the house by the lane. This did not bother us. The room height was low for tall people who had to duck. Duvets were 13.5 tog so had to use the bed cover and duvet cover instead. I assume the bed cover is not washed weekly. No shower curtain around upstairs bath so it was difficult to shower in. Downstairs shower room needs modernising but was acceptable. Very well equipped kitchen and good, large dining, sitting room. Bring your own sharp knives and scissors. One of the best houses I’ve ever stayed in.

- Clare, June 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are glad that the house kept you cool during our recent heatwave and that you enjoyed everything the area has to offer. We will highlight the duvet thickness with our housekeeping team. Heart of the Lakes Owners Team Property Owner
Yasser May 2023

“Unfortunately my stay in The Old Farm is not as good as I anticipated!”

First of all the price for 2 and half days were way too much of £587 . The reasons are place was not fully equipped eg. No basic necessities provided like milk, sugar. Even no coffees or Teas and hardly any toilet rolls or even kitchen rolls. The beds were extremely uncomfortable to put it mildly and pillows were terrible. The roof were way too low for a cottage but I understand. I won’t be booking here again with that kind of price!!

- Yasser, May 2023

Thank you for your feedback. As the property is self catering, coffee and tea are not always provided, the same with toilet roll. We do find that bedding is down to personal preference. Our prices are flexible and can change. We would suggest keeping an eye on the pricing. The Heart of the Lakes Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Kirsten April 2023

“Truly beautiful cottage in a stunning location.”

Didn't want to leave.

- Kirsten, April 2023
Gillian January 2023

“A truely lovely cottage with incredible charm and character.”

Being an old building means those of a certain height will have to watch out for their heads (my husband and son are 6ft 4!!) but that's only to be expected in a cottage of this age. A beautiful location and the most well equipped kitchen in a holiday let cottage that i have ever experienced :o) My only slight niggle was that I didn't remember reading anything in the listing about the 4th bedroom being accessed from the main double bedroom - which meant my teenage son having to access his room by going through mum and dads room - he wasn't very impressed!!!! But other than that we loved everything about the cottage and would definitely go back!!

- Gillian, January 2023
Denise September 2022

“We had a wonderful stay at The Old Farm and very much liked its character and feeling of history.”

The house vas clean, warm and comfortable and the gardens were lovely, as were the views from the windows and of the Langdale valley only a short stroll along the lane. It was very kind to provide soft white towels (the paperwork said we should take our own) and things like dishwasher tablets. If I had one slight criticism it would be that the fridge-freezer ran almost constantly and could be heard in the single bedroom. Maybe it is not set up correctly, as it seems to tilt, backwards and the doors were very hard to open? It was also very cold, even though the setting wasn't high. As I said, it didn't spoil the holiday, but will cost the owner a lot of electricity charge if it's not sorted and that would be sad because they have a great holiday home. I would definitely book again. Thank you.

- Denise, September 2022
Natasha August 2022

“It is a lovely quirky house with beautiful gardens.”

We had a fantastic stay. Its in a great location and the neighbours were really friendly. The only minor point was we couldn't find the folder for the house (it was on a window sill behind the curtain)!

- Natasha, August 2022
Fiona August 2022

“This lovely house is ideally situated in the central Lakes.”

The house is full of character and feels like a home not a holiday rental. The gardens are beautiful. In the hot weather we appreciated the cool interior, so didn’t get the chance to light the wood burner. Our family group, aged 9 to 86, enjoyed a wonderful holiday here.

- Fiona, August 2022
Janis July 2022

“First the good: the location of the cottage and the cottage itself are wonderful.”

We loved how quiet and remote the area is. The age of the cottage is OK, as long as the amenities, cleaning, and other items are kept up to date, it is clear it is not a priority The bad: it was clear the cottage had not been cleaned. This is similar to other reviews we read in the guest book and online. If this is up to the management company then fire them and hire someone else. There were dirty dishes in the dishwasher, an old tea bag in the teapot, cobwebs in every corner, really quite disappointing. We needed to wash all dishes, we would have anyway but with the state of the cottage it made it even more necessary. The mop is DISGUSTING - we are happy to clean up after ourselves, and we know we left the cottage cleaner than when we arrived, but for heaven's sake - provide tools for your tenants to use! The alarm in the kitchen was ridiculous, we tried every which way to prevent that alarm from sounding, I think we were successful 1 day, and this was just with regular toast preparation, nothing was burned, nothing was smoking, and the alarm still sounded, highly recommend changing the location or finding a solution. When using the upstairs shower it leaks down onto the teapot area The key for the cabinet was no where to be found The refrigerator is a bit small, for a group of 5 (or 6 as advertised) it was crammed full. The directions for trash disposal need updating, one said Wednesday, another said Thursday Would we stay there again, most likely not, in the area yes, at the cottage, no

- Janis, July 2022
L July 2022

“One disappointment stairs had no hand rail.”

Stairs being steep this made it difficult

- L, July 2022
Shirley June 2022

“Cottage needed a good clean.”

Cobwebs all over, dirty dishes in cupboard so had to put everything in dishwasher on arrival. We requested cot and high chair. Had to first find cot then put it up with a bit of difficulty and high chair had encrusted food and cobwebs on it (not acceptable) this really should be checked. Previous tenants had found a hair extension on the sofa according to comments book. This was still on top of the bust in sitting room window when we arrived. Not very hygienic. Hoover hadn’t been used for a while. On the whole the beds were clean. Bathrooms were clean but sink in the downstairs shower room could have been cleaner. I paid £1,000 for a five night stay so did not expect issues like this. If the previous tenants leave at 10am and the next ones don’t get in until 4pm that should be more than enough time to deal with basic tasks.

- Shirley, June 2022
Carol May 2022

“Please see e-mail we sent you regarding our issues.”

- Carol, May 2022
Margaret March 2022

“As mentioned by others, the heating was set to hot and the instructions were not to change the setting- fine I guess for very cold weather but we found it rather excessive.”

We enjoyed our stay at The Old farm, a very comfortable holiday home in a lovely setting. Thankyou.

- Margaret, March 2022
Lesley February 2022

“A lovely holiday home in a great location which was well equipped and very comfortable.”

- Lesley, February 2022
Nicola July 2021

“The heating was pre-set and we were unable to control the temperature in the house.”

it was 19 degrees outside and the heating was on with no way of turning down or off. We contacted Heart of the Lakes and we were told somebody would look into this for us. Nobody came back to us. we had to put up with it and on an evening it was horrendous. The whole time we had builders working next door and each day they would start chasing the walls from 8am. You have the videos so you know what I am talking about. At one point the builder actually came through the adjoining wall. The kids were not able to sleep past 8am and the dog was terrified. We had no privacy as builders were wondering into our garden, we have teenage girls so this was completely unacceptable. At one point when we were sitting out in the front one of the builders went behind rather than into the portaloo to urinate right in front of us. I reported some of this to your company and sent pictures and videos. Again somebody was supposed to do something about this but nothing was done and nobody got back to us. Our holiday was completely compromised by the intrusive building work. We could tell by the comments left in the visitor book that we were not the only customers that were very dissatisfied and upset that they were not made aware of building works. This email is a formal complaint. I would like somebody to come back to me to let me know if my complaint has been received and is being reviewed / processed. I appreciate you can’t be responsible for the actions of the builders but I do believe we should have been made aware that there was building work taking place over the duration of our stay and this was you companies responsibility to do so. Please note other than the heating issue (that must be resolved) there is no blame on the owner of this property. My issue is with the company that manage the property. Heating issue aside the property was good.

- Nicola, July 2021
Sharon May 2021

“We all had a great holiday, and having visited this wonderful cottage before, we were very excited to return.”

On this occasion unfortunately a few things seemed lacking. The knives were blunt, the kitchen equipment is in need of an update. We were disappointed that the garden was not cut. We also feel that a lack of 6 chairs for sitting outside is unsatisfactory, as it is a wonderful place to dine.

- Sharon, May 2021

Thank you so much for your feedback, we will be checking the kitchen equipment and knives. We are sorry to hear you felt the lawn had not been cut, the gardener is scheduled every two weeks. Also a garden chair was missing as it needed repairing. We are pleased you otherwise enjoyed your stay and look forward to welcoming you back in the future. The owners Property Owner
Andrew May 2021

“This review is on the old farm only beautiful proper cottage quirky with lovely cottage garden and very clean.”

The write up explained the un-level flooring etc as expected in a cottage of its age.plenty of cooking equipment available and set in a quiet location.regarding our first holiday let the via alta an absolute disgrace building work going on throughout our stay from 8.30am until 9.30 pm outside area like a building site no shared garden to sit in with no furniture.inside was dirty various pictures passed on to the windermere office,furniture ripped and shabby throughout not enough cutlery for six toffee wrappers and cereal from previous stay on and under furniture and dust everywhere it had not been cleaned to any standard especially in this covid era.will await your response and expected offer of compensation.

- Andrew, May 2021
Mrs Normand Dec 2019

“We enjoyed our week in the Old Farm House so much.”

It was a perfect place to stay and could not fault the cottage in anyway

- Mrs Normand, Dec 2019

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Summary

Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size, 1 x twin, 1 x single, 1 x ground-floor single
Ground-floor shower room with shower, basin and WC
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC
Kitchen with dining seating
Utility
Living/dining room with woodburning stove
Electric central heating and woodburning stove
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, heated airer, dishwasher, cot, high chair, TV with Freeview, CD player, WiFi and a selection of books
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Travel cot and highchair available on request
Garage parking for two small or medium cars and off-road parking in front of the garage doors
Front lawn and rear terrace garden with furniture
One well-behaved pet welcome
Sorry, no smoking.

The property

If you are looking for a place for quiet enjoyment then this truly delightful old farm cottage nestling in the heart of the tiny hamlet of Skelwith Fold just two miles from Ambleside will surely fit the bill.

The cottage sits prettily in one of the most peaceful and unspoiled settings in the heart of the lakes.

We are sure our guests will love this cottage which is reputed to date back to the 15thC.

It retains some wonderful character features blended with modern day comforts - cosy and welcoming and ideal for a holiday at any time of the year.

There are wonderful walks and rambles from the door - start your walk with a half mile stroll down the hill to the famous Chesters by the River and then onto the Cumbria Way to follow the River Brathay all the way to Elterwater and beyond.

Explore up the hill from the village and you come easily to the ever popular Drunken Duck - a perfect spot for a lazy lunch. Just a couple of hundred yards from the cottage you will find an engraved viewing point - a great way to learn the names of all the surrounding mountains and a much loved spot for photographers and sunset watchers.

Accommodation: Enter down a couple of steps into the small porch then into the lounge/diner with TV with freeview and wood burning fire.

A varied amount of books on display and cd player, original oak beams line the ceilings.

Through into the kitchen with stone flooring and stainless steel and pine units and electric hob and oven.

A single bedroom on the ground floor and a shower room with wc and basin opposite the single bedroom.

The utility room is home to a washing machine a heated airer and has access to the rear garden and the garage. Ten stone steps - dating from pre 1660 - take you to first floor where you will see the original wood flooring in each of the bedrooms.

A twin bedroom immediately in front of you and further down the corridor a king bedroom and an adjoining single bedroom.

The bathroom is at the end of the landing with bath, wc and basin.

The flooring here is also pre 1660 so is uneven throughout the property.Furnishings are warm and traditional mirroring the owners' extensive lifetime of travel. Outside: The Old farm has two beautiful garden areas.

To the rear of the cottage you will find a terraced garden with steps and paths, mature shrubs, trees and beautiful views towards the Fairfield Horseshoe.

To the front of the cottage - just across the narrow lane - a picturesque rose covered archway leads you into the extensive lawned garden where you can sit outside on sunny days and enjoy the beautiful surroundings - wide lawn, colourful flower borders and a charming cottage garden feel.

There is parking either in the garage for two small or medium cars or just in front of the garage doors immediately outside the property.

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £200.

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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.

Note: Due to the age of the property the flooring in uneven in places, please take care:

This property offers the following short breaks:

Winter
Off-season
Last minute
Christmas

Skelwith Fold, Cumbria & The Lake District (Ref. 1042573)

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Features

Reviews & Ratings

“Summary: Charming, old fashioned cosy cottage in a beautiful location with time-warp fixtures & fittings - BYO wine glasses!”

“Unfortunately our stay at this cottage was plagued with problems, in part due an overgenerous description of the facilities.”

“Very clean property, old with charm, but also with modern features.”

“Having read a very doubtful review we were pleasantly surprised.”

“The exterior aesthetic of the cottage is truly beautiful and it is perfectly located with lovely walks from the door and a short drive to Ambleside & Hawkshead.”

“I first came to the Old Farm a year ago and loved it so much that I wanted to come back.”

“We have enjoyed our stay at the old farm , it had everything we needed , loved ...”

“Cons No can opener?”

“Wonderful, quiet location on a country lane with stunning views from the back garden.”

“Unfortunately my stay in The Old Farm is not as good as I anticipated!”

“Truly beautiful cottage in a stunning location.”

“A truely lovely cottage with incredible charm and character.”

“We had a wonderful stay at The Old Farm and very much liked its character and feeling of history.”

“It is a lovely quirky house with beautiful gardens.”

“This lovely house is ideally situated in the central Lakes.”

“First the good: the location of the cottage and the cottage itself are wonderful.”

“One disappointment stairs had no hand rail.”

“Cottage needed a good clean.”

“Please see e-mail we sent you regarding our issues.”

“As mentioned by others, the heating was set to hot and the instructions were not to change the setting- fine I guess for very cold weather but we found it rather excessive.”

“A lovely holiday home in a great location which was well equipped and very comfortable.”

“The heating was pre-set and we were unable to control the temperature in the house.”

“We all had a great holiday, and having visited this wonderful cottage before, we were very excited to return.”

“This review is on the old farm only beautiful proper cottage quirky with lovely cottage garden and very clean.”

“We enjoyed our week in the Old Farm House so much.”

Summary

The property

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About the location

AMBLESIDE