Seirny
August 2013
My partner and I stayed here for a week in early august and would happily return.
We booked directly through the Hollins Farm Barn website and the owners, and so found it a little cheaper than initially expected, which was great. This process was all very straightforward. Upon arrival we were greeted by the friendly owners who gave us the key, showed us around, and told us about the local amenities and areas of interest. They have also compiled some binders with this information and lots more useful tips about the area (restaurants, farm shops, events, walks) which were useful.
The Barn itself is very comfortable, with a well-equipped kitchen and some basic ingredients, such as oil and tea. The rooms were spacious and we were impressed by the quality of furnishing, though I wouldn't have objected to a slightly firmer mattress. There was a good selection of CDs, Dvds, books, and some OS maps too. There's also good-quality wifi throughout the property.
Another useful feature was the 'boot room' – a warm room with a sink downstairs where one can sort out muddy walking kit and suchlike. It also contains a portable BBQ for those who might have sunny enough weather to eat in the outside seating area.
The Barn was very easy to find from the M6, as the owners provide a useful set of written instructions on booking. It's located a ten-minute drive from Kendal, which is a good-sized town with a variety of supermarkets (Asda, M&S;, Booths) where one can stock up. For those looking to explore the surrounding areas, it's about a 30 minute drive from ambleside and 20 minutes from Sedburgh in the Howgills area of Yorkshire. We thus found it to be a good base for day trips out to both the Lakes and the Dales.
We found it a very relaxing, quiet place to stay, particularly after our walks and days out, and I would highly recommend the property.