Brunt How

31 Customer Reviews

• "We had a fantastic week at Brunt How."

  The home and gardens were beyond our expectations and we were so lucky with the weather that we were able to sit out and enjoy the wonderful views ever day. We were able to walk from our door joining some challenging and less testing walks. We were a couple in our mid 50s and found it all perfect. Thank you

  Reviewed by Catherine5.0★Mar 2025

• "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 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.

  Thank you for your review and kind words about 1 Brunt How, and apologies for not coming back to you sooner. We share your frustration and were never notified that there was an issue with the heating. We are trialling giving guests the option to contact us directly because of exactly the issues you describe. The really annoying thing is that when you mark us down because of management issues, it is us the owners who are impacted, not Sykes. We will take up the points you have raised and hope that this can be avoided in future. kind regards, the owners. Property Owner

  Reviewed by James3.4★Feb 2025

• "We thoroughly loved our stay."

  Beautiful house in great location - the two main bedrooms are huge and very comfortable, and that opulent living room was fabulous to spend the cold evenings playing monopoly with the boys in front of the fire. You should make sure people know more about the beautiful views from the house! The garden is immaculate - and flowering in February! We'd love to come back some time :-)

  Thank you so much for your feedback and so pleased you loved Brunt How - it’s a special place. It’s always too long before our next visit. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Iain5.0★Feb 2025

• "Another fantastic holiday at Brunt How."

  Lots of adventures in the Langdale valley and many walks from the doorstep. The senior members of the party explored the Wordsworth trail with visits Allen Bank and Rydal Mount and they enjoyed seeing the confluence of th Breathy and Rothay guarded by a very confident heron. We paid our respects to Joss Naylor at St Olafs church yard at Wasdale Head. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful home.

  Mrs NAug 2024

• "A lovely stay, made more enjoyable in 1 Brunt How!"

  We’ve had fair weather compared with many and enjoyed both time spent inside the house and of course outdoors. We haven’t ever been to ’The Lakes’ before and was truly amazed at just how beautiful it is and this coupled with your comfortable home, made a very happy memorable stay.

  Mr AAug 2024

• "A lovely stay in this beautiful house."

  The weather has been kind, lovely walks and adventures with the family and Barney. Stunning views! Thankyou

  Mrs DApr 2024

• "A wonderful character-full house with huge rooms and fantastic views from the sitting room and main bedroom."

  Very well situated close to Ambleside with wonderful walks striaght out of the house. It's also very well placed to get to the more adventourous hills in the Langdale valley. We felt like welcome guests of the family who owns the property with their photos on the walls and a good supply of kitchen essentials. Kitchen just a little small in comparison to all the big rooms - but only a problem if you want to do lots of cooking!

  Reviewed by Mark5.0★Mar 2024

• "This is an exceptional property."

  Comfortable, extremely clean and a well stocked kitchen ( a few more baking trays might be helpful ) beautiful views in a very quiet and secluded location. The elegant rooms are large with high ceilings and traditional details. When the week came to an end we were extremely sad to leave our home from home. A top class residence.

  Thank you so much for your feedback. So pleased you like the property as much as we do. Owner Property Owner

  Reviewed by Pauline5.0★Mar 2024

• "Back at it again, another great stay at Brunt How."

  We enjoyed lots of great walks when there are breaks in the weather as well as making the most o the ins9ide space on rainy days. Also managed to fit in a decent run most days in training for the Lakeland 50. Good grub from Chesters. We love visiting Colwith Force and Skelwith Force in the winter months. Can’t wait to be back again.

  Mrs NMar 2024

• "This is a great home we have returned to many times now."

  While the house and gardens are wonderful, the furnishings have become shabby. The quilt cover is stained in the main bedroom, lounge chairs have their stuffing escaping from torn arms, carpets in need of cleaning. Flys in bed 1 window casement that come into the room in their 100’s if you want to air the room. We love this house but would like to hear that the owners are planning to update the ageing furnishings. Just a suggestion, could the property provide a clothes horse so washing and damp coats could be dried without having to use the tumbler?

  We are so glad you have enjoyed Brunt How over the years. We have addressed many of your concerns. Over the last couple of years we have made a number of refurbishments, including new upstairs carpets, a new ensuite bathroom and new boiler room (including new boiler). We have high standards for Brunt How ourselves, as we enjoy using it as much as our guests. Owner Property Owner

  Reviewed by Peter3.4★Nov 2023

• "A wonderful two weeks spent in this superb house."

  The views, location and peaceful surroundings all contributed to a fabulous stay. We expected all types of weather, and we were not disappointed. However on the whole, we were very lucky and walked for miles every day. Our four legged companion has been living her best labrador life - water and sticks galore! We have been visiting the Lakes for many many years and can honestly say this is one of the best properties we have rented, and would not hesitate to come back soon. With many thanks

  It sounds as if you love Brunt How and the Lakes as much as we do! Property Owner

  Mr MarrionSep 2023

• "Brunt How is a nice early 1900s cottage rental in walking distance from the lovely and secluded Loughrigg Tarn."

  It should be clear(er) in the description that you're actually getting one third of the house. The other two thirds are separately rented out as "Brunt House" & "Tarn Cottage". It's important that, unusually, you cannot obtain the keys at the property but have to obtain & return them to managing agents "Heart of the Lakes" a drive away in Ambleside. We found that Tesco will not deliver directly to the property due to the step access road. Internally, Brunt How is nice, although 'tired'. There was a lot of live spiders in their webs all over the house. The kitchen, although well equipped, was not clean. We spent significant time cleaning it before use. The bedrooms & upstairs bathrooms were clean and well presented. All facilities required for a large family were there. The big selling points are the view facing South, towards the valley and the river Brathay, and the lovely, kempt multi-levelled gardens. If you're into birds, you'll find many species including Buzzards. The views of the night sky are excellent with the Milky Way visible on a clear night. If you rent Brunt How you get private access to all the gardens and the greenhouse. The greenhouse's Table Tennis table was so dirty the kids avoided it. Nonetheless, we felt the beauty of the gardens with nice outdoor furniture made up for it. On a bright summer's day, the views are really special & relaxing. Overall, it's a recommended stay for the secluded quiet, views, lovely garden, proximity to Windermere and Ambleside and abundant local walks. We had significant plumbing and electrical issues marring the comfort of the stay. These were well handled by polite Lake Lovers & Heart of the Lakes staff, albeit taking several days to remedy. Brunt How's in a lovely part of the Lake District and would make a good base for exploring the local towns and tarns. Despite issues, we'd still recommend stating there and would consider rebooking.

  Thank you for your feedback. Your comments have been forwarded to the housekeeping team to look into your concerns regarding cleanliness, though had we known we would have rectified this on your arrival. We are glad that you did enjoy the property and were able to see the Milky Way. Lakelovers Owner Relations Property Owner

  Reviewed by Mitchell2.8★Aug 2023

• "A lovely property with spectacular views."

  Not suitable for anyone with mobility issues insofar as the garden in levelled. Beautiful location.

  Reviewed by Maria4.7★Jul 2023

• "A beautiful home in an amazing location."

  It was very clean, beds were comfortable and showers good. The kitchen had all the equipment we needed. We didn't use the table tennis table as the glass house was full of mosquitos but I'm not sure that could be helped. The garden was beautiful and the views stunning. We would definitely book again.

  Reviewed by Heather5.0★Jul 2023

• "Overall a great property, the views are incredible!"

  However, one of the showers didn’t work the whole time we were there. We were in touch with Heart of the Lakes regularly. It was inconvenient. Some cobwebs around the ceiling that hadn’t been cleaned. Lock on the downstairs toilet needs fixing.

  Thank you for your comments. We apologise for the issue that you experienced with the shower during your stay, and for the inconveince caused. We will ask our Maintenance team to check the lock. Thank you. The Heart of the Lakes Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Soubhi4.1★Jun 2023

• "A truly wonderful place to stay on our honeymoon."

  We've enjoyed so many enchanting walks right from the doorstep - Loughrigg Fell, Loughrigg Tarn, Ambleside, Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater. Brunt How has also been the perfect base from which to set out on our longer hikes. We have visited many locations in the Langdale valley, North Lakes for a swim in Derwent Water and a venture up High Seat, Bleaberry Fell and the oh so pleasing Walla Crag. We've been blessed with fine weather and soaked up the beauty of the garden, making the most of any opportunity to dine al fresco. We've basked in the peace and quiet tranquillity of both the indoor and outdoor space, reading and enjoying the picturesque views. We've been fascinated watching a nest of tree creepers and the spotted fly catcher. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home. We hope to be back soon.

  We are really touched that you chose our property for your honeymoon. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Property Owner

  Mr HoughJun 2023

• "Just got back from the most amazing week in the lakes."

  Perfect weather really helped, but the cottage was awesome. The property has very large rooms, tastefully furnished (super comfy beds!) and a small but well equipped kitchen. One of the bedrooms was small and didn’t have much natural light but we weren’t in there much! The garden is stunning, beautiful flowers and lawned areas. Would definitely recommend Brunt How, and would definitely love to return! Ps one little teeny tiny thing - the property would benefit from a clothes airer!!!

  Thank you for your comments. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay, and the facilities. We take your suggestion on board. We hope to welcome you again. The Heart of the Lakes Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sarah4.7★May 2023

• "Amazing property, stunning views, lovely garden, in all a very enjoyable weeks break,without sat nav directions not that easy,could also do with having 2keys for the house."

  Thank you for your kind comments, we are pleased to hear that you had an enjoyable stay. We hope to welcome you back. The Heart of The Lakes Owner Relations Team. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Eirwen4.7★May 2023

• "A very welcoming house!"

  There were seven of us here, two from the United States and I loved it. The views are beautiful!! Wish we had some more sunny days to explore. Overall we had a wonderful family holiday! Hope to return in the future.

  Mr StruthersDec 2022

• "Love the house!"

  Elegant, well fitted out, with such lovely views and garden. So relaxing, lovely walks and food, we slept so well. Very restorative! It’s our second time here. First time was in the summer with fab BBQ’s is in the garden with recipes from the Nigella book in kitchen (which we have since bought!) This time candlelit suppers and log fires. Hope to be back. Thank you so much.

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Oct 2022

• "This house is beautiful!"

  We loved the gardens, the decor, how spacious it was and the level of comfort was amazing. It really helped us to have the perfect holiday. The location is quiet, but close to all attractions and I would stay here again happily. Some points to note. There was a smell of "wet dog" downstairs which we reported. I would suggest regular carpet washing and the option of plug-in air fresheners. The cleanliness of sinks, toilets, hoovering and mopping was as I would expect so the smell was not due to poor cleaning. The cleaner needs time for a deep clean every few weeks basically, as there were a few dirting skirtings downstairs, again due to muddy dogs from the looks of it. Prior information regarding the fire would have been helpful as we needed to buy coal, fire starters etc whilst we were there, so this is something worth knowing in advance as the property does get quite cold at night.

  Reviewed by Deborah4.4★Aug 2022

• "Lovely location and generally well appointed cottage."

  Good kitchen and dining area, and lovely large lounge (though a squeeze for 6). However, dishwasher was clearly not cleaning when we arrived, so we had to clear out all the filters to get it working properly (not a nice job when not done for so long), there is relatively limited larger glass wear and crockery (OK for 4, would not be for 6), and the inability to open the back door fully was tricky when coming in with wet walking gear.

  We thank you for taking time to give us feedback following your recent stay at Brunt How. We are pleased you had a great stay and found the property well appointed. A member of our compliance team attended following your visit to ensure the seating area was well suited for a maximum 7 guests (as per the max occupancy) and found there is more than adequate seating and space in all areas. We have checked the crockery and glassware and did find a couple of glasses must have been damaged over the summer months - these will be replaced. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Rebecca3.1★Jul 2022

• "Overall, a lovely property in a truly stunning setting."

  Highlights include the generous and beautifully furnished family room, as well as our daily walks to nearby Loughrigg Tarn (we will bring swimming costumes next time!) Constructive feedback- We slept in the (massive) yellow bedroom with our toddler and would have really appreciated blackout curtains/ blinds to help with bedtime. (We also did notice a fair bit of mould on the curtains that are present.) Hooks on the back of the bathroom/ bedroom door would be useful, as well as a full length mirror. I was also surprised that hand soap wasn’t supplied in the bathrooms and we had to buy some. It is worth noting that the garden is well maintained with the most incredible views, but the steps/ tiered layout mean it is not toddler friendly. Also, our dog easily jumped the low wall to the neighbouring property to make friends!

  Reviewed by Hannah3.8★Jun 2022

• "Wonderful house, superb large rooms and comfy beds."

  Children, dog and adults all slept well. Beautiful views and we made the most of walking when the sun shined. Sadly it was a rather wet, cold week. We will need to come back in the summer! Thank you, a lovely family home.

  Mrs K DysonApr 2022

• "Seven gentle spring days of low level walking and minimal driving in the magical Langdale landscape."

  A very comfortable and convenient base to enjoy this unique place.

  The Tipper FamilyApr 2022

• "House is amazing, garden sets it apart from other properties."

  Only downside is the small bedroom with 2 singles is cramped and beds not that comfortable for an adult to sleep on.

  Thank you for your feedback. The mattresses in this bedroom have now been replaced and I am sorry if you found the bedroom not as spacious as the other two but we feel the photographs on the website are an accurate representation. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin3.8★Aug 2021

• "1 week in the Lake District."

  We saw some amazing things - Striding Edge and the Old Man of Coniston. We saw great birds, paddled on Windermere and swam every day in the tarn. The house is really cool - we like the high ceilings, thick walls and solid feel. We would gladly come back and hope that you all have a fantastic time in this beautiful place. We have been privileged and lucky.

  Aug 2021

• "Had a great stay at Brunt How."

  What a lovely house which was spacious, comfortable and well equipped with all we needed for a week’s stay. The view from the house was spectacular and it was a great base for some lovely walks.

  Reviewed by Helen5.0★Jul 2021

• "I think that this property needs more investment to justify the price."

  The legs of two of the chairs in the dining room have been strengthened with raw bits of plywood, with the edges left rough. The oil cloth on the dining room table looks old, and is not what you expect for a property of this standard. The wifi on the first floor is patchy to non-existent. There may be a knack to making the TV work, but we never found it – the picture was good for a few minutes, then there was a warning about the aerial. On our first night the sheets were too small, and did not tuck into the mattresses, but at least the managing agent replaced them the next day. The bed in the main bedroom was uncomfortable, and another bed had a broken slat (not unusual, according to the cleaner). On the last day our son was trapped in his bedroom by a defective catch, but eventually we managed to release him by dint of running a piece of plastic between the door and frame. Otherwise, we would have called the Fire Brigade. It would be useful to have more crockery. The boiler settings are low. To begin with, we were only given one set of keys. The property has good views, but sitting outside you hear a fair amount of traffic noise from lower down the valley.

  Thank you for taking the time to provide additional feedback following your stay at Brunt Howe, albeit we were sorry to read you did not enjoy your stay as much as our previous guests. We can only apologise that one of the dining chairs needed an urgent repair on the day of your arrival. To ensure the property was ready for you in time and not to disrupt your holiday, the repair carried out whilst not aesthetically pleasing, was practical. A full repair has now been carried out for the benefit of future guests. The oil cloth placed on the dining table for protection is provided for families with children who would feel more comfortable using this and can be removed should any guests not wish to use it. We can only apologise if you found the Wi-Fi to be patchy on the first floor. Brunt How is situated a beautiful location with amazing views overlooking the hills. As a 19th century building, built with thick stone walls, sometimes this does mean Wi-Fi speeds can be intermittent in certain parts of the property, however we do not usually receive negative feedback regarding the Wi-Fi speed. We do have instructions in the cottage regarding using the television, and these instructions have worked for our team following your feedback. The master bed and mattress were brand new for your visit, so it is disappointing to read it was not to your personal preference, however we appreciate everyone is different. The slat in the second bedroom had slipped out of place and has now been rectified. We are unsure how the bedroom door handle failed on your last day but since then and as a precaution this has been replaced. We feel that the property has amazing views, and it is rare to hear traffic noise from the property from down in Langdale Valley, however, appreciate this can be down to the time of year you visited. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Robin2.8★Jun 2021

• "Such a well needed break in a beautiful location."

  Really appreciate that we could bring our dog to such a lovely house. Going to re-book.

  Reviewed by Alison5.0★May 2021

• "Fantastic property with stunning views."

  Mrs GoughDec 2019

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