About the House

Camellia Cottage (Waldon) is a 400 year old former Miners Cottage that we have carefully refurbished to share it with our esteemed guests. We are thrilled to welcome guests from all walks of life! 

As you may know, Nenthead has a fascinating and rich history of mining, and was really one of the earliest purpose built villages in England. At 1500 feet it is known as England’s highest village and it makes for astounding winters with enough snowfall some seasons to ski and snowboard (this year being one of them), Yad Moss Ski Slope being up the road from us. In the spring and summer the weather is fabulous and the walks are breathtaking. I really hope you love it as much as we do! 

I am a secondary Computer Science teacher who always promised myself after working in Allendale in my early 20s that I would come back here. 20 odd years later, I made it back albeit with children, a husband and our 2 rescue dogs this time around! I am looking forward to sharing this wonderful house and breathtaking area with you and your families and friends for years to come. 

Nenthead was England’s centre for lead and silver mining in the early 1700s to the late 1800s. The Quaker owned London Lead Company employed many local miners. The benevolent Quakers built, amongst other things, housing, a school (which is just behind the cottage), a reading room, public baths and a wash-house for the miners and their families. Nenthead was the first village in the UK to have electric street lighting from excess power generated by the mines.  This industrious past is still seen in the numerous mines dotted all over the landscape, some of which can still be visited now. 

Nenthead is around 4.4 miles (7.1 km) east of Alston, 44.3 miles (71.3 km) west of Newcastle upon Tyne, 34.4 miles (55.4 km) south east of Carlisle, 24 miles (38.6 km) east of Penrith, and 20.5 miles (33.0 km) east of Hexham.

The North Pennines AONB was designated Europe's first Geopark due to the amazing geological makeup of the area. It is often aptly called England’s Last Wilderness.

We have resident rabbits, red squirrels and deer wandering around. Owls in the garden and pheasants and grouse. Please do respect the countryside rules by keeping your dog on a leash around any livestock.

 Contact Details

We hope that we have provided everything necessary for a comfortable stay at Camellia Cottage. However, should you need to reach us, Mich can be reached at 07986872178 . 

Emily my co-host can be reached at 07798564853.

Our wonderful housekeeper Jo can be reached at 07393979210.

Emergency Information

In an emergency call 999 for the quickest service.The nearest A&E is Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle. Newtown Rd, Carlisle CA2 7HY

01228 523444

If you need to see a GP- The Alston Medical Practice 01434 381214 

Old Stone Vets, Alston are a wonderful veterinary practice who offer a 24 hour helpline on 01434 381 792. They look after all animals. 

Nearest pharmacy is located in Alston and is located on Front St, Alston CA9 3QP. Contact number is 01434 381259.

Fire blanket is located in the kitchen on the wall opposite the hob.

Fire Safety Instructions

There is a fire blanket in the kitchen. There are smoke/heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms throughout the property for your safety. Should a fire occur the first thing you should do is evacuate and call the fire services on 999.

We do not allow the use of candles in the house as this is a fire risk if left unattended. 

Emergency torches are provided for evacuation in the following areas:

1. Back door to the terrace

2. Bathroom on the table

3. Landing 

We have a spare in one of the drawers in the kitchen as well.

Emergency Evacuation Plan 

In the event of a fire, we have smoke and fire alarms in the house which will ring. Please leave all belongings and proceed straight outside. Once you are safely outside then ring the emergency services on 999.

If one of your group is hard of hearing please attend to them first and ensure that they are alerted and led outside. 

The exit doors are on the ground floor. If you are exiting from the first floor, your nearest exit will be the front door. The door has a thumb turn lock so no key is needed to exit outside into the garden. 

If you are on the ground floor you can exit from the back doors or the front door. 

All keys on windows have been removed to prevent any accidental jamming or prevention of exit in the event of a fire. 

There is emergency lighting on the landing in the form of motion sensor lights and also a battery operated torch hanging on the landing wall. 

Fireplace

Please only use kiln dried seasoned hardwood.  The Community Shop in Nenthead sell sacks or you can get them from the Spar in Alston.

Place a layer of about 2 to 3 firestarters or knots of scrunched up newspaper in the grate. Place a handful of kindling and/or scrunched up paper (if you have any) on top. Follow with a small log or two. Ensure you don’t stack them up but lay them in a sort of teepee pattern to allow oxygen to flow. 

Light the firelighters and close the stove door, with the air vents open all the way to aid combustion. Once it is burning well, put 1 or 2 more logs on top. Close the door again.
Important! Always leave the burner door closed regardless of when you are in the room or not. 

When the fire is out, if you want to start another fire you may clear out the ashes at the bottom in the pull out pan. Please note you have to dispose of the ashes in the metal ash bucket provided to the front of the property. 

Important! Under no circumstances may you empty ash (even if you deem it cold) into the normal bins as this is a fire hazard.

• The  local shop/Post Office in Nenthead. (Turn right from the front door, walk about 200-300 metres past the Miners Arms and it will be just after the Hive on your left.)

• Spar in Alston (about 8 minutes drive)

There is a charcoal barbeque for your use at the back of the cottage.  Kindly ensure it is cleaned thoroughly before you leave, for the next guests to enjoy. 

The last wilderness of England

What to do around Nenthead

Walks abound on the doorstep of this beautiful cottage. Nenthead is situated in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the first UNESCO European Geopark, home to wild moors, dramatic fells, rivers and waterfalls and wildlife. It has earned the moniker of being the last wilderness of England and once you are up here, you will probably agree. It is one of the last areas where native English red squirrels still exist. If you are extremely lucky you may see one outside the cottage, get your camera ready, they are very elusive but once you see those red tufty ears you will never forget them!

The North Pennines is the northernmost section of the Pennine range of hills which runs north–south through northern England. It lies between Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east. It is bounded to the north by the Tyne Valley and to the south by the Stainmore Gap. The area has a rich mining history and the people are amazing, friendly and welcoming to all. We may be biased but we believe that this is a truly magical place.

We are located right on the A689, which is part of the Coast to Coast cycle route, popular with cyclists and leads over beautiful vistas and scenery the likes of which will stay in your memory for years afterwards. Just across from the cottage, across the River Nent, is Isaac’s Tea Trail, a wonderful  trail that stretches from Alston, England’s highest town, with Allendale and includes romantic hamlets like Ninebanks and our own old lead mining village of Nenthead. The A689 is also England’s highest A road. This year, it will feature on the Tour of England Cycle race.

Other amazing roads that are in the Top 10 highest roads of England and are nearby are:

Killhope Cross (627m / 2057 ft) on the A689 which runs past the cottage and is also the country’s highest public road. This is lined by snow poles, which are a feature of our area, giving a hint of just how much it can snow in winter!! For cyclists, this road reaches 20% gradient at times.

Black Hill (Nenthead) (609m / 1998 ft) On the C2C route, on the Cumbria/Northumberland border.

Great Southern Drove Road (607m / 1991 ft) - Newbiggin towards Westgate , this beautiful elevated drive (or cycle) is also known as the Roof of England.

Dowgang Hush (Nenthead) (599m / 1976 ft) - this is within walking distance of our cottage and is also featured on the C2C cycle route.

Yad Moss (598m / 1962 ft) - highest B road in the country

The A689 (that we are on) is the highest A road in England and if you are lucky to stay with us over winter, you may be blessed with snowy vistas stretching as far as the eye can see just a few minutes up the road. We get so much snow at times that you may want to bring your ski / snowboarding equipment, as up the road we have Yad Moss Ski Centre. To the left of the cottage the road goes straight to the Lake District over the famous Hartside Pass, which is breathtaking at the summit, where you can see as far as Scotland and the Solway Firth and the majestic peaks of the Lake District. It is perhaps not a surprise to local people in the know that the AA classed this drive in the Top 10 most scenic drives in the world. From there you descend into the Eden Valley, which is the gateway to the Lake District and easily accessed for fun days out. But the real beauty of this gem of a cottage is its location. A week will not be enough to sample everything that this cottage has within easy access. You will be spoilt for choice!  Nenthead is in Cumbria and situated near 3 county borders, beautiful Northumberland and its Dark Skies, Hadrian’s wall and more, pretty County Durham and the Weardale Valley with Englands biggest waterfall, High Force, beautiful Barnard Castle and its lovely charity shops, cafes and independent shops, not to mention the breathtaking museum based on the Palace of Versailles, Bowes Museum and last but not least Yorkshire Dales. The relative obscurity of the North Pennines has meant that many authors and historians have referred to this area as the last wilderness of England. We believe this fits the bill completely. Here you can see the elusive red squirrel, sauntering down the street with his tufty ears and beautiful tail (Try and get a picture if you’re quick enough, they are close to extinction and are therefore a protected species and very rare to spot in England now), you can watch our resident bunnies play in the garden, say hello to our resident horses in the stables, wave to the sheep in the field beyond, and marvel at the beautiful plumage of the pheasants who stalk around looking for food in the paddock.

View from one of the bedrooms

But don’t take our word for granted, we have put together a page here that lists all our recommendations in the local areas. We welcome your feedback as it is inevitable that you will also stumble across your own little gems in this beautiful area, if so, please do email us and let us know.

This is what Mich fell in love with over twenty years ago when working in the area, and now we feel blessed to be able to offer our home to visitors, families, pets and children alike. We hope that this is the start of beautiful memories for you and your loved ones, and we sincerely hope that you treasure this cottage and come back and enjoy it again and again.

Within walking distance

-       C2C cycle route (on the doorstep)

-       Isaac’s Tea Trail (from the house, turn right and follow the main road for about 200m until there is a turning on the left. Follow the foothpath signs around the corner which will take you alongside the River Nent directly opposite Cranmore Cottage.)

-       Nenthead Mines (Carr’s Mine) – You can’t come to Nenthead and not learn about its interesting mining past. See their website for opening hours – Explore an old zinc and lead mine with a knowledgeable tour guide, tea and cake available at the end of your tour!

-   2 minutes walk (turn right from our front door) The Hive at Nenthead is a beautiful restored Wesleyan chapel providing  catering evenings, café, poet/music/comedian performances and art gallery to the local community. Free wi-fi, dog friendly and induction loop. Highly recommended. Check their website for opening times (Covid-dependent).

-   Numerous beautiful footpaths within walking distance. We list a few here. 

-Garrigill to Alston and back via Nenthead

-The Hush, Nenthead - Magical wooded ravine walk up to the top of Nenthead, beautiful nature walk alongside stream and mini-waterfalls, ancient woodland and tranquiility.  Walk to the village and head towards the Overwater Inn. Directly opposite follow the footpath through a car park through a gate, and adjacent to a stream. 

-Walk to Froggers  - Local beauty spot with natural pond fringed with trees in the forest. Turn right at the front door and walk through the village to the Nenthead Mines Car Park. Cross the bridge and enter the gate, walk up a grassy knoll and there is the magical Froggers pond. From there you can continue to walk up to the top of the moor and access beautiful wide ranging views around Nenthead. Really lovely walk if you have children.

-Haggs Bank walk - follow the road to the left of the house, until you reach a Footpath on your right labelled Haggs Bank. This is also close to the Haggs Bank campsite. 

- Bucks Bottom - easy circular walk along the river Nent opposite and around the top of the village. Cross the road when leaving the cottage. Turn right and follow the road over the bridge and turn a sharp right so that you are now walking alongside the river in the cottage’s direction. You will pass a dog bin on your right. Follow the river until you reach a road, turn left here and continue along the river, following Isaac’s Tea Trail signs. At the wooden bridge, turn right and walk up the hill past the mineshaft entrance then rejoin the road and walk into the village. You can see the cottage from the top of the road and then descend into the pretty village of Nenthead. At the bottom of the road, turn right again on the main road, passing the Hive and you will arrive at the cottage again. 

- Perry’s Dam - You can reach Perry’s Dam by walking through the Hush either from the Overwater pub or the Nenthead Mines car park. It is also on Google maps. 

- There is a smaller reservoir just up the road leading to the Nenthead Mines, keep on walking and it will be on your right.

-   Dog enclosed field (from the house turn left and walk up the hill until you have passed the houses and approach a dog poo bin on the right, with a gate. The field is through the gate and is safely enclosed for dogs.

Within a short drive (5-20 minutes away)

-   Hartside Pass is a must-see. It is only 16 minutes drive away from the Cottage. Turn left and follow the road through Alston, following signs for Penrith. Bring a good camera and a picnic lunch if you want, although there is a van selling buns and other hot food sometimes. On a clear day you can see for miles, to the peaks of the Lake District and as far as Scotland over the Solway.

-   Alston (8 minutes drive away) is the highest town in England. It is a quaint cobbled town with lovely cafes and shops, well worth spending an afternoon in. Try Saddlers Bakery for delicious baked fare. There is a pharmacy and a Co-Op and Spar mini market for your basic necessities. Most days there is a local produce market stall in the middle of the town.

-   South Tynedale Railway, Alston -England’s highest narrow-gauge railway. A fun and scenic day out with the children on their steam or diesel locomotives riding through the breathtaking beauty of the North Pennines. Call ahead if you want to make sure it is a steam train you ride, as they are not used every day. Trains run from Alston to Slaggyford.

-   Hub Heritage and Transport Museum, Alston – If you love your classic cars then this is a worthwhile place to visit. Housing a charming collection of old cars, bicycles and motorbikes, this small museum is a celebration of the Alston area with old photos and other items to explore.

-   Yad Moss Ski Centre – in the winter depending on snow conditions this ski slope is open for experienced skiers. More information available here.

-   Ashgill Force Waterfall – 6 minutes drive away – 17 metres high, beautiful waterfall near Garrigill (the next village from Nenthead). This is the highest waterfall in this area. Reach it from the footpath at Ashgill Bridge after descending through a magical wooded gorge.

-   Epiacum Roman Fort (12 minutes away) – one of the best preserved Roman forts in England. It was built as a supplement to Hadrian’s wall’s defences. Hares, curlews and skylarks are plentiful here, keep watch as you ascend towards the top and you will be rewarded with beautiful views across the North Pennines. There is a farm shop and café should you fancy something to eat after your walk.

-   Cow Green Reservoir is one of the highest reservoirs in England. 2 miles long and on the famed Pennine Way, this makes for an interesting walk with the wild moorland as a backdrop and the mind-numbing views that are typical of this area especially if you venture off the beaten track.

High Cup Nick is a must see in this area. To reach this beautiful glacial valley you can access it via Dufton Car Park or Cow Green Reservoir. 

Further Afield

The Lake District

Buttermere - Harry Johnson Photography

Perhaps the most famous area to explore with ease from our cottage is the Lake District. We are about 50 minutes drive away from Pooley Bridge, which is the gateway to Ullswater, the second largest lake. The route will take you on the A689 from our cottage over Hartside Pass through the beautiful Eden Valley and Penrith and into the National Park. From there you can explore the many beautiful villages, tarns and lakes of the Park.

50 mins drive to Pooley Bridge, Ullswater Lake, Lake District (Boat/kayak/canadian canoe hire, windsurfing and sailing classes)

• 1 hour 25 minutes drive to Windemere

• 1 hour 15 minutes drive to Kendal

• 50 minutes drive to Carlisle

• 15 mins drive to Hartside Pass

• 40 minutes drive to Penrith

• 50 minutes drive to Keswick

Eden Valley, Cumbria

Lowther Castle and Gardens (45 minutes drive) – Highly recommended. Beautiful castle near Penrith. The house used to be derelict but is now restored and has wonderful gardens to explore as well. The Lost Castle is an adventure playground for younger members of your family and there is also a bicycle hire and path which takes in the beautiful countryside of the Eden Valley and its surroundings. In summer, Lowther Country Fair is amazing for all ages, with horse carriage driving, various animal shows, hound shows and world class championships such as gundog, clay shooting etc. We have seen shows including stunt shows on beautiful horses, medieval jousting and more there. Absolutely a date to put in your calendar!

Long Meg and her Daughters (30 minutes drive)

Local legend states that these were a witch’s coven turned to stone forever more by a wizard from Scotland. Soak in the Bronze Age vibes here amidst tranquil surroundings and the backdrop, as ever, of the mountains. It is the second largest stone circle in England. William Wordsworth wrote ‘Next to Stonehenge it is beyond dispute the most notable relic that this or probably any other country contains.’

 Shap Abbey, Penrith (35 minutes drive)

Built in 1199, these historic ancient ruins are wonderful to explore. They are in a secluded valley by the river Lowther and are significant as they were the last monastery to be dissolved by Henry the Eighth of Tudor fame. You can find out more here.

King Arthur’s Round Table, Penrith (35 minutes drive)

King Arthur's Round Table is a Neolithic earthwork henge, dating from about 2000 BC, but much later believed to be King Arthur's jousting arena. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Find out more here.

Brougham Castle

Built in the early 13th century this beautiful castle is set next to the River Eamont. This is a fascinating day out, especially for a picnic with the whole family. Try climbing to the top of the keep for amazing views across the surrounding Eden countryside.

Rookin House Adventure Centre (55 minutes drive)

Based in beautiful Troutbeck, this makes for a great day out with the kids. Rookin House offers paintballing, off-road driving, quad biking, horse riding, archery, clay pigeon shooting and fishing.

 County Durham

- Barnard Castle and Bowes Museum, County Durham (40 minutes drive)

A favourite of ours, this beautiful town and its palace (Bowes Museum) based on Versailles is a great museum to explore with the family.

Beautiful Bowes Museum only 40 minutes drive away

Andrew Curtis / Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

 - High Force and Low Force Waterfalls (25 minutes drive) – High Force (Force was the Viking word for waterfall) Park in the Bowlees Visitor Centre which also acts as a gateway to the North Pennines AONB and has tons of information on what to do in the area. Alternatively you can park in the Raby estate car park, signposted High Force Hotel and waterfall but beware you only have 10 minutes to get a ticket or be fined.

High  Force Waterfall only 25 minutes drive away

Northumberland and Hadrian’s Wall

Northumberland is a truly magical county and in Cranmore Cottage we are only minutes away from the border. This county contains more castles than any other county in England, so it makes sense to try and find some castles nearby.

The most famous castle is a little further afield, but is doable as a day trip. 1 hour and 30 minutes drive away is Alnwick Castle, of Downton Abbey and Harry Potter’s Hogwarts fame.

Not too far from the cottage is Hadrian’s wall country, a testament to the power of the Roman invaders of yore. Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum is situated in Haydon Bridge, which is about 40 minutes drive to the North of the cottage.

Hexham (40 minutes away) is one of the nearest towns with a dark Viking past. Visit the beautiful Abbey and Sele Grounds or do some shopping. Hexham is home to England’s very first purpose built prison, the Old Gaol.

Allendale (20 minutes away) is a beautiful and charming village set in beautiful countryside. As always the drive from the cottage is extremely scenic. Highly recommended - take the route via Carrshield. This takes you over the highest public road in England, the sweeping vistas will take your breath away in any season.

Pay a visit to Langley Castle Hotel, a resplendent castle near us, about 25 minutes away from us.

Kielder Observatory - highly recommended. 1 hour and a half drive away in Kielder Forest, a designated Dark Skies Park and the largest one of its kind in Europe. Cranmore Cottage also benefits from beautiful dark skies, and we have equipped the cottage with a firepit and seating area for gazing at the stars late at night.

Facilities 

Please make yourselves comfortable, we have cleaning materials in the kitchen cupboard if you wish to use them.

Bins & Recycling- You do not need to recycle however we would appreciate it if you did as it helps to do our part for the environment. There is a recycling point in Nenthead village about 2 minutes walk to the right just before you get to the Miners Arms. 

We ask you to look after our home just like it were yours, so we would appreciate it if you could put the blue bin bags (in the bin) out on Tuesday morning for collection outside the door and collect the 2 bin bags that the bin men will leave in its place. Thank you! 

We have a washing machine for your use should you need them. 

Barbeque - In the warmer months, we provide a charcoal bbq at the back.

Kitchen facilities

As a keen cook, I often find that I want to bake a cake when on holiday but there is no facility as some holiday home owners only provide the bare minimum. At Camellia I have aimed to provide everything you may need! Here are the main kitchen items we have in the house. 

• Tassimo Coffee Machine 

• Kettle

• Toaster

• Microwave

• Blender

• Handheld Electric Mixer

• Baking trays / Cake tins / Pudding Tins / Muffin Tins / Character Moulds / Cupcake Liners 

• Cafetiere

I have also made available tea, coffee, sugar, salt and pepper for your use if you want. 

Bathrooms and Hot water

Hot water is scheduled to come on in the morning and evening. If you want to get some hot water outside of these times, simply press the Boost button on the Nest.

To operate the electric shower in the ground floor wetroom, simply turn on the red switch outside and press the button in the shower and adjust the dial to the hot or cold setting.

Thanks so much for your cooperation! 

Garden

The use of our garden is exclusively for your use. 

Dogs and country etiquette

We are in the middle of a rural community that relies on farming, grouse shooting and other country businesses. 

Please be considerate, pick up your dog poo and keep your dogs on leash.

Bins and recycling

Our local council doesn’t deal with bins only the blue bin bags we have supplied you with so we have to put all rubbish in there. They are large enough to fit a few black bin bags in. Our bin storage is shared with our adjacent cottage Cranmore House. At the door, turn right, and there is a grey bin storage box in the driveway. Please open it from the top only and deposit your bag inside.

Bin days are on Tuesday mornings so if you’re in the cottage we would also appreciate if you could put them out on the pavement.

There is a recycling centre about 5 minutes walk to the right as you enter the village, just before the pub Miners Arms. Please do recycle before you leave if possible.

Many thanks!

Departure Information

We hope you have enjoyed your stay at our home. Please note that departure time is at 10am on the designated date of departure. Before you leave, we just ask a couple of favours to help our housekeeper prepare for our next guests.

• Please empty the fridge of all food.

 • Please remove all rubbish bags and place them outside the front door, tied up securely in blue bags (which can be found under the sink)

 • Cranmore- Please load all dishes into the dishwasher and run it on the normal cycle. Camellia - Please wash your dishes, dry them and put them away.

• Please strip the beds of the duvet cover, sheet and pillowcases and place the linen inside the bags provided.

• Please lock all doors and close all windows. 

• Place the keys back inside the lockbox on the back door.

If you choose, we’d also appreciate an entry in our guestbook , Google page or Facebook page and/or your online portal. We love to hear from all our past guests. We are a small family  business and we rely on your good reviews to grow our business. Thank you in advance!

Please remember for next time that it is always cheaper to book direct and helps small businesses as large global companies such as Airbnb and Sykes Cottages take 20% of our income in fees. You help small family run businesses when you choose to book directly with the owners. To do so, go to www.holidaysincumbria.co.uk or email us on info@holidaysincumbria.co.uk

Lastly, thank you from the bottom of our heart for choosing to stay with us, we hope that your stay has been memorable and that you come again soon! 

We hope you have a safe journey home and leave with fond memories. 

Warmest regards, Mich  and the family! X