For those seeking a peaceful rural escape, Birks Stable Cottage is hard to beat with its tranquil setting within the Northumberland National Park, between Hadrian’s Wall and the Scottish border. For all its blissful isolation in the rugged upland hill farming Tarset valley, the property is a mere twenty-minute drive east of Kielder Water and ten minutes’ drive west of the historical market town of Bellingham, with its pretty ivy-clad stone cottages, charming pubs and 11th-century St Cuthbert's Church.
Birks Stable Cottage used to serve as the kitchen and laundry for the main house at The Birks, but has emerged from a recent renovation as an elegant three-bedroom home. Built from soft golden sandstone punctured by tall sash windows, the cottage benefits from underfloor heating throughout the ground floor and a walled patio garden, which makes a sun-drenched spot for morning coffee or pre-dinner drinks.
Stepping into the hallway, you’ll find the kitchen to your right and dining area to your left, flanked on two sides by large windows. The sitting room, which also boasts dual-aspect windows, leads off from the dining area and is warmed by a large fireplace with an ornately carved mantlepiece. Decorated with carefully selected antique furnishings and overlooking the patio garden, the sitting room is an idyllic place in which to relax, read and catch up with loved ones. The kitchen features a range cooker and standalone fridge/freezer, with additional appliances found in a separate utility room.
The ground floor further houses a separate WC and a double bedroom, which features a large ensuite walk-in shower room that’s perfect for guests with restricted mobility.
The cottage offers another two bedrooms, a double and a twin, and a bathroom on the freshly refurbished first-floor, where sloping ceilings are dotted with skylights on both sides to enable light to flood in. Continuing the natural colour palette of the ground floor, the bedrooms are decorated in mossy green, dusky heather, and earthy tones with framed botanical prints and antique furniture completing the classic country house feel.
Walkers, runners and cyclists alike will find countless trails and routes to explore in the larger Tarset valley and on the shores of Kielder Water & Forest Park, England’s largest forest and Northern Europe’s biggest man-made lake. For those seeking a challenge, Kielder also hosts a well-attended annual mountain bike race and marathon.
For more gentle pursuits, Birks Stable Cottage is ideally placed for anglers, who can enjoy boat and bank fishing on Kielder Water as well as trout and salmon fishing on the nearby North Tyne and Rede rivers. Golfers meanwhile have the 18-hole Bellingham golf course on their doorstep. Dating to 1893 and known as Northumberland’s friendliest 18-hole golf club, the par 70 Bellingham course delivers changes of direction and elevation, pretty streams, towering specimen trees, deep ravines and sweeping views across the North Tyne valley.
Finally, Birks Stable Cottage sits within Europe’s largest International Dark Sky Park, making it a prime spot from which to enjoy unparalleled stargazing. With only two streetlamps in the entire Tarset valley, you’ll be able to soak up views of thousands of stars, the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy from the comfort of the cottage garden. Alternatively, get more technical with your stargazing by visiting the Kielder Observatory or dropping into the Battlesteads pub in Wark, which boasts a Dark Sky Observatory and is just under 7 miles away.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION
For one or two guests requiring use of one bedroom and one bathroom only, Little Birks is available as a discounted, reduced occupancy version of Birks Stable Cottage. When booking Little Birks, only the ground-floor of the property with kingsize bedroom and en-suite shower room will be made available for use during your stay.
Getting availability
