Like your homes bright and bursting with character? Then you’ll adore Fell End.
Featuring the vibrant hues and quirky interiors that were the owner and designer Sabina Forwood’s trademark (see her smaller sister properties Walltown Byre and Lowtown Cottage), this magical escape for families is found deep in Northumberland’s sleepy south-west.
Bold colours predominante, as does an eclectic, whimsical mix of modern, vintage and upcycled design. Look out for a lamp formed from one of Jay-Z’s Ace of Spades champagne bottles, peridot-green cupboards, Christian Lecroix wallpaper, tree etchings by local artists and a portrait of Hadrian’s wife — who was also called Sabina.
An open-plan kitchen and living space forms Fell End’s heart. Dotted around this are three window seats, a large dining table for up to 14, sofas and an island breakfast bar with counter seats accompanying the impressive kitchen. A few steps lead youngsters to the games room’s with football table and 2 single beds suitable for children and teenagers. Also on the ground floor is a separate sitting room, containing yet more comfy seating (the sofa can be used as a sofa bed for 2 on request) and a work desk. Strong wi-fi complements both this and the stone inglenook’s 64-inch Smart TV.
In addition to the twin bedroom and sofa bed available on the ground floor, the main sleeping quarters are found upstairs. That includes an en-suite (via an open arch) chamber whose super-king bed can be split into two singles on request, plus king and twin-bedded rooms surrounding a connected, ‘Jack & Jill’ bathroom. There’s also a dorm room in the eaves, its trio of folding Z Beds below a wall featuring famous figures such as Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Clint Eastwood. Beyond that and a utility room, is the fifth and final bedroom with its own luxurious en-suite and another splitable, super-king bed.
Head outside and you’ll find an enclosed rear courtyard patio. There’s a grassy paddock to one side — beyond this is the owners' neighbouring farm — but more attention-grabbing is likely to be the large, luxurious hot tub. Framed by pretty potted plants, outdoor furniture enables al-fresco meals or lazing.
The detached Party Barn building is ripe for group get-togethers or small events. It hosts a cinema area whose projector and three-metre screen scream “movie nights”, a ping-pong table, and a dressing-up box for kids.
Fell End is located near the village of Greenhead, in the Northumberland National Park and half a kilometre from the Hadrian’s Wall Path. An accompanying Roman Army Museum, with 3D films and replica armour, is even closer, and 12th-century Thirlwall Castle’s ruins are barely any further. The Hadrian’s Cycleway route passes through Greenhead, as does the Pennine Way long-distance footpath.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION
For guests looking to holiday together but enjoy their own space, Fell End can be let in conjunction with Walltown Byre sleeping six, Walltown Farm Cottage sleeping six plus a child's bed and sofa bed, and Lowtown Cottage sleeping four. Alternatively, book Walltown Farm Cottage & Byre as a combined unit sleeping 12+2. Lowtown Cottage is approximately a 25 minute walk away along the public footpath, and Walltown Byre and Walltown Farm Cottage are approximately a 30 minute walk.
Getting availability
