Additional Information

Alma Cottage

The amenities of the cottage include full central heating, TV, video and DVD player, radio and CD player, telephone, microwave, dishwasher, fridge-freezer, automatic washing-machine, tumble-dryer and all the normal things you would expect to find in a fully-equipped kitchen and dining room. We have built up a good selection of books and videos, including some specifically for children. There are also toys for various ages. We welcome children, and a cot, high chair and stair gates are available if needed.

To protect those with allergies we do not normally accept dogs or cats or allow smoking in the house.

We have a room with WC and washing facilities on the ground floor, and we hope this will make the cottage more accessible to those who find stairs a problem. One of our living room sofas is a bed-settee, so it would be possible for one or two people to sleep downstairs if necessary.

Kirkby Malzeard is a friendly village with a strong community life, and most people who visit enjoy making use of the facilities there. There is an excellent butcher's shop just across the road, and a few yards up the road is Kirkby Stores, open from 6 am till 7 pm, stocking just about everything including videos, daily papers and milk. There is a parish church and a Methodist chapel, two pubs with food and entertainment, a Mechanics Institute (Village Hall) which runs various events, and a garage which does petrol and repairs. There is a part-time fish and chip shop and a teashop which also serves lunches in summer. For young children there is a playing field a few yards from the cottage in the back lane. We have an arrangement with the local tennis club, so that for a small weekly charge, visitors can use their courts. Public transport in the area runs daily to Ripon and surrounding villages, and there is a good bus service from Ripon onwards to rail connections at Leeds and Harrogate. If you want to travel farther afield, you would need your own car - though cyclists could manage quite well.

The beautiful Dales countryside around the village is ideal for walking, cycling, riding and birdwatching. We have a selection of maps and guides to local walks available in the cottage, along with tourist information leaflets for many other places of interest in the area.

Kirkby Malzeard is famed in folk circles for having its own traditional sword dance, and morris and sword dancers often visit the village to dance by the market cross. There are so many local attractions - see the links from this website - that most of our guests find they have to pay at least one return visit!

The price for the cottage includes electricity and central heating oil. Solid fuel for the stove is not supplied, but the garage a few yards down the road stocks logs, coal and kindling in handy bags at reasonable prices, and charcoal if you wish to use the barbecue. We have a payphone which takes incoming and outgoing calls. Bed-linen and a couple of teacloths are provided, but please bring your own towels. If this presents difficulty for any reason, we can loan you a set of four large and four smaller towels at a cost of £15.

Our local manager is our daughter Mrs Mary Jones, who lives five doors away at Box Tree House, next to the Henry Jenkins pub. She will be making herself known to you and is there if you have any problems or would like local information. She may be able to help you with cycling, horse-riding or baby-sitting by arrangement.

BOOKING CHARGES

Prices are normally from Saturday to Saturday, £100 payable on booking, the balance one month before the holiday, and range from a minimum of £300 in January or November to a maximum of £600. For full details, phone, email or write for our brochure.

Short breaks are available out of season, and sometimes for short-notice lets. If you are interested, please enquire.

We also offer discounts out of season when the letting is only for one or two people.

To reserve, ring Janet on 01621 828576, or if no reply try Mary on 01765 658736

Booking address: Mrs J E Barclay, 12 St Stephen's Road, Cold Norton, Chelmsford, CM3 6JE.

email: janet@lbarclay.demon.co.uk

This page last updated on 04/09/2009