Testimonials

Thank you Anna for your hospitality. What a gem of a cottage, everything we could have asked for, stunning views, magnificent walks, amazing sourdough bread and pizzas. Just what we needed thank you.

April 2026

5* - a really great place to stay for a weekend retreat. Tonnes of lovely views and wildlife to see. Lots of local footpaths and routes for walking. We enjoyed a couple of lovely homemade pizzas on our first night. Overall, a really cosy spot.

APRIL 2026

This is out 2nd visit and it didn’t diassappoint. We truly appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and sense of homely luxury that makes this place feel perfect and beautiful at Christmas. Everything is relaxing and effortless and it’s always a pleasure to come back. We feel truly spoilt, looking forward to many more visits.

December 2025

Thank you so much for a lovely stay at this beautiful property. We have been soothed by the glorious surroundings and touched by Anna’s kindness and homemade treats.

October 2025

One of the best stays I've ever had in the UK. Location beautiful. Very private and peaceful with facilities and services to match. The food was amazing with a selection of homemade breakfast and pizzas and homemade chocolate brownies. 10/10

August 2025

This is a truly 5* property. Beautifully furnished, high quality appliances, lots of extra touches. Excellent beds. Country location, perfect for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle. Great walks, plenty of pubs.

July 2025

Unlike a lot of listings, this lived up to expectations with no faults. Anna is a superb host who is available but unobtrusively present. The accommodation is spacious and clean with outstanding views and a quiet atmosphere, an easy place to relax, private and quiet. Hot-tub overlooking the rolling hills with a chorus of birdsong! Located for the east coast, York and beyond, great walking routes on your door step.

July 2023

A fabulous cottage surrounded by the most stunning countryside. Lots of great walks in the surrounding area and wildlife in abundance! The cottage is immaculately clean and comfortable…. the beds were so cosy! Lots of games and equipment for all the family, even on the wettest days we could find something to keep us entertained. Will definatly try and visit again next year.

August 2023

Cowdale Cottage is excellent. Very comfortable accommodation in a glorious peaceful setting. Great walking on the Wolds starting right at the door step and plenty of places to visit a little further afield. Anna is a marvellous host, really friendly and helpful. We cannot recommend Cowdale Cottage highly enough, it exceeded all our expectations and we will be returning.

September 2023

This is a wonderful cottage in a delightful setting. The place is equipped to a very high standard and is extremely comfortable, especially the wonderful beds! All three generations of our family loved it and plan to come again. We cannot recommend it too highly. Anna is very warm and welcoming host - you really made us feel at home . The location is lovely and there are a great many of things to see and do in the area.

August 2021

Anna is the perfect host from booking through to check out, everything was easy and communication was great. Her knowledge of the local area is really helpful. The Blacksmiths shop was a wonderful romantic get away. It was cosy and charming with a touch of luxury. We were fortunate enough to enjoy Annas famous homemade pizzas which were delicious.  We also did a wire sculpting class with Anna which was so relaxing and enjoyable and love being able to take our cockerel and chicken home as mementos

August 2021 

An absolutely wonderful stay at the Blacksmiths shop. The property was luxurious and clean with added extra special touches.  The scenery was breathtaking and lots of beautiful walks to go on nearby. We loved the sights and sounds of the pheasants roaming and watching the moon and stars from the hot-tub.  a real treat for our wedding anniversary and a lovely break from the hustle and bustle. Lovely host and a lovely stay - thank you

September 21

We had a wonderful stay at Rabbitdale and loved the boutique-hotel style accommodation Anna provides.  What better way to relax after exploring the delights of Yorkshire than to enjoy a bottle of fizz in the hotter looking out over the beautiful countryside-idyllic! Anna is the perfect host, on hand when you need her but discreet when you dont. We wholeheartedly recommend and would love to return one day.

July 2021

Cowdale cottage is spacious, luxurious and very comfortable The farmstead is in a beautiful location with lovely walks right on your front door; venture further afield for York or Beverley and enjoy the rolling Wolds countryside on your way. Star gazing accompanied by the sound of owls was a real highlight, as were Anna's home cooked pizzas and the sourdough loaves. Highly recommended.

August 2021

Wow! The pictures do no do it justice! The barn is a stunning place to stay and defiantly 5*. Every box is ticked, its ultra clean, everything works great, everything that you need more. The hot tub, terrace area and garden are amazing and the views and scenery magic.

August 2021

Lovely private space. Super-king bed, huge bath and shower. Amazing views. Nice walk to the local pub. the breakfast and pizzas were great value. Cant wait to return.

May 2021

Such an amazing place- would definitely recommend! The accommodation is immaculate, charming and cosy! The views from the hot tub are to die for especially under a clear starry night sky. We even saw the lighthouse light from flamborough! Anna was an outstanding host, extremely helpful and accommodating! We loved chatting to her over breakfast. We loved it so much we are already planning when to return. Just want we needed to recharge our batteries and unwind- away from the hectic, hustle bustle of everyday life! Thankyou Anna

August 2020

Cowdale Cottage is spacious, luxurious and very comfortable. The farmstead is in a beautiful location with lovely walks from the front door; venture further afield for York or Beverly and enjoy rolling Wolds countryside on your way. Stargazing accompanied by the sound of the owls was a real highlight, as were Anna's home cooked pizzas and sourdough loaves. Highly recommended.

August 2021

We had such a lovely time at the Blacksmiths cottage. We booked it for our mini-moon and it did not disappoint. Very quiet, relaxing and romantic. We enjoyed using the hot tub and cooked on the BBQ most evenings. We would recommend having one of Anna’s pizzas and her full English fry up as they were very tasty. Would 100% recommend staying here

September 2021

A beautifully appointed luxe property in a stunning location. Anna is a lovely host and you will have a wonderful stay. And you should definitely order her home cooked pizza, it's delicious.

August 2021

This property is so beautiful, the views are stunning and you can truly relax for the duration of your stay. We made the most of the hot tub even through some very rough weather and took some dvds with us due to the forecast! It is luxurious, clean and a great place to stay if you'd like to escape from the world for a weekend. Anna is a friendly, responsive host and nothing was too much trouble for her, but she also left you in peace to enjoy your stay. It's worth every penny & if you're reading this review whilst contemplating booking the Blacksmiths shop... just do it! You won't be disappointed.

October 2019

We truly had the most amazing stay here for my partners 30th birthday. Everything was perfect, such a beautiful place in stunning surroundings. Anna was extremely friendly and helpful, she really couldn’t do enough to ensure our stay was perfect. I would definitely recommend her homemade pizzas! They were amazing! We loved seeing the stars and the moon from the hot tub (such an experience) and we ventured out for some walks in the beautiful countryside. We will definitely be back! And for longer next time as we didn’t want to leave. Thank you

October 2021

Wow wow wow! This is THE perfect romantic get away. I want to rave about this place but at the same time keep it a secret and keep it to ourselves. However it’s only right to shout about this from the rooftops. It’s an amazing place in an amazing setting! So many personal touches but won’t give them away and ruin the surprises. We loved our weekend and will be back this year Thanks Anna!!!!

January 2020

What a find! The ‘Blacksmith’s Shop’ is an absolute gem. It’s full of character and charm with all the advantages of modern living. The bathroom and bed are enormous and afford a real sense of luxury. The hot tub is amazing and the view are incredible. We opted for the cooked breakfast both mornings and it was such a treat - we highly recommend. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed a day trip to York (about a 40 minute drive). The local pub in the village supplied takeaway and the food was very nice. All in all it was a wonderful stay and we cannot recommend highly enough!

April 2021

Fab

October 2019

A magical stay. You are fabulous! Your place and hostess smiles so warming - loved the seafood!

September 2019

Beautiful location and immaculate cottage. Ideal for a bit of R&R. Lying in the hot looking at the stars could not have been nicer. Breakfast and pizzas were delicious - definitely worth ordering.

October 2021