High Cark Cottage, Cartmel Valley, High Cark, Field Broughton, Grange-Over-Sands, LA11 6HS

This delightful detached country cottage faces almost due south and has lovely views over the cottage style gardens and the fields that come with the cottage and then to the wider countryside of patchwork fields and onwards to Hampsfell.

This delightful detached country cottage faces almost due south and has lovely views over the cottage style gardens and the fields that come with the cottage and then to the wider countryside of patchwork fields and onwards to Hampsfell.

The spire of St Peter’s church in Field Broughton punctuates the vista and on a Sunday morning if the wind is in the right direction, you can hear the church bells from Cartmel Priory. It was the view that sealed the deal when the present owners first viewed the property and no wonder, it’s absolutely delightful and to be appreciated really needs to be viewed in person from the garden aspect of High Cark Cottage.

Detached, stone built under a slated roof, the cottage oozes character and charm, it dates back to the 1800s with the living room and principal bedroom above added in the 1980’s and the garden room a final extension in 2014.

The beamed cottage has a lovely calm feel, it is attractively presented and has undergone sympathetic and gentle upgrading to retain much of its old world charm whilst gently ushering it into the 21th century. Décor uses a palette of shades found in nature and several of the rooms feature William Morris wallpaper which further highlights the natural world and allow the cottage to sit well in the natural space and rural setting. All windows are double glazed with the exception of one tiny one and have either stained wooden frames or are UPVC.

Cottage gardens feature native and traditional plants, there’s extensive parking, a range of outbuildings and two paddocks. Wildlife abounds; birds, hares, badgers, foxes and deer have all passed through.

The cottage and garden measure 0.287 acres, the first paddock a further 0.385 acres and Henry’s Paddock another 0.649 acres bringing the total in at 1.313 acres. Please note all measurements are approximate.

Location

The traditional farming hamlet of High Cark in the Cartmel Valley is the setting for this quintessential country cottage. With no lighting pollution, it’s a place to appreciate dark starry nights. Favourite walks from the door include over to Heft at High Newton for a bite to eat, into Cartmel for a coffee or lunch and onto High Cark Allotment where there’s open access roaming. Yew Tree Barn at Low Newton is also worth checking out with antiques, reclamation, gifts and a great café.

The nearest primary school is at Cartmel where there is also a secondary school with sixth form available either at Ulverston or Kendal. As is often the way with rural areas, there is a thriving local community with active village halls at Field Broughton, High Newton and Allithwaite. An accessible location for both road (M6 J36 16.6 miles) and rail access (Oxenholme railway station on the main West coast line is 16.3 miles distant and there are smaller connecting stations at both Cark in Cartmel and Grange over Sands) and also visiting local and Lakeland attractions.

The historic village of Cartmel is 2.9 miles distant and offers an excellent local shop, Michelin star restaurants, a racecourse, annual agricultural show and the former Post Office is home to the famous sticky toffee pudding. Lake Windermere is 4.2 miles away and the delightful Edwardian seaside resort of Grange over Sands with its thriving high street of independent shops and supermarkets is a 5.3 mile drive. The Cumbrian market town of Kendal (16.6 miles) has a comprehensive range of retail and commercial facilities and for jetting off, the nearest airport is Manchester (91 miles). The above journey distances are for approximate guidance only and have been sourced from the fastest route on the AA website from the property postcode.

Accommodation

Ground Floor

Porch

With slate benches either side, it opens to:

Dining Kitchen
5.46m x 3.61m (17'10" x 11'10" )

Classic cream cabinets include larder and carousel units; there are colourful handmade wall tiles and terracotta floor tiles are both practical and hardwearing. Appliances comprise NEFF integral freezer, hob, oven and combination oven/microwave and Liebher drawer fridge. A fireplace has potential for a wood burning stove, or AGA to be fitted if desired. A window seat to the front captures the view and is the chosen location for the kitchen table.

Study
3.30m x 3.02m (10'9" x 9'10" )

Always useful is a second sitting room, here the owners use it as a library and office and have bookcases with adjustable height shelving all along one wall. There are French windows with plantation shutters leading out to the garden.

Staircase Hall

There’s great storage under the stairs.

Living Room
5.47m x 3.76m (17'11" x 12'4" )

Packing a punch in the character department, this welcoming and cosy room has a Charnwood woodburning stove and exposed stonework. There are French windows through to

Garden Room
5.75m x 3.71m (18'10" x 12'2" )

With a solid roof and a slated floor, this is very much an all year round space. New in 2014 the double glazed windows (sitting over slated cills) and French windows opening to the garden are all made of sepele hardwood. The views are great, this is a really lovely room which really brings the garden and view indoors.

The Really Useful Room

Boiler room (Worcester oil fired boiler), laundry (washing machine space with space to stack a tumble drier on top if desired), loo, wash basin and space for storage, this very useful space has it all. Terracotta floor tiles and Velux skylight.

First Floor

Landing

Boarded doors are painted in ‘kilkenny’ a soft shade of green and have brass fittings. There’s space for a chair, it’s favoured as a lovely place to sit and read.

Principal Bedroom
4.25m x 3.61m (13'11" x 11'10" )

Two wardrobes made of pine tongue and groove boarding. Lovely views to both the west and south with plantation shutters fitted.

Ensuite Bathroom

Bath, shower cubicle, pedestal wash basin and loo. Two sets of plantation shutters with outlooks to the north and west. Botanical inspired wall tiling and laminate flooring with a wooden plank flooring aesthetic.

Double Bedroom Two
3.63m x 3.33m (11'10" x 10'11")

With lovely old wide pine floor boards and upright timbers exposed in one of the internal walls. Exposed stone recess to window and a pine window seat.

Double Bedroom Three
3.37m x 3.02m (11'0" x 9'10" )

There’s a pine window seat, exposed wooden window lintel and plantation window shutters.

Shower Room

With a slate tiled floor and some exposed stonework, there’s a large shower cubicle, loo and square cut wash basin set onto vanity cabinet. Heated towel rail and cupboard housing the hot water storage tank.

Outside

Arriving at the cottage through the gated access there’s great parking to be had. Walking towards the cottage and you go under a wooden arch where a climbing rose and honeysuckle provide a fragrant welcome. Cottage style gardens with lawns and herbaceous borders front the cottage and are a sunny spot for sitting with a Lakeland flagged terrace. In spring there is a successional show of flowering bulbs, starting with snowdrops and continuing with daffodils and bluebells. Stone benches and low stone walls provide opportunities for cushions to be added and seats taken.

To the west of the cottage is a wild garden full of native wild flowers as well as eating and crab apple trees. There is a small detached stone and slate store. To the east an established lilac tree is planted at the door to the workshop which has power, light and good natural light. Attached to this, a small area with a high fence provides a screened outside store. From the front garden stone steps lead down to a level lawn, bordering the field there’s a row of fruit bushes; black, white and red currants and gooseberries.

Vehicular access continues to the general purpose outbuilding. Warning – this is likely to encourage shed envy from your friends! With larch boarding and a sheeted roof with some transparent panels, this is a great space and has both power and light. This building could be easily substituted for a large garage, subject to planning permission.

To the south of the cottage and garden are the two paddocks included in the sale. The first has a traditional English mixed hedge planted along one boundary featuring dog rose, sweet briar, hornbeam, field maple, hawthorn and blackthorn. The vendors mow it in rotating sections allowing the native species to flourish. There is an opening through to the second field, “Henry’s Paddock”, currently in the course of re-wilding. The hedges to two sides of Henry’s Paddock have been professionally laid and the Lakeland stone boundary wall is a work of art. A gate in the far corner provides access to a bridleway, from here there’s a route for walking to Cartmel via a series of footpaths and green lanes.

To the north of the cottage and along the lane side there is a deep herbaceous border, planted to provide seasonal colour and interest from inside the cottage looking out.

Directions

www.what3words.com massaging.escapades.appeal

Use the postcode LA11 6HS on Sat Nav with reference to the directions below:

From the M6, exit at J36 and head west on the A590. Leave the first slip road, continuing on the A590 following signs for Barrow, Newby Bridge. After climbing Lindale Hill, exit left signposted Cartmel, Low Newton, High Newton. At the T junction turn right and then first left and make your way to and then through the hamlet of Barber Green. Proceed straight through the next small crossroads and when you reach the T junction, turn left and then first right. You are now approaching the property which is the third on the left and beyond which the lane termitates after 200 yards with High Cark Hall and adjacent farm.

Services

Mains electricity and water. Oil fired central heating to radiators. LPG for the kitchen hob. Drainage to a shared septic tank located in an adjacent field. CCTV is fitted and is included in the sale.

Broadband

Ultrafast speed of 900 Mbps download and for uploading 110 Mbps.

Tenure

Freehold

Included in the sale

Fitted carpets, blinds, plantation shutters, light fittings and kitchen appliances as described. The two Everhot electric stoves (mustard yellow in the kitchen and the powder blue in the garden room) are available by way of further negotiation

Local Authority charges

Westmorland and Furness Council – Council Tax band F