Rowan Cottage Healey

Rowan Cottage is in Healey, near Masham. It's small, sleeps four, and is fine for a couple or a small family. It's stone-built, and one of a few cottages on the lane.

You get two bedrooms. One has a kingsize bed. The other has bunk beds, which are fine for kids but maybe a bit tight for adults. There's one bathroom with both a bath and a separate shower.

Downstairs, there's a living room with an open fire. We leave some wood for you to get started. The kitchen has what you need. The dining room is separate, which is handy if someone's cooking while others are eating.

There are two gardens. The one at the front faces south and gets the sun. The one at the back is enclosed and looks onto open fields. It's quiet. There's parking for one car right outside.

Healey itself is quiet. There's a good pub you can walk to, about half a mile. Masham is three miles away. That's where the Theakston and Black Sheep breweries are if you like that sort of thing. They have tours. The town has a market square and a few shops.

For days out, Ripon is about 15 minutes by car. The cathedral is worth a look. Just outside Ripon is Fountains Abbey, which is a big National Trust site with ruins and gardens. It's a full day out.

The Yorkshire Dales start pretty much on the doorstep. You can walk from the cottage onto footpaths. If you want to drive in, it's about 20 minutes to proper dale scenery. For something different, The Forbidden Corner is a strange sort of folly garden that kids tend to like. It's about a 25-minute drive.

Facilities: it's got a washing machine, dishwasher, WiFi, and TV. Bedding and towels are included. There's a cot and a highchair if you need them. You can bring one dog. There's bike storage in the shed.

Useful links: Yorkshire Dales National Park and English Heritage page for Fountains Abbey.