I’m bringing my dog, is the garden enclosed?

Yes, the whole property is fenced or hedge-lined the whole way round. However, it is nearly 2 acres including woodland, a ravine with a stream and our timber yard and workshop, so do keep an eye on your dog! We have a gate at the bottom of the drive which you can close once you’ve driven up to the house. There is a hedge between our yard and the house but if your dog is an escape artist (or it’s winter and there’s less greenery) they might be able to squeeze through. We often have our border-collie Col in the yard with us, who is very friendly, but we appreciate not all dogs like other dogs! Please be mindful that our neighbours are sheep on all three sides so please don’t let your dog harass them, particularly in early spring when they will be pregnant.

We are a group of 6 but have an extra friend/child - is there space for one more?

We only have 3 double bedrooms so the house is really set up for 6. However, if you have a 7th small person we do have a single futon which we can make up in the master bedroom or the smaller sitting room for a small extra fee.

Do you allow more than one dog?

We allow two well-behaved dogs, any more than that needs to be agreed with us on an individual basis and we do charge a small extra fee.

Where can I shop locally?

Sedbergh is 3 miles down the road, and has a greengrocer (Powell's), a butcher (The Meat Hook) as well as a small SPAR supermarket where you can get most essentials. You can buy freshly baked Lovingly Artisan sourdough bread from the Mug Story cafe on Main Street.

For more substantial supermarkets head to Kirkby Stephen (10 miles) for Co-op. Or for all the big supermarkets head to Kendal (11 miles) where you’ll find Morrisons, Sainsburies, Aldi, Lidl and Asda.

Are there any cafes nearby?

Sedbergh has two cafes on Main Street - Mug Story and Smatts Duo, both excellent. There’s also Farfield Mill, which is a little out of town, but you can walk there from Sedbergh if you’re looking for a walk and cafe combo, or you can park there and do a nice walk along the river.

Which local pubs do you recommend?

My favourite pub in Sedbergh (3 miles down the road) is the Black Bull. It’s dog-friendly and does delicious food. There’s a really cosy bar area with a wood burner lit all winter, and a restaurant for more fine-dining. In the summer their garden at the back is glorious, and the pigs they keep provide a lot of entertainment for my children!

Also in Sedbergh, and equally as delicious food-wise, but sadly not dog-friendly, is the Dalesman. This is a really cosy pub inside so probably my winter choice!

A little further afield is Ravenstonedale (6 miles) which is charming little village boasting 3 pubs! The Fat Lamb, The King’s Head and The Black Swan.

Can we walk to a pub from Ridge House?

Yes, but…! The Cross Keys is technically our local, but Cautley is a very linear hamlet, so you can walk there along the road in about 30 minutes (1.4 miles) but it is an A-road, and although it is quiet, cars do drive fast and there isn’t a pavement. I certainly don’t recommend it in the dark! Personally, I would happily run to the Cross Keys but if I was going to walk (particularly with my dog!) I would prefer to take the scenic route across the fell and make a day’s hike of the walk there (have lunch)and back. It probably takes an hour, as it’s along the fell side, but it’s a lovely walk, and you will be hungry by the time you get there!

The Cross Keys is a really traditional pub, and it’s worth noting that it is a Temperance Inn (i.e. it DOES NOT SERVE ALCOHOL!) But you can take your own! The story behind this dates back to the 18th century when the landlord saved a drunken patron who fell in the river Rawthey, but then sadly drowned himself. The family vowed never to sell another drop and when the National Trust took over the pub they honoured this wish.

Can you recommend any walks?

I always find this a really tricky question to answer as it is so dependent on the ability of your group and what you’re after. Flat, hilly, wooded, views, dog-friendly, sheep-free, muddy, paved, buggy-friendly, cafe or pub at the end, walk from the door or happy to drive - the list is endless!! The best thing to do is give me a call or I can easily pop up to the house during your stay to find about a bit more about what you’re after and then recommend something.

I do have a blog post on my 3 favourite fell walks, but those are all quite big hilly days out and just my personal preference! Sedbergh has loads of really good walks listed on the Visit Sedbergh website which is a great resource as they all have maps and descriptions. They have a good set of walks based around Cautley Spout, and you can just about see where we are at Ridge House on this map (we are the little brown dot halfway between the number 6 and High Birks).