Welcome to my home
Nestled in the rural heart of Yorkshire, in the small, welcoming village of Fenwick, I am delighted to be able to open up my house on select weekends to small groups of readers & writers wanting to escape on retreat, relax & explore their imagination & creativity away from the pressures of everyday life.
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Ideally placed at the centre of excellent road and rail links from every part of the UK, we are accessible from whatever part of the country you call home.
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With plenty of private and communal space, both indoors and out, there is ample room to mix or withdraw, find company or solitude, rest, read, write, chat... whatever you need to facilitate your wellbeing & your creative process in the moment.
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Details of all the facilities available can be found below, together with information on what is included with every retreat. Once you have explored the information and details of the different retreats and dates on offer on the next page, please use our enquiry form to book your place. We look forward to meeting you.
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Communal areas
Every guest has access to all the communal areas of the house including:
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Big Farmhouse Kitchen/Diner with dining table seating 8 in comfort, tea/coffee making facilities & constant access to drinks and snacks throughout the day
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Library with ample comfortable seating and (along with other bookcases around the house) stocked with 3000+ volumes in a range of genres - fiction, non-fiction and reference, including writing guides
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Spacious lounge with enough seating for all guests, a wood-burning stove, TV with access to a variety of streaming services and a large DVD library
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Large office space with writing desks and a further L-shaped lounge area and second TV with streaming services and DVD player
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. A fourth lounge/writing area in Baggins when it is not occupied as a bedroom (see below)
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. Downstairs cloakroom
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. Underfloor heating throughout the ground floor
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. Substantial decking area to rear of house, accessed by French windows from both hallway and office, leading down to patio with BBQ, firepit and extensive lawns, scattered throughout with mature trees, several seating areas and with views over surrounding farmland.
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What's included?
Besides access to the communal areas, every retreat includes the following:
All meals, drinks and snacks including: two-course, home-cooked dinner with wine on Friday, Saturday & Sunday (Friday & Saturday for Reading retreats); buffet lunch on Saturday and Sunday consisting of cold salads, meat, fish, quiches, pasta, jacket potatoes or similar; help-yourself breakfast on Saturday, Sunday & Monday (Saturday & Sunday for Reading retreats) of cereals, granola, toast, yogurts, fruits, pastries, tea, coffee and juices; any time snack table stocked with fresh cakes, biscuits, fruit and sweet treats & help-yourself range of teas, coffee, fruit juice, squashes and water available 24/7.
(Most dietary requirements can be catered for if advised at time of booking. Please enquire to make sure we can accommodate your particular needs.)
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Private room all featuring - double bed (or larger); bedside table; writing desk, chair & lamp; multiple sockets; WiFi; Alexa speaker (can be switched off if preferred); fluffy towels; hairdryer; selection of Molton Brown toiletries; cosy throws for use around the house; individually adjustable heating.
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Shared bathroom featuring toilet, twin sinks, powerful rainfall shower and large bathtub with a selection of bubble baths and bath bombs. (Two of the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, both with toilets, sinks, showers and large bathtubs. These rooms are available at a supplement, please see pricing page for details.)
Starkadder
Hopefully you'll find more comfort in Starkadder than Flora does at Cold Comfort Farm. Our premium room, Starkadder is one of our two en-suite rooms. It features solid oak furnishings, including a superking-sized oak sleigh bed and dual aspect windows with stunning views over the surrounding countryside.
Elliot
Our second en-suite bedroom, Elliot is decorated in soothing blue and white tones with a King-sized bed plus relaxing sofa seating area. The sofa can be converted to a comfortable sofabed, allowing two friends to share this room & enjoy a retreat at a reduced cost per person.
Honeychurch
Cosy and quiet, facing east towards the rising sun, Honeychurch is perfect for anyone looking for a quiet corner to rest and write. Featuring an iron-framed double bed and gliding chair with footstool in which to rock as you read or simply dream, we're sure you'll find Honeychurch a haven during your stay with us.
Poirot
The domain of Julie's classic crime-mad daughter, Poirot features a bookcase stuffed with Agatha Christie novels and classic retellings, along with a comfy double bed and a south-facing window with stunning views over the village and countryside.
Everdeen
Home of Julie's younger daughter, an ardent Manga fan, Everdeen has dual aspect windows facing west and north towards open countryside and beautiful sunsets. You may even catch a glimpse of our three ponies as you sit at the cute, drop down wall desk and we are sure you will sleep soundly in the comfortable double bed.
Baggins
Situated downstairs, Baggins is one of our reception rooms with a sofa which converts into a comfortable double bed. Dual aspect windows face east and south, and the room contains two armchairs, as well as the nicest desk in the house. Often used by the tutor during our taught retreats, this is the only bedroom with its own TV. It is also close to the downstairs cloakroom & is your private domain when booked as a bedroom.