Guests say
North Cottage receives glowing praise for its peaceful, idyllic setting and cosy, well-equipped interiors. Guests consistently highlight the spotless cleanliness, comfortable beds, and the warm, welcoming host. The remote location is perfect for those seeking tranquillity and nature, with beautiful countryside walks and wildlife on the doorstep. While the distance from shops and towns is noted, most guests feel it is a worthwhile trade-off for the serenity. The cottage is ideal for relaxation, with thoughtful touches and excellent facilities ensuring a memorable stay.
Cleanliness is frequently described as excellent, with multiple guests calling the cottage spotless, immaculate, and very well maintained. Only one review mentions a minor need for a more thorough clean in places, but overall feedback is overwhelmingly positive.
The location is widely praised for its peaceful, remote setting surrounded by nature, ideal for those wanting to get away from it all. Some guests note the distance to shops and towns as a slight drawback, but most see this as a positive aspect of the experience.
Guests consistently mention the cottage's comfort, highlighting cosy interiors, very comfortable beds, and a relaxing atmosphere. The property is described as perfect for unwinding, with thoughtful bedding and a warm environment.
The cottage is repeatedly described as well-equipped, with a well-stocked kitchen, log burner, smart TV, board games, and reliable Wi-Fi. Facilities are maintained to a high standard, and guests appreciate the attention to detail.
The host is frequently praised for being welcoming, helpful, and attentive, offering to shop for guests and providing logs for the fire on arrival. While some guests mention thoughtful extras, such as logs and bird feeders, please note that such gifts or extras are not guaranteed.
About this property
For the perfect, peaceful and relaxing retreat right in the heart of the Scottish Borders, this property can be booked with South Cottage (UK35715) to sleep eight people altogether..
Ground Floor:
Living room: Smart TV, DVD Player, DVDs, Woodburner
Kitchen/dining room: Electric Oven, Electric Hob, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Washing Machine
Bathroom: Bath With Shower Over, Toilet
First Floor:
Bedroom 1: Kingsize (5ft) Bed
Bedroom 2: 2 x Single (3ft) Beds.
Oil central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Initial logs for wood burner included.. Garden with sitting-out area and garden furniture. Bike store. Private parking for 2 cars. No smoking. Please note: There is a fenced river in the grounds, 50 metres from the property.. Situated at the head of the Borthwick Water valley, North Cottage at Howpasley Farm Cottages offers a rural retreat for those wishing to step back from the bustle of modern life. Here, the pace of life is slow, and the predominant sounds are those of birdsong, the wind in the trees and water tumbling over rocks in Howpasley Burn.
North Cottage is most likely to appeal to naturalists, birdwatchers, walkers and cyclists and those wishing to explore the wild, open and unpopulated landscapes of the western regions of the Scottish Borders. There is direct access from Howpasley Farm to marked walking trails in Craik Forest, and for cyclists, to many miles of forest roads through the surrounding plantations.
The nearest shops and facilities are in the town of Hawick, some 12 miles from Howpasley; the nearest cities are Carlisle, 1 hour drive south, and Edinburgh is under 2 hours’ drive north.
North Cottage has the traditional layout of farmworkers’ cottages in this region: two decent-sized bedrooms on the first floor and bathroom, kitchen/dining room and living room on the ground floor. The cottage has recently been upgraded and redecorated in 2021 and offers simple but comfortable accommodation for up to four people. For those wanting to relax, it has a TV and DVD player and a small selection of books, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles and board games. An oil-fired boiler provides heating and hot water, and the living room has a wood burner. North Cottage offers a more spacious kitchen/dining room and slightly larger second bedroom than South Cottage.
North Cottage has its own garden with a picnic table and there is ample, dedicated car parking; storage space for bikes is available in an adjoining shed. High-speed internet access via fibre broadband is provided and there is a reasonable 4G mobile phone signal.
Once a sizeable sheep farm, Howpasley Farm steadily reduced in size during the 20th century as more and more of its hill grazing was sold off for commercial forestry; farming activities are now focused on grazing the fields at lower levels and on the creation and management of conservation woodland. Visitors are welcome to walk the farm tracks alongside Howpasley Burn and explore those fields where sheep are not currently grazing.
North Cottage can be booked together with South Cottage (ref UK35715) to accommodate up to 8 guests.
Free WiFi
The property is located on a working farm.
Children must be supervised on site due to possible safety hazards.
EPC Rating = E
Scottish Letting Licence No: SB00059F
Scotting Letting Licence No: SB00060F
Reviews (20)
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Confirmed Guest
Lovely cottage, well equipped, basically clean (could do with a more thorough clean in places). Owner very helpful.
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Lorraine Topham
We loved our time at the cottage , the only noise was the sheep and birds.Loved that it was miles from anywhere.Will definitely be going back.
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Jeanette White
This is our third time of staying at Howpasley farm. It’s so peaceful and quiet, exactly what the doctor ordered! We loved relaxing in the garden watching the birds and the wildlife surrounding the farm. Tim is the best host, very welcoming.We would definitely recommend both the north and south cottages to family and friends.