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The Old Barn, Ambleside

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Cumbria » Ambleside
6
3
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The Old Barn is a traditional stone barn conversion in Ambleside, Cumbria, set in the heart of the Lake District. Original features include exposed stone walls and solid beams throughout. The conversion retains its agricultural character whilst offering modern comfort.

The barn sits in a rural location with stunning fell views across open countryside. You're surrounded by classic Lakeland scenery with woodland walks starting from the door. The setting is peaceful yet accessible to Ambleside town centre.

Inside you'll find two bedrooms sleeping four guests with one bathroom. The open-plan living area features the original barn structure with high ceilings and stone walls.

About The Old Barn

The Old Barn is a traditional stone barn conversion in Ambleside, Cumbria, set in the heart of the Lake District. Original features include exposed stone walls and solid beams throughout. The conversion retains its agricultural character whilst offering modern comfort.

The barn sits in a rural location with stunning fell views across open countryside. You're surrounded by classic Lakeland scenery with woodland walks starting from the door. The setting is peaceful yet accessible to Ambleside town centre.

Inside you'll find two bedrooms sleeping four guests with one bathroom. The open-plan living area features the original barn structure with high ceilings and stone walls. The kitchen flows into the dining and sitting space where barn doors and natural materials create an authentic feel.

Ambleside town offers shops and eateries within walking distance. Stock Ghyll Force waterfall is a 15-minute walk away. Windermere lake sits 1 mile south (5 minutes). Rydal Water and Grasmere are 2 miles north (10 minutes). Wansfell Pike provides excellent fell walking from the doorstep.

The Old Barn suits couples and small families wanting a genuine barn conversion base for Lake District exploration. Book here for authentic stone barn character in an unbeatable Ambleside location.

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At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

More Barn Holidays You May Like

What Guests Love

What do previous guests think about their group stay at The Old Barn

Original Stone Walls

Authentic Lakeland stone construction with exposed walls throughout creates genuine barn character and rustic atmosphere in every room.

Fell Views

Panoramic views across Lakeland fells from the barn provide stunning mountain scenery and classic Lake District countryside vistas daily.

Central Ambleside Location

Walking distance to Ambleside town centre puts shops, pubs and restaurants within easy reach whilst maintaining peaceful rural surroundings.

Exposed Beams

Solid original beams overhead showcase the barn's agricultural heritage and add authentic period character to the living spaces.

Doorstep Walking

Woodland trails and fell walks start directly from the barn with Wansfell Pike and Stock Ghyll Force accessible within minutes.

Open-Plan Living

Spacious open-plan layout with high ceilings and natural light makes the most of the barn's original structure and volume.

Getting To The Old Barn

Find your way to your perfect countryside retreat

By Car

To reach The Old Barn by car, take the A591 into Ambleside and follow signs towards the town centre. The barn is easily accessible from main Lake District routes and you'll have convenient off-road parking upon arrival.

By Train

For those travelling by rail, the nearest station is Windermere, just 4 miles south of Ambleside. From there, regular buses run to Ambleside or you can take a short taxi ride to the barn.

Off-road parking available
Windermere station (4 miles)
Easily accessible from the A591

Group Attractions & More Nearby

Stuff for larger groups and families to try!

Stock Ghyll Force
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9LJ
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 1 mile
LA23 1BJ
Rydal Mount & Gardens
Distance: 2 miles
LA22 9LU
Wansfell Pike
Distance: 0.3 miles
LA23 1LA
Loughrigg Fell
Distance: 2.5 miles
LA22 9NG
Fairfield Horseshoe
Distance: 1 mile
LA22 9PR
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BS
Booths Supermarket
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9DT
Ambleside Market
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BT
Windermere Village
Distance: 4 miles
LA23 1AF
Grasmere Village
Distance: 4 miles
LA22 9SH
Keswick Town
Distance: 15 miles
CA12 5JR
Stock Ghyll Force
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9LJ
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 1 mile
LA23 1BJ
Rydal Mount & Gardens
Distance: 2 miles
LA22 9LU
Wansfell Pike
Distance: 0.3 miles
LA23 1LA
Loughrigg Fell
Distance: 2.5 miles
LA22 9NG
Fairfield Horseshoe
Distance: 1 mile
LA22 9PR
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BS
Booths Supermarket
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9DT
Ambleside Market
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BT
Windermere Village
Distance: 4 miles
LA23 1AF
Grasmere Village
Distance: 4 miles
LA22 9SH
Keswick Town
Distance: 15 miles
CA12 5JR

Is The Old Barn Right For Your Group

Discover why this cottage is the one for your party or family reunion...

For Families
The Old Barn offers countryside surroundings perfect for children to explore safely. Woodland walks start from the door and Stock Ghyll Force waterfall provides an exciting short walk. The open-plan living space gives families room to relax together. Nearby Windermere offers boat trips and the town has parks and outdoor activities. The rural setting means children can experience genuine Lake District countryside.
Groups Will Love...
The exposed stone walls throughout The Old Barn showcase authentic Lakeland construction using traditional materials and methods. These original walls create genuine barn character in every room from the living spaces to the bedrooms. The stonework provides natural insulation and rustic texture that modern builds cannot replicate. Combined with solid overhead beams and high ceilings, the stone walls make this a true agricultural conversion.
Pet Friendly
Yes, The Old Barn welcomes dogs so your pets can join your Lake District break. The countryside setting provides excellent walking opportunities straight from the door with woodland trails and fell paths nearby. Open fields and lakeside walks at Windermere and Rydal Water offer varied terrain for exercising dogs. The rural location means your pets can enjoy genuine Lakeland countryside throughout your stay.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at The Old Barn

The Drunken Duck Inn

Located 3 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 0NG

Zeffirellis Restaurant

Located 0.4 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 9AD

The Priest Hole

Located 0.3 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA23 1AY

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about The Old Barn

What original barn features does The Old Barn have?
The Old Barn retains exposed stone walls throughout the property showing authentic Lakeland construction methods. Solid beams cross the high ceilings and the open-plan layout preserves the barn's original agricultural structure and character.
Is The Old Barn pet friendly?
Yes, The Old Barn welcomes dogs so your pets can join your Lake District holiday. The rural location and nearby woodland walks provide excellent outdoor space for exercising dogs straight from the door.
How many guests does this barn conversion sleep?
The Old Barn sleeps four guests across two bedrooms with one bathroom. The accommodation suits couples or small families wanting a cosy Lake District base with authentic barn character.
What is the setting like around The Old Barn?
The barn sits in peaceful countryside on the edge of Ambleside with open fell views. Woodland surrounds the property and walking trails start from the doorstep whilst town amenities remain within walking distance.
What can you do near The Old Barn?
Stock Ghyll Force waterfall is a 15-minute walk away through ancient woodland. Windermere lake sits 1 mile south for watersports and boat trips whilst Rydal Water and Grasmere offer scenic walks 2 miles north.
Is there parking at The Old Barn?
Yes, off-road parking is provided at the barn for guest vehicles. The location is easily accessible from main roads whilst maintaining a peaceful rural position outside Ambleside centre.
What is the kitchen like in this barn conversion?
The kitchen forms part of the open-plan living space with the dining and sitting areas. Modern appliances are housed within the original barn structure maintaining the stone walls and beamed ceilings throughout.
Why stay at The Old Barn over other Lake District properties?
The Old Barn combines genuine stone barn character with an unbeatable Ambleside location for fell walking. You get authentic Lakeland architecture, doorstep access to mountains and lakes, plus town amenities within walking distance.

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The Old Barn Reviews

Scruffy carpets. Decoration very bland. Good location. Spacious. Well maintained grounds. Convenient parking. Need more plates as and bowls for 6 people.
We stayed here with our young family and the cottage was perfect for us. Spacious and roomy and the toys there were an added bonus. Great location if you want to explore Windermere, Ambleside and surrounding areas. Only issue was lack of specific property information in the welcome folder. We had to phone up to find out WiFi password but easily sorted.
Lovely, spacious cottage. Excellent location for exploring the lakes. Within walking distance to Ambleside about 45 minutes leisurely walk and bus stop just at the end of the road for coming back! Needs a bit of a refresh internally but apart from that, clean, plenty of space and would recommend!
The property is in a fantastic location, great location for Ambleside and BownessonWindermere. Access to the cottage is gated which makes it very secure. Lovely gardens and grounds around the cottage. Really handy having 2 car parking spots right outside the property. All rooms inside the property were really large, much bigger than the description of the property and pictures made out. Such a great space for sharing with other family and friends. Great little additions in the house for little ones. The only very minor areas that require some attention would be mattresses are not very comfortable the stair gate for children was broken but usable but needs some repair work or replacing to ensure it is fully secure the children's little trike in the lounge was broken we did end up fixing it the towel rails in the bathrooms upstairs were very rusty some spot lights out in the kitchen childrens toys need a good clean These areas listed didn't impact on our stay but it would be really good if they could be rectified. We will definitely be returning to the property. Thank you
Upon our arrival the downstairs toilet was heard to be dribbling water continually and would not fill or flush unusable. waste discharge on bathroom sink was broken unusable. unwashed plates and cups found in cupboards. Difficulty in use of electric oven. TV broke down during stay Cottage felt tired attention to kitchen and plumbing required. Lakelovers customer care is a joke prepare to be ignored.
We enjoyed a lovely stay at this cottage recently. It was perfect for my 2 sisters and I to have a double room each. The lounge was very comfy and we enjoyed the kitchen and outside space. The items in the kitchen cupboards would benefit from being cleaned, which has also been mentioned on other previous reviews, but it was fine for us to wash what we needed.
Superb location and spacious accommodation. Tired decor and cleaning could be improved. Lots of grime around inside of window panes. Cobwebs and spiders in situ on arrival. Pans not clean and bottom oven not working. More trays for oven would help as two of party were coeliac and needed separate trays. Soap and shampoo holder in en suite coming away from wall so couldn't be used. Beds in two smaller rooms not comfortable for couples who slept there. Blackout curtains would improve sleeping. Despite these things we all enjoyed our stay.
Jeremy
This is a really lovely house Superb location, very safe environment, large rooms, close to bus stop and Brockhole for strolls and Lake cruises. Would recommend it and we would happily book again. Points for improvement the downstairs toilet sink had a disconnected plug mechanism making it unusable, there were many pan lids of all sizes but only three oversized pans. Bring your own DVDsCDs.
Andrew
We really enjoyed our stay. It's a beautiful peaceful location and a really spacious house. We had a great week. It does, however, need some TLC to bring it up to the highest standard. There are a lot of things either missing, broken or just not working very well, which is a shame because it could be really fantastic. I'd be happy to provide a list should the owner be interested.
Dorothy
We were very pleased with the property. It was spacious, clean and comfortable. Luckily the weather was good so we could make full use of the lovely garden and outdoor space. It was so pretty, pleasant and peaceful. We had no negative issues and hope to return one day. Thank you
Nikita
We had a very enjoyable stay, with very clear directions to locate the barn and a simple checkin system. I approached the team with a query before our stay, which was dealt with promptly. The property is as advertised clean, spacious and generous proportions for a family of four. The location is excellent, a 10 minute drive from Ambleside and we had two parking spaces. A peaceful, calm location which I would highly recommend if you want a communal feel, with a small group of neighbours. My only points for improvement a simple welcome basket would have been appreciated, as the nearest Tesco is 15 mins away with limited parking, the front door doesnt have a blind or cover which was slightly unnerving as it is clear glass, and the beds whilst comfortable are very firm so perhaps the option for a mattress topper would have been a nice touch.
Andreas
Such a beautiful cottage and great location. We all had a fabulous time. The layout was spacious all rooms finished to a high spec and it was very clean. If we were to grumble about anything it would be the beds. We all struggled getting a good nights sleep.
The houses was spacious. Could do with a lot more in tensels in the Kitchen,Small saucepans,kitchen clock etc.The house was nice and warm.Could do with new comfortable beds.We had nice weather and the Old Barn was in easy reach to go every were.
We enjoyed our stay in the Old Barn, a spacious home for one week, equipped with everything you need. From here you have a perfect start to visit many places in the Lake District. Thank you, we really liked it.
Amanda
The cottage itself is clean, comfortable and was more spacious than expected. The kitchen could do with a few extra utensils and a decent set of saucepans. And 6 table mats. Ideally located for Windermere and access to the lakes. We had a lovely stay. Would definitely recommend a stay here.
Location of the property is superb. Having Brockhole within a 5 minute walk allows you so many opportunities of exploring the lakes and entertaining the family. Lovely peaceful stay with a very spacious accommodation. Mattresses could all do with being replaced. Mattress springs were found to be noisy. Staining from water penetration on living room ceiling and peeling paint within en suite would be rectified. Would return as property has a lovely seating area and access to a decent sleep sized communal garden which is ideal for children.
Robert
Very clean comfortable property in great location with ample parking and ... Very clean comfortable property in great location with ample parking and spacious interior Kitchen utensils urgently need updating as some pans not fit for purpose especially at the price we paid
We had a wonderful stay at the Old Barn. It is ideally situated on Windermere with easy access to the lake and nearby attractions. The house is set among a small group of other holiday lets making it feel secure, with plenty of parking and is afforded lovely views of the surrounding area. Well appointed facilities inside with huge sofas in the living room and well stocked kitchen. The bedrooms are comfy and the whole house has a light, airy feel to it. It's a real home from home. I can't really think of any negatives except a note that the mattress for the travel cot is very old, stained and torn so unsafe to use, but luckily we had brought our own anyway. I would most definitely return again.
We had previously stayed at The Old Barn and were disappointed with the overall cleanliness and facilities although the amount of space was great there were a lot of things that needed repainting, cleaning & replacing, this aside we decided to rebook. On arrival we were greeted with a warm and welcoming accommodation that had been updated, cleaned with new sofas and curtains. We were blown away and the experience was amazing and worth every penny. It was great to see the updated Barn and we would 100 book again. The only issue was the freezer needs defrosting which was passed onto the agent so I am sure that will be sorted and the cooker had been turned off. If you don't reset the clock the oven doesn't work, thanks for the challenge and we had a great week.
A clean, spacious accommodation in a fabulous location. This property could be truly fabulous if the owners took care of the small details. However, the previous critics were rather harsh in my view although somewhat understandable as if you pay premium prices, you expect the details to be premium standard too. But they did not spoil or detract from the fabulousness in any way. Recommend.
The property is situated in a fantastic location, with easy access to beautiful walks to Ambleside and trout beck. To property also benefits from easy access to brockhole which contains amazing activities for kids and the pier for ferry rides to Ambleside,Wray castle and Windermere. The property is generously proportioned and the kitchen was sufficiently equipped to accommodate home cooking. The disappointing attributes were the state Of condition of the facilities inside the property which were as follows freezer was heavily iced up rendering it unusable it needs a good defrost, the ensuite shower was blocked up meaning all the shower water collected in the shower tray, the sofas in the living room need replacing as other reviewers have mentioned and the kitchen is short of glasses. Despite these minor agrievences we had a fabulous stay and would highly recommend.
The cottage was so spacious and well appointed. We lacked for nothing. Being able to access the outdoor centre and the lake without having to drive was perfect. Wed love to return soon.
Kenneth
Initial Location reference is misleading, felt somewhat conned on arrival. property showing signs of use and requires a clean up. curtains in lounge hanging of hooks and require attention both sofas in the lounge are well past their sell by date and require replacement chipped glasses found on arrival, cups required cleaning. overall we enjoyed our stay at this property and if the above was addressed would consider staying again
The Old Barn was a brilliant place to stay and we shall consider staying again in the future. The cottage was well equipped and very spacious.
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