A rainbow over the green hills of Garsdale in the Yorkshire Dales

Family Friendly Holidays in Garsdale

Family Holidays in Garsdale

Garsdale is a quiet valley in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, between Sedbergh and Hawes, and it works well for a family holiday. There is a river to paddle in below Roger Pot, red squirrels in the woodland at Dandra Garth, footpaths that start at the door, and a station on the Settle-Carlisle line a few minutes up the dale. In spring the curlews arrive from the coast to nest and you can hear them calling from the fields.

Our self-catering holiday cottages sleep from two to six people, so a larger family or two families sharing have somewhere to stay without splitting up. Roger Pot and Farrier's Cottage both sleep six across three bedrooms. The Old Cart House sleeps two and is the one for a couple.

The three cottages are owned separately, so you deal with the person who owns and runs the house rather than a call centre. Paul, who owns Roger Pot, lives in the barn next door, which is handy if a gate is stuck or the stove needs explaining. That matters more than usual with children, because the questions tend to be practical ones about gates, stairs, cot space and how far the nearest shop is.

At a Glance

  • Cottages Sleeping Six

    Roger Pot and Farrier's Cottage each have three bedrooms, so there is room for a larger family or two families sharing.

  • River Paddling

    Guests at Roger Pot have access to a stretch of the River Clough within the owner's four acres, which is shallow enough for paddling in normal conditions.

  • Wildlife on the Doorstep

    Red squirrels, roe deer, brown hares and birds at the feeders. The paths beside Dandra Garth are the reliable place for red squirrels.

  • Settle-Carlisle Railway

    Garsdale Station is a few minutes up the dale, and the journey over the viaducts to Dent, Ribblehead or Carlisle is a day out in itself.

  • Room to Spread Out

    A separate dining room at both six-berth cottages, a utility room for wet coats and boots, and an enclosed side garden at Roger Pot.

Family Friendly Holiday Cottages in Garsdale

Roger Pot is a detached stone holiday cottage a quarter of a mile up a farm track from the road, with three bedrooms and space for six. There is a super-king bedroom with an en-suite shower room, a double, and a twin that can be made up as a super-king if you ask the owner in advance. That last one is useful with children, since it can be two singles for the kids or another double for a second couple. The sitting room has a woodburning stove, and there is a separate dining room so the table is not also the kitchen worktop. A highchair is available, the utility room has a washer/dryer, and the enclosed side garden has a lawn and outdoor furniture.

Farrier's Cottage is the other one that suits a larger group. It began life in 1675 as the blacksmith's cottage and workshop, and it sleeps six across a king-size double, a second double and a twin up under the roof beams. There is a shower room on the ground floor as well as the family bathroom upstairs, which saves a queue in the morning. A travel cot and a highchair are available, there is somewhere dry to put the bikes, and off-road parking for two cars.

The Old Cart House sleeps two, so it is the one for a couple or a family with a baby rather than a larger family. If your group is bigger than six, the three cottages can be booked together for up to fourteen guests, though they are owned separately and availability has to be coordinated between the owners.

Both of the six-berth cottages are dog friendly, and Roger Pot takes up to two well-behaved dogs. See our dog friendly cottages page if the dog is coming too.

The Three Cottages

Family Days Out Near Garsdale

The Forbidden Corner at Middleham, near Leyburn, is a garden of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises set in four acres. Pushchair and wheelchair access is very limited and large parts of it are not accessible, so bring a carrier for very small children. It sits across the dale from Hawes, so a visit can be combined with Aysgarth Falls or Bolton Castle on the same day.

White Scar Cave near Ingleton is the longest show cave in Britain, with guided tours of about eighty minutes through a mile of passages. The cave stays at 8°C all year, so take a jumper even in July, and the electric lighting and guide make it a reasonable outing with children who are not keen on the dark. It pairs well with the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, which is a four and a half mile circular route taking between two and a half and four hours. That one is for older children with decent boots.

Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes runs cheesemaking demonstrations and lets you taste the cheeses, and the Dales Countryside Museum in the same town has family events through the year. Bolton Castle is worth the drive for the Mary Queen of Scots connection and the views. Brough Castle is a free English Heritage ruin at Church Brough near Stainmore, and Pendragon Castle is a privately owned ruin in Mallerstang with public access to the outside only. For older children who want something faster, Go Ape at Grizedale Forest and the zip line at Honister Slate Mine are both in the Lake District.

Tunnels and stone follies at The Forbidden Corner near Middleham

Rainy Days with Children

Rain is part of the deal in the Dales, so it is worth having somewhere indoors in mind before you set off. Farfield Mill is on the road between Garsdale and Sedbergh, with exhibitions, craft work and a cafe, and it fills a wet morning without a long drive. Hawes has the Dales Countryside Museum and the Wensleydale Creamery, both of which have something for children to watch. Kendal has the Brewery Arts Centre with its cinema, music, comedy and family theatre.

White Scar Cave is underground and lit, so the weather does not matter once you are inside. Hardraw Force is a short walk on laid-out paths behind the Green Dragon, with a small entrance fee, and the paths there are level and gravelled.

Walks and Outdoor Days

There are walks from the door that work with children. The Sedgwick Geological Trail along the River Clough at Danny Bridge is short and follows the river, with rocks and a fault line to look at; keep to the marked path, as the trail crosses private farmland. Cotter Force has a parking area nearby and a flat pathway beside the river to the waterfall. Hardraw Force is similarly easy underfoot, on a level gravelled path. Cautley Spout is a longer walk, with some steep sections if you go up beside the fall, so it is one for older legs and a dry day.

The two local caves, Tom Croft Cave and Dovecote Cave, are unlit natural caves to visit with a torch, and the ground inside is uneven. Semerwater is the closest lake, in Raydale, with footpaths around the shore and space for a picnic.

The river below Roger Pot is shallow enough for paddling and for fishing, and children need supervising there at all times. The red squirrels are easiest to see on the path beside Dandra Garth and on the riverbank opposite, and they occasionally come to the garden feeders at the cottages. On a clear night the dark skies are worth staying up for, since there is no street lighting in the dale and the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye.

Garsdale Station on the Settle-Carlisle line is a few minutes up the dale. The run north over the viaducts to Kirkby Stephen and Carlisle, or south towards Settle, is one of the great railway journeys in England and needs no planning beyond checking the timetable.

An elevated view over the green Grisedale valley with dry-stone walls, a winding stream and fells under a cloudy sky
Grisedale, the next valley along from Garsdale

Practical Information for Families

A few things are worth knowing before you arrive with children.

The farm track at Roger Pot is 400 metres long, single width, with two or three gates to open for the owner's horses, and it is steep and uneven in places because of the drainage channels. A normal car manages it, but very low profile cars are better left on the road. Because the track is single width, the owner runs a simple texting system so that guests and the owner know when someone is coming up or down.

The garden at Farrier's Cottage is not enclosed, and there is a public right of way across the front of the house, so small children and dogs need watching. Roger Pot's side garden is enclosed.

The water at Roger Pot comes from a nearby well. It is tested and treated every year, but it cannot be guaranteed, so bottled water is supplied for drinking and cooking, with free top-ups during your stay.

The river at Roger Pot is within the owner's land and children must be supervised at all times.

Dogs need to be on a lead anywhere near stock, since this is sheep farming country. Roger Pot takes up to two well-behaved dogs and asks that they are not left alone in the cottage. Farrier's Cottage takes one pet and asks that it is kept under control.

The nearest shop is in Sedbergh, six to seven miles west, so it is worth arriving with the basics. Sedbergh has a Spar and Powells for fruit and vegetables, and a market on Wednesday mornings. Hawes is 9 miles east with a market on Tuesdays.

Eating Out with Children

The pubs and cafes within easy reach are listed in full on our eating and drinking page. The nearest is the Moorcock Inn at Garsdale Head, at the top of the dale. Others within an easy drive are the Green Dragon at Hardraw, which serves food and has a music night on Wednesdays, the White Hart and the Board Inn in Hawes, and the Red Lion in Sedbergh. The Cross Keys at Cautley is a temperance inn, so there is no alcohol, and Stone Close tea room in Dent is a good stop after a day out.

Food service times move about with the season round here, so it is worth ringing ahead if you are driving over specially with hungry children in the car.

Before You Book

References