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Rose Cottage and The Old Cart House in Garsdale

Peace and Tranquillity in Garsdale

Garsdale is a quiet, remote valley in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, running roughly seven miles between Sedbergh and Hawes, and peace and tranquillity are what it does best. The dale has no village centre to speak of - just stone cottages, farms and barns spread along the valley, with the River Clough running down the middle. There is no street lighting, no through traffic to speak of beyond the A684, and nothing open late. If you are looking for a quiet self-catering cottage holiday in the Yorkshire Dales, this is the sort of place you are looking for.

At a Glance

  • A Remote Dale

    A seven mile valley with a scattered population and no village centre, between Sedbergh and Hawes.

  • Dark and Quiet

    No street lighting anywhere in the dale - dark, quiet nights and remarkable stargazing.

  • Wildlife From the Garden

    Red squirrels at the garden feeders, brown hares in the fields and roe deer on the hillside.

  • A Seasonal Soundscape

    Curlews and cuckoos in spring, swallows in summer, owls in autumn and robins in winter.

  • Walks From the Door

    Marked footpaths from the cottage doors, with walks you can take alone and safely.

  • Owners Who Live Here

    Book direct with the owners - working farmers who live in the dale and know it inside out.

A Dale to Yourself

Visitors are often surprised by the remoteness - the distance from shops, the peace, the closeness to nature and the friendliness of the locals. The dale has been described as a relaxing breath out, which about captures it. Many of the people who live here now moved from cities and large towns, and would not dream of going back to that life.

It is also a safe place. Walks are taken alone, parcels are left on the doorstep, and neighbours help if there is a problem - a message on the local WhatsApp group will usually find several responders. Roger Pot sits up its own rural farm track, and all three cottages have open countryside on the doorstep rather than neighbours over the fence.

The Sounds of the Year

The difference in the seasons can be heard. Spring arrives with the curlews and the cuckoos, and chattering swallows mark the summer. In autumn the swallows leave and the owls can be heard in the trees, and winter comes with the robin's song and visits from flocks of redwings and fieldfares.

Underneath it all there is the river. The Clough runs the length of the dale, with dippers and herons along it, and the sound of water is the background noise of a stay here - along with the farming calendar, from lambs racing the fields in spring to tractors moving sheep from field to field.

Snow-covered fields and hills in Garsdale in winter, with bare trees, conifers and a dry-stone wall

Slow Days in Garsdale

A quiet break here does not need an itinerary. There are marked footpaths from the cottage doors, wildlife to watch from the garden - red squirrels come to the feeders - and fires to sit by when the weather closes in. At night the dark skies are some of the best in England. You can even arrive slowly, by train, as Garsdale Station sits at the top of the dale on the Settle-Carlisle line.

When you do want company, Sedbergh is about fifteen minutes west and Hawes about fifteen minutes east, each with pubs, shops and cafes - and each just far enough away that the quiet is waiting when you get back.

Quiet Holiday Cottages in Garsdale

Our three self-catering holiday cottages sit in the peace of the dale, with open countryside on the doorstep. Book direct with the owners for the best rates.

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