The Smithy at West Lyham

The Smithy is a chic one-bedroom retreat that forms part of a stylishly renovated farm steading in a picturesque corner of Northumberland. Conveniently sandwiched between the county’s prized coastline and National Park, The Smithy makes the perfect rural getaway for two. The spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and living area and peaceful en-suite bedroom combine high-end fittings and contemporary styling with country comforts like reclaimed timber trusses and posies of freshly-picked flowers. A stable door opens from the kitchen onto the tranquil stone courtyard, where a table and chairs invite you to linger over a morning coffee or evening aperitif.

While guests enjoy a sense of blissful isolation at The Smithy, the property is in fact just a few minutes’ drive from the village of Chatton, which boasts an excellent village shop stocked with an array of local produce and the Percy Arms, an inviting country pub known for its excellent food. It’s also under ten minutes' drive from Chillingham Castle, considered to be England’s most haunted castle and home to the only wild cattle in the world, sole survivors of herds that once roamed the forests of Britain. A little further down the road, you’ll find St Cuthbert’s Cave, thought to be where the monks of Lindisfarne brought St. Cuthbert’s body in AD875, following Viking raids on the Holy Island.

Indeed, thanks to its setting between Northumberland’s coast and National Park, The Smithy is within half an hour’s drive to many of the county’s most popular attractions, including Bamburgh Castle, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the picturesque coastal town of Seahouses and Alnwick Castle. Outdoorsy types will find endless pleasure in the 400 square miles of sheep-dotted hills, meandering river valleys and rugged moorland within Northumberland National Park; keen walkers can tackle the 62.5-mile-long St Cuthbert’s Way trail (or perhaps just sections of it), which passes close by to the cottage; and cyclists can explore the 120-mile-long Sandstone Way cycle path, which also skirts the cottage.

The Smithy is part of a new steading development and can be booked in conjunction with the adjacent cottage, The Stables (sleeps 4), and The Steading (sleeps 10) opposite.