Sampson's Cave

Penrith, Cumbria
Self-catering
+44 (0)7903 864357
Visit owner's website

From
£358 - £535
per night
From
£2000 - £3200
per week

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

Bedroom

7 bedrooms

Sleeps

Sleeps 12

Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome

£358 - £535 per night

£2000 - £3200 per week

The Experience

A tranquil setting down a gravelled track and completely private; the only sound is the wind off the fells, many sheep and pheasants, the occasional train, sometimes a steam train. This is a large, light-filled house with lovely interiors – perfect for large families or groups. The owner has a canny eye for lovely things so there is a glorious mix of textures, fabrics and styles and a lot of family memorabilia.

Children will charge up and down two staircases or out into the garden. They also get a separate playroom with toys, games, TV and a dressing up box. A Rayburn keeps everything cosy and warm in the sociable L-shaped kitchen and living room and there are plenty of squashy sofas and seats for everybody, a big open wood fire and a wall of books and records. Bedrooms have good views and lovely linen.

You can walk down to the railway line behind and wave at the trains, or have a picnic by the wide, fast-flowing river.

Sampson's Cave - Gallery

We think you'll love

  • Feeling very relaxed, even with young children. This is an old house with the inevitable bumps and scrapes in any case
  • The peace, walks, nature and wildlife
  • The railway line - spot a puffer - and the river
Sampson's Cave - Gallery

You should know

  • Because of the pheasants there are rules about where you can walk
  • None of the showers are walk-in, all are over a bath
  • No mobile signal and WiFi is slow but steady

Essentials

  • EV charger
  • Self check-in
  • Swimming pool
  • Hot tub
  • Garden
  • Open fire / woodburner
  • Breakfast included
  • Breakfast available
  • Meals available
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Oven
  • Parking on premises
  • Free parking nearby
  • Accessible by public transport
  • WiFi
  • Television
  • Central heating
  • Limited mobility
  • Wheelchair access
  • Mobile reception
  • Hob
  • Barbecue
  • Paid parking nearby
  • Air conditioning
  • Relaxation areas
  • Washing machine
  • Tennis court
  • Microwave oven
  • No smoking
  • Credit cards
  • Working farm
  • Owner has pets
  • Electricity included
  • Dishwasher
  • Pets welcome

Family friendly

  • Baby monitor
  • Books and toys
  • Children welcome
  • Babies welcome
  • Stair gates
  • High chair
  • Fire guard
  • Cot available

Nearby

  • Pub/bar within 3 miles
  • Restaurant within 3 miles
  • Shop within 3 miles

Activities

  • Bikes available
  • Food courses
  • Kayaking
  • Other courses
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Wild swimming

Pricing

Nightly price
from £358
Weekly price
from £2000
Damage deposit
£200
1 House for 12
From £3587 bedrooms

Information

Booking information

Check in
From 4pm
Check out
By 10am
Other details
Minimum stay: 3 nights at weekends. 1 well-behaved dog welcome per group.
Closed
Never.
No smoking
Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Property
This property is part of a working farm or vineyard.
Meals
Restaurant, 2 miles.

Reviews

Our stay at Sampsons completely and utterly exceeded our expectations. I am VERY particular about where I stay and I have to say, our week here was one of my favourite holidays! The property is absolutely stunning and we felt right at home as soon as we stepped through the front door. For such a big house it always felt warm, cosy and welcoming and it was such a delight to return to after a walk out in the local countryside. Tamar and Lorraine were both super friendly, responsive & helpful and the welcome pack had all the information you could need - they've truly thought of everything.

Clare, Market Harborough

We were seriously delayed by M-way traffic on our journeys from London and Bristol, and anxious about our Sainsbury’s order which was due at 5.30. Lorraine came up trumps and was at the house from 5.30: in the event we all arrived at about the same time - 6.30 - S’burys, Londoners and Bristolians! We found the house immaculate, fascinating and warm.

Janet, Bristol

Lovely quirky house. Great for a family get together. Very child and dog friendly. Booking and communication prior to our stay was very good. A good time was had by all! Will definitely return!

Rodney, Ramsbury

Sampson's Cave exceeded all our expectations. The location was stunning - very private and yet only a short drive to the Northern Lakes. We felt privileged to be able to stay in such a wonderful home. The house was both beautiful and comfortable. You won't find anywhere nicer in Cumbria!

Geraldine, Bingley

Can't recommend highly enough, fantastic house, comfortable, warm and well equipped. Lots of room inside and out for all 12 of us.

Karen, London

This was the perfect halfway house for a family get-together. The house is fantastic, loads of space, inside and out. Beautifully furnished and equipped, lovely and warm and welcoming. Very comfortable beds. I really can't recommend highly enough, there were 12 of us and we all want to go back next year. Says it all really

Karen, Perth

Sampsons Cave is an absolutely wonderful venue - we can’t wait to return.

Diana, Pevensey Bay

Absolutely perfect in every way. The house is extremely comfortable and homely, with all the creature comforts that we could possibly need. The Christmas goodies and the beautifully decorated tree made it even more special. Thank you so much and we can't wait to return!

Nikki, Stratford upon Avon

What a lovely treat waiting at the bottom of the steep track. Such a cosy, warm, welcoming house with the Rayburn humming away, a huge L-shaped kitchen, dining and sitting room with views out to the gorgeous countryside. Sheep and pheasants, the little railway line behind and then the wide river. Just lovely.

Nicola, Sawday's Inspector

The house lived up the photographs on line and was so quiet with a lovely ambience as it's full of the owner's artefacts and pictures. The views to outside were uplifting and it made for a very special family time. Highly recommend.

Nikki, Cobham

What can we say about Sampsons! We loved it! We came as two families; four adults and four children and our dog. It's a stunning setting. The house is just beautiful. Rich in history, family photos, toys, books, games and an ace record collection! After a hard 18months we had lost a bit of fun in our family but we rediscovered it here. We had an 11th birthday where we baked a giant cake, the kids played dress up, we even played musical chairs and statues, marshmallows on the fire pit. Here I slept so deeply. Step back in time, slow down, embrace Sampsons and rediscover simple pleasures.

Emma, Whitley Bay

What a truly fabulous house! We have stayed in many properties in the UK and Europe and this has to rate as one of the very best. We ranged in age from 69 to 2 years old, plus an aged cocker spaniel and everyone felt really at home! As someone who dabbles in antiques I was also enthralled by the rugs, pictures and the many decorative pieces in every room. Great outdoor space too and the sun shone every day bar one which was a bonus. Don't hesitate in booking this one.

Judy, Henley on Thames

What a beautiful spot - a lovely family home, with beautiful decor, and nestled in fields surrounded by wonderful countryside. We had a week up at Sampson's - dipping in and out of the Lake District, Hadrians Wall and lots of stunning walks. Very well looked after, and cook available too. Highly recommended.

PK, London

Absolutely majestic large house and surrounds. Secluded, cosy but within striking distance of all the areas of natural beauty, excellent country pubs and amenities should you need them. We had some of the best memories of our lives here! Highly recommended.

Ross, Melbourne

Absolutely stunning house in beautiful surroundings. Couldn't have been happier with our stay at Sampson's Cave.

Pete, Leeds

Something's indefinably Bohemian about this place. The best feature was the open-plan kitchen/living-/dining-room with a range to cook on and a proper record player plus huge stock of LPs from the past several decades. Staying there felt like being at a favourite friend's house. Down a farm track in a hidden valley it's bright, bucolic, and comfortable, with bats around in the evenings (you need to enjoy this bit of natural history in close quarters - we did), and a river a few minutes' walk away at the bottom of the hill. A great base for exploring castles, and walks around the Lake District

Victoria, Hunstanton

This is a beautiful light house, very comfortable and full of character. We especially loved the rushing river on the other side of the railway line, the occasional sound of the two trains an hour chugging past, and the cosy kitchen for big meals. Lots of space and perfect for a big group.

Annie, London

A great week in a peaceful and homely setting: the house is beautifully warm and cosy - with the softest down quilts and pillows ever - and nicely decorated/furnished. Amazing wildlife! You can't miss the bats, swallows and house martins - and red squirrels too if you're lucky.

Rachel, Edinburgh

had a wonderful stay at sampsons with our siblings and children.plenty of room for the 11 of us. loved cooking on the range. caretaker always available if we needed help or had questions lovely comfortable beds would definitely go back if we have the chance

ruth

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Location

The neighbourhood

Lazonby is a couple of miles away for a good Co-op, bakery, walks along the river (the brave will find places from which to swim) and an open air heated pool (book online well ahead). Penrith is 20 minutes by car for Booths (the Waitrose of the north) and a good butcher. The Dog & Gun at Skelton is 10 miles and has an absolutely knock-out menu and wine list, incredibly popular so book your table.

Local points of interest from Tamar Ferguson

  • Sampson's is situated on a private working Estate - there are woodland walks with the River Eden on the doorstep. A haven for lovers of nature - spot a red squirrel in the nearby trees. We have Highland Cattle and Cumbrian sheep.
  • There are 3 historic houses in the vicinity. Hutton in the Forest has events through the summer and is perfect for gardeners with woodland walks and plant fairs.
  • Dalemain is on the edge of Ullswater and is famous for the "World's Original Marmalade Festival". A great tea room with homemade cakes. Lowther Estate has opened it's castle with historic gardens and 140 acres of parkland.
  • There are farmers markets throughout the year at Pooley Bridge and Orton. The local town of Penrith is a lovely, thriving market town with lots of independent shops alongside major supermarkets. Excellent butchers, fishmongers and delis in the town.
  • There is a wealth of art in the Eden Valley - each September Cumbria Art Festival takes place across the region. Over 150 artists, designers and sculptors open their doors to the public in studios situated in some of the UK's most picturesque villages.
  • The Northern Lakes are only a hop and a skip away and are much quieter than the lakes in the south. Ullswater, Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite are all only a short drive away.