It was supposed to be our retirement plan. We'd stayed in many self-catering holiday homes over the years, from tiny two-roomed cottages to 12-bedroomed townhouses. And we'd often talked about 'one day' - the mythical time in the dim and distant future when we might have saved enough money to own our own holiday home.
Then, on a (very Covid-safe) holiday in the North Yorkshire Moors in July 2020 Mr Leach looked up from RightMove, uttered the fateful words, "H? I think we can afford to do this now" and our dream took its first steps to becoming reality.
We discounted Lock Cottage at first. It was bigger than we wanted, not as 'chocolate box' as we had envisaged. But something dept drawing us back. We both had a feeling that we could make this tired, run-down place a real home from home.
And it was tired. The previous owners had obviously loved it at one point but it had been rarely visited in the last 10 years and it showed. Worn carpets, dingy paintwork, an outdated kitchen, even the front door needed replacing. We drew up plans, sorted the budget and our labour of love began.
The keys were handed over in late 2020 and work began in January 2021 when our fantastic builders (http://www.cjhbuilders.co.uk/) set to ripping out the old kitchen. Work continued slowly (thanks lockdown!) but steadily. The decorating was done by May, new floors were in, fresh patio doors, a new balcony and sleek new heaters as well as, of course, a modern kitchen, bathroom and a beautiful new front door.
We always had our future guests in mind during the renovation. Lock Cottage had to feel like a home from home; a place to relax, where you could sit with family or friends of an evening enjoying a glass of wine in front of the fire or hunker down with the kids on one of North Yorkshire's many rainy days. Taking the best bits from all the holiday homes we've stayed in over the last 20 years we worked hard to make Lock Cottage especially welcoming. We provide fluffy bath sheets and towels, have books, games and DVDs in the Snug and make sure there are supplies for a well-earned cuppa on arrival.
During the renovation it was essential to get the kitchen right. We have encountered too many poorly-equipped self-catering kitchens over the years and needed to make sure that our guests would want for nothing. A trip to the Ikea marketplace in May 2021 resembled nothing less than a round of Supermarket Sweep as I filled the trolley with anything and everything we could conceive a holiday home would need. Hence you'll find in Lock Cottage's kitchen a glass to suit every drink, plastic 'crockery' and cutlery for little ones, whisks, sieves, a garlic press (very middle class) and even a knife sharpener - for me the holy grail of self-catering holidays.
We've created a holiday home that we are really proud of and love to bits. Judging by our reviews our guests love it as much as we do.
If you'd like to see the results for yourself booking is easy: just click here and choose your date.
Lock Cottage is a self-catering holiday home sleeping 6, situated in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. Check availability, find out more about the cottage and book your stay here.
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