Since Raven House was first let for self catering holidays in spring 2006, we have had many guests to stay for relaxing short breaks, or a week's peaceful holiday, in the pretty Cumbrian village of Kirkoswald. Most people who stay have kind things to say about the cottage and the area. In their own words, here are some extracts from our guests' comments, as recorded in our Visitors' Book:

Liz & Steve, Devon
September 2008
Cosy, comfortable cottage - great fire - in a lovely village. Very friendly, good food at The Featherston. Two weeks of walking saw very little sunshine but the rivers, waterfalls and wildlife more than made up for the lack of sun. Thank you - hope to return.

Clare, Pete, Joey & Hannah, Preston
August 2008
Despite the wet weather we have still managed to enjoy local walks - Long Meg and Lacy's Cave - a great walk and we saw a kingfisher! Raven Beck also a good walk but probably better when drier underfoot! We had a couple of trips to Ullswater and walked Grisedale Beck & Helvellyn. Good day out at Alston - South Tynedale Railway and fantastic views from Alston Moor - even in the rain! Lovely, well equipped cottage & wonderful part of the world. Thank you!

Oliver, Miriam & Isabelle, London
July 2008
Lovely cottage, very cosy and comfortable. Kirkoswald is a beautiful village, very friendly and picturesque. Good location for many tourist attractions - Carlisle races, Penrith, Ullswater and Birdoswald fort (Hadrian's Wall). The weather has been hot and sunny for most of our stay, probably better than the 'usual' Lake District. We definitely hope to come this way again.

Christine (Linlithgow) & Agnes (Paisley)
June 2008
Very nice and well located. Managed to see and do loads within a very short drive. Animal sanctuary at Weatheriggs Pottery (£3) is well worth supporting. Acorn Bank Gardens is a tranquil delight.

Marie & Andrew, Glasgow
May 2008
What a lovely cottage! A wonderful location for some beautiful walks. Thank you for providing a copy of Paul Hannon's Eden Valley walking book - it proved to be extremely helpful. We especially enjoyed Raven Beck, Long Meg & Lacy's Cave, and the walk to Lazonby and along the River Eden. We'd recommend the Fethers for a convivial evening (good pub grub and a terrific Sunday evening quiz). Genuinely friendly people and a most welcoming part of the world. We hope to return to this home from home.

Julie, Stephen & Sarah
March 2008
Thank you for a lovely stay at the warm & cosy cottage. We had a wonderful time enjoying the snow and the Easter Bunnies. Plenty of pheasant, stoats, lambs, badgers and llamas too. "Trotters" was a good family trip and Hadrian's Wall as stupendous as ever. We did lots of walks around the Eden Valley and North Lakes but had some fun at The Alhambra (+ salsa bar) in Penrith. Great time all round!

Bernadette & Nick, North London
March 2008
What a gorgeous house!! We had an incredibly enjoyable stay! The are is amazing - we did several walks. Would definitely recommend the drive up to Alston - the views are amazing. Thank you for a lovely week using your house. We'll definitely return and recommend.

Sarah & Pat
New Year 2007
Thank you for a lovely stay. We had everything we needed for a great New Year. Just wish we could have stayed longer. A beautiful cottage and wonderful location! All the best for 2008.

Janet & David, Loughborough
Christmas 2007
Ideally suited to our needs. Thanks for making it a Christmas we shall not forget!

Jo & Sarah, mid-Devon
November 2007
A very relaxing week of walking by river + up hills. Highlight walks: Coombs Wood (but go off the marked path to walk by the river), and Eden East bank, north of Holmwrangle. A fantastically well-equipped and furnished cottage, with an unexpectedly warm welcome, complete with "bubbly" to celebrate our honeymoon. What a great place to spend a romantic week together, even in November. Many thanks.

Margaret & Gill, North Yorkshire
November 2007
Had a great week, weather very kind to us. The cottage was what we hoped for, warm and very well equipped and the beds are ultra comfortable. Hope to come again some time.

JB & TA
October 2007
We love the house which preserves so much of its original character in spite of being so sensitively re-furbished with every mod con. We felt very welcomed. The milk and biscuits were much appreciated & careful thought has been given to making guests' stay as pleasant as possible. The kitchen is well equipped, the central heating effective & the rooms beautifully decorated & comfortable. We loved the beautiful range and it was so kind of you to make up the fire for us! I'm sure we'll be back!

Jim & Anna
October 2007
Thank you for a lovely week in your beautiful cottage. Mixed weather but enjoyable nevertheless.

Emma & Chris, Dartford
September 2007
Us again! We thought we'd make it third time lucky and we haven't been disappointed! Thank you for a lovely, peaceful week away from the hustle and bustle of London life.

Karen
August 2007
Raven House went up for sale in the spring of 1990. And one bright, clear, frosty morning whilst driving from Talkin to Langwathby to visit my "new school", I noticed the sale board. I stopped, looked in through the windows, walked down the cobbles to the beck, found the waterfall - and fell in love!
By July of 1990 I had moved in and I lived here until April 1998. Imagine my surprise when Raven House turned up as the second available cottage in my search for accommodation in the Eden Valley some nine years later! Imagine also my delight to find that the "original spirit" of my house had been preserved - oh so carefully - turning it into a perfect gem of a place!
Had I had the funds to put in "invisible" central heating, such a luxurious bath and shower, and a kitchen maximising the potential of every square inch of space, I might never have left! My heart is in KO! And I will be back.

Ben, Lynsey, Oliver (4) & Isabella (18m)
August 2007
Enjoyed a lovely short break in this beautiful cottage - all very last minute and rushed but once here we soon relaxed! The cottage is so well equipped and comfortable. We enjoyed a lovely walk yesterday from the recommended book. We hope to return! Thank you.

Pauline, Ian & Jonathan, Bedfordshire
August 2007
We settled into this homely cottage quickly - the cleanliness, & utilities made it all the more welcoming. The week has gone by very quickly with so much more left to be done - we'd love to return and do the local walks next time. We would certainly recommend our friends to the cottage.

Ann & Michael, Scotland
August 2007
Great weekend in a truly fab cottage - loved all the original features & couldn't fault anything. Appleby was a lovely village to visit. Thanks for all the homely touches.

Neil & Teresa, Wakefield
July 2007
Lovely cottage. Short stay but long chill out! Fab food - especially the Fox & Pheasant.

Dorothy & Norman Clarke and Rosalie & Raymond Kent
July 2007
What a wonderful cottage - a luxurious time capsule. We have enjoyed our week and have seen many beautiful places. Thank you for providing such a comfortable, well-equipped cottage - we will return to our homes well refreshed. The beauty of the area was a brethtaking surprise - a part of England that time has forgot.

Aimee & Mike
July 2007
A really lovely cottage. Unfortunately the weather wasn't great but we enjoyed cosy nights in watching TV. Every place we ate offered great food. We would especially recommend The Midland in Lazonby which took us by surprise with a fantastic steak. Thank you for a very comfortable and enjoyable holiday.

Keith & Angela
23-30/06/07
Lovely cottage in a lovely area. Good central base to see the castles and standing stones in the area. Great fireplace!

Emma, Ben & Campbell (18 months)
9-16/06/07
Thank you for a comfortable, well-equipped cottage. Thoroughly enjoyed a day out in Ullswater paddling in the lake followed by lunch at the "Inn By The Lake". It has been a week of two halves with raging sunshine Sat-Mon followed by torrential rain Tues-Fri!! ...enjoyed the "softplay" at Rheged on the rainy days! Thank you for making us feel so welcome. xxx

Moya & John
26/5 to 2/06/07
Very comfortable, well-equipped cottage. We enjoyed walking in this beautiful countryside - far way from the rat race. Hoping that this peaceful are doesn't become too well known! We enjoyed the food at the Fox & Pheasant, Armathwaite, and The Joiners at Lazonby. We were disappointed that The Crown was closed. The Village Bakery at Melmerby is well worth a visit. Thank you for a very relaxing week's stay.

Alex & Maggi, Manchester
13th to 17th April 2007
Beautiful cottage, Eden Valley is hidden delight. The local people were very friendly & welcoming. Loved the rabbits, pheasants and lambs - the fields were full of them. Hottest weekend so far, it has been like the middle of summer (23C) wow. Even so we had to try the fire in the range. We will be back!

Jan, Adrian, Graham, Jess :]
Easter '07
An excellent location for a short break. The cottage was very cosy and comfortable. The Eden valley is lovely and ideal for exploring the north lakes.

Emma & Chris, Dartford
24/03/07-31/03/07
We first came for a short break back in September 2006 and had such a good time that we knew we had to come back again, this time for a whole week. The cottage was just as we remembered it and we felt right at home a soon as we walked through the door! As it is such a good base for exploring both the Lakes and the Eden Valley, I am in no doubt that we will be back again in the future! Thank you for a lovely week.

Simon & Roxine
15/07/07-18/02/07
Lovely place and people, wonderful countryside and plenty to see and do. The cottage was first class. Many thanks.

Kirsty
Feb '07
It was a surprise how quickly I felt at home here. Thank you for a lovely time. However, have you got any info on how old the house is, history, etc? A home from home. Thank you.

Elli
Feb '07
A warm, cosy & inviting house. Provided a great base for exploring the local area. The homely touches (& especially the fluffy towels!!) were a treat.

Michelle & Andrew, Birmingham
New Year 2007
We had a wonderful New Year's break and found we had everything we needed in the cottage and more. The Christmas tree and decorations made the cottage feel lovely and festive and made our stay all the more perfect. We hope to return again soon.

Hugo, Diana & Guy, London
Christmas 2006
A lovely festive feel to the cottage - a real Christmas tree and garlands over the pictures. The fluffy towels were a treat too!

Carol, Neil & boys, Burton-on-Trent
October 2006
A beautiful cottage, well equipped and ideally situated - the open range was used every evening - wonderful.

Isobel & George
October 2006
The cottage is lovely and very well equipped. This is a stunning part of the world. We've left the railway timetable for others to use:- we went Langwathby to Horton (plenty of parking) and back and might climb Pen y Ghent while there. Thank you for a splendid holiday.

Emma & Chris, Dartford
September 2006
Such a lovely cottage! We have had a peaceful relaxing time in your cosy cottage, and did not want for anything. Hopefully we will return again soon.

Brian & Sandy, Kent
September 2006
The area breathtaking, beautiful, especially Buttermere & the Kirkstone Pass. The cottage delightful, with all the necessities one could require. Very enjoyable week.

Sue & Colin, Burton-on-Trent
September 2006
We have had a really relaxing week in this lovely cottage. The weather has been very kind so we have been able to walk most days. The highlight being walking around Buttermere with blue skies and sunshine. The views are fabulous! A small fire at night made the cottage really cosy and relaxing after a day's walking.

Chris & Karen, Clacton-on-Sea
August 2006
We had a really nice time. The house is perfect for a holiday. We really enjoyed the Raven Beck walk. Ullswater was the best of the lake days out. The Crown was very friendly and the food was great but the Highland Grove at Gt Salkeld didn't live up to its reputation. Service at the Post Office was interesting - but we put that down to old fashioned village character. We would definitely come again.

Simon & Magna (?)
August 2006
We had a really nice time. Everything was perfect. The walk to Lacy's Cave was wonderful, even in the rain! We will certainly plan to come back.

Andy, Katie & Rachael
August 2006
We really enjoyed our stay in this lovely and well-equipped cottage. We could really recommend the Watermill Cafe at Little Salkeld for wonderful wholesome lunches and afternoon teas. We thoroughly enjoyed the Raven Beck and Edenhall walks. Another recommendation is the Ullswater Steamer from Glenridding to Howtown - walking back along lakeside paths followed by dinner at the Fellbites Cafe/Restaurant (car park in Glenridding). Going home very well exercised and relaxed, but definitely fatter!

Julie, Greg, Isabel & Amelia
August 2006
A really lovely cottage, very comfortable and thoughtfully presented. Hopefully we will be back!

Kenton & Wayne
July 2006
What a lovely cottage, the best equipped self-catering accommodation we have ever stayed in. The area is absolutely splendid, as are the local people. Will probably visit again in the not too distant future.

Paul, Maureen, Ross (9) & Paul (7), Edinburgh
July 2006
Raven House is a cottage full of character, charm and comfort. It is an excellent base to return to after a days exploring. We enjoyed Coombs Wood walk. The Fox & Pheasant [in Armathwaite] was most welcoming. We had a BBQ at the River's edge on the walk to Long Meg & Lacy's Caves. The walk at River Lyvennet is well worth a visit. Thank you for sharing your cottage with us.

Phil, Ann, Naomi & Imogen, Burnham-on-Sea
May 2006
Raven House - character & comfort, the complete tranquil retreat - home from home. Lovely cottage, lovely village, lovely people, lovely location. Lots to do and see - really liked Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall (Birdoswald), Lakes and Pennines. Good time boat-rowing at Towns Tyne, Brampton. We all found Gretna Green "Amusing"! A lovely week's holiday.

Alan & Helen, Hampshire
April 2006
Lovely, well equipped cottage. Good range of walks without the crowds of the Lakes. Recommend Walk 4 [Long Meg & Lacy's Caves] which you can do from the door - with lunch at the Mill in Little Salkeld.

Lisa & Matt, Newcastle
March 2006
Thank you for a fantastic weekend - perfectly equipped cottage to a high standard - a joy to stay in. Beautiful surroundings - a real retreat.

NB The views expressed above are the personal observations of our guests. Some comments have been edited for brevity.