Note: I only give out 5 stars to surprisingly EXCEPTIONAL, best-in-class establishments…read more John & Lyn Kirkbride own and operate this lovely bed and breakfast. My wife and I vacationed here for our honeymoon, and we were absolutely thrilled with The Ryelands. Lyn is personable and very professional. She exudes a genuine concern and care for her guests. The rooms are fantastically comfortable, and extremely well situated within walking distance of "downtown" Grasmere. Our room, the Silver Howe, has a lovely view with an ever so faint glimpse of Grasmere Lake. The "negative" aspects of this property are actually what makes it wonderful as well. The flat screen television is VERY small with a limited channel selection, and is not easily visible while lying down on the bed (it should be mounted on the wall for better viewing). This is actually a positive, since one shouldn't expect to spend much time in the room, and time would be better spent reading Wordsworth than watching a rerun of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" The staircase leading up to the bedrooms is moderately steep and narrow--a daunting gauntlet for large suitcases or obese rear ends. And don't expect to wheel a suitcase or anything up the gravel driveway to the property. It makes a lovely crunching sound as you walk, but it's impossible to drag anything with wheels smaller than a moving dolly or hand truck. Still, the property is utterly gorgeous. The owners/operators are personable, helpful and inviting. Their breakfasts are delicious. The towels are surprisingly soft, and smell of soothing lavender. It's easy to get "caught up" in the romantic feel of Grasmere from The Ryelands. I HIGHLY recommend The Ryelands over ANY other property in Grasmere, including the famous Wordsworth Hotel. I would award The Ryelands a 5-star rating if: 1. The flat screen television was wall-mounted and maybe connected to a simple DVD player. It's a seemingly silly request, but it's what I would expect from a 5-star establishment. 2. Breakfast service ends slightly too early (around 9 or 10 AM). I would expect a 5-star establishment to provide a simple, continental breakfast option for guests who choose to dine after those hours. 3. The downstairs office uses a secured wireless internet connection, but no access is provided for guests. I would expect a 5-star establishment to provide or charge for in-room internet access. With the relatively low cost of wireless-N routers, I do not believe this to be an unreasonable request.

What can I say ?? I just love everything about this place. It has all the character of an old…read moreEnglish country pub, with a log fire going as the cold weather begins. The staff are so friendly and welcoming, nothing is ever too much trouble, it almost feels like you are dining with family ! And the food is always delicious home cooked perfection. Every time I go, I walk out smiling and content for the rest of the day it just has that effect on me !!

I made my reservation several months ago when invited to a Wedding nearby…read more Before reserving, I read the web site thoroughly and was pleased with what I read hence my booking. On arrival the alarm bells rang and that was just looking at this place from the outside. I was greeted by the very pleasant John and shown to my room. Although clean enough, the room was in a really bad state of repair and the decor was extremely tired to say the least. When I go away, I expect a decent standard of accomodation and this fell way short. I was really annoyed as I had travelled a long way to get here. The Kirk Lea Guest House website is extremely misleading and there are lots of issues within the room I was due to stay in. The window would not close, there was a burn on the polystyrene light fitting and the floor was very uneven. The furniture was very worn and damaged and nothing matched at all, not an attempt to look "shabby chic" I can promise. There have been some attempts to decorate by the current staff who are well aware of the appearance of the place and were very apologetic when I approached them with my impression of the place. They were helpful and could not have done more to assist me in finding a suitable alternative. This review in no way reflects on John and Val who are lovely people and I wish them well for the future!.

From the owner: Budget weekend breaks, beat the credit crunch, save money by staying in a B&B Guest House instead…read moreof a hotel. Stay with us at Kirk Lea Guest House, see what you are missing! Relax, have fun, take some time out, have some space to yourself for a few days, enjoy the countryside. Make a saving on your accommodation budget, stay in a Bed & Breakfast Guest House. Kirk Lea Guest House is a spacious and comfortable Victorian house built in 1800's, with modern facilities and the warmth of traditional English hospitality with easy access to Halifax, Elland, Huddersfield, Hebden Bridge and Brighouse. We are just off the M62, convenient if visiting the Royal Calderdale hospital opposite or HBOS Halifax Bank of Scotland head office, 1 mile up the road ....Read More You are promised a warm and a friendly welcome whether it is a pleasure or a business visit. We are confident you will have a very pleasant stay. Our staff are always on hand to make your stay at Kirk Lea Guest House, a happy and enjo

Very warm and welcoming b&b. You are made to feel right at home by the owner Amanda. The rooms are…read morespacious, clean and really cosy. The choice of breakfast is great! I'd recommed the crumpets or the full english :). It's a nice walk in to both Windermere and Bowness from the b&b and there are lots of good places to eat and drink near by.

Everything about the Punchbowl will delight you! The rooms are superbly decorated, spacious and…read morecomfortable. The food is special (you might as well book dinner for every night you are there IMHO). And the staff is fantastic--friendly and accommodating. I'd return in a split second with any opportunity!

The food, service, and atmosphere were all superb! I had a…read moredelicious cheese soufflé, which was out of this world.

I was looking for somewhere to stay near Chorley, and this is just outside in Eccleston. A…read moreconverted barn houses most of the bedrooms, and the main house has the breakfast room. A comfortable room with a choice of bath or just a shower. A B&B often has better care taken as it is their own property, and this was no exception. Car park at the back, and a quick walk to the pub over the road (see seperate review) and a cashpoint further down the road. The breakfast was buffet style with fruit, cereal, meats and cheeses, with fresh coffee or tea. One of the best things was the very smiley welcome from the lady of the house! I felt welcome, and refreshed after my stay.

I stayed here last month and it was pleasant, the room was a decent size, the owners were friendly…read moreand - as we were visiting family - it was the ideal place for me! breakfast is continental and served in the main house. As the name suggests it's an old farm house with fields out the back and rooms in the converted barn where I stayed. I can definitely recommend it!

Quite simply, my favourite place to stay in the world! This small B&B used to be, surprisingly, the…read moreStation Master's house for Rowsley station, and the house itself was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, built in about 1850. The couple who run this B&B are incredibly friendly and just lovely people to have a conversation with over one of their trademark HUGE full English breakfasts! They have a wealth of knowledge about places to go and things to do in the nearby Peak District National Park, and are also authorities on the local pubs! The rooms are not big but very cosy and homely, with small en suite bathrooms in every room. The beds are out of this world comfortable, and are so high and well-stocked with pillows that it is a struggle not to think that you may have been coronated some kind of monarch between coming through the door and sitting down on the bed! Rowsley is peaceful and very pretty - a stereotypical Peak District village, and my girlfriend and I always look forward to our stays here.

From the owner: We are a small B&B and pride ourselves on our personal service and knowledge of the local area,…read morehelping our guests get as much as possible out of their stay in the beautiful Peak District. We use the very best free range and local produce and I make my own bread for our communal breakfast table.