Gateways

Investigate this stunning three-bedroom stone cottage nestling in the heart of Thornton-le-Dale, a picture-postcard village in the North York Moors. With rooms straight from the pages of an interior magazine and all of the villages delights on your doorstep, this chocolate-box cottage is pure holiday heaven.

This escape is an elegant holiday home with that perfect blend of contemporary and traditional style. Behind its handsome exterior you'll find surprisingly spacious accommodation throughout the whole house, with a real sense of period charm in every room.

On ground level at the heart of the home is a beautiful living room with reclaimed floorboards, sumptuous furnishings, wood panelling and a cosy wood burner. Two attractive Georgian sash windows look out towards the village. It's the perfect room to relax each evening with the roaring fire keeping everyone nice and toasty. There's a Smart TV with SKY in here and Wi-Fi is available if you need to catch up online.

Across the hallway is a further living/snug room with another wood burner to curl up beside. With its board games, comfy sofa and leather armchair, it's just the place for those offline fireside evenings with the family. A music system and MP3 Docking station provide the background music.

Head back through to the rear of the cottage to discover the exquisite kitchen/diner with views out to the lovely garden. The kitchen comes compete with all mod cons including a dishwasher, ceramic hob and American-style fridge/freezer. It's the perfect kitchen for those late-night catch ups over a bottle of red.

All of the bedrooms are upstairs. The first is a fabulous master bedroom boasting generous proportions and a gorgeous king-size French bed. Peaceful greys and blues, window seats and an original period fireplace add to the inherent charm of this room.

The second bedroom is very sweet single room with a lovely cream bed and window seat to enjoy. And finally, the third bedroom is a handsome twin room with a subtle purple theme and two full-size single beds. Another original fireplace completes the look.

The family bathroom is also upstairs, a huge room featuring his and her sinks, a large bath and separate walk-in monsoon power shower. Indulge with a long hot soak in here after a bracing walk across the moors. There's also a handy cloakroom at the end of the rear hall downstairs.

There is much to enjoy outside this pretty cottage too with its delightful split-level walled garden. There's a sheltered patio outside the kitchen which is perfect for al fresco dining and a pleasant lawned area for settling down on a picnic blanket with a G&T in hand. An outdoor dining set is provided for you.

There's also private off-road parking for several cars, something of a rarity in this gorgeous village.

• 3 bedrooms: 1 king-size bedroom, 1 twin bedroom and 1 single
• 1 bathroom with walk-in monsoon shower and bathtub
• Oven, hob, fridge/freezer
• Outside seating area and enclosed garden
• Cosy wood burner
• Electric and heating included
• Off-road parking for several cars
• 33" Smart LCD TV
• Wi-Fi included
• Regret no pets
• Travel cot/high chair provided
• Pub and shop within half a mile
• BBQ provided
• Music system and MP3 docking station
• This property will be decorated for Christmas
• Arrival: 16:00 onwards
• Departure: before 10:00, unless otherwise stated in your arrival details
• Sorry, no dogs allowed

Set in one of the prettiest and most visited villages in the North York Moors, Thornton-Le-Dale, you have everything this gorgeous village has to offer on your doorstep. There are a host of lovely tea rooms and pubs to explore and we recommend a stroll along the river taking in the famous and much-photographed thatched cottage here.

Sitting at the eastern foot of the North York Moors, the region's dramatic landscape of heather and open moorland is just a short drive away. Somewhat smaller than the Yorkshire Dales, the North Yorkshire Moors still covers an area of almost 600 square miles, and like the Dales you can easily find yourself miles from anywhere relatively quickly. Yet there is something distinctly more civilised and less remote about the Moors. In place of harsh limestone and dramatic peaks you'll find gentle rolling hills of heather, ancient woodland and lazy rivers winding through lush green valleys. There is a sense of wilderness, particularly on top of the high central moorlands, but its cast in comforting soft focus.

The stunning Dalby Forest is very close to here, just a 4 miles drive away, where you'll find miles of forest walks and cycle routes. There are countless pretty villages and towns to explore in the area. The handsome market towns of Pickering (3 miles) and Helmsley (15 miles) are a must, as is the archetypical Moors village of Hutton-le-Hole (12 miles).

This property is also near the coast, just 16 miles drive. Much like its Cornish counterpart, the North Yorkshire coastline is a heady mix of rugged cliff tops, peaceful bays and pretty fishing villages. With long sandy beaches and all the traditional seaside trimmings of yesteryear, this is proper bucket 'n’ spade territory. The coastal villages and towns combine the traditional with the contemporary effortlessly, with trinket shops and tea rooms sitting alongside upmarket champagne and oyster bars.

This region is best known for the gorgeously gothic town of Whitby (20 miles). Playing host at one time to Romans, Saxons, Celts and Danes amongst others, the town's rich heritage is immediately obvious. Straddling the river Esk and dominated by the 13th century ruins of St Hilda's Abbey on the East Cliff, Whitby's crooked cobbled streets and picturesque harbour have been a magnet for artists and tourists alike for centuries.

Although you could happily spend the weekend mooching about the independent shops, bars and cafes along Whitby's bustling medieval streets, it's worth striking out to sample some of the other less known coastal villages nearby. Robin Hood's Bay (24 miels), Sandsend (25 miles), and Runswick Bay (27 miles) are all near Whitby and each have their own unique charm.