The Old Croft House

The Old Croft House Guest House Accommodation in the Eden Valley

Our reputation for the ability to kill plants is well known amongst our family to the point that they buy art work to ma...
08/06/2026

Our reputation for the ability to kill plants is well known amongst our family to the point that they buy art work to mark our efforts. After years of trying to grow a lush welcome by the front door we have admitted defeat. This time it’s not us to blame but spider mites that have thwarted our efforts so after a visit to we found the perfect rustic flower sculptures to frame the front door, Ted is very pleased with his efforts and is more than finding his paws as head greeter…

The perfect Sunday, dramatic skies and dancing buttercups. It’s a privilege to watch the transformation of one the rares...
07/06/2026

The perfect Sunday, dramatic skies and dancing buttercups. It’s a privilege to watch the transformation of one the rarest and most threatened wildlife habitats in Cumbria, northern upland hay meadows thrive at Bowber Head. If you want to walk from our door there are also great examples overlooking the Wharton Oak…

Visit Eden Cumbria Wildlife Trust

05/06/2026

When you work out that you spend a week hoovering during the season (that’s 24 hours a day) please forgive the excitement of the arrival of The Shark after the sad demise of Danny Dyson. It was frankly love at first use especially as one of our favourite films is Jaws, with a little imagination a mundane task is no longer cleaning but patrolling the waters of Amity Island…





Today marks the start of 30 Days Wild, and it’s a gentle reminder that walking isn’t always about how far you can go. So...
01/06/2026

Today marks the start of 30 Days Wild, and it’s a gentle reminder that walking isn’t always about how far you can go. Sometimes it’s about slowing down, getting onto your hands and knees, and fully immersing yourself in the small, extraordinary details of nature. Take time to linger by a hay meadow where grass and buttercups dance lightly in the breeze. Notice a stone wall softened by pillows of moss, a simple dandelion glowing, or the delicate lacework of cow parsley along the path. Up close, the natural world reveals its astonishing structure, a quiet, intricate system that sustains us all….

Cumbria Wildlife Trust

We have never returned to the scene of ‘Glaramara Gate’ where after a long day ticking off Wainwrights the conversation ...
31/05/2026

We have never returned to the scene of ‘Glaramara Gate’ where after a long day ticking off Wainwrights the conversation went along the lines of ‘if I don’t get off this mountain soon’ ‘I will push you off’ followed by a long stony silence all the way back to the car…
Last weeks visit proved to be far more harmonious 😊After checking for heat rather than rain we were treated to glorious views of the central Lake District mountains and if we had been eagle eyed we would have seen some of our future Coast to Coast guests making their way from Ennerdale to Rosthwaite or from Grasmere up to Grisdale Tarn. I don’t think we will leave it so long until our next visit…

29/05/2026

It’s now over two years since we began monitoring water quality on the River Eden with just outside Kirkby Stephen. Over the last four months, our data has shown consistently elevated nitrate levels immediately downstream of the treatment works outflow.
This rise has occurred since upgrade works began, despite no recorded sewage discharges during this period. The contrast is stark: a few metres upstream of the outfall, nitrate levels remain stable and ecologically healthy, yet downstream the readings indicate poor ecological status.
The pattern is clear, consistent, and strongly suggests that the treated effluent itself, not storm overflows that is driving the deterioration in water quality….

Eden Rivers Trust

Rhubarb and custard, a flavour combination made in heaven from classic boiled sweets to warm crumbles, and now into our ...
28/05/2026

Rhubarb and custard, a flavour combination made in heaven from classic boiled sweets to warm crumbles, and now into our cakes, where it transforms a traditional Victoria Sponge into a taste of nostalgia. A refreshing homemade rhubarb and ginger jam between layers of light, fluffy sponge dotted with fresh rhubarb picked straight from my parents’ garden, finished with a swirl of silky buttercream made with with its many, natural health benefits (cake is always good for you) it’s the perfect end to a long day’s walking…

Sitting on Kirkby Hill on a warm May Bank Holiday afternoon, watching a cricket match unfold below, you can already feel...
25/05/2026

Sitting on Kirkby Hill on a warm May Bank Holiday afternoon, watching a cricket match unfold below, you can already feel summer on its way. After a busy day, there’s no finer antidote than the soft crack of ball on bat, the gentle murmur of the crowd urging on a boundary, or the sudden rise of excitement at the chance of an out. If the tension becomes too much, you only need to look up to take in the surrounding fells, calm enough to steady even the tightest finish….

Kirkby Stephen Cricket Club Visit Eden

We’ve welcomed a new colleague into the kitchen, and he’s already helping us cook up a storm. His work ethic is spot-on ...
23/05/2026

We’ve welcomed a new colleague into the kitchen, and he’s already helping us cook up a storm. His work ethic is spot-on and he’s keeping up with our high standards - even if he’s not much of a talker.
By not having to watch sausages and bacon under the grill, we’ve gained something even better, more time to chat with our lovely guests over breakfast.
A special thank you to the Ninja Queen Chrissie Halsall providing a text helpline and helping us build a truly harmonious working relationship with our newest team member…

Ninja Kitchen UK Cranstons Butcher + Maker

You would be forgiven to think that Mount Ida is a grand name for a hill modest in altitude, but its character and scene...
21/05/2026

You would be forgiven to think that Mount Ida is a grand name for a hill modest in altitude, but its character and scenery fit its name perfectly. From the summit, the Eden Valley stretches out as far as the eye can see, with Wild Boar Fell standing proud and Kirkby Stephen tucked neatly below. To the west, the imposing outline of Blencathra signals the beginning of the Lake District fells. The route carries you across pockets of limestone pavement and through bursts of wildflowers before you stumble upon the striking Fox Tower, no dogs are allowed on the permissive path but Ted kept himself entertained admiring the wild flowers or possibly mice…
The walk finishes with a gentle descent through the bluebell-filled slopes of Swindale Wood, opening out to views of Brough Castle. Mount Ida may be modest in altitude, its character and scenery are anything but…

Visit Eden



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Market Street
Kirkby Stephen
CA174QW

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+441768371638

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