Benchmark Cottage

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Benchmark Cottage www.benchmarkcottage.com
Cosy cottage, North York Moors hideaway, close to Whitby & coast. A perfect solo or couple's walking/ relaxation retreat. Dining area.

Garden, sun patios, EV charger, private parking. Unique access to river Esk. 5* rated. Pet-free. 1 Bedroom. Fresh Yorkshire air, dark skies, rolling moorland and a homely, restful space await you at Benchmark Cottage in Glaisdale, UK. This gem is tucked away in the vast 554 square-mile North Yorkshire Moors National Park with the historic, maritime town of Whitby an easy 15-minute drive or even a train or bus hop away. Ideal for the solo traveller or couple, Benchmark Cottage is a warm, well-stocked detached stone cottage in a peaceful end of the village close to the River Esk. A stylishly converted stable, dating back to 1821, this characterful property still retains many original features. Benchmark Cottage sits at Stage 12 of the renowned Coast-to-Coast route. It features a south-facing garden with generous outdoor seating, woodland aspect and on-site parking. You have the choice from the parking bay of stone steps, or you can walk uphill to the cottage entrance, with two patio areas with outdoor seating plus a barbecue as well as a lawned area so that you can chase the sun throughout the day. Stepping inside you are welcomed into the sunroom with a reclining sofa in front of large windows looking out into the garden. This bright and welcoming room leads you through into the beautifully fitted kitchen. A homely kitchen AGA provides extra comfort and a truly country-living ‘feel’ to your stay. High quality appliances throughout ensure that you have everything needed to create meals to delight. The adjoining living area has a corner sofa in front of the large Smart TV, perfect for movie nights in. Exposed sandstone walls add to the aesthetics and the character of this stunning property. A step up leads you to the hallway which branches off to the modern shower room, with a rainforest shower with the bonus of a fold down seat. The bedroom is beautifully presented with a double bed beneath a velux window. The owner has paid careful attention to detail throughout to ensure that you have an exceptional stay. You are in the perfect destination for an active break away, with the coast as well as the national park to discover. Local amenities in Glaisdale include a local village pub, post office, butcher, post office and grocery store and a village railway station a short walk away. Whether dreaming of a romantic escape, a walker’s retreat or simply a base from which to easily explore the North Yorkshire Moors’ unique wildlife and landscapes – with its quaint fishing towns and hamlets dotted along the stunning Jurassic North Sea coast – we want your stay at Benchmark Cottage to be the most relaxing and memorable treat you deserve. A warm Yorkshire welcome awaits at Benchmark Cottage at Glaisdale! Ground Floor:
3 steps to entrance. All on the ground floor. Open plan living space. Living area: With Freeview Smart TV. Kitchen area: With Aga, microwave, slow cooker, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. Bedroom: With double bed. Shower room: With shower cubicle and toilet. Underfloor central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Travel cot and highchair. Welcome pack. Enclosed rear lawned garden with patio, garden furniture and gas barbeque. Front garden with patio. Bike/equipment store. Private parking for 2 cars. No smoking. Holidays at Benchmark Cottage run from Monday to Monday, with short breaks also available.

14/10/2026

What’s my (other) most favourite job running the cottage? …

Shopping at Botham’s in Whitby for lovely cakes and treats to put in our guest welcome hampers! 🎁💝

I won’t give my selections away, as that would ruin the surprise. Suffice to say, I pick some based on seasonality….a bit of warming ginger for winter? Lemon bakes for Summer?

Plus I always take into account what our guests say they love, and make a note for their return visit 🥰

So every hamper is personal.

Established in 1865, Elizabeth Botham began selling her baking to the people of Whitby.

Today, I’d strongly recommend a trip to this ultimate Botham’s tea room where family-produced breads, bakes and cakes can be purchased and enjoyed with a delightful range of hot and cold drinks ☕️🍰

Any wonder today’s task counts as one of my own cottage favourites? 😁

🏡🌲🎁
Botham's of Whitby

It’s amazing what guests will get up to on the cottage kitchen table!When I popped over this week to greet Paula and Nic...
08/10/2026

It’s amazing what guests will get up to on the cottage kitchen table!

When I popped over this week to greet Paula and Nick on their first visit, little did I expect to catch them right in the act … of a timed jigsaw challenge! 😳🧩

One sorts the pieces, the other puts them together. The clock was stopped, once they heard the knock on the door… ⏱️

Their record for a 500-piece puzzle? Just over 2 hours.

But I’m now delighted to report that Benchmark Cottage serves as the prestigious venue for their record-beating 1 hour 49 minutes! 🏆

Fancy a challenge?
Well, both have kindly left the puzzle at the cottage for other guests to complete ❤️

All to prove that time really does stand still here in Glaisdale! 😁
🏡🌲🥰

It’s been lovely welcoming our returning guests, Dale and Lucie, back to the cottage. Life gets very busy for everyone -...
03/10/2026

It’s been lovely welcoming our returning guests, Dale and Lucie, back to the cottage.

Life gets very busy for everyone - and so when our guests find their way back to us to recharge and re-familiarise themselves with our lovely coast and moors, it makes us extra happy😊

We’ve also been taking a few days out for some welcome R&R … so we know what it takes to walk in our guests shoes (so to speak) and make the commitment to return.

So thank you 🙏
🏡🌳❤️

Gone midnight? Who cares! 🕛🌙I’ll do all the cottage changeovers myself wherever possible (99.9% of the time)  ….whatever...
26/09/2026

Gone midnight? Who cares! 🕛🌙

I’ll do all the cottage changeovers myself wherever possible (99.9% of the time) ….whatever the time of day (or night) 🕛

I love the calm, peace and quiet that comes with making the cottage a cosy hideaway for guests; somewhere they can drop their bags, forget about the outside world and sink themselves into the intimate warmth and cleanliness of their adoptive home for the coming days.

Because time is precious and I know how I’d want to feel on those special days away.

Maybe that’s why I love doing what I do: creating a space I’d want for myself.

And imagining how travel-worn guests would want to feel when they walk in the door: relieved, assured and at home.
🏡🌳🥰

(I may have the social media posting algorithm all wrong. But that’s fine by me. I’m just sitting in the cottage at 12.20am enjoying the moment 🥰)

🏡🌳🥰

21/09/2026

🏡🌲Benchmark Cottage: October Availability! 🌲🏡

Looking for a cosy solo or couple’s pre-Winter retreat in the beautiful North York Moors?

We still have some October availability, but these dates won’t be around for long (min. 3-night stay):

✨ 12-16th October
✨ 19-25th October

Fresh air, dark skies, brisk country walks and a warm AGA welcome await ☺️

So why not book with us today and take advantage of the perfect spot to relax and unwind - before these dates get snapped up! 📞✉️

See comments for bookings 👇
🏡🦉🌲

17/09/2026

Around 2,000 years ago in Yorkshire, a large group of Iron Age people gathered valuable possessions — including feasting vessels, vehicles, weapons and a mirror — before breaking, burning and burying them.

But why? 🏺

Many of our guests make the most of their stay at Benchmark Cottage by spending a day in the atmospheric city of York — one of the main trading settlements of the Viking Age.

And if you’re visiting, a little detour to the Yorkshire Museum is well worth making to explore this fascinating mystery.

Their brand-new exhibition, Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard, tells the story of the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork ever discovered in Britain.

Discovered by a metal detectorist in 2021, the remarkable finds are now helping researchers piece together what happened all those centuries ago — and perhaps, eventually, why these precious objects were deliberately destroyed.

And the setting is rather special too — the Yorkshire Museum sits within the beautiful Museum Gardens, right in the heart of York. 🌿

A perfect autumnal activity — and just one of the many fascinating places our guests can discover during a stay with us. 💚
The Yorkshire Museum

14/09/2026

🎃 Autumn at the cottage - a time I love to add touches of seasonal decor. Not too much, just enough 🍁🍂

Cosy corners, warm colours and that unmistakable feeling that the seasons are changing 🧡

(Though Agatha (the AGA) will have to wait for her moment to shine - it’s still too warm too switch her on! 😳)

🏡🌲🍁

Remember postcards?! 📩For a bit of fun, we’ve gone a little retro at the cottage. We’re helping our guests prolong that ...
11/09/2026

Remember postcards?! 📩

For a bit of fun, we’ve gone a little retro at the cottage.

We’re helping our guests prolong that summer holiday feeling by providing free, good old fashioned postcards to send to friends and family.

And whilst writing them may have taken that extra bit of time and effort, receiving them always felt so thoughtful and personal, don’t you agree?

So get the Bovril on, grab a Bourbon biscuit, blow the dust off your biro and rediscover the lost art of hand-writing …

That’s if the finger cramps allow!😳


🏡📨✍️ Yorkshire Treasures

04/09/2026

And so what, if it’s Autumn? 🍁

Soon the AGA will be back on for gentle warmth; the cosy lamps will be lit and the evergreen woodlands will continue to shelter owls and the colourful birds flocking to cottage feeders as the earlier evenings draw in 🐦‍⬛🌙 🦉

With the Arncliffe Arms pub within an easy stroll, and under new management from the 5th September, a hearty Sunday Roast may follow a brisk, magical walk through Arncliffe woods before a retreat back to your cottage hideaway….

There are lots of wonderful reasons to book your Autumn and Winter hibernation with us here on the North York Moors…..

Just follow the riverside road from the pub and turn left into your private driveway …. right here.
Up the path to your cosy retreat 🧡

(If you don’t tell anyone where you are, we promise we won’t either! 🤫)
at 🏡🌙🧡

When your guests don’t want to leave… we know we’ve done something right. 💜Thank you, Emma, for such lovely words. It me...
01/09/2026

When your guests don’t want to leave… we know we’ve done something right. 💜

Thank you, Emma, for such lovely words. It means the world to us that you enjoyed your little escape to the North York Moors.

We hope it won’t be too long before we can welcome you back to Benchmark Cottage. ✨

🏡🌳💜

Address

Underhill, Glaisdale
Whitby
YO212PF

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