The end of an era.........

Hi All

Today was the end of an era and Sarah and I changed over cottages together for the last time. Actually this is not strictly true because we do have the odd booking in September and October for Little Farthings and Springwood and of course Stoney End Cottage and the B&B continue as usual. It will be a big change and we are really looking forward to doing a little less. The first two weeks in November ( after the wedding and our holiday ) we are making some improvements at Stoney End; Ellerkins bathroom is getting a new shower so it will have a bath and a shower and we are doing quite a lot of tiling with lovely sparkling glass tiles in Ellerkins bathroom and Wensleydales ensuite. Really looking forward to that!

Hi All

Check out this special offer for a couple of weekends coming up soon, when they are gone they are gone!!

Special Offer Enjoy a two night weekend break in Stoney End Cottage commencing Friday 23rd July or Friday 13th August and get the third night FREE!! Call us to book on.

Wedding Bells........

Hi All.......

What a month June has been, the busiest we have ever been at this time of year at Stoney End and a really exciting time over the last week personally. Many of our visitors will have met our daughter Sarah who was engaged to Mark last week during their visit to Glastonbury. He must have earned years worth of browny points for the proposal, Sarah happily accepted and we will be enjoying a wedding later this year. Children grow up so fast! See the photos and watch the video no tears......

Mixed Feelings.........

We are having a very busy time on the B&B front, thankfully, after the difficult snow filled months earlier in the year but with more visitors there is always the chance of coming across the odd one who throws a spanner in the works no matter how hard you try to please. Generally I really enjoy having B&B guests in our home ( just as well after 20 years in the business) and we meet some lovely people but just occasionally someone comes along who makes me want to run away to a desert island. The problem is the guests who stay, sometimes for days, smile, chat, take advice about local places to visit and eat, assure you that all is well and that they want for nothing, write lovely complimentary comments in our visitors book and then go home and write awful things about their stay on online review sites....why would you do this? Fortunately for us they are few and far between and most of our visitors go home rested and happy (and many return) but for this odd few why not mention any real or perceived problems during their stay and give us the opportunity to improve their experience. We have had some such long suffering soles visit recently, one lovely couple complained (after they had gone home and not to us) that they had been too hot in their room during the recent heat wave (do you remember that) when a word would have highlighted the fan in their room available to blow cold air. Another couple who did not like the low energy lighting which they suffered for four nights without a word and then wrote a rotten review......... why when a word would have put the problem right and brightened up their lives. I hope writing these reviews makes them feel better; we think it is cruel, it makes us very unhappy and gives us sleepless nights! I hope that anyone who reads these negative comments also reads this and is reassured that any real criticisms (we are not perfect and even in the best households etc....) are corrected instantly. Our aim is to provide a relaxing and enjoyable stay for happy visitors!

If you have a problem tell us, if you have enjoyed your stay tell Trip Advisor!

Busy Busy...... (2)

Hi All
I have neglected this blog for a while, I have been rushing about painting, paper hanging and photographing (in between all the usual washing, ironing etc) for the web site. All done now and I am delighted with the results.
New big bed and colour scheme in Stoney End Cottage which looks great particularly on a lovely day like today! We have a mid week break available in June on the 21st and a weekend in July on the 23rd. Check out the web site and treat yourself to a little rest relaxing in Wensleydale!
The Spring Bank holiday has been a little disappointing weather wise but our guests seem to have had a good time and we are looking forward to a busy June......

Spring at Last!

Our dafs are at last blooming and are looking better than last year......perhaps because we have had to wait for so long!
The early May bank holiday is almost here and the Dales Festival of Food and Drink is the highlight of the weekend running from 1st May for three days in Leyburn. Stay at Stoney End and visit this exciting festival. For all details of the event follow this link www.dalesfestivaloffood.org
We are looking forward to having a busy season and look forward to greeting visitors to this lovely part of Yorkshire!

Hot tub.......

Yoredale our ground floor room is empty tonight and it being Thursday our daughter Sarah is home, we have just been testing the new tub and it is really great. I suspect that we will not get the opportunity to indulge once guests know i is here. It is very tempting to keep it a BIG secret!!!

Easter Here.......

We are having an odd Easter business wise but not like the weather today a wash out! The daffs are almost out and the trees are at last showing some sign of an intention to spring back into leaf (just little buds at the moment) I have found a photo of some of the Yorkshires Finest group taken at Welcome to Yorkshires conference on the 22nd March. I am on there next to Gary Verity dressed in a Vivienne Westwood creation!
We have a lovely room available over the weekend, most unusual to have vacancies over this weekend.........

A quiet few moments.....

Working up to the Easter Weekend...... Yoredale now has a lovely patio area with its own hot tub and it looks great. Our first guests to try the new tub put a glowing review on Trip Advisor which is very much appreciated and very encouraging! Photos when the weather is favourable!
Last week saw the Welcome to Yorkshire Y10 Conference in Harrogate inspiring stuff.....see Welcome to Yorkshire at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, York Races, supporting a production of 'The Railway Children' at Waterloo Station and here in the Dales a New Turner Trail, Yorkshire Cricket and Golf. These are just a few of the initiatives for 2010 keeping Yorkshire up there in everyones minds for great short breaks and holidays.
By popular demand two night self catering weekend breaks are now available from Stoney End Holidays with the option to stay Sunday night for just £20 extra these weekend breaks are available throughout the year from now on. We still of course have midweek breaks at great prices. Come and spend a few days in the beautiful dales.
The weather has reared its head again today just when we thought spring had sprung we were promised snow. Just so you know there is no snow here today.................

Busy Busy......

We never seem to have enough time particularly in the run up to Easter and it seems this year is busier than most. Staff training, 'staff' means me, is always a priority in these 'quieter' winter months and this year has been no different so far I have done two training sessions based on communicating via the internet and last week the new Welcome to Yorkshire Customer Care course which I found really useful. Training courses are always a great opportunity to get out and about and do a bit of networking on top of what you can pick up on the day no matter how experienced! Next week its "Successful Sales Techniques"
Next week is also Y10, the Welcome to Yorkshire conference, this year in Harrogate a 'not to be missed' date in my diary on Monday next.
Finally the highlight of the past week was for Stoney End to rise to the dizzy heights of Five Star Gold and we are delighted to receive this accolade from Visit Britain it will be a real boost for the coming season.
Back now to making beds and ironing...........

Three for two nearly at an end!

Beautiful, dare I say, spring weather here today. Lovely clear blue skies and sunshine just perfect for a brisk walk in the Dales!
We have a three nights for the price of two offer running until the end of March so if you fancy a really good value break give us a call! We still have a warming log fire to enjoy in the evenings and of course our delicious breakfasts to wake up to!

Short Break!

Hi
We have just returned from a few days away at Center Parcs in Sherwood which would have been great but the promised wifi in the villa was almost non existent and phone coverage on Vodafone awful. I feel as if I have spent four days problem solving. Still we will be better prepared next time and it has prompted me to highlight the shortcomings of the mobile phone coverage here in the Dales on our web site. Next time I will take a phone with an O2 sim and transfer our number to that.....problem solved. I know it is very boring carting laptops and phones on holiday but without them we would never get a break!

Half Term almost over.

Hi Everyone
Busy week being half term and the weather has been kind to all our holiday makers. The decorating and updating in Stoney End Cottage is now complete and the photos are here! It has been very satisfying and I am really pleased with the results. Big thank you to our plumber Tom Punchard and Dale. I have also found time for a bit of training this week on Communications, hence the Facebook link on this page and our new updateds on Stoney Ends Facebook pages.....now updated directly from this Blog after a few frustrating hours last night....got there in the end! I have also spent loads of time updating our database and promise all our customers that I will be using this valuable info in the next few months to your advantage....

Ready for half term....just

Stoney End Cottage has now had its face lift and it looks fab.
The new wet room is just great and so far has been well received. Photos to follow soon.
We have had a stressful few days dealing with a dead shower in Yoredale but this should be sorted tomorrow.
The new hot tub is here but not connected yet, can't wait for it to be all set up! Not long now.

Ellerkin re vamp done!

Doesn't time fly when your having fun!
Ellerkin is now finished and looks great....its wonderful what can be achieved with a lick of paint and a few new accessories.
I have been chasing around this week catching up with things put to one side during decorating and I have also been to a workshop in Leeds! Leeds is always a big day out for me as it seems to be so far away and is also the BIG city when you live in Wensleydale. I went by train and felt that I had spent by day usefully.........beefing up on Marketing via social networking sites.
I also have a new phone.....I have been waiting for 2 years for Vodafone to offer the iphone and at last the wait is over. I love my new white (easier to locate in ones handbag) iphone and in time I am sure that I will be able to make calls! New photos of Ellerkin are on the web site and here......

Wensleydale in Winter Sunshine

Hi All.....I could not resist taking these pics, the dale looks so beautiful in the January sunshine....... too good not to share the view from Stoney End!
Ellerkin almost complete photos to follow soon!! Have a great weekend. Pamela

All white in Wensleydale!

Hi
Well the decorating is coming on in record time possibly because we are virtually housebound! Despite being loathed to mention the weather it does seem to have taken over our lives. More snow last night, snow on snow, makes everything look beautiful and whilst I am sure that the main roads are passable it is easy here in our backwater to imagine that we really are snowed in. Fortunately we have all we need and are happy for the moment to go nowhere! Photos of my painting will follow shortly when all finishing touches are in place.
Pamela

2010!

Happy New Year to everyone............where has the last decade gone? Things are a little quieter now January has arrived. Time to start doing jobs involving paint brushes! I have done all the preparation (got out paint, brushes, ladder and dust sheets) but find that I am not really dressed for painting today so will start tomorrow. I know it will look great when finished but find starting really hard! Watch this space for updates on progress.