Lovely, double room in Huddersfield

Comfortable, double bedroom with private bathroom. A delicious continental breakfast is included. The house is conveniently situated less than a mile from J23 of the M62, allowing access to the joys of beautiful Yorkshire and beyond. Quiet location with parking. An art-full house and a warm welcome. This is a beautiful house (she declares, shamelessly) built in the 1860s, when the village of Longwood grew up. It is constructed of faced stone and has a Grade II listing. The house is set back from the road (Longwood Gate) and elevated, so that from the upstairs rooms there is a good view across the valley to the village of Golcar and beyond to the Pennine hills. Access at the front of the house is up two sets of stone steps and a small incline. There is a hand rail alongside the steps but no rail support going up the incline, which is a distance of about 20 feet. Access at the back of the house is down two sets of stone steps and along a passageway. PLEASE NOTE: Any prospective guest(s) finding steps or a short climb difficult to manage, may prefer to find a less elevated location! The building was probably originally built as one residence, consistent with the fact that there were stables at the back (now converted), on the sett, cobbled road known as Cow Gate. On the census, however, it has always been recorded as two residences. At some point, in the first half of the 20th century, the property was divided into three and in 2001 refigured into two dwellings The guest room is modest in size but comfortable and the large, south facing window and high ceiling create a lightness and airiness, together with a pleasing sense of proportion. The house has always had positive vibrations. Those who stay comment on the relaxing atmosphere and how easy it is to have a good night's sleep! The house is full of artwork that hopefully guests will enjoy - or at least find diverting! Guests will have the use of a small, private bathroom which has a cast iron/enamel bath and fixed riser shower. Guests can also utilise the hanging rail in the small office/dressing room next door. (There is no wardrobe in the bedroom but there is a heavy duty coat hook on the back of the bedroom door, with a number of coat hangers.) There is also a hanger on the back of the office room door, where guests are welcome to hang coats or other bulkier clothing. Larger items of luggage can be stored in the storage room, to the left of the bedroom. If you are travelling with a large amount of bulky luggage, our place may not be ideal. There is a computer and printer in the office room, which guests are welcome to use. Also available are hair dryer (2nd drawer down in cupboard in bedroom) ironing board and iron (both in the sitting room, downstairs). The guest room has a Pure Evoke, digital radio. Also, a portable DVD player and a number of DVDs can be found in the bedside cabinet. Guests are welcome to browse and select other DVDs from the shelf in the sitting room. Since the lighting in the bedroom is intended to be relaxing and très sympathique, for night readers I have added a flexible bedside lamp and also provided a clip-on, LED book light (located in the drawer of the bedside cabinet). So, two people can comfortably read in bed and one can do so without disturbing the other! The guest bedroom, office room and guest bathroom are separated from the host's bedroom and bathroom by the stairs and a small landing, affording guests - and hosts! - a degree of privacy. Breakfast can be enjoyed in the dining room or (if the weather is good) taken outside, in the sheltered, private garden at the back of the house. Guests are welcome to use the kitchen to prepare a drink or snack. A tea tray stocked with tea/coffee accoutrements (and biscuits sometimes) will be available on the dining room table throughout a guest's stay. There is no tv in the guest room but guests are welcome to watch tv/listen to music in the dining room. There is a large selection of books in the guest room as well as a Penguin paperback collection in the guest room and dining room. Guests should feel free to browse and borrow any book during their stay. I will be around three weekdays out of five until late afternoon. I will be working on the computer, or framing. I am happy to interact as much or as little as a guest wants and needs. Guests will have a key and alarm fob so they can come and go as they wish. I want guests to properly feel at home. I will always be happy to advise or help in any way I can. I have put together a short list of places to eat, in and around Huddersfield, a copy of which will be in the guest room. Longwood is a small village but has a developed sense of community. The name derives from Old English, "Lang wudu", meaning "The Long Wood". The village has been built along the side of a hill. Behind the house, at the hill summit, is Nab Tower, built in 1861 by unemployed woollen mill workers. It was restored by Kirklees MBC in 2008 and it's possible to make the short climb to the top for a panoramic view. Longwood was built up around the woollen industry and its mills, most of which have now been demolished or converted into apartments. PLEASE NOTE that Longwood has no restaurants. There are two good pubs but neither, at the time of writing, provides food. There is an Italian takeaway, Luigi's, within a short walking distance of the house (at 227 Longwood Gate) which is open every evening, from 4pm until late. It is possible to order food from there by phone and have it delivered. There is also a newsagent and small convenience store, a 5 minute walk in the other direction. There is a recommended restaurant, Parky's Bistro and several takeaways in Milnsbridge, which is approximately 15 minutes away on foot. Takeaway menus are in the drawer in the guest room. Guests can enjoy a quiet, 'country' walk by exiting the house on Cow Gate and walking up to Bull Green Road and beyond that to open common land (known as 'the tops') and farmland divided by stone walls and tracks. As previously stated, the village has two welcoming pubs, The Slip Inn and the Dusty Miller, both only a short walk away. The Mechanics Institute, further along Longwood Gate, was constructed in 1858 and recently refurbished. There is also a walk through the village and up to the reservoirs (Longwood has three) to woodland and across the Longwood Golf Course. Longwood is approximately 4 km (just under 2.5 miles) from the centre of Huddersfield. It would take about 1 hour to walk at a comfortable pace. There is a regular bus service (No. 356) which stops a few yards from the house entrance. Taxis from town are plentiful and a journey would cost about £6. There is a very reliable taxi firm, relatively close by in Marsh, if a guest wants to summon a cab to go into town. A bike is available for a guest to cycle in and out of town and around. Although a ladies' model, it would be suitable for a man of average height! An early morning car ride (between 8 and 8.30) into town can also be provided, on 4 weekdays out of 5. If guests are travelling by rail and arriving/departing in the evening or at the weekend, we are happy to collect/return from and to the station. The house is less than a mile from the M62 motorway allowing easy access to Manchester, Leeds and places beyond. Huddersfield is on the Trans-pennine fast train route, with trains departing regularly to Manchester, Manchester Airport and to Leeds and York. Halifax, with its famous Piece Hall, is about a 20 minute drive away and Hebden Bridge (an alternative Pennine town, is a 30 minute drive. If they prefer, by arrangement, guests can park at the back of the house or there is ample, safe parking in front of the house, on Longwood Gate. PLEASE NOTE: We have a very friendly, Staffordshire Bull terrier dog called Mia. She can be excitable and exuberant when she first meets/greets guests. If a prospective guest is wary of dogs or uncomfortable/unhappy having them in close proximity, our space is probably not a good choice of place for them to stay. Huddersfield is more exciting than you might think. The town has about 1700 listed buildings (including ours) and only bettered in the country by the City of Westminster and Bath! Well, who knew?! Here are five other things you may not know about the town: 1/ Students from the University of Huddersfield worked behind the scenes on the Oscar award winning film, "The King's Speech" 2/ The M62 is the highest motorway in Britain, rising to 1,221 feet above sea level as it passes Huddersfield 3/ Huddersfield textile firm, Bower Roebuck and Co. wove the cloth for David Beckham's Royal Wedding suit 4/ Huddersfield Town football club was the first English team to win three successive League titles 5/The legendary Aston Martin brand, famously driven by James Bond, was bought then later sold by Huddersfield firm David Brown Impressive? Perhaps. Impressed? Mmmmm, maybe.