The Cottage Semi detached 2 bed miners’ cottage.

Welcome to No. 16. Come into the cottage through the porch. It's somewhere you can put wet coats and leave muddy boots, then go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. You'll find all you need for your stay, including teas, coffee, bread, butter, jam and cereals. There's a Calor gas range cooker, a microwave, pots, pans, cutlery, wooden spoons and the like. You should find everything you need to cook a meal. If you need something particular, please ask. This is a beautifully restored mining cottage in the south Shropshire hills. We’ve just had a complete repaint inside using Little Greene paints. We did this during the first lockdown. Hope you like it. You'll come into the kitchen, where you can cook and eat meals. The kitchen is in 2 parts, you go up a little step and you'll find the kettle, toaster, sink and all manner of fancy teas... The living room is next door. There's an excellent woodburner which lights really easily and you'll find a basket of logs, newspaper & kindling. We charge £5 a basket for more logs, or you can get some from the local garage. Upstairs is the bathroom & 2 bedrooms, one double and one with 2 singles. There's a lovely garden, and loads to explore around the area. We are trying to work towards being as green as possible, and trying to cut back on single use plastic, but we're not there yet. The milk comes in glass bottles from a local dairy, it's organic and not homogenised, so shake the bottle or use the top of the milk on your cereal. Please don't dispose of the bottle or the cap. We are able to refill them at Hignett's in Pontesbury. In fact, you're welcome to do this too if you run out during your stay. The butter we provide is organic, too. Marmalade and jam are home made ( the jam is usually made with fruit from the garden - but I've not been able to grow Seville oranges...) We will keep trying to improve on our carbon footprint! The whole house and garden is for you during your stay. Expect visitors, because our cats and chickens know no boundaries. And we tend to wander at will and peg washing out on the line in the garden...! We live next door. This means we are on hand if you have any problems during your stay. It also means you can ask us any questions about the area, or recommendations of where to visit and eat. We are always happy to have a "socially distanced" chat or help with any problems. Like you, we want to keep safe and healthy. Snailbeach was a lead mining village. Work ceased in the mid sixties, and since then the Shropshire Mines Trust have been taking care of the buildings that still stand and offer occasional trips down the mines. Just up the hill from us is Hollywood...a grove of holly trees which are in the region of 400 years old. Carry on walking and you'll reach the Stiperstones...a quartzite ridge 480 million years old. It's really amazing round here... Rural Shropshire's public transport isn't great. But there's a bus from the bottom of the hill that goes to Shrewsbury regularly. We think you'd be better off with a car or motorbike here, but we've had some terrific guests who have been happy to use the bus, and we can very often collect you from the station if you want. CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 We're sure you will have read most of the same information as we have. We have cleaned everything as thoroughly as possible for you, and us! There’s hand sanitiser, plenty of soap - and you'll be pleased to hear, loo roll. But we don't want to make light of the subject, and we'd all rather stay healthy. Now for the more interesting stuff. We live half way up a hill in rural south Shropshire. It’s 35 minutes to Shrewsbury and about the same to Bishop’s Castle. Please don't expect a tidy garden and a manicured lawn. You'll be happier staying here if you are down to earth, have a pair of wellies and like animals. If you enjoy walking, reading, cycling and folk music you'll love it here. We have several fab local pubs but none within easy walking distance. At least, we’d prefer you didn’t try it in the dark! Talk to us and we will give you information, directions and possibly a lift home. Please note if you are bringing children. There is a pond in the garden so please supervise children outside. This is an old cottage and there will be spiders, and spiders webs. And, try as I might you may find cobwebs. Spiders have 8 legs. I have just 2. I rest my case. We recently had a complaint from a guest that the bath was stained. Yes it is. But we can assure you it is clean! Harsh chemicals (which we prefer NOT to use, incidentally) and elbow grease have not made it sparkling white like a nice new one. So, there you are...