\
Country Cottage/Back Lane Farm
COUNTRY COTTAGE
Back Lane Farm is situated in the rural countryside, halfway between Leek and
Ashbourne, on the southern edge of the Peak Park. It is the home of Menga and
Michael Bentley. We offer peaceful surroundings, pleasant rooms and good food.
An evening meal is available for those who wish to dine in, while for people
who prefer to go out there are a variety of interesting public houses nearby,
most of which serve bar food, while some have restaurants attached. English
and German is spoken.
There are four bedrooms available, two double rooms, one twin room and one
single room. One of the double rooms is in the old cottage itself, while
the other rooms are in a remodelled cowshed attached to the house. The single
room is on the ground floor and has a 3/4 (Queen) size single bed. This single
room would be suitable for a person with disabilities, but is not fully
wheelchair accessible, as it has a standard size door, and there is a step both
at the outside door and at the entrance to the bedroom. All rooms have private
bathroom facilities with shower, except for the single room which has
facilities with a full bath. All bedrooms have Television, all have coffee/tea
making facilities. Reduced tariffs (activate button below) are available for
guests staying with us for extended periods.
There is a lounge available for guests to watch television or to read in the
evenings. Except on hot days, there is usually an open fire burning.
For guests not wishing to go out in the evenings, a substantial meal is
offered at 7 p.m. Guests are welcome to bring their own wine to this meal
if they so wish.
All rooms are fitted with a central smoke alarm system and are closed with
fire rated doors. The premises has a certificate of compliance with the fire
safety regulations. Visitors are reminded that we are obliged to report
all attempts to interfere with the operation of the fire alarm system.
Back lane farm is a smoke free establishment, smoking is not permitted in
either the public or the private rooms. Guests who wish to smoke are invited to use the
seats in the gardens surrounding the farm for relaxation and enjoyment of views
of the surrounding countryside. Beyond the gardens are the fields of the farm,
as Back Lane Farm owns twenty acres of the surrounding pasture land.
We are no longer a working farm, but in the summer however, the fields are
grazed by the cattle of a neighbouring farmer. Guests are of course welcome
to go wherever they wish. Over the years we have planted trees and recently
created or restored three ponds which we hope will attract a variety of wild
life. Back Lane Farm is already quite a haven for a variety of birds and you
may be lucky enough to see foxes, badgers and hares in their natural
surroundings.
The whole of the Southwest Peak is now an Environmentally Sensitive Area, and
we hope that this will encourage people who appreciate the countryside to
come and enjoy the pleasures of the Staffordshire Moorlands. The farm is an
excellent base for walking and cycling.
Behind the farm runs an old bridle path which has recently been re-opened
after many years of being closed to all but the most determined walker. It
leads to the river Hamps which in turn joins the river Manifold not far
away. In ancient times, iron was mined near the river and this path was used
to transport the ore on packhorses and mules. It was also used by the tax
collectors of the Earl of Chester who owned most of the land in this district
at one time. They were collecting dues from the abbeys in Leek, Rocester
and Croxden.
For reservations and enquiries, please contact:
Ms. M Bentley
Back Lane Farm
Winkhill
Leek
Staffs ST13 7PJ
Telephone : 44 (0) 1538 308-273
Fax: 44 (0) 1538 308-098
-