Thornfield in Windmill | Must-See County Durham Hot Tub Cottage

About Thornfield

Thornfield is a spacious single-storey cottage in County Durham's peaceful countryside. This detached property sits on its own private plot with stunning rural views and complete privacy. Perfect for those wanting to escape the everyday hustle.

Set in a quiet location near Windmill, you'll be surrounded by rolling fields and wildlife. Sheep and goats graze in adjacent fields while birds provide a natural soundtrack. The large enclosed garden offers plenty of space to relax or for dogs to explore safely.

The accommodation features three well-appointed bedrooms: one king-size, one double and one twin, sleeping six guests comfortably. There's a family bathroom with bath and walk-in shower, plus a separate cloakroom. The fully equipped kitchen has everything needed for self-catering, while the dining room seats six. The sitting room boasts a cosy woodburning stove and Smart TV.

Nearby attractions include Raby Castle (15 miles, 25 minutes), Durham Cathedral (20 miles, 35 minutes), Hamsterley Forest (8 miles, 15 minutes) and Crook Hall Gardens (18 miles, 30 minutes). Each offers different experiences from historical exploration to outdoor adventures.

Thornfield is ideal for families, couples or friends seeking a peaceful retreat. The wood-fired hot tub is perfect for stargazing after days exploring the Durham countryside.

Check Prices & Availability »

At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

✓Oil central heating
✓Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, kettle
✓Smart tv, wifi and a selection of books
✓Fuel, power and starter pack for woodburning stove included in rent
✓Bed linen and towels included in rent
✓Highchair and travel cot available on request
✓Private driveway parking for 3 cars
✓Enclosed front garden with patio, gravelled area, furniture and a lockable bike shed
✓Wood-fired hot tub
✓Two well-behaved dogs welcome
✓Sorry, no smoking
✓Shop 2.4 miles, pub 2.6 miles
✓Please note this property accepts a minimum of 3 nights

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What Guests Love

Discover why our guests keep coming back to Thornfield

Private Location

Set apart on its own plot with no neighbours, guests love the peaceful seclusion and countryside views.

Hot Tub Experience

The wood-fired hot tub is perfect for relaxing under the stars after a day of exploring the local area.

Dog-Friendly Garden

The huge enclosed garden gives dogs plenty of safe space to explore while owners relax.

Homely Comfort

Clean, well-equipped and comfortable, the cottage provides everything needed for a stress-free holiday.

Wildlife Watching

Guests enjoy watching the sheep, goats and birds in the fields surrounding the property.

Helpful Owners

Rob and Hannah are available when needed but respect guests' privacy, providing excellent support.

Getting To Thornfield

Find your way to your perfect countryside retreat

By Car

To reach Thornfield by car, take the A68 which runs north-south through County Durham. The lodge is located near Windmill and is accessible via local roads. You'll have convenient off-road parking for three cars upon arrival.

By Train

For those traveling by rail, the nearest station is Bishop Auckland, approximately 8 miles from the accommodation. From there, you'll need to take a taxi to complete your journey to the countryside property.

Off-road parking for three cars

Bishop Auckland station (8 miles)

Easily accessible from the A68

Attractions & More Nearby

Everything you need within easy reach

Auckland Castle

Distance: 7.6 miles (12 min drive)

DL14 7NR

Locomotion - The National Railway Museum at Shildon

Distance: 8.2 miles (15 min drive)

DL4 2RE

Hall Hill Farm

Distance: 12.9 miles (20 min drive)

DH7 0TA

Weardale Way

Distance: 3.1 miles (6 min drive)

Low Barns Nature Reserve

Distance: 3.9 miles (7 min drive)

DL14 0AG

Harter Fell

Distance: 15.6 miles (24 min drive)

DL12 0NU

F. Simpson & Son

Distance: 3.1 miles (7 min drive)

DL13 5AA

M&S Simply Food

Distance: 5 miles (10 min drive)

DL14 9FA

The Stables Shop

Distance: 5.9 miles (12 min drive)

DL2 3AQ

Bishop Auckland Station

Distance: 5.4 miles (13 min drive)

DL14 7TH

Bishop Auckland Bus station

Distance: 7.5 miles (12 min drive)

DL14 7BH

Teesside International Airport

Distance: 20.6 miles (34 min drive)

DL2 1LU

Auckland Castle

Distance: 7.6 miles (12 min drive)

DL14 7NR

Locomotion - The National Railway Museum at Shildon

Distance: 8.2 miles (15 min drive)

DL4 2RE

Hall Hill Farm

Distance: 12.9 miles (20 min drive)

DH7 0TA

Weardale Way

Distance: 3.1 miles (6 min drive)

Low Barns Nature Reserve

Distance: 3.9 miles (7 min drive)

DL14 0AG

Harter Fell

Distance: 15.6 miles (24 min drive)

DL12 0NU

F. Simpson & Son

Distance: 3.1 miles (7 min drive)

DL13 5AA

M&S Simply Food

Distance: 5 miles (10 min drive)

DL14 9FA

The Stables Shop

Distance: 5.9 miles (12 min drive)

DL2 3AQ

Bishop Auckland Station

Distance: 5.4 miles (13 min drive)

DL14 7TH

Bishop Auckland Bus station

Distance: 7.5 miles (12 min drive)

DL14 7BH

Teesside International Airport

Distance: 20.6 miles (34 min drive)

DL2 1LU

Is Thornfield Right For You?

Discover why this cottage is ideal for different types of visitors

For Families

Children will love the spacious enclosed garden for outdoor play. Hamsterley Forest (15 minutes drive) offers family-friendly walking trails, cycling routes and a play area. The property provides a travel cot and highchair on request. Nearby Raby Castle has a deer park and playground. Durham's Botanic Garden features a woodland area perfect for mini explorers.

For Couples

The peaceful, secluded setting makes Thornfield perfect for couples. Enjoy stargazing from the wood-fired hot tub with no light pollution. The king-size bedroom offers comfort and privacy. Take romantic walks in nearby Hamsterley Forest or visit historic Durham. The woodburning stove creates a cosy atmosphere for quiet evenings in after exploring the countryside.

Pet Friendly

Thornfield welcomes two well-behaved dogs. The huge enclosed garden provides safe space for pets to explore. Hamsterley Forest offers excellent dog walking trails just 15 minutes away. Many local pubs are dog-friendly. The countryside location means plenty of rural walks right from your doorstep. Perfect for four-legged friends who enjoy countryside adventures.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at Thornfield

The Manor House Hotel

Located 2.6 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: DL14 9HW

The Bay Horse Inn

Located 3.5 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: DL14 0EP

Cross Keys Inn

Located 4.2 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: DL13 4DB

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about Thornfield

Does this cottage have a hot tub?

Yes, Thornfield features a wood-fired hot tub in the garden. It's perfect for relaxing under the stars after a day of exploring the local countryside.

Is it pet friendly?

Yes, Thornfield welcomes two well-behaved dogs. The property has a large enclosed garden where dogs can safely explore and play.

How many people can stay at Thornfield?

The cottage sleeps up to six people. It has three bedrooms: one king-size, one double and one twin room.

What facilities are available in the kitchen?

The kitchen is fully equipped with an electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher and kettle. Everything you need for self-catering is provided.

Is there parking available?

Yes, there is private driveway parking for up to three cars. The parking area is off-road and exclusive to guests staying at Thornfield.

Are there any walking routes nearby?

There are plenty of walking opportunities in the surrounding area. Hamsterley Forest is just 15 minutes away by car, offering numerous walking trails.

Is the property suitable for children?

Thornfield is very family-friendly. A highchair and travel cot are available on request and the enclosed garden provides a safe outdoor space for children to play.

How far is the nearest pub or shop?

The nearest shop is 2.4 miles away from the property. The closest pub is slightly further at 2.6 miles from Thornfield.

Popular Stays Near This Cottage

Thornfield Reviews

This is a lovely place to relax very peaceful but not too far from places to visit. Raby Castle and Deer Park definitely worth a visit. Everything lovely and clean and tidy except for tea towel which was very stained and dirty. Definitely a place to revisit.

Lovely place to stay. Very clean and tidy with everything we needed. Great for our dog with having a large enclosed garden. Hot tub was very easy to use

Beautiful cottage and grounds. We enjoyed a peaceful family break and would definitely return! Cottage is a great size and has literally everything you could need to enjoy your stay, hosts are extremely friendly, helpful and informative. The cottage is far enough to feel like you are away from everything but just a short drive to all amenities. Highly recommend!!

We absolutely loved our stay in Thornfield. The property itself is wonderfully furnished with beautiful antique furniture throughout,without ever feeling dated. All rooms are spacious and practical and have everything you'll need for your familypets aren't overlooked either, with a selection of treats and even a dog bed left out along with our welcome gifts on arrival. The setting itself is within peaceful surroundings and sitting outside offers peaceful relaxation adjacent the cattle fields and amongst the local wildlife there's even a resident pair of peafowl that like to stalk around the spacious grounds. Hannah and Rob are the perfect hosts and nothing is too much trouble they even have a selection of locally sourced meats for purchase from their farm home just down the road. And if there's any budding musicians amongst you there's a beautiful piano and a classical guitar in the living room for them to enjoy. All in all I would say that Thornfield is the perfect place to stay to 'get away from it all.'

Another wonderful stay at Thornfield cottage. Even when the weather was far too hot to go out and about with my dogs, staying at Thornfield made the holiday still enjoyable. This place is definitely our home from home & as soon as we drive through those gates, we know our holiday will be the perfect blend of relaxation and fun days out.

Jennifer

A lovely cottage in gorgeous surroundings, with everything you could need for a quiet and cosy few days!

Victoria

The cottage exceeded all expectations. Its incredibly spacious, much more so than the photos suggest. It was absolutely immaculate, with everything you could possibly need and more. The hosts were outstanding, responding quickly and going above and beyond with helpful advice and support throughout our stay. The setting is simply beautiful, with stunning scenery and lovely farm animals adding to the charm the peacocks were a real highlight. A truly wonderful stay, and we wouldnt hesitate to return or recommend it to others.

Gillian

An absolutely beautiful cottage much bigger than I expected, really homely, clean, warm, comfortable. Thank you to Rob for getting the hot tub heated up for our arrival that's a great service to provide we really appreciated it. Thank you Hannah for recommending the Cross Keys for my birthday meal just lovely. Loved watching the farm animals and wildlife going about their daily lives. Absolutely idyllic. We'll be back.

Alison

We could not fault the cottage The only thing let it down was the hot tub it ... We could not fault the cottage The only thing let it down was the hot tub it took forever to heat up and having to buy the logs you were easy using a 2 bags to get it warm i think they should supply the logs in with the price at 5 a bag it works out quite expensive

Amanda

Loved this property, it is to a high standard with all the comforts of home, the surroundings are stunning and the owners are nearby if you need anything. We had a great time and will hopefully rebook sometime.

Absolutely stunning property,we loved every minute of this holiday,wish we had booked for longer! !!

Would highly recommend this lovely cottage in this beautiful area. From the welcome pack to sorting out any little issues the owners are welcoming and very helpful. The grounds are secure for dogs to explore and enjoy. The hot tub is an added bonus!

Albert

The 2nd time we have stopped at Thornfield this year so we love it. Hannah our host was very helpful and welcoming. We would recommend you ask if there is any lamb at the farm it was 1st class. The cottage is set in beautiful surroundings and so peaceful. Everything we needed was inside and spotless. Will definitely be going back

Amelia

Absolutely beautiful we will definitely be booking again cant weot for our next hokiday with you guys

Deborah

This is our second stay at Thornfield & we enjoyed it so much, that weve already booked again for next year. The place is a definite home from home & not lacking in any of our creature comforts. Hannah & Rob are on hand if help is needed, whilst far enough away to give us our privacy. Theres plenty around the holiday home to spend a relaxing time & not have to venture out on those days when it was too hot to go out with my dogs, Vega & Riley. They just loved to play outside whilst I sat & watched the Curlews in a mornings. The place is so quiet & relaxing on an evening & having a hot tub, adds any extra layer for relaxations. When venturing out, theres plenty of places to visit, from wonderful walks to waterfalls, days out to many of the castles, stately homes & parks, to shopping days out in many of the towns & cities within easy reach. Travelling a little further out, is a number of wonderful coastal places to visit, making this holiday home the perfect base. Thanks Hannah & Rob for making our stay so enjoyable.

We had a great holiday at your lovely cottage. Thank you!

Lovely cosy home with everything we needed for a relaxing holiday. The huge enclosed garden was perfect for our dog to explore. Loved listening to the birds while relaxing in the hot tub. Plenty of woodland walks within 1015 minutes drive. We didn't need the owners, Hannah and Rob, for anything while we were there, but were confident they were on hand at anytime if we did.

We had a lovely weeks holiday at Thornfield, such a great, well equipped property. Nice and remote, but handy for trips out to places. We all enjoyed a relaxing time in the hot tub most evenings, only hearing the animals and birds nearby. We all slept well in the comfy beds, a nice powerful shower in the mornings and relaxing in the comfy lounge. Grounds were secure for our dog to explore and for her and the children to play safely in. Have recommended to family and friends, will hopefully be back again soon.

Christina

We loved our stay at this property. Spacious clean and comfortble with a big garden which our dogs loved. We did worry about the sheep and birds in the adjacent fields but our dogs didnt even notice them. The location is great with many dog friendly pubs and walks within easy travel distance. Owners are just a phone call away if needed, they are very friendly and responsive.

The cottage was lovely in beautiful surroundings The owners were responsive to an issue we had and super friendly. It was a excellent stay in a well equipped comfortable space

The whole cottage from start to finish was just perfect for our family and additional family. It was icing on the cake that our dogs could come too. Rob and Hannah were perfect host and was at hand when needed. 1010 would highly recommend booking.

Albert

The description of the cottage didnt really do it justice. It was well laid out and with everything we required and needed with the extra bonus of the grounds and views. A really relaxing place to unwind. Hannah our host was really helpful with her recommendations for the best places to eat and shop. Will definitely book again

Sharon

Thornfield is a great property within amazing views and animals nearby. The hot tub was really great for relaxing under the stars. We wanted somewhere to relax for a few days and this was just what we needed . well equipped and perfect for a break away from it all.

Amanda

Had a lovely stay here, the property is set apart on its own private plot and it is quiet, surrounded by countryside. Lovely facilities in a great location, clean, comfortable property and helpful and friendly communication with owners. Loved our stay, would highly recommend and would be excited stay here again if we are back in the area.

Clean cottage, with lovely views especially if you like animals which we do. Very quiet and peaceful location. Enjoyed hot tub on first evening which was ready for us when we arrived. We had trouble doing it ourselves another night, so make sure you ask how to get it started owners are very happy to help. Log burner was lovely addition too on a cold evening.

We spent a lovely few days in this comfortable cottage. It was perfect for all our needs and the dogs loved being able to sniff and explore the large outdoor area. I loved opening the curtains to the view of the goats having breakfast. I would say if you are going to use the hot tub to ask for it to be preheated as it takes hours to heat up in the cold weather March and we eventually lost interest. The owners would have been more than happy to help us though! Lovely stay and will return I am sure!

We had a medical incident before arrival and so everything was up in the air as to when or if we would arrive. Communication with the hosts was prompt and helpful throughout, and the cottage ready for us when we finally arrived. Found everything as we would hope, and are looking to go back again at some point, when hopefully we'll actually manage to see a bit of the area!

Absolutely amazing property, loved the mix of old and modern, everything provided you could possible need. Lovely walks, woods and waterfall near by. Loved the hot tub and goats in the field next door. Highly recommend to any age. Billy the bulldog had an amazing stay as did we. Hope to be back soon.

Brilliant cottage, large secure area around property and beautifully presented, ... Brilliant cottage, large secure area around property and beautifully presented, logs available for hot tubfire at a very reasonable price And considering it was half term we were happy with what we paid

Jacqueline

Pros and Cons A lovely place in a beautiful setting and many good features inside the cottage such as comfortable beds, a nice kitchen and lovely shower. However, the hot tub was very small and we didn't use it in the end. We were only left three very small towels I think most people expect proper bath towels or bath sheets. The fridge was small there were only two of us and it was a struggle not sure what families or parties of six would do. There was stinginess with some items a tiny amount of washing up liquid and only two dishwasher tablets we are then told to make sure all the dishes are clean when we leave. There was only enough wood shavings to light the log burner three times. I would rather have these items stocked up on rather than a 'welcome basket' which we didn't want and left. The owner also made an appointment with a worker to come and look at the boiler while we were staying, which was very inconvenient as well as sending me a text on our home asking if we had taken one of their blankets The blanket was found in another room.

Had a fantastic time staying in Thornfield Cottage for 5 nights in October with family and 2 dogs. There was a lovely welcoming basket on arrival and logs for the log burner. The cottage was immaculate with provision of all amenities you need for your stay. We also used the Hot Tub which was great. Each day we were greeted by the Peacocks in the garden and the goats. There are plenty of dog walks nearby as well as Durham, Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland all within a short travelling distance and with many places being dog friendly. Would definitely recommend and would stay here again.

Stewart

Very nice place to stay and we'll positioned for a base to travel to lots of attractions, landmarks etc. A well positioned bungalow for peace and quiet, surrounded by scenery and wildlife.

Fantastic holiday home for both humans & dogs alike. Would highly recommend this place. Rob & Hannah are close by if help is needed, but far enough away to give you complete privacy. Absolutely loved having the other animals close by & fell in love with Bilbo the bagot goat. Already booked to return next year & cant wait to be back. Thanks

Stephen

What a fabulous Cottage, we felt like we were in a home from home. Immaculately clean and the Kitchen very well stocked equipment wise. We loved the daily visits from the family of Peacocks and saying good morning to all the Goats... Unfortunately we didn't get to fire up the Hot Tub this time but we will be back so look forward to a glass of wine then while sitting in the tub and watching the sun go down. Thank you again for making our stay such a comfortable one and look forward to seeing you again soon.. Debs & Steve from Reading xx

Cottage was ideal for a peaceful and relaxing holiday. Lots to see and do in the surrounding area. Communication from Hannah very good. Very nice welcome basket on arrival. A wood fired hot tub for those who wanted it and for budding musicians a guitar and piano in the lounge.

Deborah

Crystal

A fantastic cottage, it was clean, comfortable and the hosts were extremely accommodating. We also brought some of their beef which was lovely. Brilliant location and we all had a great time, adults and teenagers. We will definitely be back.

Leave a Review

Thornfield, Windmill

About Thornfield

Need To Know

More Cottages With Hot Tubs You May Like

What Guests Love

Private Location

Hot Tub Experience

Dog-Friendly Garden

Homely Comfort

Wildlife Watching

Helpful Owners

Getting To Thornfield

By Car

By Train

Attractions & More Nearby

Is Thornfield Right For You?

For Families

For Couples

Pet Friendly

Dining & Cafes

The Manor House Hotel

The Bay Horse Inn

Cross Keys Inn

Frequently Asked Questions

Location Name

Popular Stays Near This Cottage

Thornfield Reviews