Downstairs

The Allendale Bunkhouse has a fully equipped self-catering kitchen with a big range cooker with large oven and grill, full sized fridge freezer (with additional full sized drinks fridge too), microwave, toaster, fresh coffee plungers, kettle and all the pots and pans, crockery and cutlery you could possibly need.

The dining area has been set out with bespoke benches as to accommodate hordes of children or adults comfortably and in style. The four large tables comfortably sit 24-28 guests on solid wooden tables – not just for eating together but also great for card games, jig saws and having that long overdue catch up.

The cosy and comfortable sofa area features three large sofas, plenty of cushions and throws and is just perfect for those late-night chats, sitting and catching up with friends and family – after a big walk out or just chilling after that delicious Full English breakfast.

Games and Cinema

The newest addition to the Allendale Bunkhouse facilities is the fabulous light and airy yet cosy and quirky games and cinema attic. At the top floor of the building you find a pool table, cozy armchairs and a selection of books to curl up and read as well as a huge comfy sofa suite seating 10 people easily to watch films or attach your own gaming equipment. We do have a DVD player, so bring your favourite film.

Quite a way away from the downstairs living space, a group can really split into different areas: noisy kids upstairs playing while adults socialise downstairs or vice versa, a lively cooking and cocktail party downstairs, whilst upstairs is time for a quiet movie before bed: This new space simply creates fantastic options for your group to do what feels good for them, everyone has their own space.

Private Garden

The Bunkhouse has a private garden featuring a patio with BBQs (Please let us know if you need them, as we put the BBQ’s out on request) and seating as well as step up to a lawned area with further picnic benches. It’s a lovely little suntrap with lavender and roses growing in abundance, flowers lining the stone steps up. A great place to sit out, watch the stars on a warm summer’s night or have a BBQ with the entire gang. This garden is directly overlooked by the Bunkhouse kitchen window and enclosed. Double French doors from the dining area open up into this space. The private garden is not enormous; however, our Bunkhouse guests do have access to the shared Manor garden, further info about this space is provided in the next info box.

Shared Garden

On occasion, the big Manor Garden gets booked exclusively for a special celebration of the Manor guests next door (i.e. a civil partnership, christening or similar) so please do check with us if access to this space is important to your group.

The shared garden features a sunset gin deck overlooking the Allen Valley with simply stunning views and tables and chairs to sit and enjoy the setting sun. There is a large, flat lawn area perfect for garden games(please bring your favourite games). A selection of playground equipment suited for toddlers and children also sits in the shared garden along with well stocked flower beds lining the stone walls enclosing this outdoor space. There are two bonfire pits with seating available too, for those wonderful long nights by the fire. In the summer, we put out deckchairs to relax, so there really is something for everyone.

Parking

The Allendale Bunkhouse has space for 4 (or 8 if double parked) cars just outside it’s front door. However, those spaces are not owned by us and cannot be reserved. BUT: The entire Allendale Market Place has plenty of parking and our guests always find convenient spaces. If arrival is at 4pm on a Friday, it can be busy with those after-school coop runs, after work pint lovers, but by 7pm at the latest the Bunkhouse spaces tend to be free, so do just move your cars there at your leisure. Allendale market place is known for slightly comical parking habits of its residents, so don’t be surprised to see some adventurous configurations at the centre of the square!

Internet and mobile signal

The Allendale Bunkhouse has got WiFi! However, we cannot guarantee reach into every room and every far-flung corner of the extensive gardens. We are based in the countryside, the beautiful North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – with that comes at times unreliable mobile and WiFi coverage, varying speeds and connect-ability. EE tends to be the best network for good coverage in Allendale, but even that can be low inside the building. How about a technical detox of spending less time on phones? You are welcome to switch the router off and hide the access passwords (as long as you tell us where you put it after your stay!).

Entertainment

We have tried numerous ways of providing fabulous entertainment options at the Bunkhouse for our guests, with varying degree of success: Speakers or their chargers go missing regularly, games are incomplete after a few weeks and garden games get broken when the crocket bats turn to swords… We still have a selection of board games, jigsaws, many books and toys – but we now encourage our guests to bring a small selection of their own toys and own speakers, as it proved too costly to replace those on a regular basis. Please do look after the books, toys and games, pool table etc when you are there. You are welcome to take a book you started reading in exchange for a book you leave behind!