Mark Close Farmhouse frequently asked questions
Do you offer any discounts?
You’ll always receive the best deal by booking directly with us.
Do you allow celebrations?
We love having big groups celebrating at Mark Close Farmhouse! The Farmhouse is perfect for big family and friend group celebrations. We also welcome stag and hen parties. We allow reasonable numbers of visitors during the day but no extra overnight guests, the Farmhouse sleeps a maximum of 20.
Can we book both cottages together?
Of course! We offer the Milking Parlour at a discounted price If both of the cottages are booked together. The Milking Parlour sleeps two people and is just across the courtyard from the back of the Farmhouse. The Milking Parlour also has a hot tub which is suitable for four people.
What’s included in the price?
All electricity, linen & towels and wi-fi are included. We also provide a supply of dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, sponges and cloths, bin liners, kitchen roll, foil, cling film, baking paper, and hand wash. There will be an initial supply of toilet rolls to help you settle in before you find the nearest supermarket. We also supply a basket of logs for the wood burner with matches, kindling, and fire-lighters. On-arrival there will also be complementary teas, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits, milk and treats to help you settle in and feel at home.
How well-equipped is the kitchen?
We know how hard it can be cooking for big groups and we try to make sure the kitchen is as well-equipped as possible; we’ve stayed and cooked in the Farmhouse ourselves with family and friends’ groups and we hope you’ll find everything you need. We have one long dining table for 20 people to eat together. There’s a large range cooker with two big ovens, a grill, and induction hob. An American-style fridge-freezer with a 446-litre capacity and a separate 46 bottle wine fridge. As well as a microwave, two kettles, a 6-slice toaster and lots of big pots, pans, dishes, utensils and gadgets.
Can I hire-in caterers and entertainment?
Of course! Please let us know if you’d like any recommendations. We regularly have external caterers and have even had bouncy castles and Elvis impersonators. We (and our insurers) just ask that any external providers get in touch with us before hand to confirm they have public liability insurance and any electrical equipment they bring in has been safety tested. Unfortunately, we cannot allow portable hot tub hire companies.
Is noise a problem?
One of the benefits of old stone houses is the really thick stone walls (they’re over a meter in some places) so we’ve never really had a problem with noise between the cottages.
What linen is included?
All bedding is included as well as a hand towel and bath sheet for every member of your group. There are also extra hand towels in the bathroom, and tea towels in the kitchen. To save on waste, and help reduce our carbon footprint, we’d appreciate it if you let us know which beds need to be made up before your arrival.
What is the wi-fi like?
In the past we’ve had problems with wi-fi getting through the thick stone internal walls of the Farmhouse. We’re happy to say we’ve recently upgraded and put in extenders so the farmhouse has BT Fibre 1 in every room with average speeds of 45Mb-50Mb. There is also a desk in the smaller living room if anyone needs to do any work during their stay.
Do I need to bring a hairdryer?
There is a hairdryer provided in each of the nine bedrooms.
Can I charge my electric vehicle at Mark Close?
We hope to install EV charge points in the future. Please do not attempt to charge cars from the Farmhouse internal sockets, this invalidates our insurance. The nearest charge point is a 2-minute drive away at Tyne Willows Playing Fields, 7 Station Rd, Alston CA9 3HZ. They have 2 type 2 chargers (12.2 kW) available.
Do you provide cots and high chairs?
We have two high chairs available, which are kept in the Farmhouse utility room. We have one travel cot which is suitable for infants under 15kg, please bring your own cot bedding. Please let us know in advance if you need a travel cot. Rooms 1 and 7 in the Farmhouse have enough space for a travel cot.
Do you have Laundry Facilities?
The Farmhouse has a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the utility room, please bring your own laundry detergent. There is also an iron, ironing board, clothes airers and an outdoor washing line.
How much parking space is there?
If cars are double-parked, we have enough space for nine cars, please leave enough room for access to the courtyard.
Are dogs allowed?
We love dogs at Mark Close. We allow 4 dogs in the Farmhouse (please get in touch with us to discuss more). There is a £20 charge per dog, per stay. We do not allow dogs to be left on their own in the cottage and they must be kept off the beds and downstairs, we provide throws for the sofas. The Farmhouse garden is fully enclosed by dry stone walls, more adventurous dogs may be able to get over them so please don’t leave dogs unattended in the garden, we are surrounded by sheep fields.
How big is the garden?
The Farmhouse garden is approximately a quarter of an acre and surrounded by beautiful mature trees. It’s a great size for BBQs, picnics, relaxing, playing, and admiring the beautiful views of open countryside. We also supply a BBQ (please bring charcoal), picnic blankets, and outdoor games. The garden has a large basket swing which fits four children or two adults. The North Pennines has really dark skies and we find the basket swing great for stargazing!
Can we go and see the Alpacas?
Of course, the Alpacas’ field is just next door to the Farmhouse garden. Please feel free to go up to the fence (with the bunting) and say hello any time, please let us know if you’d like to be there at feeding time.
Which supermarkets deliver to Mark Close?
Sainsburys, ASDA, Tesco and Morrisons all deliver to Mark Close. There’s also a brilliant range of shops in Alston with everything you could need a 5-minute drive or 20-minute walk away. There’s a really well-stocked Spar shop (with a butchers and deli counter), Co-op, an independent whole foods shop and a bakery. As well as a hard-ware shop, outdoor shop, some beautiful gift shops and a gallery.
Can I eat out nearby?
The Farmhouse is less than a mile from Alston and its brilliant pubs, restaurants, cafes and shops. We feel very lucky to be within walking distance of so many great pubs and places to eat. There are too many amazing places to list on here, please get in touch if you’d like any advice or ideas for places to eat or visit.
We’re always available if you have any other questions, please feel free to get in touch with us any time.
