The Forsyth Family would like to extend a warm welcome to you and hope you enjoy your stay here at Low Steads.
This information will hopefully answer any questions you have about the cottages, but if not, please do ask.
Louise and James live in the farmhouse at the farm. Our contact number is 01665 577623 and email is enquiries@lowsteads.co.uk
We are pleased to offer free WiFi in all five cottages.
Name:
Low Steads Farm
Password:
L0wst3ad5!
(zero not ’o’!)
Your cottage has its own private EV charging unit by Voltshare.
It cost 48 pence per unit of electricity.
The access code needed to use it is 1961
You can access the charging unit using the Voltshare App or website www.voltshare.co.uk
E-bike and Scooters can only be charged at Curlew Cottage using the outdoor socket at the back of the cottage.
The main supermarkets (Sainsburys, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda) all deliver to Low Steads. The postcode for Curlew Cottage is NE66 3AL.
Please do ask if you need anything extra to make your stay more relaxing. We will help if we can.
These extras we offer free of charge and on a first-come basis are:
Waterproof mattress protectors for all size of beds
Travel cot
Highchair
Fire Guard
Baby Bath
Safety Handle We can offer you an extra safety handle to assist with balance for use in the bathroom. The handle works by suction onto a smooth surface such as the wet wall or tiles.
Blackout Blind We can offer the use of a portable blackout blind to cover the window if a bedroom is too light. We would rather you did this as taping up a black bag or cardboard has caused windows to crack in the past!
Chair/bed raisers
Shower Chair, both wheeled, stationary and extra long
Anti slip bathmats
Linked fire alarm aid for guests with impaired hearing
We would ask you to follow a few ‘pet’ house rules for the benefit of all our guests.
Please keep your dog(s) off the beds. If they are used to sitting on lounge furniture, please use throws or blankets to protect ours from damage and for other guests who do not have dogs.
Please clean up after your dog, both inside and out.
There is an outside tap with hose within the bin store if you need to wash down your dog.
We ask that dogs are not left unattended in the cottage. Many people bring a dog crate, which is a great idea if you want to leave your dog for a short while.
We welcome well-behaved four-legged guests as this is such a fun holiday location for them. For the sake of other guests and the local community we cannot accept dogs that bark continuously, they will have to leave.
We do not charge any extra for dogs, please respect our house rules.
We have a strict no smoking or vaping policy.
If you do smoke, there are outside cigarette bins in each cottage. Please clean them out after use.
The cottage is equipped with night-store heaters.
They work by storing up heat during the night and giving it out through the day.
There is a boost facility to give extra heat during the day, please refer to the manual.
If you find the cottages are too warm, particularly in the summer, please turn the heaters off at the wall switch.
Please do not cover the heaters with items such as towels they will automatically switch off resulting in a visit by the electrician!
The wet room has underfloor heating and a heated towel rail. It operates between 6am and 9am, 5pm and 8pm.
Instructions for using the wood-burning stove are found in the kindling basket.
Please keep all combustibles including the coal bucket/log basket/kindling away from the stove and off the hearth.
For your own safety please keep the stove doors closed when the fire is on and let the fire go out at bedtime.
Logs and ovals (coal) are found in the log store and coal house, both at the rear of the Croft and Rose Cottages. These are supplied free of charge and we ask you to use them responsibly.
All cottages use logs and coal from these stores. Please be aware of other guests as you walk past the cottages to get to these stores.
There is a wheelbarrow provided to help you carry the logs. Again, this is shared between all five cottages, please leave it as you find it, by the log store for others to use. There are no outside lights at the log store or coal house. It is advisable to stock up during daylight!
The water is heated during the night and should be plentiful during the morning.
Should you need more hot water later in the day we would recommend you boost the hot water system. The immersion switch can be found in the ‘hot water tank’ cupboard beside the bathroom. Please remember to switch it off!
The bins are located to the east of the cottages on the roadside.
We would encourage you to recycle as much as possible therefore:
Blue bin (Recycling) – flattened and folded card and paper. Rinsed out plastic bottles and aluminum tins.
Green bin (General waste)- all other rubbish including food waste
Box – glass, any colour
The wheely bins are collected every Thursday, alternate weeks for blue and green.
We use a septic tank system at Low Steads, so please do not use bleach.
Only human waste and toilet paper should be disposed of in the toilet. Sanitary bags are provided to bin other items such as sanitary items and wet wipes.
Only liquids should go down the sink waste.
We use contractors for work in and around the cottages.
Grass is usually cut on a Monday afternoon and windows cleaned on the first Friday in the month, weather permitting!
The cottage has a folder containing the instruction manuals for all the appliances in the cottages.
We provide linen for the number of beds that are required.
We use different duvets for different seasons. 13.5/10.5 togs for the cooler months and 4.5 togs for the summer months. We would like you to be comfortable, so please ask if you would rather have a different weight of duvet.
The towels provided are for use in the cottages only. Please bring your own towels for the beach or drying off dogs.
Whilst a reasonable number of daytime visitors are allowed, additional overnight guests are not. We need to know in advance all our guests’ names and ages to meet fire regulations. Only guests listed on the booking form may stay overnight.
Please respect the local community and other guests and keep the noise levels to a minimum, especially after 9pm.
You are welcome to put up decorations in the cottages; however, it must be done with non-staining adhesive. No sticky tape or pins.
In the event of a FIRE
Do not try and put the fire out. Leave the room where the fire started and close the door.
Get everyone out. Please make yourself familiar with the emergency escape plan for your cottage.
Wait outside at a safe distance from the building.
Call 999 and say you are at Low Steads Farm, Longhoughton.
Notify James and Louise if possible.
A Fire Blanket is situated in the kitchen.
All windows open very wide from the bottom. Push them firmly out.
A Fire Risk Assessment is available, please ask James or Louise.
Please let us know about any damage or breakages before you leave. We do not charge for minor breakages such as glasses or plates, however we must charge for more serious damage as per our terms and conditions.
Louise and James Forsyth (Farmhouse) 01665 577623
The nearest public telephone is in Longhoughton opposite the Church.
There is a 24 hour Casualty Department for minor injuries at Alnwick Infirmary.
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, Northumbria Way, Cramlington NE23 6NZ 0344 811 8111
Alnwick Medical Group, Infirmary Close, Alnwick. NE66 2NL
01665 656000 www.alnwickmedicalgroup.co.uk
Castle Dental Care, First Floor (access via Greenwell Lane), 32-34 Bondgate Within, Alnwick NE66 1TD
01665 602178 www.castledentalcare.co.uk
Morris and Plumley – The Alnwick Vets, South Road, Alnwick.
01665 600060 www.morrisandplumley.co.uk
The local Church is in Longhoughton. Service times are on the notice board.
There are three petrol stations locally. One in Embleton and the other two are just off the A1 at Alnwick.
The nearest Railway Station is Alnmouth (approx. 3 miles away).
There is a regular bus service through Longhoughton. For times see the timetable in the bus shelter on the main street through the village.
The Arriva X18 is the local coastal service, and it runs through Longhoughton.
There is a Co-op just off the main street in Longhoughton. It is open 7am – 10pm and it has a free of charge cash machine.
The main Post Office is on the cobbles, Market Street in Alnwick.
The nearest banking hub is in Bondgate Within, the town centre in Alnwick.
The nearest Chemist is in Bondgate Within, the town centre in Alnwick.