Where should I stay? A guide to local accommodation

The School is hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world in a village called Pitsford.  We are a rural location, in the beautiful rolling English countryside, just 10 minutes from Princess Diana’s ancestral home; and yet only 15 minutes drive from the town.

It’s certainly worth looking on Airbnb.co.uk  

Please find below our recommendations for local bed and breakfast accommodation:

For students who do NOT have their own transport

These are the places you can stay that are walkable distances:

In Pitsford village (the same location as the School) is a Charming Cottage available to rent via Airbnb. It sleeps 4, has two bedrooms and two double beds.

Sedgebrook Hall is the next closest accommodation option…it is just a mile away from the School. http://www.sedgebrookhall.co.uk/ this is a large hotel, it is corporate but you can walk. It is a conference centre and wedding venue but it is in a pleasant setting and we have been told by many students that the rooms are clean, and it has the advantage of being close, 3 minutes drive/20 minute walk. It is possible to walk from this hotel if you are without transport in good weather, and it is not suitable to walk in the dark. In winter most students walk to the school in the morning and get a taxi/a lift back in the evening when it is dark. It is a good 20-minute walk, along the pathway of a busy country road, and then down through the village to the school. We have a discount code from Sedgebrook for students to use – you can find this on your Information PDF once you have booked.

A beautiful 2 bedroom accommodation Sedgebrook Bungalow is in Chapel Brampton village and is a good 30-minute walk from the school. It is 10 minutes walk away from Sedgebrook Hall.

Brixworth village is 2.4 miles away from Pitsford village – this is roughly a 45-minute walk and there is a pavement and pathway along the entire route:

Cobbler’s  Cottage is a lovely one double room self-contained garden cottage overlooking the countryside in Brixworth village. Cobblers Cottage is temporarily not on Airbnb. Please contact Ruth Joyce directly on 01604 894227

Also in Brixworth on Airbnb is the Charming Country Cottage a private self-contained cottage set within a lovely English country garden, sleeps up to 2 people.

Brixworth is a large village and has many facilities – shops, pubs, a restaurant, post office, takeaways etc.

For students who have their own transport during the course, or are happy to book taxis etc:

Moulton village is 2.9 miles away from Pitsford – although the village is walkable distance to the school there is no path along the road so it isn’t safe to walk that way. There is however a public footpath that takes you through the countryside from Moulton to Pitsford. Here is a guide to countryside walks around Moulton that includes a map of the public footpaths. These footpaths go through fields so please do make sure this is suitable for you.

We believe this is the most cost effective accommodation locally. At Moulton village is Moulton College for students age 15 and over. The Venue at Moulton college offers student/visitor accommodation at very reasonable prices. You can view the rooms online, bookings can be B&B, half board or full board, and there are kitchen facilities for those who prefer a self catering option. For any queries please view the website and email thevenue@moulton.ac.uk or call 01604 491131. Please note: please arrive in good time to collect your key from the gatehouse because if it closed you will not be able to access your accommodation.

http://www.thepoplarshotel.com/ – this is in Moulton village, a small friendly hotel, again this is just a 5-minute drive from the school.

The Barn in the village of Moulton sleeps 2 people and is a self-contained cottage attached to the host’s house. Moulton has shops, pubs and restaurants.

Holly Lodge Victorian Country House is just 5-10 minutes drive away in-between Boughton and Moulton villages – book through Airbnb. It has one single room for 1 person, and also there is an additional room that sleeps 1-2 people. The owners have a bicycle that they are happy to lend to students if the weather is good.

http://thegranarybb.co.uk/ – a farmhouse in a nearby village called Holcot, 10 minutes away. The owners are more than happy to give students a lift to the school if they are available, please ask when you book – also listed here on Airbnb as The Granary B&B

Mrs Margaret Vinton – a 10-minute drive at The Old House, East End, Scaldwell, Northamptonshire NN6 9LB
Tel: 01604 880359. Email: mrsv2@mac.com

Brampton Grange Cottages are set in the grounds of an 18th-century country house. They can be B&B or self-catering. They are a 7-minute drive away from the school near Chapel Brampton village.

http://www.sundialgroup.com/venues-hotels/highgate-house/overview Highgate House hotel is a 15-minute drive away. Please call 01604 505505 and quote ‘Sourdough’ when booking for discounted rates: Friday to Sunday nights – £65.00, Monday to Thursday nights – £79.00. Includes breakfast and use of all leisure facilities – indoor swimming pool, fitness suite, and sauna.

Espais Roca – a collection of barn conversions at Clipston, 20 minutes drive away:
The Loft – 2 ensuite bedrooms, sofa bed in the lounge accommodates 1-6 guests
The Barn – 3 ensuite bedrooms, sofa bed in the lounge accommodates 1-8 guests
The Cottage at the same location  – 1 bedroom, sofa bed in the lounge accommodates 1-4 guests
Any queries and bookings please contact Dominic on dominic@checkmate.com

The Barn, Orlingbury is available to book on Airbnb. Or you can book via Booking.com, or you can book directly by calling Nicola Walpole on 07710 820473 or email dietnw@hotmail.co.uk. Prices are: £70 a night Sunday to Thursday, and £80 a night Fridays and Saturdays. Nicola really recommends wild water swimming in the summer at Wadenhoe. You can swim from the Kings Head pub garden. She says the pub there is great as well. Orlingbury is a 20 minute drive to the School.

For students who are coming with their families, we recommend finding accommodation in Market Harborough – a really pleasant small market town just north of us. It has plenty of things for partners and children to do while you are on the course. It is a 20-25 minute drive or on the local bus route. It is a very direct easy route, avoiding Northampton town which is very busy traffic-wise.

TRANSPORT

Please note that workshops mainly start at 10 am from day 2 and finish at about 6pm.  In the winter it is dark and we recommend that you arrange transportation to and from The School rather than walking in the dark.

SHARING LIFTS

You may, of course, arrange for taxi sharing, or lifts yourselves with other students, but this is at your own risk with other students however we hold no responsibility or liability for any arrangements made privately.

We have a super taxi service called KPD with a set fee of £13.50 (weekdays) or £15 (weekends) to bring students to the school.  If there is more than one student travelling then they will bring you all at the same time and will advise you regarding the lower fare. To use this taxi service  call  01604 882798 or email office@kpdgroup.com

We also use Amber taxis – 01604 232666 https://www.ambercarsnorthampton.com/

Other Northampton taxi companies are:
Ace Cars – 01604 719697
Bounds taxis – 01604 626262
Phoenix Class – 01604 222222

Local camping options:

Locally (5 mins away) we have Manor Farm Shop owned by Dennis – a farm shop with official provision for camping. Please message him for details. It is about £10 a night. There are electricity and water points and blue waste disposal. His address is Manor Farm, Northampton Road, Brixworth, Northampton NN6 9DG – it is just before the entrance of Brixworth Country Park and Pitsford Reservoir

http://waterloofarmleisure.co.uk/ north of us near a village called Great Oxendon LE16 8NB this one has a tea room. The pub in the village of Great Oxendon http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/pub/view/George-LE16-8NA

http://www.brookmeadow.co.uk/ north of us in a village called Sibbertoft LE16 9UJ (this is the furthest away but comes highly recommended – 20 mins away) This one has a shower block etc. Less than a mile to the nearest pub – http://www.redlionwinepub.co.uk/

Please do let me know if you need any further help at all.

Best wishes

Vanessa