Active Stays | Beautiful Cottages & Fitness Training, Butterton

More Than Just Great Accommodation!

Active Stays offer two gorgeous holiday properties, Swallow Barn and Dalemore Cottage, in the picturesque village of Butterton in the stunning Staffordshire Moorlands. They’re just 3 minutes’ walk from each other and can be booked individually or together. However, Active Stays offer so much more than just great accommodation! For those who prefer a more active holiday, the knowledgeable, experienced hosts can provide personal training, coaching for runners and cyclists, and take you on guided walks. Meanwhile, back at the cottages you can continue your regime in the well-equipped gym or relax your aching muscles in the sauna!

The properties are ideal for those who prefer a more relaxed holiday too. They’re perfectly equipped for a home-from-home stay and set in the most tranquil location surrounded by stunning countryside. If that wasn’t enough, imagine starting your holiday with complimentary homemade bread and cookies, together with a fridge full of pre-ordered local produce! Active Stays really have thought of everything to ensure you have the most enjoyable stay from the moment you arrive!

Swallow Barn – Sleeps 2 – Dog Friendly

Swallow Barn is a cosy barn conversation located in the grounds of a smallholding, surrounded by glorious countryside with fabulous views over the village.

As you enter the open plan living/dining room at Swallow Barn, you’re greeted with lovely timber beams and a really cosy feel, making it the perfect place to relax in front of the TV after a day enjoying this beautiful area. Light floods in to the living space from the adjoining sunny terrace, making it bright and airy.

Next to the lounge is a small, well-equipped kitchen with oven, hob, fridge/freezer and all the essentials you could need for a homely stay. Don’t forget you can pre-order delicious foods with Active Stays’ ‘’Fill Your Fridge’’ service!

There is also a shared laundry room with washing machine and dryer.

On the ground floor there’s a handy shower room with WC.

The open plan timber staircase leads you to a quaint double bedroom with more gorgeous timber beams. Here you’ll find drawers and a hanging space, as well as a little dressing table and mirror.

The outside space at Active Stays’ Swallow Barn is a fabulous little suntrap, with views over the village. Relax with a coffee in the morning listening to the birdsong, or enjoy a refreshing drink in the evening whilst rustling up something on the barbecue, keeping an ear out for the hooting of owls. You can also explore the 4 acres of paddocks and enjoy spectacular views of the stunning nearby Manifold Valley.

During your stay at Swallow Barn you have full use of all of Active Stays’ on-site facilities, which are detailed below.

Dalemore Cottage – Sleeps 6 – Dog Friendly

The larger of Active Stays’ properties is Dalemore Cottage, a gorgeous two-bedroom stone cottage sleeping 6 people. You’ll be charmed as soon as you arrive, as it takes centre stage in this idyllic village, overlooking a cobbled ford, and has a relaxing garden right on the banks of a babbling brook.

The lounge at Dalemore Cottage is spacious yet cosy with more timber beams and timber lintels that frame the pretty windows. There’s an inviting wood burning stove for the cooler months, and French doors opening out on to the patio area which is lovely in the warmer months. (The sofa in here is a sofa bed, providing room for two people to sleep.)

Also on the ground floor is a modern dining kitchen which has been stylishly decorated and includes an oven, hob, fridge freezer, and all other cooking essentials. Don’t forget to preorder your food from the ‘‘Fill your Fridge” Service!

The dining area has seating for six people, with more French doors leading onto the patio area.

Upstairs there are two pleasant bedrooms, one double and one twin, together with a bathroom. There is also a separate shower room on the ground floor, all of which makes this an ideal space for friends or families.

You will be wowed by the outside space at Active Stays’ Dalemore Cottage. Set in its own grounds, Dalemore Cottage has its own private terrace right on the banks of a babbling brook, overlooking open fields, providing the most tranquil space to sit and relax at any time of the day.

During your stay at Dalemore Cottage, you have access to all Active Stays’ facilities which are noted below.

Personal Training & Fitness Facilities

The hosts at Active Stays have a wealth of knowledge, as well as a lot of stamina (!), and can’t wait to share all that they love about this fabulous part of the Peak District National Park! They can guide and train you as much or as little as you would like. If you would simply like a little guidance on the best walking routes (many of which are from the door), they can help with that, or if you would like to book a guided walk, a single day of personal training, or a 2–5-day package of activities, they can help with all that too.

They can show you all the very best walking and cycling routes which this fabulous area is famous for, and arrange pick-ups or drop offs for those wishing to do some of the longer Peak District routes. They also provide secure bike storage for those wanting to cycle and can give guidance on nearby cycle hire too.

Active Stays’ base is on their small holding at Swallow Barn (just 3 minutes’ walk from Dalemore Cottage). Here you can make use of the fitness facilities, such as the small yet well-equipped gym, complete with cardio equipment, weights, yoga mats etc. Here you can also enjoy the sauna, ideal for relaxing your muscles at the end of a busy day, all before having a couple of drinks in the gin shed – you’ll have earned them!

Fill The Fridge

Active Stays offer a great ‘’Fill The Fridge’’ service! You’ll arrive to complimentary homemade bread and cookies, but you can order lots more delicious, locally-sourced foods, so that fridge and cupboards are fully stocked for your arrival.

The hosts at Active Stays can source dairy and cheeses from the nearby Hartington Cheese Shop, chutneys, fruit & veg, and scrumptious Bakewell Pudding from Hartington Village Store, together with pies and meats from local butchers. Many delicious home-cooked delights can also be baked to order by the fabulous cook at Active Stays. (Please ask the host at Active Stays for more details.)

Fabulous Location

Although your cottage may be filled with delicious foods on your arrival, for those wishing to dine out there is a fabulous village pub in Butterton, just a very short walk from your accommodation, where you can enjoy a home-cooked meal, together with a selection of refreshing beers.

Butterton itself is a delightful, picturesque village. However, it’s the stunning location with views over the Manifold Valley that’s the real draw here. You can enjoy miles and miles of walks from the door, together with fabulous cycling routes including The Manifold Way, an 8 mile traffic-free route. Nearby Thors Cave is a favourite place for families to visit, as is Wetton Mill Tea Rooms, where children enjoy paddling in the river during the summer months. For those looking for more adventurous walking, The Roaches, a stunning gritstone ridge reaching 1,657 feet, provides spectacular views over Staffordshire, Cheshire and even into Lancashire and Wales!

For the thrill seekers, Alton Towers Resort is just 8 miles away, as is the wonderful market town of Leek, where you’ll find lots of architectural buildings, as well as a great selection of shops and restaurants.

So whether you are looking for an ‘’Active Stay’’, or a relaxing break, as a couple, a family or a group of friends, Swallow Barn and Dalemore Cottage have something for everyone!