Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Tavernier’s Travels
During our visit to North Yorkshire, our cousin Diane took us for an overnight stay near Saltburn-by-the-Sea. It was all a bit spontaneous, but she managed to book a sweet little place – Grinklebell Cottage.
That day, we’d actually ventured up to County Durham to visit Beamish, the living museum that has served as a filming location for many dramas, including Peaky Blinders. And so it was early evening by the time we’d driven back into North Yorkshire, where we followed the sea before turning off the very definition of country roads (think deep bends on narrow lanes with a beautiful waterfall stream in between the trees forming woodland around us), and reached our home for the night.
The whimsical Grinklebell Cottage is an annexe off the main house, and is easy to miss from the outside. Pulling up just outside of the door, you’re met with cute hanging baskets draped with flowers and the sound of humming bees lazily in search for pollen. A table and chairs sits just beneath the main window, a place to bask in the sunshine.
Stepping inside felt like being transported straight into the world of Hansel and Gretel. It’s safe to say we were absolutely awed by the place. The owner, Linda, really thought about every aspect when decorating and furnishing this sweet little place, from the bedding to the petite kitchenette, even to the bathroom.
The cottagecore decor only added to the whimsical charm of the space; from the flowered curtains to the knitted throw on the bed to the gingham tablecloth… nothing matched, but yet it all weirdly worked together! All this made the cottage feel so inviting and gave a sense of comfort straight away.
Although Grinklebell Cottage is more similar to a studio in size than an actual cottage, being an annexe off the main house – the Wheelhouse – the one room and bathroom houses all you need.
The bathroom was a decent size, wonderfully decorated and with a good-sized shower. A bed and a sofa bed allows the place to sleep at least four, while a wardrobe is neatly tucked into the corner and a little kitchenette allows you to enjoy meals inside. Said kitchenette housed the cutest little fridge, and when we opened it, we found a little bottle of milk waiting for us inside. I wasn’t altogether unconvinced that the milk had come from a cow in the nearby fields that very morning!
With the sound of humming bees into the late evening and waking up to the sound of chirping birds, we didn’t need much to remind us that we were in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. It was the perfect reminder of our complete and total love of slow travel, of stepping away from the hecticness of city life and taking a much-needed break in nature.
A short walk into the garden will provide fabulous views of the sea in the distance, while at the bottom of the garden was a beautiful summer house. Here, again, the decor was so well thought out and instantly inspired a feeling of comfort. To sit in that summer house with the doors open on a lovely summer’s day or evening, such as it was when we were there, would be absolutely idyllic. It’s the perfect place to get away from it all, especially if you want a solo trip (something our cousin said she’d hope to do in the near future).
It’s well positioned for visiting the seaside town of Saltburn-on-the-Sea and Whitby, as we did the following morning. But, especially, it’s the absolute ideal if you want to take a step back from the 24-hour rat race and immerse yourself in the peace of nature.
