Rural room, gym, beer tap & famous dog

Fancy living somewhere with a field at the back, woods at the front, a dog who believes he is the main character, a gym you may actually use, and a beer tap?

Then read on.

I’m looking for a friendly, sociable lodger to join me in a comfortable rural home—somewhere you can enjoy good coffee, decent food, films, music, fresh air, and the occasional questionable decision involving the pizza oven.

If you like your own space but also enjoy actual conversation, this could work rather well. If you prefer to communicate exclusively through closed doors and passive-aggressive Post-it notes, we may not be a perfect match.
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Double room in a friendly home, offered by an ageing teenager to a suitably sociable lodger.

See note lower down regarding price options.

I live in a quiet rural spot with easy access to the motorway network. There’s a field behind the house, woods in front, and the Pennine bridleway is just 50 metres from the door—ideal for walking, cycling, or standing outdoors looking thoughtful while pretending you’re in a moody Netflix drama.

Shared areas include a living room with a 75” TV, a dining room with a wood burner, a kitchen/conservatory with a breakfast bar, a den, a fully equipped office, and a gym in an outbuilding.

The bedroom is at the back of the house, overlooking the field. It has an incredibly comfortable handmade American oak bed with a memory-foam mattress—so comfortable that leaving it in the morning may require a formal notice period. The style is industrial, with a slight retro feel.

The room isn’t en-suite, but the bathroom is large and recently renovated, with a multi-head shower and steam room. Excellent for a proper wake-up, or for standing under the water while rehearsing witty comebacks you’ll never use in real life.

All parts of the house are nicely furnished—traditional, with a modern twist. Think “cosy country home,” but with enough technology to make James Bond raise an eyebrow.

The kitchen is fully equipped: washer-dryer, American fridge-freezer, microwave, steam oven, induction hob, dishwasher, Quooker boiling-water tap, and coffee maker. If you can’t make a decent coffee with all that, the Quooker will quietly judge you.

The den has a large sofa and could be used as an extra sitting room. It also has a pull-down bed for visiting friends—assuming they pass the mandatory “must be able to tolerate an overenthusiastic dog” assessment.

The office is fully equipped and available for home working, subject to a brief discussion about whether you’ll actually use it or simply admire it from a distance.

The air-conditioned gym is in a converted outbuilding. It has thick walls, so any grunting, groaning, swearing, or dramatic sighing during workouts will remain strictly between you and the dumbbells. Equipment includes a digital multi-gym, wall-mounted boxing rig, interactive water rower, interactive bike trainer, interactive treadmill, suspension trainer, Nohrd bench, an incredibly evil water balance board, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.

For anyone not madly keen on exercise, there’s also seating and a 65-inch TV with a full Sonos Dolby Atmos surround system—so you can watch other people exercise from a safe, morally superior distance. The gym remains available during its current refresh.

There’s great high-speed fibre broadband throughout, with CAT5 cabling in many rooms. The Wi-Fi uses five access points, so there’s a strong signal everywhere—including the garden, because apparently even the plants deserve to stream something.

Entry is card/phone activated, with CCTV, zoned heating, and linked smoke and CO detectors. Home automation controls the lighting, blinds and heating, and there’s Sonos audio in most rooms. Yes, the house is mildly smarter than several people I know.

The garden has plenty of seating and a stone barbecue/fire pit for outdoor cooking. A new outdoor kitchen with pizza oven is also on the way—future residents may be required to provide honest feedback on pizza experiments. “More cheese” is always an acceptable review.

A quick note on renovations: Some areas of the house and garden are currently being improved, including the gym, the new outdoor kitchen, and a new garden pond. Some rooms will also be refreshed over the next few months. There may be occasional minor disruption, but the gym remains available throughout, and the end result should be very much worth it. Once complete, the pond will be a lovely addition to the garden. Please note: no paddling. The resident piranha fish have strong opinions about unexpected visitors.

Parking isn’t off-road, but the area is semi-rural and parking isn’t an issue. Your car will not need to take part in a daily game of automotive Tetris.

Now, the important bit: I have a rather boisterous monster pup—Hank the Weimaraner. He’s five, very friendly, extremely affectionate, and firmly convinced that every person who enters the house has travelled specifically to admire him. He is not shy about sharing this belief. If you don’t like dogs, this may not be the home for you; if you do like dogs, prepare to be loved relentlessly.

I’ve been renting a room for over nine years and have mostly enjoyed it, meeting some great people along the way. I’m easy-going and sociable, and like to chill in the evenings with a film or music. I enjoy cooking and would be happy to share meals—especially if you’re prepared to offer useful feedback such as “more cheese,” “yes, that was excellent,” or “I’ll do the washing up.”

I’m not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a beer (there’s a beer tap), a glass of good wine, or perhaps a sneaky single malt. I don’t smoke, but I have no issue with smokers, provided it’s outside or in the cellar man cave (420 friendly).

All normal bills are included; others, such as streaming services, can be discussed.

I’m looking for a chilled, sociable person. If you plan to live entirely in your bedroom and communicate only through passive-aggressive Post-it notes, we probably won’t get on.

References are preferred, and I’d be looking for a deposit, although this can be discussed.

At the moment, I have a friend staying who is also sociable and enjoys cooking, so the house already has a healthy ratio of people who like food, conversation, and occasionally judging each other’s playlists.

The price is negotiable. I’m open to a fixed-price arrangement, or potentially a lower monthly cost plus a share of bills. Monthly payments are preferred, but weekly is an option.

If you’d like more information—or simply want to establish whether Hank is as handsome in person as he is in his own imagination—please get in touch.