Sykes Holiday Cottages is an independent holiday cottage rental agency, with the finest selection of holidays across the UK and Ireland. Whether it’s a family-friendly holiday, a pet-friendly holiday or an activity and adventure-filled holiday, find your ideal UK break with Sykes Holiday Cottages. Our sister brands include Abersoch Quality Homes, Best of Suffolk, Carbis Bay Holidays, Character Cottages, Coast and Country Cottages, Coast and Country Holidays, Cornish Cottage Holidays, Dream Cottages, Heart of the Lakes, Helpful Holidays, Hideaways, Hogans Irish Cottages, John Bray, Lakes Cottage Holidays, Lake District Lodge Holidays, Lakelovers, Manor Cottages, Menai Holidays, Northumbria Coast & Country, Welsh Coast and Country Cottages and Yorkshire Coastal Cottages, and our family extends as far as Bachcare in New Zealand.

Alston is set in the North Pennines in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, surrounded by a unique landscape of moorland, hills, rivers and waterfalls, and is England's highest market town. This intriguing town, with its cobbled streets and fascinating nooks and crannies, was the location for ITV's productions of Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist. Alston and the North Pennines have long inspired artists and writers; the poet and writer W H Auden loved the area and today Alston is an inspiration to the craftspeople who live and work there. There is a host of unusual shops in the town including quality crafts and galleries. Take a ride on one of the lovingly-restored steam and diesel engines through the beautiful scenery of the South Tyne valley on the South Tynedale Railway which runs from Alston through to Slaggyford. The River Tyne is also noted as one of the finest salmon rivers in England and day-ticket fishing is available locally. The North Pennines used to be one of the wealthiest lead mining centres in Europe, and the Killhope Lead Mining Museum offers a great family day out with interactive exhibitions. With the drive along the A686 recognised by the AA as one of the world's best drives, and northern Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland, all within easy reach, this makes a superb base.