Ryder Pond Private Family Home

There's something undeniably magical about property starting from the private, wooded road to the charming antique house (1790) with its hidden staircases (3!) and beautiful original architectural details. The rooms are spread out enough that everyone had somewhere they could hang out, either together or on their own. My favorite bedroom is what appears to be a recent attic conversion with its own private large bathroom. Very charmingly done! The kitchen is small but has had some updating, very functional, but we found a max of two people in the kitchen at once was most comfortable. We enjoyed the outdoor shower after our many trips to the pond. Speaking of the pond... it's a huge wow. Very serene, hardly any people, crystal clear, warm like a bathtub in August. I think we spent most of the week just floating around out there and hanging out on the dock. Kids had a great time with the kayaks and paddle boards. They even tried doing a little fishing. We definitely made some incredible memories on Ryder pond. Overall, the house is great for at least 2 families to share. It could definitely use more air conditioning units, specifically in the dining/kitchen area. Most of the bedrooms have window units which kept the sleeping areas cool and comfortable. The smaller rooms were a little more challenging, but fans helped. What people need to know is this is a very old house and while it has had a lot of updating (dishwasher, washer and dryer among many other modern conveniences) it has steep staircases that might be challenging for older folks. The house is full of antiques and had has an entire small pantry room full of bowls, platters, pots and pans. I happen to love old houses and this one was a treasure. We definitely plan on returning to this magical place.

Our favorite house in Wellfleet, with the majority of our summers over thirty years involving a week in Wellfleet.

Wonderful house. Wonderful pond. Wonderful outdoor fireplace and dining.

This house is a great place for families who enjoy privacy and frequent access to pond swimming without the hassle of crowds, driving, and parking. The outdoor shower is also fabulous. This was our third year renting this property for two weeks specifically because of the pristine and private pond. It's hard to beat. Renters should be aware, though, that the house is pretty spare on comfort amenities. We don't want to discourage future renters, but in our party, older family members and those used to greater comfort wished the house was furnished more with "vacationers escaping the hassles of every day life" in mind. (A railing leading down to the pond would be helpful for small kids and older people, as well.) But again, you can't beat this place if you value privacy and quiet pond swimming.