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Get Away to the Country | Farm Holidays in the UK
Have you started planning your summer holiday yet or just fancy a relaxing weekend away? There are many reasons why you should consider a farm holiday in the UK rather than going abroad.
We are all becoming more aware of the environmental impact of flying abroad for a relaxing break but at this time of year it is quite tempting to grab some holiday brochures and plan to head for the sun. Remember, it may be cold and miserable now in the UK but summer will soon be upon us.
With the recession biting down and the stress of modern life wouldn’t it be great to avoid the airports this summer and just chill out amid the quiet wildlife.
There is a whole selection of places you can stay in the UK countryside, from the Lake District Yurts to working farms, bed and breakfast to 5 star luxury cottages and the great thing is you can usually take the family pets, rather than have the hassle of finding someone to care for them or the worry of putting them in kennels.
There are just far too many great country holiday destinations in the UK to list but I have found a few examples to show you the variety of locations and activities you can find.
Working farms are great for holidays with children, they can really experience the countryside and get close to animals they may never see in their daily life but before booking check with the farm what activities the children can try out. Some working farms are more child friendly than others, so check what variety of animals they have and if they welcome involvement by the children.
Looking for something totally different, then try a Lake District Yurt which sleeps 6 and look a lot more luxurious inside than they look from the outside. This would be a great holiday for a group of friends. If you have a dog you will need confirm this when you book and agree to their dog policy.
Family holidays need something to entertain the children and somewhere like the Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges in Devon is ideal. They are very environmentally friendly, just read their environmental policy which means your holiday will have a very low carbon footprint. The owners lend out free bikes so the kids can go off for a bike ride or the family can cycle to the local farm shop. Walking and fishing will also help to entertain the kids and the place is teaming with wildlife . They don’t supply cycle helmets so you would need to bring your own. Have a look round their site and imagine how peaceful it would be relaxing in that beautiful scenery.
Horse riding holidays are always popular and great fun for the kids. Cornwall offers riding holidays at Carnwidden Farm and horse owners can even take their own horses on holiday with them. Accommodation is self catering in two barn conversions and Cornwall has a nice mild climate so you should be able to ride out every day. This would be an ideal holiday for a couple of horse owning friends that don’t like leaving their horse behind.
The Peak District National Park offers a variety of farms like Rushop Hall which is a working farm with livestock, including herds of highland cattle and alpacas. They offer farmhouse bed and breakfast or holiday cottages. Again you can take your horse on holiday with you and tuck in to a full English breakfast each morning.
If you fancy a bit more luxury then try somewhere like , a 5 star bed and breakfast on a working farm … with swimming pool, now that’s a farm I would like to live on. The bedrooms look magnificent but they are still a working farm with cattle, goats, hens, horses, pigs and dogs.
There are farms offering hunting and fishing, ones where the kids can watch cows being milked and feed lambs or just tranquil places to get away from the city.
Cumbria, Northumberland and Scotland all offer rugged unspoilt countryside … really I could go on forever listing great farm holidays in the UK but to aid your search try using Farm Stay UK where you can search for farm holidays by area, type, activities, etc.
Go on, get away to the country this year and have a farm holiday in the UK.
April 8th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
More great info Sally, Thanks.
Roy Norris’s last blog post..
April 12th, 2009 at 9:16 am
If anyone wishes to add a link to their farm holiday website or some contact details please feel free.
April 27th, 2009 at 9:23 am
There are so many benefits to holidaying in the UK. The only thing that puts me off is the unpredictability of the British weather.
All of these things are not as fun when the weather is against you. At least going abroad gives you higher probability of nice weather.
Having said that I keep hearing rumors that we are almost guaranteed an excellent summer here in the UK this year and we certainly do deserve it!
April 28th, 2009 at 4:24 am
Now don’t be like that Olly, there are few things more satisfying than splashing in puddles in your wellies … woops did I just admit to being a big kid?!
April 28th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Too true – thanks for reminding me! Perhaps I am growing up too quick!!!
April 30th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
They say it’s going to be a “BBQ summer” this year. Hopefully a great year to holiday in the UK. My family are off to the Yurts you describe above, in the Lake District.
Max’s last blog post..Windrush
May 5th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Hi Max, I do hope you will come back and tell us of your yurt experience, it is such an unusual choice I imagne some would like to try but are afraid to so your experiences may sway them to give it a go.
May 9th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
You just helped me select a location for my next holiday.
May 30th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Working farms are great ideas for holidays! You get to play with different animals!
pet friendly hotels’s last blog post..Hotel Abri
May 31st, 2009 at 10:26 am
Great blog pet friendly hotels, it’s always so much better to be able to go on holiday with your pets and not worry about them in kennels or if your neighbours remembered to feed them.
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:02 am
I have been on the lookout for a nice country holiday lately, it looks like a great one. I’m signing up to check it out Rushop Hall now. Will let you know what I think about it if I get the chance.
Joseph@FarmTown´s last blog ..Tips for Gameplay
August 5th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Sally,
Excellent article – we’re blessed in this country that we have such a wide range of countryside scenery – farm holidays are definitely a great way of experiencing it too. You’re right – sometimes you don’t need to get on a plane for a relaxing family holiday!
Cheers,
August 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 am
I love farm holidays, they really do give you total relaxation. I love being in the countryside, smelling the fresh air and walking in wondeful scenery.
I’m going to Cornwall next week and cannot wait.
Simon @ Farmall Tractor Parts´s last blog ..History On Farmall Tractors
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:51 am
some may find spending their holidays on the farm is boring. But i disagree on that… there are lots of things in the farm that will make your stay more enjoyable and pretty educational also… taking good care of farm animals is one, planting and proper harvesting of some crops, horse back riding, camping, and more… now, there is no reason at all to make your stay there get boring… just enjoy, relax, and learn lots of things…
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I can remember spending a family holiday in a lodge in Cornwall when I was about 14 years old and it was really enjoyable. The farmer had built three lodges to rent out for holidays to bring in some extra money. The farm owners were really nice and we enjoyed seeing and helping out feeding the animals. It is a great way for kids to discover what the countryside has to offer and learn more about where their food comes from.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
good readings here really enjoyed your website
*thumbs up*
October 28th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Great article, particularly with the recent rise in holidaying at home in the UK.
I’d like to recommend Southlands Farm Cottages that some of my friends own. They have three cottages in a converted steading on their small farm near Hexham in Northumberland. It’s a truly stunning area and as the cottages are on a farm, you can meet the cows, horses, pigs…chickens..great fun for families.
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Thanks for the recommendation Nick, having lived in Northumberland I can certainly recommend a holiday there.
December 14th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Here’s another vote for Northumberland. It’s not as warm as Cornwall or Devon, but the scenery is fantastic, and it’s so much more off the beaten track. We had a great week up in Rothbury recently – simply stunning.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Hi Sally
Thank you so much for the mention of Launceston Farm. We have just come to the end of our first year which has been absolutely amazing with loads of friendly chaps choosing to holiday with us over those glitzy european destinations – who needs Paris, Milan etc when you’ve got Dorset on your doorstep?! How did you hear about us?
January 10th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Hi Catherine
I’m a bit of a dab hand at googling. I looked through plenty of sites until I found ones I would want to go and visit, then I chose them and you were among them. Hope your first year was a fruitful one and will be followed by many more to come.
January 28th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Thanks Sally!
Been a touch quiet so far this year but we just had some lovely coverage in Elle magazine for a special valentines break away feature so hopefully we will be inundated by lovers from all over the country next month!
February 16th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Oh brilliant news on the coverage Catherine …. so was Valentines weekend a sellout?
March 1st, 2010 at 10:35 am
Your article took me back to my childhood when I used to stay on a working farm in Devon. I loved it and it gave me such an appreciation and understanding of animals/nature.
I’d love some land to keep pigs, sheep and chickens.. one day!
June 15th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
I used to holiday on a farm in Devon too when I was a child and its given me some very precious memories. Seeing the animals, feeding them and playing in the stream as well as the more adventurous afternoon of starting controlled bracken burning (that was fun!!)
Its something that inspired me to buy my current farm and run a campsite here, its great to show the animals to children, let them fetch eggs and see the tractors, its things that many of them have never seen before and they love it.