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The Old Brooder & Shepherd Hut on a Family Farm near Milden in Rural Suffolk, England
- Cycling
- Golf nearby
- Tennis
- Walking
- Child Friendly
- Cook available
From 13th November 2024 to 31st December 2024
24-26 Dec @ £1,500 for 15 guests, extras @ £100pp. Extra night @ £500. inc bikes.
From 22nd November 2024 to 31st January 2025
All Nov w/e discount 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 Jan @ £1,000 for 10 guests, extra guests @ £60pp
This fabulous new build bunkhouse on a 500 acre family farm is one of our more unusual places to stay in Suffok, and is a huge and flexible space for up to 22 people, perfect for groups of friends or family who want space and a beautiful setting without spending a fortune. It is set amongst the Suffolk Wool Villages such as Lavenham, and is within easy distance of London. Woodland trails, on site games and activities for all ages. Alternatively, consider the owners’ other farmstay property, the Tudor barn, which sleeps 24+.
The ‘Old’ Brooder is in fact a stylish and modern new build bunkhouse with an adjacent Shepherd’s Hut, which can sleep up to 22 people and is a perfect fit for our unique stays in Suffolk collection. It’s great large group accommodation with five separate living spaces, ample bathrooms, and the delights of rural Suffolk on your doorstep. Borrow the provided bikes to explore the area, wander along woodland trails, or dip into the family activity pack for a multitude of ideas.
There’s masses to do both on and off the farm. Wander around the farm trails through woods and meadows, picnic by a pond, or borrow the laminated circular walking route leaflets and set off exploring a bit further afield. The property has its own fleet of 22 adult road bikes for those aged over 16 (weight <15 stone). Serious cyclists and children do please bring your own. You can explore the local villages on routes that take in nature reserves and pubs, or explore the historic Wool Towns and villages with a bike trail quiz. You can go kayaking and paddle boarding on the River Stour, hire rowing boats, shop for antiques or try your hand at shooting, archery or fly fishing. There are National Trust properties nearby, as well as local museums and art galleries. On the farm itself you’ll find ancient barns, brick walls, old farm machinery, ancient flower-rich meadows, arable crops, as well as lambs and piglets at various times of the year.
Getting There:
Accessible from Harwich and Stanstead airport.
Easy driving distance to Cambridge (1hr), Bury St Edmunds (30 mins), Norwich (75 mins), Suffolk coast (75 mins). Please enquire for a good contact for taxis from Heathrow or Gatwick.
Sudbury is the nearest (very small) train station – a 15 minute taxi ride to Milden. For the ‘Lovejoy line’ to Sudbury you must change from the Colchester-Liverpool Street line at Marks Tey. Parking at the station is free and apparently problem-free. Colchester is 30+ minutes away by taxi and trains run regularly to and from Liverpool Street. Bury St Edmunds train station (25 mins away) is approached from the Midlands and the North.
Interior Details
The bunkhouse furnishings are quirky - church pews for kitchen seating, Moroccan goatskin lamps, joiner-made oak bunk beds, Mexican wall tiles and 200 year old stained glass upstairs - all these features give the bunkhouse great character. There are five bedrooms in total - one bedroom upstairs with eight beds (with its own bathroom). Downstairs there are three bedrooms (two of which sleep two, one is a dormitory style bedroom sleeping eight in four bunks), as well as the separate restored shepherd’s hut just outside the back door, with twin beds (one standard single plus one smaller single). Downstairs there are three showers and loos, with a wet room for the less mobile. Each guest has their own light and charging socket. There’s a well equipped kitchen and dining area with two rustic tables with benches and pews, seating up to 22 people. There’s a large electric cooker, microwave, dishwasher and plentiful cutlery, crockery and utensils. Upstairs there is a cosy carpeted sitting room which seats 22. There’s TV and Wifi, as well as a selection of books and games.
Exterior Details
The bunkhouse is surrounded by a small garden with farmland views. There are picnic tables and a BBQ where you can enjoy eating al fresco, as well as a variety of games including ping pong, table football, croquet and badminton. There is a herb garden outside the back door. 22 adult road bikes are provided, along with helmets, a bike trail quiz and planned circular bike routes.
Conditions of Rental
Check in from 4pm / check out by midday. Flexibility on this by arrangement. Minimum stay 2 nights. Discounts for school and education groups, and green discounts for groups in winter. Catering options are available, enquire for more information. Hen groups are welcome if they are looking for a rural, non rowdy get together and the owners can provide a list of activity ideas. There is a separate Tudor Barn, 100m down the track - each property has its own facilities and this can sometimes be booked too. The owners of the property have worked hard to reduce the property’s carbon footprint where possible - there are solar panels, rainwater saving, they use on-farm sustainably produced resources and recycle / reuse in every aspect of the business. They also offer our guests low carbon-footprint activity ideas and enough road bikes for every guest.
