Luxurious Dutch Houseboat on the River Deben
- Beach nearby
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Golf nearby
- Horse Riding
- Walking
- Watersports
- Child Friendly
- Ideal for honeymoons
- Pet Friendly
A stunning 1897 Dutch sailing skutsje refitted in 2010 to provide luxury static accommodation at Woodbridge on the River Deben in Suffolk. Holiday home of Arthur Ransome and setting for two of his East coast childrens adventures, Woodbridge is great for Swallows and Amazons adventure holidays in the summer and cosy romantic breaks in the winter. River trips aboard "TG" are available upon request. Bottle of champagne and a box of handmade Suffolk chocolates with every booking! Dogs stay for free!
Luxuriously refitted in 2010 to offer elegant waterside living for four, Twee Gebroeders has a permanent mooring on the River Deben at Woodbridge. "TG" makes an ideal setting for a boat holiday and an excellent base from which to explore the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, with its many beaches,delightful rivers and estuaries and charming seaside twons. The accommodation consists of a galley and saloon with gorgeous red range cooker, and solid wooden joinery. Sleeping is in one romantic double cabin and one cosy twin cabin which is ideal for children with its own TV and PlayStation. The barge has full central heating and makes an ideal holiday retreat at any time of year. If you fancy some real adventure we offer skippered river trips aboard the barge. These are free when you book a week's boat holiday and an optional extra for short breaks.
Twee Gebroeders sits on a mooring on the waterfront at Woodbridge within sight of the towns iconic tide mill. Surrounded by a colourful array of vessels from barges to sailing yachts the quayside is a fascinating place just a short stroll from the centre of this charming market town and within easy reach of some great local restaurants. There are some wonderful walks from the barge along the banks of the River Deben where it is possible to see a huge range of wading birds and even the occasional seal. The town also boasts some lovely parks, a model boating lake, plenty of excellent independent shops and even a working windmill and being situated on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty it is also the perfect base from which to explore the Suffolk Coast and its many tourist attractions. It is a great place to stay on a boat, whether you're after a family adventure holiday, a romantic break or somewhere to simply get away from it all.
Getting There:
Woodbridge is 7 miles outside of Ipswich on the River Deben. There is a train station in Ipswich with links to London and the station is a 5 minute walk from the barge.
Nearest Airport:
Stansted 60 miles
Nearest Train Station:
Woodbridge 0.25 miles
Nearest Ferry:
Harwich 30 miles
Nearest Beach:
Felixstowe (10 miles), Aldeburgh (10 miles), Southwold (20 miles)
Nearest Shop:
Woodbridge 0.25 miles
Nearest Market:
Ipswich, Woodbridge,
Car Hire:
- N/A -
Interior Details
The light and airy accommodation consists of a galley and saloon with gorgeous red range cooker, and solid wooden joinery. The saloon area has an upholstered seating unit, dining table, flat screen TV, HI-FI and DVD player and doors outside to the cockpit. The double bedroom is a romantic cabin with portholes all round, luxury linens, and solid wood furniture. The twin is a cosy room ideal for children with standard 2'6 beds, TV and playstation. There is a luxury shower room with handmade Dutch tiles and a really good shower.
Exterior Details
One of the best things about a holiday on a boat is the feeling of the great outdoors all around you. Outside, you will find a very large rear cockpit with doors leading out from the saloon. This has teak seating for 6 and a removable table for summer evening dining and drinks. There are side decks if you want to go forward or up on the roof for fishing or sunbathing. The view from the cockpit is over the River Deben and is an ideal place to watch the boats or wildlife come and go.
Further Details
Originally a working barge under sail, then converted to motor and sail probably in the 1920's/30's, TG has always had to earn her living. Nowadays, these barges are kept in Northern Holland by villages that race against each other. We feel its important to preserve the working history of this old girl, so we have deliberately avoided over restoring the hull - you'll see her etched trading marks, and some lumps and bumps (battle scars!) on the hull. Twee Gebroeders (T.G. to her friends) is an iron sailing trading barge or 'Skutsje' built in Northern Holland in 1897. She spent her working life carrying cargo on the narrower canals of Friesland, probably cattle feed and coal (how glamourous!). She was built without accommodation, and had a crew of 2. These boats were often company owned, and the skipper a freelancer. According to tradition, the brass barrel on the tiller shows she has been bought and paid for - and if the boat is for sale, a sheaf of corn would be placed in the flag holder!
Conditions of Rental
Twee Gebroeders is available for weekly holidays or short breaks. Change over days are usually Fridays or Mondays but we are fairly flexible so please contact us with your requirements. Dogs are welcome at no additional charge.
