Lovely Self Catering Cottage Accommodation in Rural Herefordshire

Based in two stable conversions with beams and wood pannelling both cottages opening up onto an enclosed herb garden with two private eating areas, a real sunspot.

Chess Cottage and Apple Bough Cottages

www.GardeningHolidays@blogspot.com for current photos as we  are constantly updating. New sofas in both cottages April 2011.  New scrumptious white bed linen and towels from July 2011.

Two cosy double bedrooms with open roof trusses - original wood pannelling.

Upstairs bathroom, electric shower over bath, wash basins in bedrooms and a mini library on each landing.

Dishwasher, electric oven, coffee percolater, washing machine, separate full sized fridge and freezer. Plenty of quality reading material on the landing bookshelf and jigsaw puzzles and games.

Apple Blossom Cottage

This self-catering cottage is helpful for those with some mobility problems with a downstairs shower room with safety rail and separate toilet. Upstairs there is a gorgeous four-poster bedroom, beautifully professionally stencilled by Linda Mills from Norfolk. A twin bedroom with wash basin and mirrored double wardrobe and trompe loeill painting overlooks the paddock. An upstairs bathroom with shower and bath is well equipped as is the kitchen with fridge and small freezer box, food mixer and blender, electric oven and microwave. Additionally there is a downstairs utility room with washing machine and extra sink and drying space.

All newly renovated April 2011

The side door of Apple Blossom opens out onto the newly planted summer herbaceous bed and is under the ancient wisteria.

Local produce can be pre-ordered and popped into your fridge for your arrival so that moving in and relaxing becomes even easier. If you enjoy browsing for local produce then after a welcoming cup of tea pop down to Upper Holme Farm Shop, a much happier experience than an anonymous supermarket.

If you feel the need to be pampered breakfast can be provided for Self-catering guests too with advance notice for fresh produce shopping. Hampers can also be provided, a choice of Herefordshire Produce Suppliers can be sent to you. Monkland Mousetrap cheese and award winning Glyn-Slade Jones chutney sausages or Tudges sausages are a must! You can meet these producers easily at one of the many Herefordshire Market Towns Farmers Markets.

The Cottages

Ideal for barbecues and relaxing and the paved front provides ample car-parking or bicycle parking plus a superb spot in the sun to watch frantic swallows in their evening dance routine and at this time of year you are serenaded by the toads and the cucoo. 

Chess Cottage, sitting room.

Guests have full use of the extensive farmhouse garden, with adult sized slide and trampoline! Swinging seats and hidden seats enable you to read and bird watch in isolation whilst keeping an eye on the farming activities in the fields around you! 

Farm Trail

A carefully written farm trail is available should you wish to investigate the apple orchards and gaze a while at Hay Bluff and the Black Mountains further a field. The English Bluebells Spring 2011 were stunning - now wild cherries to look forward to spotting and nibbling - bumper apple crop promised - why not make a date and come to Herefordshire for the Apple Harvest and take part in the Cider Trail.  Don't miss Dunkerton's organic cider - our nearest delicious supplier of ciders.

Farming

This is a working mixed enterprise farm. Jon enjoys taking guests around the orchards, talking about the ancient names of the fields the crops that are grown and his life as a third generation farmer - depending on farm committments.

Drying facilities are easy to arrange if necessary – should the weather be inclement or you indulge in Black Mountain Activities!! We are quite used to stuffing wellies, in fact finding wellies and sorting out dripping waterproofs is one of our specialities.

Sustainable Holidays - our green credentials.

We have always tried to protect our environment and hope to attract guests who are interested in wildlife and their surroundings. We are conscientiously creating ponds, planting trees, planting nectar rich plants to help the bees in the 12 hives, feeding and monitoring birds, saving energy, saving water and recycling whenever possible although we appreciate you are on holiday so our efforts appear to be laid back. We are currently looking at converting our heating to use biomass as a way of recycling the orchard prunings. This is being installed in June 2011!

Slow Food Herefordshire  Slow gardening Herefordshire