New Year, new deals - save £200 on short breaks in Devon!

Happy New Year! We hope all our followers enjoyed the festive season as much as we did. This update is slightly later than planned, thanks to a hectic couple of weeks with lots of bookings coming in for 2015. People are as organised as ever and booking early, so if you're thinking of a Devon holiday this year, please get in touch!
We haven't had any snow yet and although the children are hoping that will change, I'm not! At the moment we're enjoying bright, cold, perfect winter days and the Blackdown Hills are every bit as beautiful as at any other time of year.

Luggs Barn enjoys an idyllic situation: the perfect base from which to explore the West Country

To start the New Year in a purse-friendly fashion, we're offering a huge reduction of £200 on all January and February short breaks (excluding half term) - 3 or 4 nights beginning on Friday or Monday. Price is now just £495 and as Luggs Barn sleeps 8 plus cots, that's just £15-20 per person per night on a 3 or 4 night stay. Take a look at our availability calendar and feel free to call or email to double check your preferred dates.

We've spotted the first of the snowdrops peeping through in a sheltered corner of the drive, and are looking forward to seeing the crocuses and daffodils before long. The mild winter has confused a few plants as usual - the magnolia tree has had tiny buds since mid December! Last week we even spotted swathes of daffodils in full flower by the side of the road during a visit to Yeovil!

This year we're excited to have two expectant ewes, hopefully due to lamb in April. We're also hoping to have a couple of pigs again this Spring - they're great fun to watch and feed, and Luggs sausages are always popular with our guests.

If you fancy a top class country retreat in glorious Devon scenery, look no further than Luggs Barn. There are numerous beautiful walks on the doorstep, as well as the all-important cosy country pubs and some wonderful local food and drink to sample. Call now on 01823 681605 or email luggsbarn@gmail.com to reserve your preferred dates.

This is Sausage - he and his brother Crackling were great characters!
Hopefully a couple of new piglets will arrive in a month or so.

Countdown to Christmas

The Christmas countdown is well under way here at Luggs - the Barn has long been booked for the festive season but we're already taking bookings for 2014.

The weather's been lovely lately, fairly mild most days but sunny and I've been taking advantage of this with lots of long walks with Monty and Ted up to Culmstock Beacon to enjoy the panoramic views.


The mild weather means that our gorgeous Devon countryside still looks very autumnal rather than wintry. The girls are hoping to be snowed in soon, but I'm keeping everything crossed that the snow can wait until the New Year so that all our guests can get here safely! We've traded in our trusty Land Rover for a more economical (and still 4x4) Skoda Octavia estate which we're delighted with, so fingers crossed it lives up to expectations when the weather turns.

It's been lovely to see some of this year's peak season guests taking advantage of our last minute deals and coming back for short breaks this season. We love seeing people return time after time, and enjoy the fact that Luggs provides a haven for so many people as well as ourselves.

I'm proud (and perhaps slightly smug!) to say that I've bought and wrapped all but one present already this year, and have also done my food shopping online for delivery just before Christmas. All the main supermarkets deliver regularly to Luggs Barn; many of our guests love the convenience of arriving to a well-stocked kitchen, especially this time of year. We're looking forward to welcoming the party from Christmas 2011 for their second festive season at Luggs Barn - they booked on Boxing Day last year, saying 'It just wasn't the same this year - can we come back next Christmas?!'

We're hoping to get up into the attic this week to find all the decorations, and will enjoy making Luggs Barn and our own farmhouse look even more beautiful for the festive season. We'll be collecting holly and ivy from the surrounding woods and are looking forward to choosing some gorgeous trees from our friends at Dunkeswell - we go every year and it's always a very special occasion. I like to wait until the week before to put all the decorations up, so that they still look their best for Christmas - and so that we're not all sick of them before twelfth night! Needless to say, chocolate advent calendars and a great deal of seasonal craft projects are ensuring that our kitchen looks appropriately festive already!

If you're thinking of planning a visit to Luggs Barn in 2014, now's the time to ensure your preferred dates don't get snapped up by someone else! Call now on 01823 681605 or email luggsbarn@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our guests past, current and future. We look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible during 2014 and beyond.

Autumn deals on Devon breaks!

Well, the children are back at school - our youngest, Willow, is settling in beautifully which is a relief as she only turned 4 in August. Here's a photo of her in her new uniform looking extremely proud of herself!

The leaves are turning now and the Blackdown Hills scenery is as stunning as ever. This is my favourite time of year - our wedding anniversary is coming up shortly - and I've met so many other people with Autumn anniversaries. If yours is coming up, why not take advantage of the deals available at this time of year and come and stay at Luggs Barn? A break here could be the perfect surprise present for the spouse who thinks you've forgotten...

The Autumn colours are just beginning to glow

After an amazing Spring/Summer season, we now have some availability through autumn and winter, including half term at the time of writing. This year, Hallowe'en falls within half term - the perfect opportunity for a spooky house party in the middle of nowhere?! Take a look at our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pages/Luggs-Barn-Devon/143513745697324 to keep an eye on the latest deals, but here are a couple to tempt anyone looking for a cosy autumn break:

2-9 November, £750 (was £850)
9-12 November, £600 (was £650)

Don't forget Luggs Barn sleeps 8 in comfort in 4 beautiful bedrooms, including two zip/link rooms offering the option of twin beds ideal for friends or siblings. There's also a single folding bed and plenty of room for cots of ready beds. At full occupancy, a break at Luggs Barn is typically cheaper than a motel, and infinitely more stylish!

Hallowe'en is always eagerly awaited!

Make the most of the scenic footpaths and spectacular views surrounding Luggs Barn by taking a break in the affordable Autumn. Before Christmas stress starts to bite, gather family and friends in a stylish and spacious retreat from daily life. A long walk followed by a cosy evening in the vaulted, beamed living room curled up in front of the wood burner is an antidote to almost any kind of stress!

Further ahead, Christmas and New Year have been booked up for some months now, and 2013 bookings are already beginning to come in. Now's the time to ensure that your preferred dates are available; many peak weeks are booked up to 9 months in advance each year!

Finally, we're looking forward to the Honiton Antiques Festival,12-17 November, which culminates with a Restoration and Conservation Fair at which Bill will be exhibiting. His piano restoration work (see www.wypianos.co.uk for his new website!) is highly sought after by retailers and private clients all over the country, and on 17th November he will be joined by numerous experts in varying trades, from clock restoration to french polishing. If you're visiting the West Country in November, especially if you'll be on the lookout for antiques, Honiton is the best place for a day out! Come and see us - take a look at www.restorationandconservation.co.uk for more details.