Amazing Spring deals from Luggs Barn...and another tale of a bad dog!

We've enjoyed wonderful weather for the past few weeks here in the Blackdown Hills AONB. Our Bank Holiday weekend guests had several barbecues and couldn't believe their luck!

Fancy waking up to this view? Take advantage of our great Spring discounts and get some friends or family together for a week of relaxation! The huge garden and balcony are perfect for soaking up these views with a glass of wine...

We're extending our previous offer to a fantastic £300 off 7 night breaks in May or June, subject to availability. Currently available start dates are: 10 May, 17 May, 7 June, 21 June and 28 June. Usual price is £1050 for 7 nights in May and £1350 for the same in June. With this offer, for just £750 up to 8 adults (plus cots) can enjoy a 7 night stay in stylish and spacious self catering accommodation. That's a saving of up to £600!


Our surroundings are looking beautiful this time of year - the wisteria isn't quite out yet, but the primroses carpeting the orchard are glorious, and the bluebell woodland is coming up to its best. The magnolia tree next to the farmhouse is also beautiful (see below). At the time of writing we also have ewes and their lambs in the  field in front of Luggs Barn; is there anything like waking up to the sound of birdsong and newborn lambs?

The 15thC farmhouse is Luggs Barn's only neighbour. With a network of scenic footpaths on the doorstep, this is the perfect base for exploring the Blackdown Hills AONB or the numerous attractions within reach for day trips. 

Spring sunshine, glorious scenery, numerous local attractions and beaches only 40 minutes away! Often May and June enjoy the best weather of the year. Why not take your break away from the madding crowds? Luggs Barn is perfect for young/extended families, ramblers, photographers or just groups of friends of all ages.


Please call 01823 681605 or email luggsbarn@gmail.com now for more information or to reserve your chosen dates.

In other news, Monty Dog is yet again in deep disgrace. My poor cousin got the shock of her life at 3am on Sunday morning as he had come up to her room (he never goes upstairs...) and had a Bad Accident by her bed! She trod in it before realising bless her - needless to say the cleanup (with her child sleeping peacefully in the same room) was both hilarious and horrific! We were mortified.

Anyway, Monty was going to send a voucher for a pedicure to her by way of apology, but has plumped for a destressing massage instead from the Clarins spa in John Lewis, Southampton. I got chatting to a lovely lady who's arranged the voucher for me and is also hoping to come and stay at Luggs Barn some day! So the dog may just about survive that little misdemeanour...

On a brighter note, we had a beautiful Jacob ewe and one of her lambs in the Barn's garden this morning! They'd somehow hopped over the fence and were chatting to Lily and Lucy who are holidaying in there to keep the grass down. The mother's other lamb was in a panic on the other side, but all are restored to their rightful places now. We're all enjoying seeing the front field full of lambs this week, but it was a real treat to have some temporarily in the garden!

We opened the redundant gate at the back of the photo and this beautiful ewe and her lamb are back with the third member of the family now! Think they must have jumped over the fence so we'll be keeping an eye out for future visits...

 

Summer time...

...and we have a fox to outwit.

We've had a spate of losses lately and after a good run for a few years are now convinced we need to fence the hens and ducks in. We're still concerned that being in an enclosure might make them more vulnerable as they can't get away if he does get in, but we're giving it a try.

We sadly lost a chick last weekend - it didn't wake up one morning, despite having been pecking happily around the previous day - but the other 4 are doing well. They regularly frighten us by disappearing into the undergrowth and squeezing through fences into the fox's territory, but so far always make it back of the safety of Mum. They're growing feathers and already look slightly gangly, we think 3 are cockerels and one is a hen, so fingers crossed she makes it through the hurdles of the next few months.

Finally, after a long wait in the cold and wet, our vegetable garden is looking superb. There are lots of weeds, as there are never enough hours in the day, but loads of wonderful veg too - we've seen a courgette, the potatoes are struggling but tasty when we find them, the broad and runner beans are well on their way, lettuces have been providing salads most evenings for several weeks, and tonight we picked our first ever peas and tasted a few straight from the pod. They were just as delicious as we'd hoped and will probably never make it to the cooker, I think fresh in salads will be the best way to enjoy them.

Autumn bookings are starting to come in now - once the children are off school and the pace of life slows slightly, why not plan ahead for an autumn break? Contact us for availability and prices and make the most of what's promised to be an Indian summer this year...

Christmas is coming...

...and our geese are certainly getting fat, but we've decided to spare them and have ordered a turkey this year (as well as all our other Christmas meat) from our friends at Kittow Cattle!

As you can see, we've made a small start on decorating Luggs Barn for its first festive season! We've tried to balance the restrained preferences of the winter wedding party currently in residence with the more glitzy requests of young visitors! The kitchen will hopefully have fairy lights on the main beam next week, but for now a sparkly mini tree is a tasteful counterpoint to the overload of (pink) tinsel planned by our girls for the farmhouse!

The double height hall in Luggs Barn is particularly beautiful; the oak banisters are now adorned with frosted garlands and a wreath welcomes guests in from the cold. (The latter is hung inside the door to avoid Monty's attentions - last year's glorious berry heart met a sorry end five minutes after its debut!)

Plans are afoot to buy both trees this weekend - this year's Christmas guests have requested a real tree and nothing else will do for the main house either. Photos will follow shortly once they're suitably splendid!

Outside, the ducks are settling in well and have laid two eggs so far. The long awaited cake making with these began and ended this afternoon when we discovered the yolks were a nasty brown colour! Despite advice from expert duck keepers that they've probably just been eating too many acorns, we were rather put off by this, so have made the latest offering (Victoria sponge with chocolate orange buttercream filling) using the reliably fabulous hens' eggs! Hopefully it won't be long before the ducks start earning their keep...

The pigs are growing well and permanently hungry, so fit in well here! They're doing a great job of turning over the veg patch, so we're hoping for a productive spring and summer next year.

In the main house, the final push is underway and we're clinging to the hope that all the really messy internal work will be done by Christmas. Flagstones are finally laid in the last 3 small rooms and these are now being (lime) plastered. We've also found an interesting cubbyhole in one very thick wall which we're going to leave open - more photos will follow in due course but for now the whirl of changeovers and nativity plays is keeping us busy!

When we finally sit down in a couple of weeks' time we'll be looking forward to our second holiday season - bookings for 2012 are already encouraging. We wish all our guests past, present and future a very Happy Christmas!