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.

Summertime...

The last few weeks have seen  wonderful sunshine, prompting frequent barbecues and beach trips by our guests in Luggs Barn!

Farmers always watch the weather especially closely, and over the weekend everyone we know has been silaging - despite the odd shower, most of our friends are now happy to say their grass is now cut and stored. Their timing was perfect, as we're back to wind and rain today!

We spent a wonderful evening in our friends' garden on Saturday watching the huge machines at work. Another late night for the children, but a memorable sight for us all.

The wisteria on Luggs farmhouse is at its peak at the moment, taking over from the bluebells for scent and spectacle. Thanks to Bill's expert pruning, it's flourishing and on dry days, we can fling all the windows open and enjoy the scent all through the house.

A few vegetables are beginning to grow and hopefully the more seasonal weather now will push everything on a bit. Just in case, we're nurturing tiny butternut squash seedlings in our glass roofed entrance - Bill is still dreaming of a hardwood greenhouse but it may have to stay on the wish list for now!

We were also thrilled to receive a gift of a beautiful sketch of Luggs farmhouse by a very talented guest recently. Watch this space, as hopefully it will soon be framed for future guests to appreciate. The same party also bought a stunning seaside painting by Trudy Crook as a souvenir of their holiday here, so we're eagerly awaiting its replacement as the artwork in Luggs Barn is enjoyed by all our guests.

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...

 

Spring discounts and summer weddings

For anyone considering a Spring break, we're offering a massive £200 off all full price term-time 7 night stays during April and May. Luggs Barn's garden and surroundings are particularly stunning at this time of year, and it's often when we enjoy the best of the sunshine. Bluebells abound in the woods and wisteria and roses adorn the buildings. Give us a call to check availability and take advantage of this offer!

After such a cold start to Spring, it's been a joy to see a week of sunshine to begin April! We've been busy outdoors getting ready for the growing season - seed potatoes and broad beans were bought today, and Bill has also spent several days hedge-laying. The drive now looks much smarter and the extra light on the vegetable garden will hopefully pay dividends later in the year. We've also painted the girls' playhouse, a mere 6 years after being given it!

Bookings are looking good for summer, with several enquiries for 2014 already coming in. We've just received some stunning photos of the wedding of Mr and Mrs Lock last August, which I've put in an album on our Facebook page for anyone who fancies a look: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.491748364207192.1073741825.143513745697324&type=1

As they're so beautiful, here are a few of the images to remind us of summer! If you're planning a relaxed countyside celebration, Luggs Barn could prove the perfect setting for a memorable day... 

(photos used courtesy of Mr and Mrs Lock and Ross Davenport, loose-canon.net)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all our guests past, present and future! 2013 has kicked off with our usual flurry of bookings for spring and summer - we've also taken a booking for next Christmas already, although New Year is still available.

We're having trouble getting the updated prices onto the website, although I think they're correct on all the directories we advertise with now. For reference, here they are. Hopefully won't be long until our Prices page is correct as well.


Low season

November – Spring (pre Easter holidays)
October – November (except school holidays)

3 nights 650
7 nights 850
Bank Holiday Weekends 850

Mid season 
After Easter holidays –Whitsun Half Term/Mid-late Sept 
3 nights 750
7 nights 1050

High season
June/Early-mid September
7 nights 1350

Peak season
July and August
7 nights  1550

Feb Half Term 1150

Easter 2013 1350
Whitsun Half Term 1350
Autumn Half Term 1350

Christmas/New Year
(5-7 nights depending on dates) 1550


Weekly bookings run from Friday to Friday (7 nights). Short breaks are also available in low/mid season in the form of weekend (Friday to Monday – 3 nights) or mid-week (Monday to Friday – 4 nights) breaks.
All prices include power and heat, linen, towels, logs and a welcome pack. Well behaved dogs are welcome (max 2 depending on size/breed) at £25 per booking each.

The owners reserve the right to change these prices at any time.

We have about half the summer holidays still available at the time of writing, and one week left of the Easter holidays. Only Autumn half term is free now. If you're thinking of a Devon holiday this year, now's the time to secure your preferred dates. Just call or email for up to date availability as it can change frequently at the moment. 

We're also thinking up a suitably enticing prize for a New Year competition - keep an eye on this blog as well as our Facebook page (Luggs Barn, Devon) and we'll post an update very soon. 

Garden update

A few photos of progress in the garden so far! Roses and irises are coming out, and the lilac and wisteria have been glorious for the past couple of weeks. All the beds around Luggs Barn, and the one in front of the main house, have been planted up and already we can see a huge difference as the plants begin to flourish. 

The moment the plants arrived! Big - and expensive - day for us, but well worth it!

Child labour in the kitchen garden!

Main house viewed from courtyard. New planting on the left and just behind the front wall.

The main veg bed after 3 weeks of sunshine!

Spot the ducks...and we're so thrilled to see the pink roses again

Spring has sprung!

Spring is finally here - this morning the field in front of Luggs Barn was full of sheep and their tiny lambs. Our own sheep are much happier now their field is growing but still glare at the new additions in their lush pasture occasionally! The two rams who had been due to move on last month aren't fat enough, so are going to enjoy a few more months on fresh new grass. We don't have any lambs of our own this year but are planning to adopt a couple of orphans later in the season as the children enjoyed bottle feeding Lily and Lucy so much.

The wisteria and lilac are just coming into flower and the bluebells in the wood are beginning to grow in earnest. The orchard's covered in primroses and is a spectacular sight and the warm weather combined with the odd spring shower has made everything grow almost overnight. The new turf has taken well and is ready for its first haircut already. One of the hens is broody and rarely seen outside her nest box, but the others are becoming increasingly tame - they have to be shooed out of the barn on a regular basis and are frequently found perched in unlikely places. When one of us is outside, they follow us like little dogs but have plenty of food and water so are obviously just being affectionate! Following intensive chicken training, Ted the terrier is practising lofty disregard - we'll see how long it lasts! Monty the golden retriever is oblivious to anything that doesn't roll over and play as soon as he looks at it, so the hens are safe from him - they're so confident of this that their new favourite perch is his back; they're often found pecking his fur and he seems to enjoy it too!

We're receiving lots of enquiries every week from all over the country and even a few international calls. A few weeks in June and July are still available at the time of writing, though. The largest furniture order is due to arrive this week so photos will follow later in the week! The countdown to our first guests arriving has begun!