| country: | England |
| location: | Malvern Hills, HerefordshireSee map here |
| price: | Main house (sleeps 8 or 10-12): From £775 - £975 (6 nights Sat-Thurs), £450 - £550 (3 nights Mon-Thurs), £500 - £600 (3 nights Thurs -Sun). Studio (sleeps 2): From £210 - £285 (3-6 nights). Includes all linen and towels, heating and welcome pack of local food |
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description
This newly built green oak house is ideal for groups or family gatherings, sleeping up to 12 persons, plus studio accommodation (sleeps 2).
The building was designed at Westwindoak, wood frame designers, to very high (and environmentally-friendly) specifications.
It is set in wonderful surroundings in farmland in the Malvern Hills AONB, in a large garden at the edge of a traditional cider orchard, overlooking the Malverns to the East and with glorious rural views South, West and North.
The house has a large music/sitting room suitable for group use, smaller study/bedroom, three double bedrooms with baths/showers, and further sleeping space for up to 4 people. In this space we can provide you with breakfast, lunch, evening, or all meals, or you can cater for yourselves (with a welcome pack of organic and local food provided).
In the nearby studio & garage are facilities for washing clothes and for cleaning palettes etc. Down at the farm we even have the 'Gallery in the Granary' to hang your work and to host a final party, or to play your chamber music or hear your readings!
It lies well back from a small country road, by the footpath to the hills. Guests may walk on the farm, in the orchards and woodland, and visit the farmhouse gardens just down the road. The nearest shops, pubs and railway station are three miles away, with the Malvern Hills about 4 miles and Malvern itself with theatre and concert hall about 6 miles, or Ledbury 5 miles to the south-west. Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire are all within easy reach.
The building was designed at Westwindoak, wood frame designers, to very high (and environmentally-friendly) specifications.
It is set in wonderful surroundings in farmland in the Malvern Hills AONB, in a large garden at the edge of a traditional cider orchard, overlooking the Malverns to the East and with glorious rural views South, West and North.
The house has a large music/sitting room suitable for group use, smaller study/bedroom, three double bedrooms with baths/showers, and further sleeping space for up to 4 people. In this space we can provide you with breakfast, lunch, evening, or all meals, or you can cater for yourselves (with a welcome pack of organic and local food provided).
In the nearby studio & garage are facilities for washing clothes and for cleaning palettes etc. Down at the farm we even have the 'Gallery in the Granary' to hang your work and to host a final party, or to play your chamber music or hear your readings!
It lies well back from a small country road, by the footpath to the hills. Guests may walk on the farm, in the orchards and woodland, and visit the farmhouse gardens just down the road. The nearest shops, pubs and railway station are three miles away, with the Malvern Hills about 4 miles and Malvern itself with theatre and concert hall about 6 miles, or Ledbury 5 miles to the south-west. Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire are all within easy reach.
travellers' tales
The whole ethos of the house and it's setting made this into an unforgettable weekend. Sitting by the enormous window/doors in the early morning watching the sunrise over the Malverns was remarkable. (more)
rooms, food and facilities
The Lighthouse (sleeps up to 12) : Accommodation consists of three double-bedded rooms, (two on the ground floor, one upstairs reached by open spiral staircase, and with glorious views from its balcony), all with ensuite facilities, and two further beds in the dressing room (with washbasin), two single daybeds in the library area, and room for put-you-up beds on the landing area. There is a downstairs toilet and washbasin in the utility room. Underfloor heating is included when needed and electric supply is provided by solar panels as well as the grid. Ecological cleaning materials are used throughout and there is no microwave or television (or TV licence). We provide radios and plenty of books and periodicals, a Steinway piano and a guitar!
The floors are oak throughout so we do stipulate no stiletto heels. Kitchen (with electric cooker, dishwasher and fridge freezer), and dining room catering for 8 - 12 people, looking out onto the garden through sliding glass doors, as does the sitting/music room with its soaring cruck beams, and open-plan L-shaped library area separated by screens. There is a fireplace with log-burner and plenty of well-seasoned wood.
The large garden has numerous places to relax or use for group work. There is car parking for five cars. It is not suitable for small children to play in this country garden without supervision. The Studio (sleeps 2): The studio has a loft bedroom with double bed, spacious kitchen/studio with sofa bed, and shower room. Washing machine and extra sink are available in the attatched garage.
how to find us
By road: Only 25 minutes from M5 or M50.
By Rail: Colwall is the nearest station (pick-up by arrangement).
By air: There are rail links to Birmingham and Heathrow airports.
how this holiday makes a difference
The house is an eco building using photo-voltaic panels for its heating/electricity supported by passive solar features and high insulation values. Green oak is a low ‘embedded’ energy building material and we have only used mineral paints on the walls and plant oils on the wood and recycled glass tiles are in bathroom. There are no electric gadgets such as microwave, dryer or TV, but a wind-up radio and rechargeable ‘candles’. There are various forms of low energy lighting (LED, fluorescent). The Studio has a cork floor, simple wooden furniture, and good insulation. Local craftsmen built the house and our local workforce (cleaner and gardeners) are paid well above minimum wage. We offer organic bedlinen and mattresses and 50% of beds are made from recycled wood or made by English workshops from sustainable timber. We provide Fairtrade textiles, bedcovers and quilts and recycled bed linen and other things (Oxfam etc). Local artists’ ceramics, textiles and pictures decorate, with occasional exhibitions down at the farm. We use organic (approximately 80%) and/or local food, Fair trade tea and coffee and other supplies, and ecological cleaning materials and washing products. In fact we do all our own laundry using minimal washing liquid (using wash balls) and dry washing out of doors or over the aga! We also recycle glass, paper, foil, garden waste, clothing and textiles. A local/organic food box is provided for each stay. We garden organically and promote wildlife in our garden. We farm sustainably and are committed to benefiting the environment through our involvement in several environmental schemes. We educate the public by holding farm walks and garden open days. For our guests, we provide practical suggestions & files of information about green issues. We provide bicycles and give lifts to/from the train station. Here we promote peace and quiet as a desirable way to enjoy the countryside as well as to benefit our guests. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |














The house is an eco building using photo-voltaic panels for its heating/electricity supported by passive solar features and high insulation values. Green oak is a low ‘embedded’ energy building material and we have only used mineral paints on the walls and plant oils on the wood and recycled glass tiles are in bathroom. There are no electric gadgets such as microwave, dryer or TV, but a wind-up radio and rechargeable ‘candles’.
We garden organically and promote wildlife in our garden. We farm sustainably and are committed to benefiting the environment through our involvement in several environmental schemes. We educate the public by holding farm walks and garden open days. For our guests, we provide practical suggestions & files of information about green issues. We provide bicycles and give lifts to/from the train station. Here we promote peace and quiet as a desirable way to enjoy the countryside as well as to benefit our guests.