Dorset self catering cottage
| country: | England |
| location: | Child Okeford, Dorset |
| price: | From £285 - £450 per cottage per week depending on season. Cottage sleeps 4 persons |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
The cottage is set on the edge of the peaceful and thriving village of Child Okeford in Dorset. This property has been recently restored using local craftspeople with reclaimed stone, wood and furniture where possible. The cottage has an under floor heating system with flagstones throughout. There is ample hot water from a solar thermal hot water panel, this is supported by the wood burner in the cooler months.
You enter the cottage by the dining room/kitchen which is light and airy. It is beautifully equipped and finished off with limestone counters and oak cupboards.
A small hallway leads you on to the bathroom which boasts a roll top bath, loo, basin and towel rail. The cosy sitting room has a wood burning stove and overlooks the back garden and fields behind the property, with a south facing patio, perfect for relaxing after a day discovering the Dorset countryside.
There is a small cottage staircase leading up to the master bedroom with a double bed, a built in wardrobe and dressing table. The second room has an adult size bunk bed and built in wardrobe. Both have a beautiful view over the fields. The cottage is filled with an interesting selection of the owner’s artwork which is available for purchase.
We have all the facilities for recycling, composting and saving rain water for watering the garden. There is a herb and vegetable patch in the garden which guests are welcome to harvest from. Cyclists can secure their bikes outside and there is private parking for two vehicles.
You enter the cottage by the dining room/kitchen which is light and airy. It is beautifully equipped and finished off with limestone counters and oak cupboards.
A small hallway leads you on to the bathroom which boasts a roll top bath, loo, basin and towel rail. The cosy sitting room has a wood burning stove and overlooks the back garden and fields behind the property, with a south facing patio, perfect for relaxing after a day discovering the Dorset countryside.
There is a small cottage staircase leading up to the master bedroom with a double bed, a built in wardrobe and dressing table. The second room has an adult size bunk bed and built in wardrobe. Both have a beautiful view over the fields. The cottage is filled with an interesting selection of the owner’s artwork which is available for purchase.
We have all the facilities for recycling, composting and saving rain water for watering the garden. There is a herb and vegetable patch in the garden which guests are welcome to harvest from. Cyclists can secure their bikes outside and there is private parking for two vehicles.
rooms, food and facilities
This cottage has a well equipped kitchen with an electric cooker, fridge, washing machine and small dishwasher, the dining area has a table with seating for 4.The bathroom which is downstairs has a roll top bath with basin, loo and towel rail. The lounge has a sofa and chairs, cosy fireplace with wood burner, TV, DVD player, games, nature DVDs and interesting books and magazines. Upstairs there are two bedrooms; the master bedroom has a double bed, cupboard, dressing table, iron and ironing board. The second bedroom has an adult size bunk bed, cupboard and travel cot. There is a large enclosed garden with a garden table and chairs, washing line and small vegetable garden. 
Family friendly: We have a small selection of books, games and toys. We can provide a travel cot. Cycling & walking friendly: The area is perfect for walkers with immediate access the surrounding countryside. The country lanes and local cycling routes are on the door step. Cyclists can secure their bikes outside the cottage.
Pet friendly: We allow one well behaved dog at the cottage.
how to find us
By road: We are 2 miles from the A350, between Shaftsbury and Blandford.
By rail: The nearest train station is Gillingham (Dorset) which is 12 miles away.
By air: Bournemouth International Airport is 25 miles away.
how this holiday makes a difference
 Water is heated with a solar thermal hot water system along with a wood burning stove for the winter. Firewood for the cottage is locally sourced. We are planning to plant a small woodland area for coppicing firewood over the next few years. We minimize energy use by using energy efficient light bulbs and appliances and turning off appliances when not in use. We have solar lighting in the garden. Our cottage is extremely well insulated in order to minimize heat loss. The cottage and farm is on private drainage, therefore the use of environmentally green cleaning products are a must as well as reducing house waste by composting, recycling glass, tin, paper and plastic. Wooden water butts collect rain for watering the garden. We change towels and sheets after 7 days or when our guests request them. We cultivate our gardens and field without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and encourage wildlife by leaving areas uncut and allowing wild flowers and grasses to grow. We are actively involved a hedgehog release programme with Wiltshire Hedgehog Sanctuary. We compost all our vegetable and garden waste and recycle all our, paper, glass, tin and plastic and have facilities to encourage all our guests to do the same. We encourage our guests to shop at the local organic farm shop and café in the village, to make use of our many wonderful local attractions and make use of our public transport and local services. We are members of The Dorset Wildlife Trust and promote this organisation through leaflets and Brochures in the cottage. Every thing we supply is purchased at our local organic farm shop and our local independent shops. All maintenance and work carried out at our cottage has and is carried out by local builders, plumbers, electricians and craftspeople using locally sourced materials where possible. We employ all local staff. In the spring and summer our meadow is brought on for hay, allowing an abundance of grasses and wild flowers to grow. In the autumn and winter sheep graze to sustain the natural balance of the land. We have a thriving hedgerow lined with big oak trees which is the home of a tawny owl and green woodpeckers amongst other wildlife such as Rabbits, foxes and badgers. |
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. |