Chiltern Hills self catering farmstay, England
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Chalkdell is set in the midst of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this beauty maintained largely the land management practices of local Farmers.
Wildlife:
We are proud that our parents passed to us a love and appreciation of our wild surroundings and that Road Farm is part of the Higher Level Stewardship scheme which recognises consistent, careful work to preserve and enhance our natural wildlife environment. The Farm has been trying to re-establish an area of chalk grassland for about twenty years, has planted and maintain existing hedgerow's for the benefit of wildlife, and have a variety of field margins, pollen/nectar strips and fallow plots to encourage insect and bird life. Our ancient woodland boasts a glorious show of Bluebells in the spring and bright Pyramidal Orchids can be found in the Coneybank glade. Skylark soar high in the summer, with other farmland birds such as yellowhammer and linnet easier to spot in the winter when they scour the hedgerows and holly bushes by the drive. Around Chalkdell there are therefore key habitats for the local Biodiversity Action Plan, as well as Priority Species and birds listed on the RSPB red list.
We have given our bedrooms names based on three major habitats found on the Farm: Woodland, Hedgerow and Meadow (special grassland) and have some of the beautiful pictures of local Wildlife Photographer James Knight on the walls.
We encourage the wildlife in our garden too, the birdfeeders attracting Greater Spotted Woodpeckers and numerous Tits, with the occasional swoop of a Sparrowhawk. All this entertainment can be observed at leisure from the front Chalkdell windows, and there may be Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Fieldfares, Pheasant to name but a few. We once watched a rabbit intercept a weasel that was chasing a vole towards the pond - fantastic but true - its always good to keep your eyes open! Our small pond is a haven for newts, dragonflies and toads, which can be observed closely over the adjacent side-wall from the path.
We keep honey bees, invaluable pollinators of crops, fruit, flowers and veg., and are keen to encourage all the many wild bee species we have on the farm through providing sufficient and appropriate nesting places and nectar/pollen sources. This is particularly important as we set about restoring several of our 18th Century barns, the end wall of one hosting several species of mason bees.
Buildings:
Restoring the historic built environment here on the farm is an ongoing process: we have already removed the concrete render that was causing the timber frame of our listed farmhouse to rot. The oak beams have been repaired where possible and where too badly spoilt, replaced with locally sourced timber. Using breathable wood-fibreboard insulation, wool batts and lime-hemp plaster, we have improved our carbon footprint. Outside we used breathable render (NOT concrete-based) which uses recycled glass fragments rather than sand. Finally we applied old fashioned lime-wash for a sparkling white, always breathable finish.
The barns are now about to have their turn, to ensure they stand another 300 years: some lintels and walls need repairing and repointing with lime-based mortar and local bricks; the timber beams and clay-tiled roofs need attention but all to be done whilst ensuring we do not upset either the Pipistrelle and Brown Long-eared Bats or the wild bees or the Swallows! We have local experts on hand to ensure this happens over this year.
In preparing Chalkdell as a holiday let, we very carefully installed our en-suites into existing small "dressing rooms", cladding out old walls with breathing spaces and venting wherever necessary to avoid damaging the old fabric of the building.
Knapped flints are an important building material in the Chilterns, and we have recently repaired our top garden wall. More flints will be needed for barn repairs, but these "Bucks Diamonds" grow on Road Farm a-plenty! (Visitors are welcome to take one home, even if you find a fossil present, lovely evidence of where all this chalk came from!)
Community
We are delighted to direct our visitors towards the very best of everything local! There are oodles of excellent eateries all around us in local villages and we have a folder full of information, from pubs like the Cock & Rabbit up at the nearby Lee, famous in Midsommer Murders, local Black Horse with its family garden and Hot Air Ballooning, Tapas at the White Lion /Origins in Great Missenden or food down the road at the Firecrest. The wonderful cafes and delicatessan in Wendover all have great ambience, and you can even watch chocolates being made at the famous Rumsey's Chocolatier. For beverages, in addition to tasting wines at No.2 Pound Street, Wendover, there is a local vineyard in the Hale, vineyards in Hambleden which conduct summer tours and our local independent Chiltern Brewery at Terrick with excellent shop.
We use our local butchers at King's Farm, game dealer George Davis at WildGameDirect, market in Wendover, dairy at Wren Davis in Prestwood and suggest guests visit a local Farmers' market for more excellent local produce. We have bought small Hovis in the village bakers since Wendy was a child, and they now have a cafe.
Local and self-employed carpenters, painters, plumbers, electricians, window cleaners and gardeners have all been busy here during Chalkdell's refurbishment, including our road sign cast at The Forge at Lacey Green. Promoting other small businesses is both a pleasure and a privilege when confident of their service. We are grateful to be part of a local group of mutually supportive accommodation providers.
As well as supporting local businesses we are also involved in supporting local groups and charities. Duncan and Wendy actually met overseas whilst involved in charitable work with local churches in Northern Uganda and Haiti, both countries dear to their hearts, although far from the Chiltern Hills! Duncan has been a local Cub Scout leader for over 15 years and throughout that time hundreds of children have enjoyed exploring with maps across the farm and cooking over lovingly-lit fires. Wendy helps with several local playgroups and is also a "Toad Patroller" across Halton Lane which she highlighted in Wendover. Pre-arranged, guided School group visits are welcomed and we can cover a wide variety of curriculum topics in our outdoor, living classroom. Our bumper apple crop provided juice to help raise still-needed funds for local ten year old Mimi's operation to help her Cerebral Palsy.
There have been many charitable Barn Dances and farm walks here over the years, but our most famous visitors were definitely Santa's reindeer, stabled here over a number of Christmases, when our Dad would draw the Rotary and Round Table Float with the help of his tractor.
Many of our local villages have very beautiful chapels and churches which provide the most excellent home-made Cream Teas over summer Sunday afternoons. The teas help raise funds needed towards maintenance of these fine historic buildings, the only problem being choosing which Church to visit first: The Lee, Dunsmore, Great Hampden, Great Missenden ...?
Landscape
Many don't seem to realise how many fossils there are to find in Chiltern Flints, the stone shells we find reminding how the chalk hills came to be made. Footpaths across Road Farm link to the South Bucks Way, to the Ridgeway and many fine walks around the Chilterns escarpment, be it to Coombe Hill with its tall Monument, Pulpit Hill for an intimate place to watch fireworks across the Vale, or up to Wendover Woods where the highest point in the Chilterns can be found (and The Cafe in the Woods!).
But its not just The Hills, there are narrow sunken green lanes to follow in leafy shade, Grimms Ditch to try to fathom (it passes onto the Farm), ancient chalk markings like Whiteleaf Cross near Princes Risborough, and chalk streams so fickle and dependant on the seasons. There are fine woodlands with hidden historic saw pits and ancient coppiced stools to give clues to the great past furniture trade this region once knew.
Then as for famous people, we could point visitors over to the adjacent valley to Chequers where each Prime Minister spends relaxation time, or to the original home at the Lee of the Stewart-Liberty family, of Liberties of London, or to Havenfields where W.E.Hill & Sons finely crafted Violin & Bows renowned throughout the world, or of course to Roald Dahl's home in Great Missenden....
Our landscape has been home to special people (and superb wildlife) over thousands of years. In the fields around Chalkdell, we are priveleged to have found some lovely evidence of our past including a Neolithic hand axe, flint arrowheads & scrapers, Roman coins and Medieval sheep bells.
Enduring history, living landscape and a wealth of wildlife: if you choose to stay at Chalkdell, we hope you will enjoy discovering so much more than just a peaceful night's sleep.
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