8 fantastic farm stays in the UK

With views over the Tamar Valley that separates Devon and Cornwall, England’s most westerly counties, Beera Farmhouse is not short on natural beauty. Set amidst 180 acres of rolling Devon and Cornwall countryside where sheep and cows are raised, it’s a delicious slice of this dreamy, laid-back corner of the UK.

There’s plenty to seduce indoors, too. Owner Hilary Tucker is a trained chef, so you can expect superb breakfasts, plus cream teas made with freshly home-baked scones. Beyond the farm, there’s the beaches of Devon and Cornwall and Dartmoor National Park, plus many local pubs, farm shops and even a cidery on Beera Farmhouse’s doorstep, Countryman Cider.

For those who like their farm stays with a side order of indulgence, there’s Chale Bay Farm, set amidst 26 acres of rolling countryside at the Isle of Wight’s most southerly point. Here you can choose from three self-catering holiday apartments with panoramic sea views across to Tennyson Down, and access to on-site gym and sauna.

It’s the perfect base for a walking holiday. Chale Bay Farm is right on the Isle of Wight’s coastal path, which runs around the whole island, and is near a number of other excellent walks, towards the lighthouse at St. Catherine’s and up St. Catherine’s Down.

There’s no lack of charm at Huntstile Organic Farm, where cows, pigs and chickens roam on the 270 acres of rolling countryside that surround its 15th-century farmhouse. The ethos here is driven by sustainability, so what you eat will be, as much as possible, grown and raised on-site. What isn’t is more than likely to come from other local farms.

This makes for marvellous, award-winning breakfasts, taking in milk, butter and cream produced on the farm, homemade sourdough bread, eggs from the farm’s 45 free-range chickens, beautiful sausages, bacon and more. Vegetarians and vegans are not forgotten, either, with high-quality, plant-focused food also available.

For a refined farm break, head for Rectory Farm, which sits just outside Cambridge. It’s a great base to explore or to relax: it’s 40 minutes’ walk from King’s College in Cambridge, five minutes’ walk from the local village Coton and its pubs (The Plough and The Three Horseshoes), and it has an outdoor swimming pool on-site and 50 acres of meadow.

Cambridge, of course, has dozens of museums and colleges, plus the river Cam and Fitzbillies, famous for its Chelsea buns. Back at the house, there are two acres of gardens bordering on fields where horses and sheep graze amidst bucolic surroundings.

In one of England’s richest areas of arable land, you’ll find Lowe Farm, where the local commitment to quality produce results in the sort of breakfast that wins awards. Made with local ingredients – including salad grown in the garden and eggs from the backyard – its been the recipient of a Visit EnglandBreakfast Award. It’s not the only award that Lowe Farm has won, though – attention to detail and a commitment to quality are the norm here.

And if it’s good food you’re after, you’ll find plenty more in the countryside and towns nearby. Perhaps most notable is Ludlow, 12 miles to the north-east, which has become famous for the quality of its restaurants over the past 20 years. If you’re lucky enough to be around in September, don’t miss the Ludlow Food Festival.

Sheep, cows, pigs? Boring. At Skipbridge Farm near York, you’ll find peacocks, alpacas, llamas, goats, donkeys and more – a menagerie that’s sure to excite any animal-loving tot. There’s a variety of accommodation on-site, too, from glamping pods to cottages to a shepherd’s hut that takes all the discomfort out of camping.

York, rich in history, is right on your doorstep. Kids (and rail-loving adults) will adore the National Railway Museum, while couples will find plenty of cosy pubs and restaurants to enjoy together.

If you want to be surrounded by nature in all its glory, Bronhaul is the place to go. Located in the heart of Carmarthenshire, this working family farm is a haven of sustainable living, where 25 acres of fields and native woodlands are home to a variety of animals, from goats to pigs and ducks to chickens. Most of the food eaten on site – vegetables and fruit as well as meat – is grown here.

Guests are encouraged to enjoy this abundance, not only at the breakfast table but also by, for example, collecting eggs or just enjoying watching the animals go about their day. It couldn’t be any more relaxing.

At Shegarton Farm’s Cottages you’re just a hop, skip and a jump from Loch Lomond, the largest lake in Great Britain. It’s traditionally been regarded as the spot where the lowlands of Scotland become the Highlands, with 974-metre Ben Lomond looming over the lake’s eastern shore. As you might expect, it’s a great spot for outdoor sports – everything from horse-riding to climbing to waterskiing.

There’s a huge amount to see a little further afield. The West Highland Way runs alongside Loch Lomond, and the Highlands themselves are a stone’s throw from the cottage’s doors. The lively town of Balloch – at the southern end of Loch Lomond – offers pubs, restaurants, shops and a direct train link into the city of Glasgow.