Rustic-luxe interiors, a glorious open-plan living space and sweeping fields of chickens and sheep, all made for big groups of eight to 12 seeking a country escape, these beautifully converted barns in rural Shropshire are a real find. If you’re toying with the idea of leaving the city for good, they might just sway you.
Owners Rupert and Jude Hunt did just that, living in a static caravan with their then two young daughters while they restored first the Elizabethan timber-frame farmhouse, then the threshing barn and storeroom opposite. In spring sunshine, with lambs in the fields, ducklings in a lean-to, the girls on swings, and a new baby on a picnic blanket, it’s an enchantingly bygone scene - and, thanks to the barns, one that guests can share.
Outside, you can follow a mowed path around the 12 acres – up to a bench for glorious views (at sunrise, a mist pooled down from the meadow), down to a duck pond and campfire area. Or perch on milk churns in the outdoor barbecue area, lounge in a stripy deckchair or swing in a hammock.
There’s plenty to inspire on the inside, too, from the Farrow & Ball paint tones on the walls to the characterful tweed-upholstered chairs and quirky features including apple crates upended as bedside tables, a chandelier cluster of vintage glass shades and framed Edith Blyton book plates.
Outside the farm, the Hunts have outlined circular walks that take in a local pub, while Ludlow, with its speciality food and antiques shops, is only 20 minutes away by car. Beyond that, there’s an embarrassment of things to do and places to visit, all detailed in the on-site info: try Ray’s Farm (with its Fairytale Forest), Acton Scott (the setting for the BBC’s Victorian Farm), ruined Whitley Court (with its monumental fountain) or Go Ape in Wyre Forest (a big hit with our party).
Highs:
The setting - all the best of the farm and none of the grot.
The rustic-luxe interiors - lots of design inspiration to take home.
The open-plan main barn - a fantastically sociable space with a kitchen island, round table and twin sofas on either side of a large wood burner.
The proximity to Ludlow - ask Jude for a map, taking in the Green Café on the river, where kids can skim stones from the pebble beaches while you eat delicious food on the terrace.
The exceptional level of bespoke attention from both the owners and rental company Sheepskin - our information pack had been personalised with specific tips for our party and the time of year.
Lows:
The downstairs double/twin (the Cartshed) is a little snug, but the views make up for it, and it’s ideal for the less mobile, with a walk-in shower room next door.
There’s no pub on your doorstep, but you can walk through glorious countryside to one. Or create your own in the indoor/outdoor ‘games room’, complete with darts board.
Mobile reception takes some finding, but the Wifi works beautifully.
Inside Track
Best room
The Hayloft (master bedroom with en-suite standalone bathtub) is elegantly airy, the Bat Loft (upstairs ‘boudoir’ bedroom in Tenbury Cottage) decadently snug. I loved the moody hues of the family ‘apartment’ (double bedroom, bathroom and children’s bedroom)
Best dish
The barns are self-catering, but come with a bag of Sheepskin treats, and you can help yourselves to eggs and apples in season. Great restaurants in Ludlow include Michelin-starred Mr Underhills Restaurant and the more informal Fish Room
Insider fact
Rupert Hunt is one half of high-end interior design company Godrich Interiors and Jude used to work for a design agency - hence the level of taste throughout
Need to Know
Number of rooms: Six, including one children’s room (the Lambing Shed) with a single bed and bunks. All the doubles can be made up as twins
Check-in/check-out times: 4pm and 11am
To book: through Sheepskin, 01865 764087, www.sheepskinlife.com
Spa: No, but you can book on-site treatments through My Personal Sanctuary (our two-hour package of four 30-minute treatments cost £180)
Child-friendly: Very. The Dovecote double next to the Lambing Shed has a stable door and outside steps to the garden - great for escaping with little ones in the early morning without waking everyone else up. Outside, there’s a hammock and play caravan, and the owners reckon that 37 of National Trust’s 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 3/4 can be done here
Dog-friendly: Very, but it costs £50 per dog and they must be kept on a lead in the sheep field
Location: in rural Nash, Shropshire, 8 miles from Ludow, 3 hours 15 minutes from central London. The nearest supermarket is in Tenbury Wells, 4 miles away - or treat yourself to the local produce at the Ludlow Food Centre, 10 miles away
Price: Three-night breaks from £1275 (between eight to nine people) or £1550 (between 12)
Nash, Redford Farm Barns, Nash, near Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 3BA, UK
