Go mild in the country
Relax at this 300-year-old refurbished farmhouse and give in to nature’s calm and charm, says CHARLOTTE HEATHCOTE
MY five-year-old son, Ralph, shrieks with excitement on spotting the menagerie of animals milling around in the field. So I pick up the tub of feed that’s been left out for guests and say: “Let’s pretend to be farmers!”
The friendly free-roaming chickens and ducks just outside the backdoor get very lively when they see we have brought breakfast.
Equally so the blended family of alpacas, lambs and a pony on the grass.
If you’ve ever dreamed of upping sticks for a new life in the country, a trip to New House Farm Country Retreat near Etchingham in Sussex will provide the ideal trial run.
Located in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, midway between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, you can let your rural fantasies run wild in the 12 acres of private woodland, wildflower meadows and along the banks of the River Rother.
Owners Nina and Jon Carter bought the estate four years ago and, after extensive renovations, opened it as a holiday and wellness retreat in 2017.
The 300-year-old Grade Ii-listed farmhouse and its six lodges have space for up to 40 guests, and there is also a large barn for private hire.
Ideal for big families or groups (once Covid restrictions have lifted), the farmhouse sleeps 16 in eight beautiful rooms, with five bathrooms, two lounges, and a large kitchen with Aga. French doors open out to terraced lawns and there are views across the Rother Valley.
We stayed, pre-covid, in one of the rustic lodges, which come in various sizes, all with wood burning stoves, and Victorian cast iron baths in luxurious bathrooms.
While my partner Ian picks up the reins feeding the animals with Ralph, I head inside for a spa treatment with Shelly from Shhh Holistic.
She gets to work with a bespoke full-body massage using Trust’s organic skincare range.
Relaxed and rebooted, I sink my shoulders into the hot tub just outside our lodge – perfectly placed for countryside views, whatever the weather.
Nina tells me guests have been known to enjoy a soak in the snow.
The peaceful grounds also have a pretty garden. Mature trees enclose a neat square of lawn bordered with shrubs and lavender, and a hanging chair offers a relaxing place to bask in the peace and quiet.
The estate’s large barn can be used for private parties and dinners, though guests are welcome to spend time there when it’s not pre-booked.
A rustic, atmospheric space with Chesterfield sofas, pool table and a cosy den upstairs, it’s ideal for teenagers who want their own space. There’s also an outdoor heated swimming pool (open April to October).
Five minutes’ drive away, in the village of Hurst Green, we find Eggs To Apples Farm Shop. We plan to pop in to buy a few foodie treats but end up staying for lunch in their café.
Eating frittata with salad, freshlymade sandwiches and scrambled eggs on toast from the children’s menu for my son, an hour slips by as we sit looking out over the green fields.
On the way out I can’t resist picking up some plants for the garden – what better souvenir of a memorable weekend away?
We are spoilt for choice here for day trips, with Hastings, Rye and Tunbridge Wells all just a half an hour’s drive away.
But we can never resist a trip to a sandy beach so plump for Camber Sands – where we paddle in the sea,
which is so icy cold that it elicits gleeful screams from Ralph.
A few miles east along the coast is Rye, a history-packed medieval town with cobbled lanes and a Norman church. It’s the ideal place to enjoy a leisurely potter around the antiques stores and bookshops.
The characterful Tiny Book Store is so compact that the three of us have to take turns to browse the loaded shelves.
The area has a rich literary heritage and round the corner from the bookshop is Lamb House, former home of Portrait Of A Lady author Henry James and, later, EF Benson – author of the Mapp And Lucia series.
It’s now a National Trust property (currently closed due to Covid restrictions).
We stop for a pint in the beer garden of 15th century pub Ye Olde Bell, then conversation turns to food.
The perfect solution awaits back at our lodge – a luxurious order-in dinner service is available to all guests.
Nina places a strong emphasis on locally sourced food and has an array of talented local chefs on speed dial. Larger groups may prefer the option of hiring a chef who will prepare fresh food while you wait. We compare notes on the choices we made earlier from the menu of crowd-pleasing classics, from lasagne and fish pie to curry, then drive back full of anticipation.
The pre-cooked meals are waiting for us in the kitchen area of our lodge. All we need to do is pop them in the oven.
Twenty minutes later we settle down to delicious boeuf bourguignon with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans along with a spaghetti bolognese for my son, all rounded off with spectacular chocolate orange bread and butter pudding.
With all this fresh air, fine food and a field of friendly animals to greet us, country life sure is sweet.