Bude Hideaways

Cornwall, United Kingdom
Book from GBP Book from £114 per night

Three unique hideaways (sleeping 4 to 9) that can be rented separately or together; perfect for free-range kids, beach lovers and walkers

Three unique hideaways (sleeping 4 to 9) that can be rented separately or together; perfect for free-range kids, beach lovers and walkers

This is the essence of rural bliss, all tractors, sheep and winding grassy lanes where you can almost pick the hedgerows as you brush past. And just smell that country air – essence of fresh-cut grass with an ocean tang, a hint of wild garlic. But Bude Hideaways is no country hick. Its chic conversions feature white walls and bold art, Eames chairs, chunky woollen blankets and cool patterns and textures. There are modern wood burners, too, and heating under the sleek wooden floors.

Conrad and Karen Allen moved down from London to live the Cornish country dream, and now combine freelance fashion careers with raising a family and running this 3-acre smallholding near Bude, with its three guest hideaways. They began by restoring the bijou 2-bedroom Small Barn before enlisting the help of renowned architects to start the dramatic conversion of the enormous adjacent 4-bedroom Big Barn. Next, they renovated the 16th-century 4-bedroom Farmhouse, where they lived for 15 years, creating a wonderful light-filled space. They now live nearby and are warmth itself; there if you want tips on the area; totally discreet if you prefer to be anonymous. Many guests are young families, and this is an enormous safe haven for kids, with large lawns to kick a ball around, free-range chickens strutting around, even a woodland den. Which leaves parents free to read books, relax in the Big Barn's hot tub, admire the wildflower meadow or do nothing at all. Guests here are perfectly placed for the spectacular South West Coastal path with its sensational views and geology as well as Bude’s beaches and restaurants.

Highs

  • Deep in the countryside, miles from traffic and crowds; the peace is incredible, yet sandy beaches and the dramatic cliffs and surf of the north Cornish coast are an easy drive away
  • Stylish open-plan living spaces accentuate the carefully-chosen décor; bright, fresh interiors with modern zings of colour and lovely details (fresh flowers; great books; tiny plants; quirky art)
  • Extremely well-equipped for self-catering; both the Farmhouse and the Big Barn have sociable kitchen-diners opening to private terraces
  • Book all three together for a big gathering for your own private space within a large group. Shared facilities include goal posts, pizza oven and hot tub plus the extensive grounds which have lawns for roaming, woods for exploring and a more formal garden for admiring

Lows

  • The farmstead is a bit out of the way – no pubs or shops within walking distance – and you will need a car to get to supermarkets
  • The Small Barn’s bedrooms are a little compact
  • Note that the three hideaways are adjacent to each other, all have their own private exterior space however
  • We have yet to see The Farmhouse in person
World Favourite Family Hideaway

    Best rooms for families

    The Small Barn has 1 double and 1 twin bedroom. The Big Barn is larger: 4 bedrooms, one of which is a dedicated kids’ room with bunk-beds and space for an additional rollaway bed, while 1 of the others can be set up as a twin. The Farmhouse also has 4 bedrooms, including a twin room, and a double room with a truckle bed. All 3 properties can accommodate an additional baby cot.
  • Stairgate
  • Cots (2 available, request when booking)
  • High chair
  • Bottle steriliser

Some equipment may need to be requested in advance

You can book a babysitter at extra cost (the Allens use qualified child-minders from a local nursery)

  • Outdoor games
  • Chicken to feed and chase!
  • Large gardens
  • Trampoline
  • Mini football pitch
  • Games, toys, books and colouring pens
  • Gorgeous beaches and a seawater pool at Bude
  • Good walks with a baby backpack; we loved going up to Baggy Point
  • Walk along the Bude valley towpath to Marhamchurch; good bird-spotting and it's pushchair-friendly
  • Further afield are Tintagel castle and Launceston Steam Train

Great for...

Beach
Eco
Family
Great Outdoors
  • Boutique Rentals
  • 2 barns (for 2-9), 1 cottage (for 2-4)
  • Self-catering only
  • All ages welcome
  • Open all year
  • Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Babysitting
  • Creche / Kids Club
  • Car essential
  • Parking
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Daily Maid Service
  • Towels & Bedlinen
Room:

The Farmhouse

The Farmstead sleeps up to 21 in three distinct buildings (rent one or all depending on your size of party) – Small Barn (sleeping 4), the Big Barn (sleeping 9), and the Farmhouse (also sleeping 9) – cleverly designed to feel private from each other, nestling within 3 acres of rural farmland.

The kitchens are astonishingly well equipped. Besides the things you'd expect (hob, oven, requisite crockery and utensils) we found things like a Bialetti coffee pot and a cake whisk, plus loads of useful extras – baking trays, lasagna dishes, napkins and candles. All hideaways have underfloor heating, wood-burning stoves and private terraces and gardens; Haekels toiletries are provided.

The Farmhouse (4 bedrooms) is set behind the barns, and sleeps up to 8 in four bedrooms – including a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, another kingsize bedroom, a twin room, and a double. Original 16th-century features include a inglenook fireplace. There are three large reception rooms, which flow into each other with plenty of space for all.

There's a fabulous kitchen-diner glass rear extension designed to make the most of the evening sunshine; bi-fold doors open to the terrace with pizza oven and garden beyond.

Big Barn

The Big Barn (4 bedrooms) has seriously great credentials: designed by award-winning architects, cool, elegant styling and views to open countryside. The timber exterior and angular windows hint at the modern makeover inside, where features include bi-fold doors. There's also a hot tub in the garden.

The four bedrooms are arranged across two floors. Downstairs is a large double with tongue and groove panels and an ensuite shower room. Upstairs, a blue-hued double has wide views across open fields, and the third can convert into a twin room. The kids’ room has bunk-beds, teddies and a playful bright-red ladder. These three share a gleaming family bathroom.

The Big Barn enjoys a dramatic double-height living space, where white walls and a sleek kitchen emphasise stand-out pieces like the iconic, rainbow-hued Eames chairs and industrial metal light shades.

The nearest supermarkets are in Bude or Holsworthy. You might also like to take a special trip to Launceston (20-25 minutes’ drive) where you can combine a castle visit with a meat shop at Warrens – one of the best butchers in Cornwall.

Eating:
Activity:

Small Barn

The Small Barn (2 bedrooms) is arranged upside down, with bedrooms at the bottom and a loft-style, upper-floor living space, accessed via an enormous lawned garden. A staircase drops to the ground floor where there are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Dual-aspect bedroom 2 is designed for children, with a navy-and-white seaside theme. The contemporary bathroom (brick tiles, tongue and groove) has a shower over a panelled tub.

The kitchen for the Small Barn is at one end of the open-plan upper floor with 2 comfy sofas at the other. In the middle, there’s a dining table and 4 chairs.

For an evening out, there are plenty of good restaurants within driving distance. Check out The Electric Bakery in Bude which serves excellent bread, pastries, sandwiches and Saturday lunches. The Rocket Store in Boscastle and The Preston Gate in Poughill also come recommended. For ace Sunday roasts, try the The Smithy Pub at Welcombe or the Farmers Arms. Further afield, we had a fantastic lunch in the lovely garden at the St Kew Inn at St Kew (30 miles), near Trebarwith Strand.

Best Time to go

The farmstead is open all year round, and though high summer gets the best of the weather, all the seasons have something to offer. Go in autumn for serious surfing and woodland colours, in winter for the wild empty beaches, in April for the bluebells. Early September is a good time if you want to catch the Bude Jazz Festival. Note that, in peak season, the barns and farmhouse are rented from Thursday-Thursday.

Our Top Tips

We loved Bude's beaches; many of which offer some of the county’s best waves for surfers. Summerleaze is a wide sandy stretch with Bude Sea Pool, which is sheltered pool ideal for young ones to have a salt water dip. Widemouth is vast and golden, a great place to bodyboard/learn to surf. Crooklets (the so-called 'Bondi of Britain') is also a surfers' favourite, and has great rock pooling. Northcott Mouth is the Allen family's favourite beach; it's especially lovely with a pebbled secret cove and rock pools.

Do also visit the villages and sights along this dramatic coastline; within 40 minutes you can be in the harbour village of Boscastle, King Arthur’s Tintagel or Port Isaac (home of beach-shanty singers, The Fisherman’s Friends).
Kid Friendly:

Location

The farmstead is midway between Holsworthy and Bude, on the Devon-Cornwall borders. It's down a narrow country lane just off the A3072.

By Air:
The nearest airports, Newquay and Exeter, are about an hour's drive away. Bristol is 2.5 hours, London Heathrow 4.5 hours. The Allens can arrange a taxi, but you'll want a car for local exploration. See our car rental recommendations.

By Rail
Trains from Paddington to Exeter take around 2-3 hours. See Seat 61 for more details. Taxis from there take about an hour.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to the UK and getting around

Airports:

  • Newquay 73.0 km NQY
  • Exeter 95.0 km EXT

Other:

  • Beach 11.0 km
  • Shops 7.0 km
  • Restaurant 7.0 km

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