Cockshutt - Self catering holiday cottage in Chalford, Stroud, Gloucestershire, Cotswolds, England - Sleeps 4

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Westley Farm is an eighty acre hill farm where wild woods, banks of cowslips and orchids are rated of equal importance to the raising of cattle and sheep. Our five traditional stone cottages are spread over the farm and have rural views as good as any in England. You can just hear the distant bells of Oakridge church and see the houses peep out of the canopy of trees on the other side of the valley. Watch a buzzard circle overhead or a family of partridges scatter as you drive down the drive. Cockshutt cottage has been converted from a Cotswold stone cattle shed and has a mellow pantile roof. It is set on its own 200 yards from the farmhouse on the farm drive.

The main living room has an open fire, rugs on a flagstone floor with exposed beams in the ceiling. There are two bedrooms, one with a double bed, the other with two singles. To the east is a sun-soaked breakfast patio; to the south a lawn garden enclosed by a stone wall. There are stunning views across the Golden Valley to the farms on the other side. France Lynch and Oakridge can be seen in the distance. Foxglove, Mullein and wild Mallow grow just outside while the banks behind are a carpet of Cowslips in April.

The unique village of Chalford is a mile away with its jumble of mellow cottages scattered down the hillside entwined with tortuous lanes and donkey tracks. The legacy of the Golden Valley’s industrial past can be seen in the romantic overgrown canal, ivy-clad mill ruins and weavers’ cottages; some beautifully restored by the Arts & Crafts movement. These valleys still attract artists and craftsmen with thriving workshops, studios, micro-breweries and cheesemakers to visit or see their products at the award-winning local farmers markets and our nearest pubs, who pride themselves on sourcing their food locally.

There are plenty of things to do both on the farm and nearby. Activities available nearby include gliding and microlight flights, hang-gliding, horse riding, golf, watersports and visits to the studios and workshops of local artists and craftsmen. There are excellent local produce markets in Stroud, Tetbury, Cirencester and Minchinhampton. This year on the farm, we can offer courses in foraging and bushcraft, butterfly walks, picnic treks with the donkeys, fungus forays, owl prowls and community events like apple juicing at various times over the year. Contact the owners for further details.