Herefordshire, UK

Hareley Barn, a long weekend getaway in the UK

RiA
31 March, 2022

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I decided to have a few mini birthday treats and for one of them, do something a little different. I stayed in a barn with my mum for a mother and daughter travel getaway. Read about how we spent time at Hareley Barn, a long weekend getaway in the UK. Would you be up for a stay in a converted barn in the country?

Location, location, location

Picking a barn took a while as there were many to choose from on Premiere Cottages, a website dedicated to showing available cottages in and around the UK. It’s a bit like Booking.com for cottages. I tried a few other websites like Rural Retreats and Boutique Retreats, but was impressed with Premiere Cottages as it had a wide range and the website was easy to navigate.

We wanted somewhere that allowed us to see some of the surrounding areas as easily as possible, as we had a car. We decided on Hareley Barn as it was close to some of the villages we wanted to explore in and around the Cotswolds, including Gloucestershire and a few other nearby towns.

Check out some of my latest reviews on things to do, accommodation and food & drink.

Hareley Barn

Hareley Barn in Linley Green, is a restored Grade II listed barn located in Herefordshire. You’ll find it set on a traditional rare breeds farm which, along with the barn, is has been owned by Gillian and Guy Herbert for the last 18 years.

The stone barn has two large bedrooms — one double room, the other a twin room. Both rooms have futons to provide extra sleeping space if needed.

There are two good sized bathrooms — one with a bath and a walk-in shower — useful for those requiring extra accessibility — the other is an ensuite for the double room, featuring a lovely freestanding bathtub. There’s also a small kitchen. If you need to do any washing there’s a laundry room accessed separately from a side door at the front of the barn. It has a large living and dining area with a table that can seat up to six people.

Facilities and amenities

The barn was well stocked with all the basics you’d need for a short break: cutlery; tea towels; glasses; cups; pots; pans and baking trays. With room for your shopping and cooking. There’s a fridge, freestanding cooker with an oven, microwave, toaster and kettle. When we arrived, we noticed that a box of six eggs had been left for us which was lovely and saved us buying! There were plenty of tea and coffee bags and sugar provided.

If you need to do any laundry, in the utility room (which is accessible from the outside), you’ll find a washing machine; tumble dryer and if you really needed it, a freezer.

The barn has full central heating and a lovely log burning stove to help keep things extra warm and toasty.

A rare breeds farm

With 23 acres of land, the family rear many rare breed animals including Narragansett Turkey’s — which make good mothers apparently — Dorkin cockerels, some Wyandot black and brown hens, pigs, Badger Face Welsh Mountain sheep and some playful rams.

The family’s aim is to continue rearing such rare breeds so they don’t die out. When it’s time, the animals are sent to Wales and Scotland to experienced breeders. The area itself is known for traditional farming, since the 1500’s.

Did you know…

“It takes about 24 hours for a chicken to produce just one egg!”

The surrounding area — Bromyard

Bromyard is a small historic market town just a 10 minute drive from Hareley Barn. Droving is a method for moving livestock like sheep and cattle across long distances and Bromyard was previously a drovers town.

Drovers would aim to find somewhere for the night along dedicated drovers paths to put their sheep and cattle in, then go to the nearby pub. It’s mostly that reason why there’s a lot of pubs in Bromyard!

It’s a very quiet town, even at night but is quaint and pretty with all the shops you’d need.

If you’re looking for a different scene and lodgings, you should check out Hareley Barn. The owners made us very welcome and took time out to take us around the farm and tell us about the animals and farm life.

Tips

If you’re staying during winter, bring layers and something snuggly for the evenings. It can be a little cooler in the bedrooms even with heating and the log burner.
Slippers! It’s a stone floor so remember to take slippers or flip flops with you.
Take a pair of welly’s or hiking boots with you just in case – remember you’re on a farm.
Hareley Barn is a self-catering stay. Take some of your favourite snacks or drinks with you in case you arrive late and nearby supermarkets are closed.
If you plan to stay anytime soon and visit nearby attractions, you may still need to show a Domestic COVID Pass.

Final thoughts

Staying at Hareley Barn was great and we’d both definitely stay again. It made a nice change from staying in a hotel or apartment and being in the country in the UK made it a nice getaway too. The owners made us very welcome and took time out of their work to take us around the farm and tell us about the animals. If you’re looking for a different scene and lodgings, then check out Hareley Barn.