Down With Rules and Regs!

Please note, we are keen to be responsible citizens and do our bit, green or otherwise, but only where it is practical (or indeed a legal obligation). We – as a nation – are constantly being harrassed, lectured and exhorted to do this, not do that; we are keenly aware that you come to our barns to relax and get away from all these rules and regs that increasingly beset modern life.

We are not going to become obsessive about green issues (or health and safety…) either for ourselves or our guests. ; if you want to make compost and feed the green cone, that is lovely; if not, that is also fine.

Book Online!

You can now book and pay online. Click on the relevant Vacancy Calendar or go straight to the How to Book Page.

Tom’s Barn and Douglas’s Barn video

The short video clip is now live!

As you will see, it is short. You can’t hope to say everything in about two minutes, but what we hope is that it will add another dimension to the images and text on the website and brochure, and the comments from our guests.

It was shot on a fairly typical leafless November day; fortunately on this day it was sunny and actually quite warm but of course there is no evidence of all the vibrant summer colours.

However, as both Tom’s and Douglas’s Barns are practically just as busy during the winter as the summer (the appeal of bracing walks and home to a soothing bath and cosy warm evening by the fire) it is probably no bad thing to show it in the winter, but we hope to be able to add some more colourful hot weather shots next year because there is no denying it is just absolutely lovely here then, too.

The clip is by no means comprehensive (see above) but the intention always was simply to convey a mere hint of the flavour. We’ll be interested to know whether everyone will think we have succeeded. Please let us know. We won’t at this stage be able to do anything about it, but we’ll learn for next time!

SuperControl:

The online bookings have been coming in thick and fast, and it all seems to be working pretty well as the new system and we gradually get to know each other. We have benefited from a lot of very patient and helpful support from the SuperControl team and also all the kind guests who willingly – and occasionally unwittingly – became trial guinea pigs.

Anyone who uses the online system, please let us know if you meet any hitches. We do know that doing it online suits a lot of people’s lifestyles these days and we really want it to work as slickly as possible with the minimum of hassle for all concerned. It certainly simplifies things this end.

You can make an instant provisional booking online – no more laborious downloading of the booking form for you, filling it in and sending it off by post with a cheque.

See the How to Book page for more detailed information. Please note, until we have personally confirmed it, your booking remains provisional because of the risk of our having just the previous minute promised the dates you want to someone over the phone.

However, for all those of you who far prefer to do it more personally by email or telephone, everything will continue as before.

And of course, nothing will really have intrinsically changed. Lurking behind the sophisticated online booking system it will still be John and me here in our study at Orchard Farm and of course sometimes Debbie when we are away. It will still be us answering the phone and we will still be more than happy to take bookings over the telephone for those who prefer the human contact and personal touch.

SuperControl

SuperControl:

The online bookings have been coming in thick and fast, and it all seems to be working pretty well as the new system and we gradually get to know each other. We have benefited from a lot of very patient and helpful support from the SuperControl team and also all the kind guests who willingly – and occasionally unwittingly – became trial guinea pigs.

Anyone who uses the online system, please let us know if you meet any hitches. We do know that doing it online suits a lot of people’s lifestyles these days and we really want it to work as slickly as possible with the minimum of hassle for all concerned. It certainly simplifies things this end.

You can make an instant provisional booking online – no more laborious downloading of the booking form for you, filling it in and sending it off by post with a cheque. See the How to Book page for more detailed information. Please note, until we have personally confirmed it, your booking remains provisional because of the risk of our having just the previous minute promised the dates you want to someone over the phone.

However, for all those of you who far prefer to do it more personally by email or telephone, everything will continue as before.

And of course, nothing will really have intrinsically changed. Lurking behind the sophisticated online booking system it will still be John and me here in our study at Orchard Farm and of course sometimes Debbie when we are away. It will still be us answering the phone and we will still be more than happy to take bookings over the telephone for those who prefer the human contact and personal touch.