Here’s where we write about all sorts to do with spending time in Suffolk & Tuscany. There’s lots to scroll through, including where to eat & drink, what to do, places to walk & visit and things like that. There’s some daft stuff in there too. Hope you find something of interest to you.
Where to see the autumn red deer rut
If you’re a fan of nature and wildlife, you’ll love seeing the red deer rut – the amazing autumn spectacle that takes place right here in Suffolk! What is the red deer rut? The red deer rut takes place when red deer are getting ready to mate. The males of the herds will battle it out – first with roars, and then with their antlers – to see who becomes the dominant deer. Where can you see the red deer rut? Suffolk has one of the highest populations of red deer outside Scotland, so you’re very likely to see the…
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The Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival 2020
Coming to Suffolk for the famous Aldenurgh Food & Drink Festival? We don’t blame you! This event is one of the most popular foodie events in East Anglia – but there are a few changes happening this year. There’s no escaping it at the moment; the pandemic is still affecting some of our favourite events. Luckily, however, the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival is still going ahead! The committee have put together a market weekend with around 50 local food and drink suppliers, instead of the usual packed event. This will allow visitors to experience the best of Suffolk’s delicious…
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Our Tuscan Holiday Cottage is coming together
I wrote on here just a few weeks ago with some progress, and to talk about the strange situation we find ourselves in, with that there pesky pandemic, but I just wanted to share some more photos now that things are taking shape. I am just waiting on news now about when the railing will be finished and fitted to the Terrace, but I wanted to show you photos now that the exterior of the house has been finished. The whole place has been rendered with a thermal plaster and is now starting to look something like I’d envisaged when…
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Lands End to John O’Groats. On me bike!
From lockdown to John O’Groats! I have decided to do a little bike ride to raise some money for charity. I say little bike ride, but I’m going to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Full disclaimer from the outset: I literally do not have the time now that we are so busy again after lockdown, to properly cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats, however, I am going to do the distance. All 839 miles of the length of Great Britain. Start date: Saturday 22nd August 2020. I started cycling during lockdown as the gym was shut. I…
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Where should I go on holiday in autumn in the UK?
With staycations becoming very much a part of our ‘new normal’, we’ve seen the UK domestic holiday industry boom over the past few months. That means there’s only one course of action – prepare now for your autumn holiday in the UK, before everyone else gets there first! If you’ve been late booking your summer holiday, you’ve probably already experienced the frustration of trying to find the perfect staycation before the summer ends. Here at Woodfarm Barns, we’ve got barely any spaces left for the rest of the summer in our Luxury, Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages and Holiday Barges, and we’re…
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WIN! as we celebrate 400 Five Star Tripadvisor reviews
Woohoo!!! We’ve hit 400 Five Star Tripadvisor reviews! Why don’t we celebrate with a little competition then, just cos that’s what we do? (EDIT: THIS HAS NOW CLOSED AND WE HAVE A DELIGHTED WINNER. DO READ ON THOUGH DEAR READER) Due to a pesky pandemic, life hasn’t been a picnic for most of us lately, so we figured we’d set one lucky winner up with an awesome picnic to make up for it. Our friends at Earsham Street Deli have done what they do best and come up trumps yet again, with the most fabulous picnic for one of you.…
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Holiday Cottage in Tuscany update
Okay, let’s talk about Italy. Prior to a pesky global pandemic, our Holiday Cottage in Tuscany, aka Woodfarm Tuscany was due to be finished and ready for you to go and stay at the end of May 2020. However, as we all know the brakes went on for a few months. It is all very much moving towards completion again so I thought I would bring you up to speed. Before I go any further I will explain why I have been quiet on the subject until now. The thing is, nobody is going to want to go there just…
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Looking for a more unique kind of holiday?
We all love telling our friends back home about our fantastic holiday experiences, and it’s even better when we’ve stayed somewhere really unique! If you’re looking for that one-of-a-kind holiday experience, we’ve got just the ticket. Our Historic Dutch Holiday Barges in Suffolk are just like our beautiful cottages – but floating! They’re moored on two of Suffolk’s most beautiful waterways, and they make ideal locations for those in search of a more quirky holiday style. Complete with all the home comforts you need, our Barges don’t force you to compromise. They’re comfortable, spacious and relaxing, with plenty of kitchen,…
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Charge and recharge at Woodfarm HQ
We now have electric car charging capabilities at Woodfarm HQ! Stay with us and you can charge your car (for free!), while recharging yourselves in one of our Luxury Holiday Cottages. Electric cars are much more common these days (in fact, the UK Government plans to ban sales of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035!), but places to charge them are few and far between in the countryside – so we decided to change that. We have just installed outdoor sockets so that you can charge your electric or hybrid car at no extra cost during your stay. Although…
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Pub Quiz @ The Woodfarm Arms
At the start of lockdown in the UK in March 2020, I somehow stumbled into doing an online Pub Quiz at our virtual pub that I sort of made up, the Woodfarm Arms. And it kinda snowballed into an ongoing thing. It was a very strange few months for all of us, and as I write this in the middle of July I am sure it is by no means over yet. For over 100 days I had no business to run, as it had disappeared overnight. So my little brain went off at a tangent and ended up deciding…
5 ways to make your dog walk even better
Dog walks are automatically better when you stay at Woodfarm Barns – but here are five more tips to help you and your pup get the most out of your dog walks! Take them somewhere new and exciting As we said, dog walks are better when you stay at our Luxury, Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages at Woodfarm Barns! This is because your dog can be treated to a variety of different environments, from our fantastic Suffolk beaches to our tranquil countryside. However, if you can’t make it over to our cosy cottages yet due to the fact that you’re self-isolating, you…
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Our ‘Coronavirus Cleaning Regime’
The first half of 2020 has seen many changes in our lives and in our businesses; many bad, some good. One of the things that we know you are going to be interested in as a new era dawns, is our Coronavirus Cleaning Regime during our changeovers between guest departures and arrivals. We have often written and talked about our stringent maintenance, but now more than ever, you will want to rest assured that wherever you stay, it has a very strict coronavirus cleaning regimen in place. Well, we do. I think anyone prepared to talk about it in the…
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4 reasons why Suffolk is the perfect year-round holiday location
Many holiday locations have their ‘ideal season’: Some say that it wouldn’t be summer without a trip to Cornwall or the Isle of Wight, while swathes of people head to The Cotswolds for vibrant autumn walks and cosy pubs. However, Suffolk is one of those very unique places that works its magic all year round. At Woodfarm Barns, we think ourselves very lucky to experience all four glorious seasons in Suffolk – and we are delighted to say that our guests say the same! We are busy throughout the year, which is a testament not only to how popular Suffolk…
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‘Lording it up’ in luxury in a Suffolk Farmhouse
Fancy being Lord & Lady Woodfarm when we emerge from hibernation? Just to clarify, we are equally happy to welcome Lord & Lord Woodfarm, or Lady & Lady Woodfarm. In ‘normal times’, Woodfarm House is home for the weekend, or a midweek break, to extended families or groups of friends, but we aren’t living in normal times right now are we? It’s unlikely we will be able to welcome large groups for some time yet, so we came up with a cunning plan in the shape of a 40% Discount, as we would rather have guests enjoying Woodfarm House, than…
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WIN STUFF in our “Goatee or not Goatee?” Competition!
Yes, there really was a poll to decide whether or not my new Goatee should stay or go, so we turned it into a competition! “Goatee or not Goatee?”. That was indeed the question this week as I sprouted hair on my chin just to pass the time during lockdown. It turned out to be mostly grey though! Anyway, we ran a silly online poll and lots of you voted! The end result was 46.1% in favour of it staying, and 53.9% in favour of it going, so it went! But just how many people voted is the burning question?…
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WIN with our COVID Captivity Cuppa Countdown Competition
What does that even mean you might ask? Well it’s happening during this captivity madness, it involves you WINNING some posh tea & coffee, and some things to drink it out of. And the countdown bit? I’ve counted the screws I kicked over at the start of lockdown! Possibly the most tenuous competition in the world, but you can still WIN a nice PRIZE! WIN all these ‘Lockdown Lovelies’ to make your ‘COVID time’ Cuppa experience a thing of beauty. You can even invite friends round to share with you in your garden now. Nah, yer right, just hog it…
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6 romantic restaurants in Suffolk
If you’re looking for a romantic evening in Suffolk, we’re not short of suggestions for our favourite intimate eateries – but here are six that will definitely up the romance factor for your night out! Of course, if you’re looking for a romantic getaway in Suffolk, there’s no better place to stay than Woodfarm Barns. With our luxurious two-person Cottages, complete with comfortable double beds, log burning fireplaces and – to top it all off – large hot tubs to enjoy under the night sky, Woodfarm is a haven for couples who want some alone-time in the tranquility of the…
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Happy Lockdown Birthday Woodfarm! 11th Birthday Competition
The Woodfarm brand is 11 years, and to celebrate, even though we are in Lockdown right now, we are going to do what we like to do and give away a FREE BREAK in one of our Barns, to one Lucky Winner, for when it’s all over! As I write this on the 9th May 2020, my business is officially 11 old years today. Ironic that whilst it was a rip-roaring success for almost 11 years, growing year on year, on year, the last 47 days have been the worst in Woodfarm history. On account of we are shut! But…
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How to recreate our breakfast basket with Suffolk produce
If you’ve stayed at Woodfarm Barns or Barges, you’ll have been treated to one of our delicious breakfast hampers, packed with everything you need for a hearty Suffolk breakfast! But how do you recreate one of these at home? Well, whether you want to give one to a friend to share a touch of the ‘Woodfarm lifestyle’, create a fresh one for your other half for breakfast in bed, or you just want a fancy breakfast for yourself, read on to find out how to make your own Woodfarm hamper! Ingredients for your hamper We’ve designed our hampers to reflect…
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Thank you NHS Heroes
There will never be enough words, or the right words, to convey how we are all indebted to, and in awe of, the utter bravery we have seen from our NHS personnel since the Coronavirus struck us. This is just one way a small Holiday Cottage business in Suffolk is trying to say “Thank you”. Hi. My name is Carl. On the morning of March 23rd 2020 I closed the doors on my Holiday Cottage and Holiday Barge business for the foreseeable future. I contacted all iminent arrivals to cancel their breaks. I felt I had no choice. Later that…
Lambing weekends at Kentwell Hall
Spring is on the way! That means warmer weather (hopefully!), yummy seasonal food in the local pubs and restaurants and a sudden abundance of daffodils. For us, in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, it also means that we’ll see a big rise in wildlife, and our once lonely winter fields will be teeming with farmyard animals. March and April are the ideal months for spotting young and newborn lambs, in particular. However, if you don’t want to go on a wild sheep chase in the countryside, then a trip to Kentwell Hall will almost guarantee you a sight of…
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Why choose a Holiday in Suffolk at Woodfarm Barns?
Thank you for considering a Holiday in Suffolk with us… Thank you for taking the time to look at Woodfarm and considering us for your next Short Break or Holiday in Suffolk, it’s much appreciated. Please let me know if you have any queries by calling me directly on 01449 710032, or emailing carl@woodfarmbarns.com. You can even Whatsapp me by clicking below… This page gives you a little overview of what we’re about. We have lots of pages on our website, where we have carefully placed nice pictures etc but this is all just about info; reasons you might want…
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Easter Egg Hunt with our Barges & Barns
Our Easter Egg Hunt is on! And YOU could be our lucky WINNER! Up for grabs is a very posh, mouth-watering Chocolate selection from Earsham Street Deli, a tail-wagging range of Dog treats from Doodledales, and a whole bunch of Woodfarm branded merchandise. A prize worth well over a hundred quid! Ok folks, we posted this prior to the Coronavirus outbreak and as we are currently in ‘Lockdown’ as I write this, things have changed somewhat! This was to be an awesome competition where you win some great prizes. I would still love it if you want to join in…
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How to keep dogs safe in the car
There’s no questioning it – dogs are more than welcome at both our Luxury Cottages and unique, historical Dutch Barges! We provide all the comforts and conveniences that you need to keep your dog happy while staying with us. We think that a happy dog is equal to a safe dog, which is why we decided to put together a few handy tips on how to keep your dog(s) safe in the car when you’re (hopefully!) travelling down for a fabulous Suffolk holiday with us. 1. Give them a good walk before the journey If you don’t want your pup…
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What’s on in Suffolk in 2020?
What’s on in Suffolk during 2020? Funny you should ask. Here’s a whole bunch of things to get you excited this year…. There’s so much to do in Suffolk at any time, but here’s a guide for you of lots of events throughout the year. So have a little read, get your diaries out and start planning. Most of these events are Dog-Friendly but do double-check first. March 21st Flatford Ramble – Constable’s Footsteps April 4th Framlingham Country Show & Festival of Dogs 19th Suffolk Young Farmers Country Fair at Stonham Barns 25th April Flatford Ramble – Spring Bluebell Walk…
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Crash on Planet Trash
What is Crash on Planet Trash and what does it have to do with Holiday Cottages? Well, kind of nothing, except that it is an amazing Suffolk based educational project that my friend James is a key part of. So we are trying to help raise some funds. Pleeeeease read on…. Ok, the really quick answer is that a friend of mine is an amazing illustrator and he uses his iPad to draw. He has suffered from depression in the past and his drawings really helped him through some dark times. He’s used them to raise money for MIND, and…
How we keep our Barns clean for our guests
When looking at hotel reviews, ‘cleanliness’ is a topic that always pops up. It’s obviously a huge indicator of quality for many travellers; after all, none of us enjoy seeing traces of previous guests during a holiday! This is why we take cleanliness at Woodfarm Barns and Barges very seriously. Our fantastic team dedicates hours to cleaning our Luxury, Dog-Friendly Suffolk Holiday Cottages and Historic Dutch Holiday Barges after each stay. They ensure that the cottages are not just tidy, but free of dirt and germs too. You can see from our outstanding reviews that we succeed in our efforts! …
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