Holiday Barges
Two truly unique, dog-friendly ‘floating holiday cottages’ in iconic Suffolk locations.
Onderneming – Sleeps 8
This Suffolk coastal retreat is a haven for family and friends. Moored at Snape Maltings, this cavernous Dutch Barge is the ideal idyll for families and small groups of friends seeking a unique getaway.
Twee Gebroeders – Sleeps 4
An idyllic bolthole, moored at the Tidemill in Woodbridge. She is the perfect romantic refuge for couples, with room for a couple of kids too.
Both Barges offer stunning river walks in either direction and are a stone’s throw from great pubs and a range of boutique shops, coffee shops and delis.
With up to 3 dogs very welcome, either choice gives you the perfect spot to paws and reflect. The best of both worlds for you and your dogs. You have the most stunning river walks in either direction, directly from the gangplank. In case you’re worried, we do have Doggy life jackets on board in a range of sizes.
Amongst other commercial activities, Onderneming would have undoubtedly spent much of her early life as a grain barge, decades before she was to be enjoyed by so many of our guests on their barge holidays.
Twee Gebroeders was also a working industrial vessel, though with a lesser payload. She is now more likely the kind of vessel that those looking for canal boat holidays would expect as she is the smaller of the two.
Both of our Barge Holidays in Britain are moored, so aren’t canal boat hire as such. We couldn’t let guests take them out as they weigh 120 tonnes and 36 tonnes respectively! They are very definitely not for bobbing around canals and rivers or any inland waterways. A great deal of experience is needed to captain these historic Barges.
A holiday aboard either of our wonderful Dutch Barges is about taking a quirky break from the norm, rather than being aimed at boating holidays. This is all about relaxing Barge Holidays UK style!
As you might imagine they both attract a great deal of intrigue, and we have been extremely fortunate to have had some amazing press coverage!
Onderneming has been seen on ITV, and has appeared in The Times’ “Best Unusual Holiday Homes” and “Ten best places to stay by a river” articles. Twee Gebroeders was featured in The Times’ “Love Nests: Great Places for two”. She also appeared in The Daily & Sunday Mail articles on unique floating holidays, and she has been seen on the BBC.
Both Barges are moored on quays as opposed to offering sailing holidays, so think of them as floating holiday cottages.
If these look like they will float your Barge boat, then why not check the availability calendar and get yourselves booked in?
If you want to get even more excited about your forthcoming Barge holiday, then why not check out these Five Star reviews from TripAdvisor, one for each of our Holiday Barges. The first one is from a very literate Dog!
“A great floating kennel
I have just returned from a splendid short break with my hoomans on the Woodfarm Barns Twee Gebroeders Dutch barge at Woodbridge. Totally new sort of house to me, yet so restful and so many new walks and smells.
Excellent pubs to try, and my hoomans loved it as well, and scoffed all the supplied super brekkie stuff by themselves.
Highly recommended by us all, so much so that we have booked a barn for September.
Thank you so much, lovely Woodfarm people. See you in Sept. Luv from Rupert, newly qualified boat dog.”
“A perfect, unique getaway
I recently stayed on the Onderneming barge at Snape Maltings and had an unforgettable and faultless stay. The barge exceeded our expectations; it was beautiful.
The team at Woodfarm made us feel so welcome with a breakfast hamper, plenty of useful information as well as lots of homely touches such as logs for the log burner.
Having the Plough and Sail only around the corner and the delicious shops opposite was an additional treat.
There are a myriad of stunning walks to wander along or you can just sit on the barge and take in the breathtaking scenery – I will never forget quietly watching a kingfisher perched on the side of the barge.
The customer service was incredibly personable and helpful. It was a 10/10 experience, I would highly recommend staying on the Onderneming for a guaranteed unique and fantastic getaway.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Barge?
Typically a Barge is a flat-bottomed boat, primarily designed for transporting goods, especially heavy or bulky cargo. We have two Dutch Barges, which would have been used to carry various cargo around the waterways in Holland during the last century, and are now converted to enable holidaymakers to take a quirky stay in Suffolk.
Are the Woodfarm barges dog friendly?
The answer is a resounding yes, we are dog friendly! We welcome up to three dogs in each of our Barns, Cottages, and Barges and over at Woodfarm Tuscany. All our holiday properties on dry land have fully enclosed gardens, ensuring your dogs are safe and secure. Of course, the Barges are a slightly different matter, but they are equally accommodating for your furry friends.
How old are your barges?
Our grain Barges date back to the late 1800’s, making them both over 130 years old.