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Home  >  Blog  >  Luxury and comfort at High Barn Cottages, Yorkshire

Luxury and comfort at High Barn Cottages, Yorkshire

Trish Burgess Posted on21/04/201522/07/2016 Bridlington, Yorkshire 38 Comments
Can you spot our owl?

There can’t be many self-catering cottages in the UK where, from the comfort of the living room or bedroom, you can watch an owl webcam via the television. In High Barn Cottages you can do precisely this. All five cottages are linked up to the webcam to watch the resident barn owl slumber in its nest during the day and occasionally fly off for food at night or meticulously preen its feathers.

How did I find this special property?
I had been searching on the internet for the perfect coastal cottage, somewhere on the east coast, for a short Easter break. I was hoping the holy grail of self-catered accommodation would reveal itself. By chance, whilst browsing online, my subscription copy of Coast magazine landed on the doorstep.

I first came across this magazine when we were staying in Northumberland last summer. Remember our gorgeous little flat in Seahouses? Coast magazine was provided for guests in the apartment and I spent so many hours drooling over driftwood and sand, I thought I’d get a monthly fix.

In April’s issue they had a feature on a weekend in Bridlington, suggesting places to visit in and around this pretty seaside town on the Yorkshire coast. The author had stayed in High Barn Cottages and although there was only a very small image of the property, I took it as a sign. A quick look on Google and it was just what I had been looking for: a two-bedroom, two-bathroom stylish and comfortable barn conversion.

Their website was wonderful – 360 degree views of each of the five cottages, floor plans, oodles of useful information about the area and it was easy to see which dates were available. Why can’t all holiday accommodation sites be like this?

After much deliberation I chose The Granary, a property on two floors and I booked it online. The owners, John and Angela Foster, were delightful to deal with: they came to the rescue when we had to delay our break for a couple of days because of family illness, changing our booking with no fuss.

The cottages are located just outside Bridlington. Surrounded by fields and trees, they are secluded and peaceful, but only minutes from the bustling seaside in one direction and the scenic Bempton Cliffs in the other.  Accessed from the road using a keycard at the gate, the cottages are secure, with ample parking. Each cottage has its own patio area with garden furniture at the rear, and a bench and low table at the front.

High Barn Cottages:
The Owl House, The Granary, The Spinney, The Hayloft and The Cake House

The owners, as the fourth generation to farm the land here, are committed to their role as guardians of the land and buildings for the future. The cottages are extremely eco-friendly: there is a wind turbine in the fields which is the source for the heating and collected rainwater is used for the washing machines and loos.

Our cottage, The Granary, has a large comfortable living/dining room with two squashy cream sofas, a wood-burning stove and a good-size dining table. The kitchen has a gloriously vibrant colour palette with vivid red worktops. The two bedrooms are spacious with high ceilings, both using features from the original barns to create unique living spaces. There are two chic en-suite bathrooms – one with a bath, one with a shower. Both bed and bath linen are top quality.

The Granary interior

The owners have given much thought to make the property luxurious and yet a real home from home. Underfloor heating and chic rugs downstairs keep the stone floors deliciously warm; a hamper is provided including home-made apple juice, chocolate and muesli; there’s a bookcase full of reading material and free dependable WiFi. I loved the fresh daffodils on the table, the paintings on the wall (particularly the Ian Mitchell prints of Yorkshire) and the cheerful ornaments which give the cottage that personal touch.

Some of the little touches in The Granary to create a homely feel.

Is it suitable for children?
I would say children are welcome but the pond in the grounds makes it less than ideal for very little ones. Two of the cottages are single-storey and these are a good choice for those with mobility difficulties. Our family dynamics – two adults with two chilled-out teens, was a perfect match for High Barn Cottages. It’s certainly a place in which you can kick back and relax. Just look at the feature window in the main bedroom.

How about this for a window and a view from the bed? 

I’ll tell you more about our stay in Yorkshire in due course but our Saturday night’s entertainment consisted of a fabulous meal at Suppattra Thai in Bridlington, recommended by other guests as well as our hosts. We returned home, opened a bottle of wine, and took our usual positions on the sofas. A quick peek at the owl cam was necessary, a ritual we had settled into during our four-night stay..

It soon became apparent that our little owl was a female and she was having a much more action-packed Saturday night than we were. Seconds after we switched on, a visitor flew into the nest to join his mate. It’s a wonder the poor male wasn’t put off his stride by the cheers and whoops from four very enthusiastic voyeurs sitting in a room just a short distance away.

The Verdict?
There was an overwhelming chorus of approval from the whole family. But don’t just take our word for it. The accommodation is a finalist in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015 in the self-catering category, having already won several awards over the last few years within Yorkshire itself. I’m not at all surprised.

 

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38 Comments

  1. Sarah Reply
    21/04/2015 at 2:31 pm

    That's great, but if you can only find it by subscribing to Coast magazine, it makes it a bit difficult. How come you didn't find it online, do you think? Have they got Google issues?

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      21/04/2015 at 3:11 pm

      I think I was struggling because when searching I didn't know whereabouts we wanted to go – I was putting in search words for accommodation all over the country and it just took time to go through them all. I would have found it easily if I had tailored my search to Yorkshire! I should maybe amend the blog post slightly to make this clearer. Thanks Sarah 🙂

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      21/04/2015 at 3:23 pm

      Have altered the text to make this clear. To be fair, I need to turn onto the second page of an internet search now and again!

    • K Ville Reply
      22/04/2015 at 10:01 pm

      Google search results have a second page?! who knew?!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      22/04/2015 at 10:32 pm

      They do! I've heard, in some cases, three, but no-one has ever checked.

  2. BavarianSojourn Reply
    21/04/2015 at 7:22 pm

    That looks completely perfect, and it comes with its own owl too? How wonderful! 🙂

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      22/04/2015 at 10:34 pm

      I became a twitcher overnight… 🙂

  3. MsCaroline Reply
    22/04/2015 at 12:46 pm

    Leave it to you to find a holiday cottage complete with owlcam- you have won my undying admiration! I'll look forward to learning more about Yorkshire – everything I know is moor-related and based on my reading of 'The Secret Garden' as a child!!!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      22/04/2015 at 10:35 pm

      Oh yes, I loved The Secret Garden too. Yorkshire is vast and varied but the coast is beautiful.

  4. Funky Wellies Reply
    22/04/2015 at 3:35 pm

    This cottage looks so idyllic. I love how it is furnished, the window and the view, and the owl of course! I wonder if the male visitor will ever come back after your display of enthusiasm? 😉 xx

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      22/04/2015 at 10:38 pm

      It was idyllic – so pleased we chose it.
      It would be good to return in a few weeks and see if there are any babies! His visit was fleeting – either we put him off or he was a quick worker…. X

  5. Steve Reply
    23/04/2015 at 6:26 am

    You had me at owl.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      25/04/2015 at 10:23 am

      I think they had me at owl too!

  6. About Last Weekend Reply
    24/04/2015 at 12:35 am

    Oh my gosh, that place look so wonderful, what beautiful colors and design – lucky you. Cannot see the owl!!!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      25/04/2015 at 10:24 am

      Left hand side in the corner? Shiny white head?

  7. Mammasaurus Reply
    25/04/2015 at 4:57 pm

    Oh that looks wonderful – that window! *swoons*
    I'm heading up that way later in the year so I'll take a proper look online at it nearer the time!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:06 pm

      My photos don't really do it justice – the 360 degree views on their website will give you more of an idea. I can see you there, Annie, lots of nature!

  8. BavarianSojourn Reply
    25/04/2015 at 5:25 pm

    I lived in Yorkshire from the ages from 4-9. My Dad is a native. It's been years since I have been, must try to rectify that! 🙂

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:06 pm

      Isn't that always the way – I don't visit enough of the north east when I go back to Newcastle.

  9. A Modern Mother Reply
    26/04/2015 at 7:46 am

    It's so hard to find a perfect self catering property – there are so many and they vary so much. This sounds ideal!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:07 pm

      It's a difficult task – getting number of bedrooms, bathrooms right and ensuring you would all feel comfortable living there!

  10. Mari's World Reply
    26/04/2015 at 8:08 am

    Gosh, you really did find a treasure here, what a beautiful place to stay. I have never been to Yorkshire but can't wait to visit one day. Love that window and the owl cameras are such a great idea.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:08 pm

      It was a treasure, Mari, and it made the stay all the more relaxing. The kitchen was fantastic – huge fridge, all mod-cons – fab.

  11. dorkymum Reply
    26/04/2015 at 11:02 am

    What a wonderful sounding place, even without the Owl Cam it would be tempting, but that's a definitely clincher! I love how homely the cottage looks – great to see a good stock of books and games, and I love the exposed brick. Great find, Trish! xx

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:10 pm

      I managed to read one of the books…and put it back again too! We have exposed brick in our own house too – I wonder whether that's why I was drawn to High Barn?

  12. Mary Key Reply
    26/04/2015 at 11:42 am

    Wow! These look so beautiful, I love this part of the country – I'll have to have a look into them for a possible visit next year!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:11 pm

      Well worth considering, Mary – we were very happy.

  13. Penny Carr Reply
    26/04/2015 at 8:36 pm

    Oh my – we used to go to Bridlington as a child and we had school trips to Bempton Cliffs! I'd love to go back to that part of the country and this place looks lovely so I'll definitely be bookmarking it for the future.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:12 pm

      Oh how lovely that I've brought back some childhood memories for you. Bempton Cliffs were fantastic – and a new RSPB visitors centre has just been created so it's looking great.

  14. otilia stocks Reply
    27/04/2015 at 5:51 am

    I love Yorkshire ! Well my hubby is a yorkshire man so i guess its normal! It looks really nice and confirmable there.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:14 pm

      Yorkshire is so vast – I need to go back to see more. Hopefully you'll get another visit there soon.

  15. Sarah Ebner Reply
    29/04/2015 at 7:56 pm

    Love the owl watching idea – but the accommodation does it for me even without. I know we would love it – seems to be gorgeous all round.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:15 pm

      It was idyllic, Sarah – it ticked all the boxes and, I can tell you, I had a lot of boxes to tick!

  16. Mummy Fever Reply
    03/05/2015 at 8:59 pm

    Oh wow – I love the look of this place, perfect for a family break 🙂

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      05/05/2015 at 2:15 pm

      I was so delighted to find it – I just knew it was right for us.

  17. Older Mum Reply
    06/05/2015 at 5:13 pm

    This looks absolutely gorgeous – really spacious and airy. I love cottages like this…. and it's got me thinking how much I want a holiday now. I'll bet the fresh air up there was great too. I love Yorkshire! X

  18. Clairejustine oxox Reply
    06/05/2015 at 8:38 pm

    Whoo this looks beautiful, love the view from the window 🙂

  19. Elizabeth (Wander Mum) Reply
    03/06/2015 at 12:15 pm

    It looks beautiful Trish. Love the decor – and owl cam of course! Brilliant. It's a great part of the world… I just hope you got some good weather. xx

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