Back in April, once the lockdown rules had changed. Hurrah! We set off for a well needed staycation at this beautifully converted barn in Crewkerne called; The Hideaway. It is one of the many gorgeous properties that can be found on the Fords Croft Cottages site, and was the perfect place for a bit of R&R in the countryside.
Although the Hideaway is a converted barn, it has the feeling of a swish boutique hotel. The place was bursting with character, and the styling along with the attention to detail made it feel so homely and welcoming.
I can see why The Hideaway has been voted in the ‘top 25 cottages in the UK’ by The Sunday Times.
In this article...
Cooking and dining at The Hideaway
The Hideaway had a compact U shape shaker style kitchen, with a fun red brick accent wall. Although small, it had everything you would need to cook up a hearty breakfast, or a romantic meal for two.
There was a small fridge under the counter, and all the basics like a kettle, toaster, oven and hob. Along with a good selection of kitchen utensils, although one thing was missing in the drawers – a trusty pizza slicer. Which, for a pizza lover like me, one of those would have certainly come in handy. Yes I know you can use a knife, but it’s just not the same is it!
Unfortunately there isn’t a dishwasher at this property, so you might have to flip a coin and see who’s got to do the washing up. However, the nice deep Belfast sink makes light work of this.
When it comes to dining at The Hideaway, you have a few options.
There are two metal bar stools that can be pulled up to the breakfast bar for casual dining. Or, if you’d rather, there is a circular dining table which can randomly sit 4 people (maybe you’re allowed to bring visitors over for the day?) But if you’re really lucky and the British weather is on your side, then you could dine alfresco on your very own private south facing patio. Bliss!
Location & things to do near Crewkerne
The Hideaway is in the market town of Crewkerne. Only a thirty minute drive to the world heritage Jurassic coast, where you will find a selection of beautiful beaches to enjoy. But if you drive a little further still, you will end up at one of our favourite beaches; Durdle Door. Which has a huge stone archway jutting out to sea.
However, if you fancy staying more local and giving fossil hunting a go. Then I recommend heading to Charmouth or Lyme Regis beach as both of them have so many fossils waiting to be discovered.
We decided to visit Burton Bradstock beach during our stay, and strolled along part of the scenic coastal walk there before heading back to get some lunch. I will warn you though, the take-away fish and chips at Hive Beach Cafe were ridiculously expensive! One portion of Hake & chips was £15, and although tasty, it wasn’t a generous size at all.
There are so many other places near by that you could explore. We also went for a lovely woodland walk in the Blackdown Hills (AONB) about a 40 minutes drive away from The Hideaway.
How to relax at this peaceful Somerset staycation
After a long day exploring the local area, there’s nothing better than slipping into a hot bubble bath to soak away all your aches. The freestanding roll top at The Hideaway didn’t disappoint. It was so heavenly to switch off and watch the world go by out the large bathroom window. I even had the cutest little calf keep popping his head around the corner, which was absolutely adorable.
But perhaps baths aren’t for you, and a shower isn’t your idea of relaxing either. Well, If thats the case then theres a roomy leather sofa in the lounge for you to kick your feet up and watch some tv. Or if Saturday night TV has taken a nosedive, theres a small selection of DVD’s in the cabinet to choose from.
If you wanted to make things extra cosy in here, the impressive log burner is ready and waiting to be used. A couple of fire logs are provided, with an honesty jar beside them for you to pop some change in. We went to light ours up around 8pm, to then sadly realise we didn’t have a lighter, or any matches. Absolute fail.
Thankfully, we managed to get hold of one of the staff members who kindly dropped us off a new lighter.
There is also a fire pit outside on the private patio which would have been so lovely to sit out there and watch the stars with a hot chocolate. Unfortunately it rained the evenings that we were there, so we didn’t get to do that. But we did get to sit out there for a morning cuppa, listening to the birds chirping and the cows mooing away.
Sleeping at The Hideaway
When you go away, it’s nice to come home feeling recharged from a wonderful nights sleep, right? Not cranky from a few crummy nights tossing and turning in an uncomfortable lumpy bed all night long.
Well, the latter certainly wasn’t an issue here. The kingsize bed was so comfortable, that we both slept great and woke feeling refreshed. The pillows were also really comfy, and the bedding was made with luxurious soft Egyptian cotton too.
The only thing I will say about staying here is; be prepared to be woken up early from all the cows mooing in the field behind!
We really enjoyed our stay at the Hideaway and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nice relaxing couples break in Somerset. If you would like to see more, take a look at our video below.
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