Hello, I'm Vacation.
(by Stripe)HOUSE-SIT We live in a historic farmhouse, situated in The Chiltern Hills, officially classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The farm dates back to the 17th century and is surrounded by unspoilt countryside which includes an extensive network of footpaths and cycle ways through beautiful beech woods and ancient pathways. Each season brings its own beauty: in Spring the beechwoods are carpeted with bluebells and the fields flooded with buttercups. Summer is the time for haymaking and brings the Red Kites and Buzzards wheeling overhead in search of prey. By Autumn the beech woods have turned a glorious gold, followed by Winter with it own spectacular sunsets and snowy landscapes. Badgers, foxes and deer are often seen at dusk, while bats and glis glis frequent the farm outbuildings by night. The owners sold their stock and retired from farming three years ago and now the 65 acres of grazing is rented to a local farmer who is responsible for all the maintenance and repairs on the pasture. There is no agricultural involvement necessary for house sitters. THE PROPERTY The farmhouse is fully centrally heated and consists of a lounge with inglenook fireplace, a large farmhouse kitchen, utility room, dining room, study, conservatory and cloakroom. Upstairs there are four double bedrooms and one single bedroom, two shower rooms, a bathroom and another office. The property has wifi internet and all the usual entertainment facilities and modern conveniences: washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, deep freeze etc. The house is set back from the road and stands in its own grounds, it is surrounded by well maintained gardens and a small lake. There are two patios, a barbecue and garden furniture. RESPONSIBILITIES In terms of maintenance: a lawn mowing contractor attends to the grass on a weekly basis, a professional gardener tends the garden fortnightly and a professional cleaner cares for the farmhouse for up to 8 hours a week (or as necessary). PET CARE The owners have one young dog called Dylan, he's a friendly Corgi who loves walks and company. ALSO ON THE PROPERTY There are two self-catering holiday rentals at the farm: The Barn and The Dairy, both of which are self-contained and detached from the farmhouse, also a cottage situated close by in the village. An accommodation manager maintains the properties and prepares them for incoming guests. The house-sitters involvement is minimal: responding to telephone enquiries on a designated landline and passing on the information by e-mail to the owners who, in turn, deal with any reservations. The vast majority of enquiries, five or six per week, come via the internet and are handled directly by the owners. The owners can usually be contacted daily by e-mail. In terms of location, the farm is situated close to The Lee village which has a couple of pub/restaurants and a village shop within easy walking distance, a nearby golf course and is only three miles from Gt Missenden village and railways station (The Chiltern Line) which offers a half-hourly, direct, service to London which takes approximately forty minutes. Please get in touch
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Reviews from customers (0)
- LS
My dog and I visited prior to any arrangement and were made to feel very welcome. There seemed to be too long to wait to housesit for Anthea, Geoff and Dylan. I’m the meantime we kept in touch to discuss anything that felt relevant. When we arrived there was a full fridge of food, which I haven’t experienced before. And a warm welcome prior to departure Throughout our stay our accommodation was perfect for us. Quite and private walkies with the dogs. Warm and inviting rooms. Basic instruction for the Corgi whom I now miss as is a fun and kind character… both dogs lived very well for the duration of the stay and experience just made life feel good! My dog is from the streets of India so to experience such luxury was a real milestone for us and we hope to return Sincere gratitude and love for our time spent here. Memorable! And these words are not enough 🐕🐕🫶🏽
Lucy Stimpson•
- BR
Wow this was a great sit. The home owners made me feel at home right away and I was greeted friendly with my now good friend the dog Dylan.all about this sit was great,lovely house great owners ,and a lovely dog. Dylan was so much fun to be with,at the beginning not so keen on walking with me but then no problem at all. He loved to play with his ball and would bring it inside and ask me to come out and play. He would also take my shoes and bring them outside. He would never chew on them tho. I really enjoyed my stay at the farm.
Bravo•
- DE
I had a wonderful house sit in Geoff and Anthea’s very comfortable family home and farm. As is my usual process, I had met them before the start date, and when I arrived for the actual sit I was welcomed with a lovely evening meal and good company. Dylan is a lovely Corgi with an affectionate and gentle character. He loves company so he was never very far away, whether I was working on my computer or enjoying the beautiful grounds. Such a lovely dog, I will miss him for sure. I was extremely luck with the weather for most of my sit, it was hot and sunny so I was able to spend a lot of time down by the wonderful pond, where I watched a mother duck with her baby ducklings. What a bonus, it really was idyllic. Plus right out of the door there are many fantastic walks so Dylan and I enjoyed daily walks in the fields and woods, and again Dylan was never very far away, staying close by on our walks. Geoff and Anthea have already asked me back, however, on this occasion I already have another booking but I do hope to return again soon. Thank you so much guys for making me feel so welcome. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.
DebMS•
- AN
I just completed three weeks at Lower Bassibones. It is a working farm which hits a very happy medium. The works (hay cutting and cattle grazing) are close but not invasive. The area spectacularly scenic as are the house grounds, lovingly tended, vistas of lawns and flowering shrubs. The house is remarkable and a repository of histories of the present and the previous owners. Each object seems to have a story to tell, no wonder in a house in parts going back centuries. And, as a bonus, windows everywhere so that no part of the striking landscape is lost. Incredibly (but for the modern comforts) the place and its surroundings have a feel of – imagined - XIXth century. And so close to London. Geoff and Anthea were thoughtful and gracious hosts, clearly concerned for my well-being and keen that I should enjoy (rather than endure] the stay. And I did, very much so. A pretty bedroom. A couple of meals together, to mark the initial welcome and the parting. Comprehensive instructions to cater for the complexity of the house. That apart, we kept in electronic touch, enough to ensure smooth running without becoming a chore. Highly recommended.
anna•