Finding group accommodation for up to 16 with a pool can be a task in itself, especially if your group is a family of two or three generations and you have all ages to consider. You’ll want something to occupy the little ones, something for the grown ups with all their varying tastes, and then, heavens above, the last thing you want is the teenagers complaining that they’re bored! The answer is Beyond The Woods.
This fantastic holiday house is tucked away in the depths of the Somerset countryside, amidst 180 acres of organic farmland, so it’s surrounded by lush pastures, rolling hills and wooded valleys. Peace, tranquility, fresh air; absolutely perfect if what you want is somewhere to escape to, to shut yourselves away from the world and spend a week, a midweek break or a long weekend just chillin’ with your nearest and dearest.
Beyond The Woods is very welcoming and doesn’t necessarily feel like a holiday house; more like someone you know quite well has lent you their home for the weekend, and that’s nice. Get inside and you’ll see that it’s all lovely and light, and all airy and fresh, and that’s what it’s like throughout the house. Downstairs is pretty much all access friendly, with level thresholds, a ramp and a ground floor bedroom with an en suite wet room.
Upstairs are five more bedrooms , with all but one of them en suite; the outlook across the countryside is all you need to set you up for the day, to put a smile on your face. If the weather is good you can make the most of the large garden – get out there, have afternoon tea at the Giant’s Table, stroll beneath the pergola, chase the kids about on the lawn, give them a push on the roundabout, watch them clamber about in the play fort and bounce about on the trampoline.
The icing on the cake is the spa hall, just a few strides across the lawn from the house; it’s a cracker. There’s an L-shaped heated pool, a sunken hot tub and the added luxury of a sauna. Living the dream or what? But it doesn’t stop there! There is just so much to do at Beyond The Woods! At the front of the house there’s an undercover games area with table tennis and air hockey, there’s a boules pitch, and of course, you’re welcome to explore the farmland where there are 3 signposted walks and a letterbox challenge. Stroll up to the woods for a picnic and a play on the log swings, go and see if the chickens in the orchard have laid any eggs, bring your nets and go pond dipping, and get your torches ready for night time walks listening out for owls hooting and badgers snuffling about.
Fantastic, isn’t it! A world away from the hectic push and shove of modern life, so we understand if you don’t bother to go out whilst you’re here. Honestly, you don’t need to, but if you did fancy seeing a bit of the local area there’s much to discover – but where do we start?! How about a good walk and a pub lunch? If that appeals you could walk up to The Martlett at Langford Budville or over to The Rock Inn at Waterrow. Pootle over to the Blackdown Hills in the car and amble up to Wellington Monument then go for refreshments at the Half Moon at Clayhidon, or climb to the summit of Culm Beacon and after you’ve got your fill of the panoramic views wander back down to The Culm Valley Inn at Culmstock.
If you want family attractions have a day out on the West Somerset Railway; catch a steam train to the coast, alight at Minehead or Blue Anchor, play on the sands, have fish and chips, or get off at Dunster and visit the working flour mill and the ancient castle on the hill above the village. Go to Tiverton and have a leisurely trip along the Grand Western Canal on a horse drawn barge, rounded off with cream tea in the canal side tea gardens. Head to Knighthayes Court (NT) where you can have a look round the house and then follow one of the family trails in the park, followed by refreshments in the Stables Café; take the kids to Tropiquaria Zoo Animals & Fun, to Diggerland or Crealy Park.
There’s plenty nearby for grown ups too, and a lot of scope if you’re entertaining corporate clients. You might catch a match day at Somerset County Cricket Club or a race day at Taunton Racecourse. You can even head up to Mansell raceway for a go-karting session or over to Wimbleball Lake for watersports. Within about an hour you can be on the beautiful Jurassic Coast where you can try a mackerel fishing trip, or maybe a foraging course at River Cottage HQ.
Explore the rugged wilds of the Quantock Hills; see it all on a hike, on bikes, or on horseback with Quantock Trekking. Climb up through the sun dappled combes to the windswept heaths where wild ponies feed and the views stretch across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Head for the rufty tufty moors of Exmoor National Park and book an Exmoor Safari, or discover it for yourself. Stroll up over the cliff to tiny Culbone Church, amble along the river to Tarr Steps and cross the old clapper bridge, sit and watch the world go by at Porlock Weir.
See? Loads to see, loads to do, but that’s only if you want to. If you decide to spend all your time hidden away from the crowds at Beyond The Woods you’ll still have a wonderful time; no need to venture forth when you’ve got it this good. Check your diary, reserve your dates for 48 hours and get on the phone – Beyond The Woods is far too good to miss out on!
All our properties which are able to accommodate up to 16 guests and has an indoor pool: