Visit the Lincolnshire Wolds: Our stay at Brackenborough Hall Coach House
After the most amazing Summer together, experiencing so many wonderful things together as a family, we couldn’t believe our luck when we were invited for a stay in the Lincolnshire Wolds for one last adventure before the children returned to school.
I’ll be honest, I knew very little about the Lincolnshire Wolds and it’s not somewhere we had ever really considered as a family holiday destination, but having researched it before our trip, I wondered how this idyllic haven of peace had passed by our radar.
Located in the East Midlands, the Lincolnshire Wolds is a beautiful area of countryside with the most stunning and unspoilt scenery, home to rolling hills and hidden valleys, gentle streams and nestling villages. And after a two and a half hour drive from Lancashire, as we arrived in Lincolnshire, I knew that it was the perfect location for some uninterrupted quality time together as a family.
Brackenborough Hall Farm
We were very excited to be staying at Brackenborough Hall Coach House which provides award-winning self-catering accommodation on its 800-acre farm and is just 2 miles from the beautiful market town of Louth. I don’t think we have ever been greeted quite as warmly as we were by the owners Paul and Flora, and as we were showed to our accommodation I think we all agreed we were incredibly lucky!
As a larger family we were booked into the Granary which occupies the entire first floor of the Coach House and provides spacious accommodation for up to 12 people. The Granary was built above the old stables in the 1870s to store sacks of grain from the farm, and beautifully converted for holiday accommodation whilst still keeping many of the original features.
On entering the Granary I couldn’t believe how big it was, with the most spacious living area with two separate seating areas and two huge dining areas.
The children were fascinated to see the original grain winch and the workings of the 19th century Coach House clock, something they have never seen before!
The Master bedroom has a king-size bed and two singles, as well as the en-suite shower room, and the second bedroom has two single beds and a super-king bed which can be split into two singles on request, plus all linen is included throughout. There is also two double sofa beds in the living area making the Granary would be perfect for large families, extended families, and even groups of friends.
In the family bathroom there is a bath and separate shower, with all towels included throughout and even complimentary toiletries for guests to use.
I was so impressed by the kitchen which was fully equipped, even more so than our own home. With a dishwasher, washing machine and drier, two fridges, a freezer, a large cooker and a microwave, I could have moved in right there and then and never left. And in the cupboards we found every item of crockery, cutlery and kitchen utensil we could ever need or use.
The children were so excited to discover all kinds of hidden surprises in the Granary, from toys to train sets and, best of all, a fully stocked dressing up box. I couldn’t believe how much thought Paul and Flora had put in to making their holiday accommodation a real home from home.
Below the Granary are two more apartments – the Saddle Room and the Stables. The Saddle Room sleeps up to 6 guests in a double and twin room, plus a sofa bed in the living area. Built in the 18th century to stable the horses at Brackenborough Hall, the original features add such a quirky touch.
At the opposite side of the Coach House is the Saddle Room, sleeping up to 6 guests across two bedrooms and a sofa bed. I can imagine that it would be amazing to hire out the entire coach house as a group of friends or family and, for those who do this, the living area in Granary can be arranged so that up to 24 guests can dine together.
Running through the centre of the Coach House is the most amazing communal space for all guests with a full sized table tennis table and an old rocking horse for the children. There is also free seasonal fruit and vegetables from the garden for all guests, as well as more information, maps, and ‘Things to do’ folders than I have ever seen before in my life.
Outdoors the Coach House has the most amazing garden with ample seating, a gas barbecue, sand pit, outdoor ride-on toys, ball games, and a children’s play area.
To the back of the garden through a little gate, which the children were convinced led to a magical land of fairies, we were so excited to find a small opening amongst the trees with stepping stools and rope swings. When you’re four, five and six there is nothing quite as exciting!
Paul and Flora live in Brackenborough Hall, just a few yards from the Coach House, and it is just beautiful!
I love that Paul and Flora open up their home for guests to use the lawns and gardens, perfect for football, cricket and tennis, and we had so much fun playing there together as a family.
I think children’s favourite part of the garden was the “”triangle tree”, a real favourite with guests we were told. With a small hole cut out for little ones to crawl through, children are able to climb inside and up the tree which they did, over and over!
There are also countless nature trails and farm walks for guests to enjoy, orchards to wander and pick your own seasonal fruit, and plentiful parking and a secure cycle shed. In short, this place is nothing short of a idyllic,
Brackenborough Hall is a working farm, with 650 acres of land used to grow wheat, barley, oilseed, rape and beans. There is also pastures where their cows graze in the summer and through the winter the cows are housed in cattle yards where guests are free to visit and, if you’re lucky, see newborn calves being born.
Paul and Flora place a huge focus on conservation which has led to an amazing variety of wildlife on the farm with deer, buzzards, hares and badgers living in the parkland and owls, woodpeckers and numerous smaller birds in the trees surrounding the Coach House. There is something very calming about Brackenborough Hall Farm, even for my children which speaks volumes!
Exploring the countryside
We were very lucky that during our stay Paul invited the children over to Hirds Farm, just a thirty minute walk away, where he was harvesting the last crop of beans for the Summer. To get to Hirds Farm there is the most picturesque walk through the countryside, a route which I am sure is very popular with avid walkers.
Just two fields away, in Little Grimsby, is St Edith’s Church – the smallest, most picture perfect church we have ever seen!
The church is open just one Sunday per month and yet Paul and Flora have a key to the church for guests to use if they would like a look around.
Arriving at Hirds Farm, I can’t even tell you how excited the children were to see a combine harvester, let alone have a ride on one! Paul kindly allowed each of the children a turn in the cab, talking us through the various controls and telling us about life on the farm.
And when his son, who also works on the farm, allowed the children to have a turn in the tractor, I honestly thought they would burst with excitement!
A Visit To Louth
Louth is the principal town just two miles from Brackenborough with various visitor attractions including Hubbard’s Hills, the market, many independent retailers and Lincolnshire’s last remaining cattle market.
St James Church has the tallest medieval parish church spire in the whole of England and ordinarily you can climb right to the top. Sadly the spire was being repaired on our visit but I imagine the views are amazing!
Louth also has a local history museum which Paul and Flora have free entry passes which they kindly lend out to their guests. We had planned to go and look around but with the weather being so great the children wanted to stay outdoors and explore the local parks.
Louth is such a lovely little town with so many great places to eat and drink. It is also home to a number of takeaways, one of which we passed on the way home to pick up a Chinese Banquet for a cosy night in!
A Day At The Beach
With us being so fortunate with the weather we decided that a day at the beach would be the perfect way to round off our trip to Lincolnshire, and we were told that Mablethorpe, with it’s Blue Flag Award winning beach, was well worth a visit. With soft golden sand that stretched for miles the town centre is a traditional seaside resort with donkey rides, fish and chips, crazy golf and fairground rides. Further north you can find sand dunes and a far quieter experience and, wanting our own little spot to enjoy, we did just that.
The beach was absolutely stunning and the children were in their element running up and down the sand dunes, playing football, and building sandcastles with their bucket and spades.
Having taken a picnic, we had the most amazing day enjoying the last of the sunshine together and now looking back, that was one of my favourite days of the summer right there.
We had the most amazing few days in the Lincolnshire Wolds and I can’t believe I have got to the grand old age of 38 without knowing just how utterly beautiful that part of the country is. Our Summer has been a whirlwind of planes and ferries and exciting days out, and it feels as though we ended it in the most perfect way just kicking back, chilling out, and spending good old fashioned quality time together as a family.
I am so sad that our Summer had to end but I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to end it than this.
** We were invited to stay at Brackenborough Hall Farm for the purpose of our review. All words and opinions are my own **
Wow that was a bunch of photos showing the farm and how good everything looks. Would be a great family place to visit
What a beautiful place! It looks like there was a lot to do and you all had a great time!
That sounds like a wonderful family vacation. It looks like you all had such a great time. And I would love to explore a place like this. I love being out in the country and just enjoying what is around me.
Oh my goodness what an absolutely gorgeous little place to stay! I think I would spend so much time just checking out all the old details – I love how they have preserved it!
Wow, what a beautiful place! I would love to stay here one day. I always love when I can be near the water.
What a gorgeous place to stay! I love the original features & the play area for the kids
The Lincolnshire sounds great and the Brackenborough Hall Coach House looks amazing. I will definitely check it out when I go to the UK.
This is my perfect vacation! Historical, charming, water, gardens, you have it all! Thanks for sharing, I hope to get there in the future!
You have captured Lincolnshire perfectly. What a beautiful place to stay. We love that area and have chosen to celebrate many special occassions in the Brackenborough Arms Hotel. Glad you all had such a good time.
What a fun place to stay at. It is so cool that the remodeled the grain place into a house.
I would love to stay here. It looks like a really nice cozy place
What lovely photos! Seeing them makes me want to visit the UK even more. We’ve been watching several BBC shows and the countryside is lovely. It looks like your family had a lovely adventure as well.
This looks soo authentic to England and like an escape from the busy cities and routine. I would love to go there and enjoy the beautiful green gardens, the quiet and the fresh air.
What great photos! This seems like a really cool place to stay. I love how you are close to the beach and so many fun things.
This space looks amazing. The coach house is beautiful and so are the surroundings. Your kids look like they had so much fun!
The housing and bedroom are wonderful and I really like to explore such housing as it is so different from where I stay.
Seems like a perfect place for a family getaway!
Laura, this is incredible. What an amazing opportunity, I too have not really considered Lincolnshire as a family destination but this farm and house have definitely changed my mind.
Wow! The place looks awesome to spend time with family love the interior. I never mind to stay at this place for whole life ;).
What a beautiful place , i love everything from the decor – i mean its timeless , and so tastefully decorated and very inviting looking and the beach is just stunning love the photos of your 3 little ones too
Beautiful photos from a beautiful place. I love how roomy the place was and it looks like they have everything you need there for your stay. How cool for the kids to ride the massive tractor!!
I love the look of this place. It sounds like a great place to have a short stay with the family. My son would g nuts if he got to ride the tractor he loves all sorts of vehicles.
Wow this looks gorgeous! Also glad you guys got the good weather so you could enjoy your time outside too.
Wow! Two bedrooms. So spacious and cozy. King size bed is a plus. Sounds great for a good family vacation.
Wow what an experience! I love the inside of the Lincolnshire. Of course, living here in America, we don’t normally see styles like this, but I love the windows over the beds and the great use of space.
WOW I love all the wood accents in this accommodation. Definitely sounds and looks like a relaxing place to stay at with the family.
Wow what an interesting place to stay – it’s so different. I bet it was a really nice experience for you all.x
Wow, this place looks amazing! I had never heard of the Lincolnshire Wolds before. I especially love how they have transformed the stables.
What a lovely little property! I am so glad you and your family had such an amazing time there!
Beautiful place, Looks like you guys are having, Nice to stay near beach . That coach house is picture worthy.
The kids looks so cute! I love their coordinated clothes. Also, the room makes it really more spacious for all of you. I am sure all of you are having a great time. Enjoy!
Oh my goodness what an incredible place to stay! I absolutely LOVE the decor in this place – and the surrounding area clearly offers so much opportunity for adventuring. Win win!
Wow this place is packed with character! Love how guests can have free seasonal fruit and vegetables that is fab! X
Oh my gosh, the accommodation alone is worth a visit! That looks like the perfect place to stay, the owners have put so much thought into their house, simply amazing! It sounds like you had the perfect end of summer stay ! I’m really jealous. 🙂
Lincolnshire Wolds looks like a place my family would love. It’s rustic and cozy. Hope we could also visit it one of these days.
Beautiful place…so well.described…lovely pics…nestled in the natural environment provulides the added beauty..
Thank you
I am definitely impressed they turned the grainery into a usable living area. And it looks so beautiful in there. I know my daughter would have a great time for a vacation there. All the pictures of your family are beautiful as always. Glad you had a good trip.
What a beautiful place! I love the ceilings and the floors. My family would love to stay in a place like that!
Brackenborough Hall Farm looks like a wonderful place to stay! And that beach…
I love adventures just before school goes back, I think it’s the perfect time to go away and this looks amazing, packed full of history and character. Looks like a lovely break and your photos are gorgeous.
Wow this place is right on my doorstep how beautiful- I love a blog full of pictures so this has really made my day how beautiful they are too
What a beautiful place and it’s so big! I love how much there is to there and the gardens are lovely. It’s perfect for a family x
This looks like such a fun place to stay. You really capture the essence of the place. Great photos! Thanks for sharing.
You have a good design of post with Hall Coach House pictures and valuable information about Lincolnshire which is really nice to know about it. Thanks a lot to share.
What a gorgeous building – I’d love to stay there! I was actually born in Lincolnshire but we moved away when I was 2 and I’ve never really been back properly. Very tempted after seeing your gorgeous photos!
The Brackenborough Hall Coach house looks like a nice vintage stay. What a great family vacay before fall sets in.
Wow it looks amazing, the farmhouse is beautiful
I love the look of slanted wooden ceilings, it has such countryside vibes. This looks like a lovely place x
What a cute and cozy place! All of the pictures here are amazing, I would love to visit there one day with my family as well. Thanks for sharing!
It is such a beautiful place!
This looks like it would be such an amazing place to visit. All of these pictures probably don’t do it justice for what it really looks like.
What a stunning place to stay – the coach house is simply gorgeous and a photographers dream. Looks like you had a brilliant break
oh my! this place is so unique and beautiful… great to hv a day or two spent in this place.. Dream house.. haha nice break..
It’s the vacations like this that strengthen a family’s bond. I love the place that you picked for your vacation, it’s perfect for the whole family, not just for the kids! Plus there’s so much to enjoy. You can’t help but fall in love with the place.
How beautiful is this place! Looks so homely. Looks like a fab place to have a family holiday x
What an excellent post. I read your blog. You write a very good blog with beautiful photographs. Thank you so much for sharing fantastic photos and wonderful experience with us.