Huntstile Organic Farm, Goatshurst, Near Bridgwater, Somerset TA5 2DQ

The warmest of welcomes…

Quickly read through these questions…
1) Do you want to stay in a relaxed atmosphere where you feel you are visiting friends rather than just staying in a guest house?
2) Have you ever dreamt of escaping city life by staying on a working farm where at 8am you’re collecting eggs from the hen-house and then eating them half an hour later? (The eggs, not the hens.)
3) Does the idea of sleeping in a gypsy caravan, an apple loft or log cabin stir romantic feelings?
4) Or does fresh, perfectly cooked organic produce get your taste buds tingling?

Well if you answered yes to any of the above, book yourself a stay at Huntstile Organic Farm.

Huntstile just outside of the tiny village of Goathurst, situated close to the beautiful Quantock Hills, is the perfect antidote to the hectic city pace that most of us live our lives. I very rarely use the word perfect, but when even a thunderstorm, a faulty Sat Nav (complete with an empty petrol tank) and an allergy to dogs can’t spoil your holiday then I’m not afraid to use it. Perfect, perfect, perfect. There, I used it thrice!

Izzy and Charlotte BFFs

We arrived after a four-and-a-half hour drive, it would have been just over three hours had the M25 had not been playing the ‘let’s pretend to be one long car park’ game. We were greeted by the wagging tails of Izzy and Stella (two of the three farm dogs) and the broad grin of Lizzie (host and wife to ‘Big Farmer John’ as my daughter Charlotte called him)

My children were beyond excited about staying on the working farm and I was looking forward to some chilled quality time together without them glued to the TV/XBox/iPad.

Stop kidding about!

But I saw very little of them, they were too busy having fun on the log pile, building camps in the hay bales, playing fetch with their new canine friends, feeding the goats and basically enjoying being outside. The only time we spent together was in the farm ‘cafe’ where we had the most wonderful (and filling) breakfasts and an evening meal with Lizzy, John, a couple of their friends and two other guests, supper club style.

Big brilliant breakfast

The Farm Cafe – where all the magic happens!

Breakfast was amazing, all ingredients, as you would expect, were organic and locally sourced. The thickly cut smoky, yet sweet, bacon and plump, juicy pork sausages were some of the best we’d eaten. The mushrooms and tomatoes tasted as if they’d only been picked/dug up minutes before and we knew that the eggs were fresh… I witnessed them being collected!

We made short work of the chickens…

Our evening meal, a simple roast, cooked by Lizzy’s son Nathaniel was incredible too. It just goes to show how important fresh produce is, Lizzy put it best by saying that ‘they like to serve food that’s not been messed with by scientists’.

Lizzie’s plum cake…

The highlight of our meal was the Plum Cake, fruit picked from the farm’s orchard and served with thick Somerset cream. Click here for the recipe. This was all washed down with some Rich’s Farmhouse Cider from nearby Burnham-on-sea. The feast was good value too, especially as we had seconds, at £17 for adults and £7.50 for children.

Our home for three nights… The Studio (or Log Cabin)

Probably best if we mention the actual accommodation. Huntstile Farm has various options to suit even the tightest of budgets… Camping (£15 p/n), the Gypsy Caravan (from £50 p/n), the Summerhouse (£75 p/n), a Log Cabin (£99 p/n), Cute ‘n cosy rustic bedrooms and they even offer self catering options in an apartment or cottage. (click here to see all of the accommodation options and prices.)

Good morning Rose

We scanned the website, none of the bedrooms are alike, and as the Apple Loft was booked we went for the Studio, AKA The Log Cabin, that could sleep all four of us. It was simple yet very comfortable, looking kind of like a big Swedish sauna with a TV and bathroom. We were glad we chose here as we got to say hello to Rose the pet Gloucester Old Spot pig on the way to breakfast every morning, although I did feel a slight twang of guilt… Mmmmm bacon!

Pie and a pint for a fiver at the Maypole

To top it all off there are plenty of things to do within a 30 mile radius of the farm. We recommend Ramscombe in The Great Wood (don’t forget to take a picnic and something for the stone BBQs), Kilve Beach and Cheddar Gorge (although this has become a tad commercialised). One local pub, The Maypole, is worth a visit. When we went they had a great deal, a pie and a pint for £5 – bargain!

As pretty as a picture…

Lizzie, John and all the staff made us all feel so welcome and so at home. Charlotte even burst into tears when we had to say goodbye. We’re already planning our next stay, safe in the knowledge that our next visit will be as perfect as the last one. Look, I used the P word again!

For more info on Huntstile Organic Farm go to their website (including details of their fab wedding packages)

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