North Hayne Farm Cottages

28/12/2024

Wow...and just like that...Christmas week is all "wrapped up"!
The biggest and jolliest of thankyou's to ALL our fabulous farmers and their families who were just brilliant.
Stockings were hung for each animal, there was reindeer food made, santa cookies decorated, festive donkey rides, jingly goat walks ( and singing!) ....PLUS the BIG event itself when the incredible Farmer Christmas turned up on his John Deer & trailer just after the cast of 2024 had finished their Christmas Eve Nativity performance!!...what a night!..superstars ,everyone of them 🥰...including Roobarb who was certainly in a hurry to get Mary to her stable before the baby arrived! 🤣

Pampering treatments, walks on the beach, cosy cottages and LOTS of fresh air and farm activities provided something for everyone and thankyou all so much for your lovely feedback in our visitor books ( all read and very much appreciated)

An important thankyou to our very hardworking 'team' and own family without whom, none of this would be possible. We are super grateful 🙏

No rest yet for us though as New Year festivities begin so here's to another wonderful week.
Sending love to you all xx

13/12/2024

The Christmas and New Year preparations are well underway.
The decs are all up, cottages look lovely and the farm is looking particularly festive with twinkling lights and a brand new Festive Photo bench!! ( thanks Dave, lovely job!)

Stripey Legs and Roobarb have wonderful Christmas wreaths on their stable doors...it's their 1st Christmas with us so we're making a particular effort to help them feel special 😊
Roobarb has started rehearsals for our very own Bethlehayne Nativity . He's slightly concerned he'll get stage fright and is still not sure about his fancy Christmas leg warmers 😆 but Stripey thinks he'll smash it on the night!

Farmer Rog has just completed his 4th kitchen makeover this year and is currently planning a bathroom refit for Mrs Tiggywinkle in 2025 !...the chap never stops. He has also been trying out our new snow machine so watch this space...there might well be snow in Devon this year.

Spaces still remaining for New Year so if anyone fancies a few days away after Christmas please let us know. We can promise relaxation, star gazing in your hot tub, lots of merriment and good cheer and lots of good old Welly wanging as we throw out the old year and see in 2025!

09/12/2024

A big thankyou to ALL our Pre Christmas weekend
guests who joined us for some festive farm fun.
Not even storm Darragh could stop the show!!...how our Christmas Tree star and lights remained on, we'll never know!!

Cosy cottages meant-a lovely excuse to stay in, though, and relax, and enjoy all the additional activities included, not forgetting a very special guest appearance from our very own Farmer Christmas who braved the wind and rain to spread some merriment and excitement.

A big cheer to everyone involved.
OK, time for a quick glass of mulled wine and then Christmas and New Year, here we come!

15/11/2024

*FESTIVE UPDATE* ( please share)

Roobarb is too excited not to share this with as many of you as he can..as he is proud as proud to announce his very 1st acting role as "Mary's Donkey" in our Christmas Eve Nativity this year!!!

Big, important role? HUGE
Is he nervous? You bet!!
Is he rehearsing already? He sure is!!
Will he cope with the fame?...come and find out..😆
Just 1 cottage remaining now for Christmas Week ( Samuel Whiskers/sleeps up to 6 with log burner, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and private 6 seater hot tub)
Available from Sat 21st Dec for 5, 6 or 7 nights...eeek!!! Exciting stuff...NOW FULLY BOOKED for 2024, bookings being taken for 2025!

Also includes...

🎅Special Christmas Eve visit from our fabulous Farmer Christmas
🤱Christmas Eve Nativity in the farm barns!!
🦌Reindeer Food Workshop
🎄Fully Decorated cottages
🎁Present for every child
🫏Festive donkey rides and animal activities
💆‍♀️Massage, and meals available to pre order

OR fancy joining us for New Year?

All the usual festive farm fun with some crazy Welly Wanging thrown in! and of course the chance to see in 2025 in your own hot tub under the stars 🌟, meet the new Nativity star Roobarb 🤞🤞 and walk off those excess mince pies with a New Year walk on the beach or moor?

A perfect break and chance to unwind before going back to school/work either with friends, family or just much needed quiet time on your own?

4 cottages available. Min 3 night stay.

Email for details and pricing.
Returner discounts available.

https://www.northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk

10/11/2024

A shout out to our brilliant bunch of 'farmers' who joined us this weekend for our annual Bonfire 'do'!

This is a special treat in our yearly calendar and offers a firework free event which is perfect for those who dislike loud noises and bangs and particularly appreciated not just by our animals but all those locally 🤎.

A special mention must also go the "Guy Building Team" and to Farmer Rog (who rather reluctantly donated some clothing for our Guy Fawkes... 🤣 ...which were then stuffed and tied together ...the guy...not Farmer Roger!!) and ceremoniously carried by everyone to the bonfire.

There were sparklers, a torchlight procession, marshmallow toasting, lovely night sky and lots of smiley faces followed by a Bonfire 'supper' and more bonfire gazing. Lovely late autumn weather too...lucky us 😍
Bookings are already being taken for 2025 so do get in touch if you'd like to join us next year. X

Small break now as we start our winter refurbs ( Samuel Whiskers cottage is due a new kitchen so that's first on the list!)then it's full steam ahead with our Festive breaks. More details to follow 🎅x

01/11/2024

A 'fangtastic' half term and a big thankyou to ALL our wonderful families who helped make it scarily special!
We did it all...

😱 Scream Tea on arrival!
🎃 Home grown pumpkins
🧹Lots of mucking out !!( thankyou to our Farm Hands Club!)
🕷Giant Bubble Webs and Cauldron painting (thanks to Tangled With Nature for our wonderful Free Rangers Forest School session)
🐐Ghostly Goat Walks with Waffle 🩷
🦇Bat Walks with Farmer Rog
👻Spooktacular free craft workshop
🫏Donkey time with Roo and Stripey Legs

🧙‍♀️🧹And last but not least, our annual ( and super popular) **Pumpkin Carving Competition** last night with the incredible Grizelda Witch who has been flying in to North Hayne Farm Cottages for 18 years now!!! ...and who is quite simply the most brilliant, if not, unpredictable judge!
Congratulations to ALL our entrants and big well done to our carved pumpkin winners and runners up 👏

Such a great night, and definately not just for the children!. ..and lovely to see our Trick Or Treaters running around excitedly in a lovely safe environment ❤️

What's next?... well a quick re charge and much needed coffee for Farmer Roger and then our super spectacular animal friendly Bonfire Weekend...and then Christmas here we come!Yayyy. Will keep you posted x

30/09/2024

Before our half termers arrive, just a reminder that the fabulous Exmoor Dark Skies Festival begins on 18th October and runs this year to 3rd November this year so if you love your stars and night skies then this is the perfect time to get away.

Want to learn more? Take a peak at the link below and find out what the area can offer ( in addition to all the usual fabulous farm fun of course!😉)

https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/exmoor-for-everyone/stargazing-and-dark-skies/exmoor-dark-skies-festival

As an accredited Dark Skies Friendly Business member we would LOVE to help you experience family stargazing so don't forget to pop into reception and collect our Stary Nights "goody" bag and telescope, free to borrow for anyone who asks ...
Seems like the perfect reason to also get in some marshmallows too if you ask us!!....anyone up for that? 😄🌠

Every Autumn we celebrate our dark skies - why not join us from 18 October to 3rd November 2024?

18/09/2024

To ALL of you who continue to support our efforts to support young autistic people and their families ....a big big thankyou ❤️
Our most recent event was a summer Olympic Quiz and Pizza party where we raised a further £210.00 for National Autistic Society .
A lovely medal arrived in the post today which belongs to you ALL.
Great work everyone and thank you again XX

10/09/2024

Part 2! ...Meet Roobarb 💙

10/09/2024

*** Important update...

Some of you will sadly know that we lost Costello a few weeks ago 😔..very unexpectedly and very suddenly, and our lovely boy Stripey Legs was once again on his own.

After having searched for a donkey most of last year we were not too hopeful but it seems that sometimes things just fall into place and work out!

The HUGEST of 'welcomes' to the lovely ROOBARB 🥰..may he and Stripes become the best of friends and be with us for many many years please 🙏 ❤️

Part 2 coming up in a mo!!

08/09/2024

Looking for a special treat for the family?
We have a few pretty special events running over the next 3 months but in particular our popular Pre Christmas weekend break is back again for 2024.

Running from Friday 6th December for up to 3 nights, ( 2 night stays also available so just ask!) This special weekend event not only includes the usual farm feeding activities twice a day but ALSO includes a gift from Farmer Christmas, festive donkey rides, christmas activities, private hot tub use ( of course!!) and fully decorated cottages to get you in the festive mood!

As an example... Prices are from just £30 per person per night in a 2 bed cottage sleeping 4.
Been before? Ask us about our Returner Discounts too!
2 cottages already booked so please see our availability online for remaining spaces or as always message us or give us a call x
https://www.northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk/booking

04/09/2024

That was SOME weekend!!
Hugest of thanks to our fabulous team, our amazing friends, our supportive family and especially to you ALL for making the last 20 years quite incredible!
Making your farm holiday the BEST it can be, has always been, ( and will always remain) THE most important thing to us and to have watched so many of our farm children grow up and be part of your lives has been such a privilege ❤️
Happy Farmiversary everyone xx
Hope to see many of you in 2025!

03/09/2024

*****Poster Competition WINNERS Announced*****

To celebrate the farms 20th Farmiversary on the 1st September, our "farmers" have been busy over the summer getting creative and designing a poster that might encourage others to come and stay and enjoy a bit of farm life!

Wow! Tough choice, brilliant entries!!...BUT the judges all finally agreed so here we are...

A huge well done to all our winners . All of them have been contacted and our winner has personally received her prize.
Their posters will be used by us in some future marketing: so look out for them over the next few months!

OLIVIA age 10years 1st Prize- wins £200 North Hayne Farm Stay voucher
OLIVER age 8years 2nd Prize £100 voucher
JACK age 45 3rd Prize £50 voucher

Plus a fabulous Highly Commended award to Celia and Hannah! ( extra, unexpected awards by request of the judges)

Thankyou to all of you who took the time to join in and submit an entry, we were inundated with posters and the judges did not find the task easy.
Thankyou all again from all the team at North Hayne x

15/08/2024

Mid August already!!...how did that happen?
Incredible Summer so far, some great weather too which has added to the fun.
There have been Bat Walks, butterfly counts, crafts, bubbles, mucking out and LOTS of animal fun. Not forgetting our ever popular hot tubs, days at the beach and some much needed pampering treatments for our grown ups!
Our "Farmers" have been a great bunch too ( big thanks to you all) and our new addition Stripey Legs ( our donkey) has settled in really well and has already made good friends with Costello ❤️

We look forward to the remainder of August PLUS our special 20th Farmiversary party on the 1st September where we will be announcing the winner of our Design a Farm Poster competition....there's still time to email or post in your entries if you haven't already?

The winner will receive a fabulous £200 off a break with us and there are runner up prizes too so please, please have a go. We will be sharing the winning poster with you all and using it for future marketing so here's your chance to be famous 😆

Thankyou summer 2024 so far you've been pretty impressive x

Ps 2025 bookings currently being held at 2024 prices and available to booking online or over the phone
https://www.northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk/booking

19/07/2024

A special announcement...

To mark the start of the school summer hols and our 20th "Farmiversary" of running North Hayne happening on September 1st, we are running a competition offering a 1st prize of £200 towards a future stay with us,for the winner and their family (or friends) and of course the chance to meet all our fabulous animals ( and human team!!)

We are calling on your creative talents and asking you to design a North Hayne Farm Poster which we can use for future marketing!

We've seen huge talent over the years both with our hand washing sticker designs and donated pictures for our Playbarn Gallery, but this is the chance to go bigger and bolder and have fun over the next 6 weeks.

Competition is open to all ages and abilities and entries must be emailed or posted to us before 31st August this year. The winner will be chosen by us on the 1st September.

See the details below for further information or message us if you need to check anything.

In the meantime here's to another busy summer of farm experiences for all our families already booked in with us. There's a LOT of fun planned so we will be sure to share it with everyone over the next few weeks

Good luck with your poster designs!
We can't wait to see them.

10/07/2024

Amazing News!!...
After a considerable search, as many of you will know ...we have finally found a new potential best buddy for Costello our donkey.

Everyone, 🥁 ...meet STRIPEY LEGS !!! 🤎🫏🎉

Stripey is approx 17 years old and he too sadly lost his best friend. He's a lovely boy with so much affection to give that we all just fell in love with him.

Stripey arrived yesterday ( hugest of thankyous to The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth for arranging this and helping us so much and to Ginny ( Stripeys previous owner who has passed him on to us...we promise to do our best for him Ginny!!))

In time, and with work and patience we are confident that Stripes will be the happiest of boys and become a huge member of the farm team and loved by you all.
In the meantime, we will leave you with a bit of video of the moment Stripey arrived.
More updates to follow.

01/06/2024

Wow! That seemed like the fastest Whitsun week school holiday ever!..it was over in a flash ( or is that just a sign we're getting older?)

Such a fantastic group of farmers who we shall truly miss next week 💚 thankyou to everyone who stayed.
We enjoyed some great moments hanging out with the goats and lambs at Farm Hands Club, made some really epic bubbles at Free Rangers ....and even got to watch the sheep get sheared and see some bats fly!

To top it off 6 gorgeous Silkie chicks arrived so we just had to fit in some chick handling time.
That was all on top of the usual twice daily animal feeding sessions and some much loved donkey rides by our one and only amazing Costello ❤️

We must also give a special mention to some of our particularly compassionate and caring "farmers" who literally spent hours hanging out with 'Cossie' to help him feel less lonely. You guys know who you are and here's a huge thankyou to you from us and a much happier donkey 🫏 😘 ###x

Weather got better and better as the week went on so even managed a few beach days and lazy farmidays ,bbqs and hot tubbing!

Thanks Whitsun, you were great fun.x Heres to next year already ( just 1 cottage left!!) 😍

25/05/2024

An extremely sad goodbye to our wonderful Abbott the donkey who died peacefully yesterday, after several years of ill health 💔.
Many of you will have known him, ridden him and applauded his lovely nature and his efforts in our Christmas Nativity carrying Mary each year!
Abbott had been retired from donkey rides for some while and had passed his reins onto Costello.
He was a lovely gentle soul and he will stay in our hearts for always.
To live in a world without animals is unimaginable but to lose them is always so very tough.
Please bear with Costello ( his bonded mate) who Abbott leaves behind. We are keeping a very close eye on him and we know he will appreciate any extra tlc you can show him.
Our search now for another donkey gelding ( or pair) continues with more determination. If any of you know a donkey looking for a loving home please do let us know. Ps not the donkey sanctuary as sadly they will not re home to a commercial establishment ( we have tried x )