Leys At Valley View Farm

About this property

Leys at Valley View Farm is a luxury barn conversion situated in the lovely village of Uplyme with spectacular views. Leys has a beamed double height combined living / dining / kitchen area with feature wood burning stove. Large windows light up the property with the daylight and the arrangement of suspended lighting allows for atmospheric or bright lights in the evening. With three of the bedrooms being on the ground floor, it may be the perfect choice for less able visitors. With four bath / shower rooms including a wet room, each bedroom boast their own en-suites, and each has a modern finish.

With the patio area at the front of the property it is in the perfect position to enjoy an alfresco meal in the evening sun to take in the breath-taking elevated views, there is also an inner courtyard for more cosy alfresco dining and another small terraced area.

The village of Uplyme has a small supermarket within the local petrol station selling local produce and basic provisions. You can enjoy a walk from Leys to Lyme Regis, which takes approximately 30 minutes following the old river bed. A short drive away is town of Lyme Regis hosting its charming shops with the beach adjacent to the town. The acclaimed Town Mill bakery with wonderful selection of patisseries is worth the visit. Lots of restaurants to choose from including the popular Hix’s Oyster and Fish House in town. Fancy a bit of a different scenery then a short drive away is the town of Bridport, Dorchester or Weymouth are worth a day trip out. Leys is perfectly positioned to enjoy the countryside air and views, but also only being a short drive away from local towns and attractions.

Leys has a number several sports / leisure pursuits to enjoy including:

Boules on the piste at the front of the property.

Partake in badminton, volley ball or short tennis (using the nets and bats provided) in the field next to the barn and darts in the courtyard.

You are welcome to bring your own horse.

Swing ball and Croquet set available.

Table football, skittles, pool table and table tennis are available in separate undercover barn area.

The property is often adorned with local and international landscape photos and canvasses as the owner is a professional photographer. For further information, please visit: http://www.jillswainsonphotography.com

Nature Reserve and Woodland

This part of Valley View Farm has been home to animals and plants for thousands of years, but over the past few months the owner has been trying to attract a wider range of flora and fauna by adding water, nest boxes, and generally enhancing the natural habitat for the benefit of all living things (including guests). It opened in the summer of 2018, but is still in the early stages of development. This is very much a 'work in progress', but

the owner plans to install cameras, so that barn and annexe guests can view the wildlife from the comfort of the armchair, a live version of Spring Watch. Jill hopes that guests will feel free to try use the area to enjoy the wildlife and feel free to make camps or such like. There are lots of fallen branches and plenty of dead vegetation to help with structures - the ideal place to hone your bush craft skills! Providing checklists and clipboards, encourages guests to see what they can spot. Help from keen naturalists and birdwatchers in adding to the list would be much appreciated.

Entry to this area is strictly at your own risk, while children must be accompanied at all times and. The pond is deep in parts and therefore extremely hazardous.

Have you always wanted to learn to paint the landscape, but just don't know where to start? Or perhaps you have some painting experience, but would like a bit of support and encouragement. Turn your holiday break into a unique creative experience.

Tailored tuition to paint the inspirational and stunning landscape around Lyme Regis. Painting both out in the landscape (weather permitting) or in a studio from sketches and photographs. The session will focus on what you would like to achieve and will be aimed at the level of experience that you have. Tuition on a one to one basis, couples or family/friends groups by an experienced tutor and artist with over 20yrs experience of teaching drawing and painting.

The cost of the course: £45 for the first 2 hours and £20 per any extra hours. This is for a maximum of 2 people; £20 per extra person. This does not include material, however some basic material is available to use for a small additional cost.

POTTERY WORKSHOPS

The Pot Place was originally set up by Frances Hillier and is now run by Amanda Roberts as a small pottery workshop and Creative Studio. Here you can learn the basics of hand building with clay; how to make pinch pots from the bronze age, and use slab and coil work to create tiles, bowls, decorations and other objects, such as fish, dinosaurs or ammonite fossils with a local environmental theme, before glaze painting and firing.

If you are staying at Leys you might like to visit The Pot Place for a couple of hours and come back to decorate your piece the following day. All clay pieces can be fired for you to take home or sent on by post. The Pot Place and Creative Studio is also open to non-residents. Just email or ring Amanda in advance to arrange a convenient time for a session or short course.

There is also a working pottery (The Pot Place) on the site. It is available for groups or individuals wishing to explore some basic hand-building modelling techniques and create a unique reminder of their holiday. There’s also a small selection of pieces that can be decorated. The class is aimed at all levels and ages, but it would be helpful to know in advance what experience you have and what you hope to achieve from the session.

This class will hopefully fire your imagination and offer a lasting memory of a wonderful holiday experience.

The cost of the course: £45 for the first 2 hours and £20 per any extra hours. This is for a maximum of 2 people; £20 per extra person (inc. basic material for making one small item. Extra charges for specialist material may be made as agreed). Firing, glazing and postage costs are extra.

Please contact Penny Ireland to arrange a convenient time.

A pottery wheel is available to use on request and people are welcome to book an individual session with Lucy Burns . £75 per 3-hour session or £140 for two 3-hour sessions over 2 days - not necessarily consecutive ones; £25 per extra hour. Sessions include basic materials and clay. Glazing, firing and postage additional small costs.

Various other 'practical skills' courses (mainly 3-hour sessions; £60pp, min 2 people, all materials included) are available and include Devon stone-wall building, pizza-oven construction, nest-box making, decorative compost heaps, bushcraft. Our instructor has over 20 years wide-ranging experience in property management and restoration.

We also offer 2-hour fossil-hunting walks (£12.50 pp, min. 2 people) and cider-making courses (August-October, depending on harvest; £20 pp per 2-hour session for 2-6 people).

The property is often adorned with local and international landscape photos and canvasses as the owner is a professional photographer. For further information, please visit: http://www.jillswainsonphotography.com/events.htm

Would you like learn to build a Devon Stone Wall or make your own bird boxes? Courses are for guests staying in Leys and Valley View Farm Annexe. Our property restoration, hard landscaping, wildlife gardening and bush-craft courses can be tailored to meet individual requirements, please do call us for further information?

Learn how to build and cook in a wood-fired pizza oven on this short course. Please call us for further information?

The village of Uplyme, on the borders of Devon and Dorset, is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, criss-crossed by bridleways and footpaths including the East Devon Way, and providing perfect country walks and superb views. This area was chosen by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his River Cottage HQ at Park Farm, where you can treat yourself to a great meal. A short drive takes you to the stunning Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis. This delightful historic seaside town boasts a maze of narrow streets, with an interesting array of shops and cafes, whilst the sandy beach lends itself to great bathing and watersports, and the bustling little harbour offers regular fishing trips, or try your hand at fossil hunting. WA glorious location for a varied and interesting holiday.

Accommodation

Double height spacious sitting room/kitchen/diner.

Snug.

1x super king-size double bed (Or twin singles please notify owner see notes), en-suite shower, hand basin and WC.

1x super king-size double bed (Or twin singles please notify owner see notes), en-suite wet room with walk in shower, hand basin and WC.

1x twin single beds, en-suite shower, hand basin and WC.

Utility room with hand basin and WC.

Stairs to 1st floor with galleried walkway overlooking the main living areas.

1x large room with twin single beds (or super king-size double bed please notify owner see notes), sitting area with TV and sofa.

Bathroom, P shaped bath with shower over, hand basin and WC.

Under floor heating on the ground floor.

Electric heating in bedrooms 1, 2 and 3.

Electric oven and hob.

Washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, fridge and freezer.

TVs with freesat in sitting and bedroom 4, DVD player.

Ipod docking station.

Off road parking for up to 4 cars.

Patio area with table and chairs.

BBQ.

WiFi.

Fuel and power includedin rent.

Bed linen and towels includedin rent.

Courtyard area with table and chairs.

Lockable stable for storage of bikes etc.

Two cots, two high chairs (available on request), Child booster seat, child toilet seat and stair gate.

No smoking