The Gardens Santon Downham

The Gardens is a one-bedroom studio annexe attached to the back of our farmhouse. It’s part of the old farm building, from the 1700s, but it’s been done up inside. It’s modern and warm.

It's just for two people. There’s a shower room and the main room is open plan, so the kitchen, bed and sitting area are all together. It's straightforward.

You’re right on the edge of Thetford Forest. You can walk straight into it from the garden gate. It’s a massive area of pine trees. Good for long walks or hiring bikes. If there’s an event on at the High Lodge centre, you’ll hear a bit of music in the distance on a summer evening, but it’s not loud.

This is a proper working farm, so you’ll see tractors and hear animals. There are chickens and sometimes sheep in the nearby fields. If you’re up early, you might see deer.

The village itself is tiny. There’s no shop. The nearest pub is about two and a half miles away, in Brandon. Brandon has a train station too, good for trips to Cambridge or Norwich.

Bressingham Steam Museum is about a 30 minute drive. The coast, like Southwold, is just under an hour away. Thetford is fifteen minutes by car, they’ve got a Dad’s Army museum if that’s your sort of thing.

Facilities are what you’d expect. There’s WiFi, a TV, parking right outside, and the heating is included. One well-behaved dog is welcome. Bedding and towels are provided.

For planning days out: Forestry England Thetford Forest and Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape.