Barn Owls

It’s amazing what an old quarry can be transformed into! Lower Mill Estate, in the Cotswolds, is now a beautiful nature reserve comprising eight lakes, two rivers, miles of walking trails and wonderful wildlife to spot, including otters and beavers! Families can completely immerse themselves in this natural haven, staying right on the lake shore, in architecturally award-winning holiday homes which have uber cool, minimalist interiors.

There’s no better way to relax and recharge batteries than simply gazing out across the lake from the balcony or patio deck, but there’s also plenty to do on the nature reserve to keep boredom at bay. The on-site Spa has two heated pools, a lily-filtered eco-pool, sauna, steam room and gym plus mums can be properly pampered with hot stone massages, facials, manicures and more. At the ‘Activity Hub’, kids and big kids can have a go at kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding or pick up bikes to follow the trails around the reserve. Little ones will especially love the Miss Mouse Adventure Trail, finding a host of cute characters all around the nature reserve from a specially created story – Miss Mouse Builds A House. The General Store has all the essentials for self-catering and a selection of local artisan products but when no one can be bothered to cook, there’s the Ballihoo Clubhouse and Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and take-aways. Throughout the Summer, all kinds of special events and activities take place at the Activity Hub and Ballihoo Clubhouse, from raft building and dusk wildlife walks, to pizza making and a Jamaican Jerk BBQ.

Accommodation overview

Barn Owls House – sleeps 8 + an infant

This detached four bedroom, pet-friendly retreat sits on the lake with beautiful views over the water. Perfectly set up for families with little ones or even accompanying grandparents in tow, the house is split over two floors with the bulk of the bedrooms on the ground floor. Great for those less mobile, or a little iffy with stairs. The house has two en-suite double rooms, one on the ground floor with access to the outdoor deck and the second, upstairs (stair gate at bottom) with a small shower room. The two further bedrooms are twin rooms, both on the ground floor with shared use of a family shower room.

The large and airy living space provides a well-equipped family kitchen with granite work surfaces, a dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave, fridge/freezer, electric AGA, gas hob and more. The farmhouse style kitchen table seats up to 8 guests and a highchair can be provided on request. The lounge area is warm and inviting with two sizeable sofas, two armchairs, a 37" TV and a cosy wood burning stove. The lounge area opens out onto the terrace which has outdoor dining furniture, a BBQ and lovely views over the lake.

This house comes with access to to activity hub activities (extra charges), so guests may hire leisure equipment including top of the range mountain bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, and more during their stay.