Sheldon Barn

Fourteen of us across three generations shared a truly memorable family holiday. The house was stunning, with huge, elegant bedrooms, and the grounds were delightful. We had provisions waiting for us, including cream, jam and more cream, which was lovely. There's an extensive library of books to borrow and games for all ages. Paul, one of the owners, popped over to say hi. He's a lovely man. The heated indoor pool and jacuzzi were amazing, and my lot used them every day. We've stayed in big holiday homes over the years, and this was one of the very best.

A lovely welcome, and everyone was so helpful. All the amendments are nearby, and it's dog friendly. The pool and hot tub are amazing, and the location is beautiful.

The pool and hot tub were a real highlight, and we had a lot of fun using them. The owner was welcoming and friendly too, with useful ideas for places to visit and eat. We also appreciated the fresh milk and basket of scones, jam and clotted cream after the long drive. We stayed at Moulton Barrett Barn for a week. The barn is spacious and bright, with plenty of natural light, and the kitchen has everything you might need. The grounds and approach to the barn were well kept, and the EV chargers were modern and worked efficiently. The cleaning and upkeep inside let the stay down, though. The walls were marked, crumbs and hair were wedged between the sofa cushions, the sofas were uncomfortable with springs you could feel, and the coffee table and parts of the floor were sticky. One of our group had to vacuum, after first clearing and cleaning the clogged vacuum because it had no suction. Drawers had debris in them as well. The kitchen also needed a deep clean. The toaster sits under an electric fly lamp, and after we saw it kill a fly, debris landed on the toaster. The washing machine's rubber seal had black mould and smelled, the dishwasher left a smelly film on crockery, and the extractor was dusty and greasy. There were fly droppings around the place and dead flies caught in the window net curtains. We couldn't comfortably open the windows or bifold doors because flies and wasps kept gathering around them. Flies covered the back door and outside wall, which is understandable near a farm, but screens throughout the barn would have helped. The entrance area was very basic, close to the bins and recycling, and the garden gates looked very old. The air conditioning was useful since we couldn't open up, but it wasn't very effective and the vents were dusty. The panels also showed that a service was overdue. All the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms, which is convenient, and they are a good size. But the bathrooms and towels smelled musty, there was black mould in the grout and sealant, and shower water drained so slowly that we had to turn the water off and wait. The mirror lights and heaters in the main and second bedrooms weren't working. The main bedroom is a lovely size with a super king bed and decent storage. The mattresses in that room and the second bedroom sloped to one side, so sleeping felt like lying on an incline, and all the pillows were lumpy. With the overall state of the accommodation, sadly, we didn't enjoy our stay.

The pool is such a treat on rainy days. We really like the daily slot for each house, alongside open swim time, because it means you can have the pool to yourselves. Our kids were thrilled with the trampoline that had been added this year, too. This was our second week-long stay at High Park Barns, and we're already looking forward to coming back next year. The houses are beautiful, nicely decorated and equipped to a high standard. We arrived to scones and cream, plus a bottle of local milk in the fridge. The owner is lovely and shared lots of ideas for outings. This time we especially enjoyed Watermouth Castle and hiring bikes at Torrington.