Oak Lodge

Oak Lodge: Somerset

Surrounded by sixty acres of farmland and three lakes, this home in Bratton Seymour, Somerset, wouldn’t be out of place in an Enid Blyton novel. Picture muddied boots piled by the door after a day of rambling, wet bathing suits hanging up to dry after a day of swimming, children drinking lemonade while making daisy chains on the grass and adults relaxing on the patio, a sundowner in hand. Grand yet rustic, this home is best enjoyed as a ‘gentrified farmhouse,’ just as the hosts like to call it. Besides its stunning grounds, it boasts bags of entertainment for a rainy day, including a foosball table, walls full of books, a piano and gym equipment. The home has many of its original features too, like the flagstone floor in the kitchen and open rafters in the attic bedrooms, which allow you to feel its history. It's also full of modern comforts, including an Aga stove and a truly romantic wood-framed bathtub. There are endless spaces to socialise and dine together, from the red medieval-looking dining room to the cosy kitchen table and elegant lounge room, or outside on the patio and under the courtyard's trees. Rise early to greet the day with some yoga in the enclosed sheltered garden, take the rowboat out on a sunny afternoon or steal yourself away for an evening to relax in the colourful lakeside yurt and cosy up by its wood-burning stove. A true country haven, there’s no end to the adventures to be had here.

Home truths:
*There's a part-time housekeeper called Ola who lives on the grounds, so she'll be around to welcome you and attend to any questions you have
*Some of the ceilings upstairs slope down quite a lot, which isn't ideal for tall people
*At full capacity, one guest will need to sleep on a futon in one of the twin rooms
*Careful country manners are required everywhere, including closing gates and keeping dogs on their leads when near the animals in the fields
*There are animals grazing in some of the surrounding fields during the summer months, meaning that access to the fields where they are grazing is not allowed for safety reasons
*This is a lived-in home so you will be sharing some of the space with the owners' personal possesions