[Advertisement – this post is based on a press stay, but all words and opinions are my own.]
I often dream of getting a group of friends and family together for Christmas, a New Year celebration, a big birthday or just a weekend of fun and relaxation. And now I’ve found the perfect venue for it – Tregulland in northern Cornwall.
Set in a secluded valley on the edge of rugged Bodmin Moor, Tregulland consists of a five-bedroom barn conversion and a neighbouring six-bedroom cottage, which between them sleep up to 22 people. It’s recently had a makeover and a few weeks ago Chris and I were invited down to check it out – just what we needed to escape the nerves around my then-impending book launch and unwind for a few days.
We arrived on a late-September afternoon, the landscape around us getting progressively wilder and the traffic thinning out to nothing as we turned off the A30 dual carriageway onto the A39 and then the single-track lane that winds down to Tregulland itself. We’d been allocated the barn and pulled up outside to find its old stones glowing in the golden autumn sunshine, not a sound to be heard other than birdsong and distant sheep. It really did feel as if we’d left the stresses of normal life far behind and washed up in a hidden paradise.
Architecturally, the barn is the kind of rural renovation that many of us dream of. Swathes of floor-to-ceiling glass gaze out over the countryside but it’s lost none of its character, with flagstone floors, gnarled beams and deep, recessed windows that speak of a centuries-long past. It’s all been done very sensitively, and as sustainably as possible too – owner Ken Aylmer has a background in eco construction and it shows in the solar panels, woodchip boiler, energy-efficient LED lighting and reused materials (the old floorboards, for example, have been repurposed as shutters).
The interiors have just been redone and although they’re not my normal minimalist style, they’re absolutely beautiful: soulful and gently eclectic, with pops of colour against crisp white walls and an intriguing mix of reclaimed and modern furniture (including a few mid-century classics like Eames and Bertoia chairs). There are also sweet little touches such as stacks of vintage books, baskets of blankets to snuggle under, and posies of dried flowers dotted along shelves and tables. The result is a space that’s intimate and cosy despite its large size, and even with just the two of us we felt at home from the moment we stepped through the door.
Much of the barn’s downstairs is taken up by a long open-plan living area, with a snazzy dark-wood kitchen at one end, a pair of leather armchairs by a wood-burner at the other, and a 12-seater dining table (made from the telegraph poles that once stood in the garden) in the middle. It’s ideal for sociable gatherings and convivial meals, but there are also cushioned window seats and a quiet little nook dubbed the ‘Map Room’ where you can curl up on your own with a book.
The main lounge sits in the former granary on the floor above. It’s open to the rafters and creates a real ‘wow’ moment, but it’s just as cosseting as the other rooms. At its centre is a soft and squishy modular sofa that proved ideal for reading, snoozing (believe me, I tested it out!) and sprawling out to watch a film on the huge drop-down projector screen. There’s also a pool table where we had fun remembering just how bad we are at pool, plus a desk positioned to make the most of the long green views through the picture window (if you want to finally start writing that novel, this would be a good place).
The barn’s ensuite bedrooms are spread over both floors and named after birds (in the cottage, it’s flowers). The same kind of uncluttered yet quirky decor runs throughout, but all are different and all have their own charms – Goldfinch and Kestrel are downstairs and open straight onto the courtyard, while Kingfisher and Barn Owl are nestled under the eaves at the top. Peregrine is perhaps the showstopper – the one that would be reserved for the birthday person if it was that kind of celebration – with a lofty ceiling, a jewel-blue super-kingsize bed, vintage movie posters and a roll-top tub.
Outside, both the barn and cottage have terraces with sweeping views over the valley, where we enjoyed evening bubbly under a vast sky painted with ribbons of gold and pink. There are also firepits, an array of alfresco tables where you can chase the sun or shade and – perhaps the biggest treats of all – a wood-fired hot tub, a sauna and a swimming pool shared between the two properties. The latter is yet another demonstration of Tregulland’s eco credentials and marked the UK’s first-ever heated indoor freshwater pool. It’s filled with pure Cornish spring water drawn from the grounds and lit by dappled sunlight that floods in through the glass-walled front – the overall effect is almost like wild swimming but without the chill.
If you’re coming with kids, there’s plenty to keep them occupied too. The pool has a separate shallow section, there’s a games room with ping-ping, and to one side of the the lawn is a play area complete with a giant slide, a mini climbing wall, swings and a pirate boat. Inside the barn there’s a cute little desk with salvaged school chairs built into one of the windows, and several of the bedrooms in both houses can be set up as twins. There are also three roll-out children’s beds that can be added on request.
Should you want to venture out, you’ll find sandy beaches, coastal walks and stunning Tintagel Castle within a short drive. But Tregulland is the kind of place where there’s no guilt whatsoever in hunkering down and enjoying everything on site. It’s peaceful, restorative and utterly enchanting – and if you want to up the relaxation levels as much as possible, spa treatments, meal deliveries and private chefs can all be arranged. As we found out, you really don’t need to fill every bedroom with guests to make the most of a stay here, and it soon had us under its spell. Whether it’s with a small group or the full complement, I hope one day we get the chance to return.
Find out more about Tregulland and book a stay here. Rates start at £4,770 for a three-night weekend break (only £217 per person if you fill the whole place), and there’s currently 20% off bookings over Christmas and New Year 2024.
All photography by Abi Dare
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