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Ploughmans Cottage and Pig Shed

family, theatrical, fun

  • 6-8 + 4 kids + 2 babies
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Close to Coast
  • Younger Families
  • Dog Friendly

The Ploughmans Cottage and Pig Shed are a family friendly, pet friendly holiday cottage and more in East End, a pretty hamlet, near Lymington in the New Forest.

This house is 2 parts stretch-limo-living and 2 parts ‘the good life’…1km from the beach… It’s designed to be a relaxing, interesting family base from which to conduct marvellous ‘Swallows and Amazons’ adventures – for all the family.  Many guests celebrate big birthdays and come for family escapes here.  The style here is smart, theatrical and definitely quirky.

The house and garden design has been focused on families particularly those with small children. Dens, the mini gypsy caravan, masses of toys, fancy dress and more. Parents will love being able to see most of the garden from the kitchen, which will allow them to read the paper inside, and watch playing outside.

Next door, the gastro pub The East End Arms is perfect for special family meals, or those who need to escape to ‘walk the dog’ and have time out with the papers!

In March 2019 Ploughmans was in the Sunday Times Travel Section as Best for Families in ‘Britain’s 50 best holiday houses’. See it here. 

from

£300 per night

What makes this place special...

Highlights staying at this house and in the local area...

  • New Forest Escapes Pig Shed at Ploughmans - Outside fire

    Toast marshmallows

    At the house there is a brazier for toasting marshmallows on. Put it and granny in the car and head to the beach to have champagne in a tin mug and watch the sunset. The beach is rarely busy. Walk right to where the trees and pony-nibbled fields meet the sea. It’s so peaceful here. We love to forage for samphire in August and September.

  • New Forest Escapes

    Go to the beach in the wheelbarrow

    Put the kids in the wheelbarrows and push them there down the quiet lane. It’s just 1km away. The beach is wild and unspoilt and faces the Isle of Wight. You can park here too. The sand, shingle and silt beaches border the salt marshes. The birdlife is superb. Crabs are found under rocks. Dogs can be walked all year around. Track wild ponies who live here too.

  • New Forest Escapes

    Go hunt down some Rope Swings

    We love heading off to hunt down and play on the rope swings in the area. Such fun. Check our our Rope Swingers Guide to the area here. Norleywood is your closest swing, walk there across the fields in 30 minutes (that's a slow kids walk). It's behind the old telephone box.

  • New Forest Escapes

    Get out to the beaches

    Base yourselves in Milford on Sea for the day. Walking from here, along the coastal path, either way, is very special. We love going out along the coastal path and particularly the 2 miles out to Hurst Castle and back. You can also cycle the coastal path either way, east and west.

  • New Forest Escapes

    Take a day out to Hurst

    From Keyhaven village - visit Hurst Castle. The boat trip out, or walk back from Hurst is wonderful. Time spent on the shingle spit will blow your cobwebs away and you'll get an eyeful of some 'cracking views Gromit'. Good foodie spots in Milford afterwards will refuel you. Or lunch at The Gun in Keyhaven?

  • New Forest Escapes

    Go wild in the woods

    Head into the National Park - we love Ranswood which is 5 minutes drive - This is the place to get muddy knees, jump streams, track ponies, play pooh-sticks in streams... Forest games are endless, so are the learning opportunities. We love taking our kids out to climb on fallen oak trees, they're a bit safer than climbing straight up, and there's always something interesting to find. Bored yet? Moors Valley with it's massive play structures isn't far....

Tried and tested

We only choose places we've been to see and loved!

Customer service

We care a lot, for our guests and many stakeholders

Always fair

We beleive in fairness for our guests, owners and team

Eco Conscious

We engage with sustainable practice to actively reduce our impacts

Championing local

We celebrate the culture and traditions of the New Forest

Proudly independent

We are a small, mum-run local business at heart

All the essential details.

Here's your full run down of this place, inside and out...

Inside

Inside is colourful, eccentric, home-from-home and designed for easy-living.

We are especially set up for families with children under 9 and welcome dogs too. The kitchen gets all the morning sun, great for lazy, sunny breakfasts  - wind back the kitchen wall doors and let the birdsong flood in.

The sitting room seats 7 comfortably. The Smart TV here is tucked into the corner for those that don't want it, and would rather play board games (there are lots) by the wood burner.

All the bedrooms will fit travel cots in them. We have 3 in the house for guests.

Just across the garden, the eccentric and rustic-chic 'Shed' has a big draw…its bed; an ornate, white-curtained four-poster affair with not one, but two mattresses.  There is a little kitchen with the basics, a wood-burner, fridge and freezer. The living room area has bi-fold doors which slide right back to let the garden in. The area just outside the shed is a very effective sun-trap, it gets very hot here and this is where we usually leave deck chairs. The Shed also has a bunk room and a shower room too.

Floor plan

Sleeping...

Bedroom 1 : Super King bed with en-suite shower room, easily fits travel cot.
Bedroom 2 : Super King (or twin), easily fits travel cot.
Bedroom 3 : Single bed (upstairs) is a full size and 6" off the floor, for small children just in beds, easily fits travel cot.
Bedroom 4 : Triple bunk beds (downstairs), easily fits travel cot.
Bedroom 5 : Four poster double bed, Kingsize (The Shed), easily fits travel cot.
Bedroom 6 : Bunk beds (The Shed), easily fits travel cot.

Bathrooms...

One : Shower room (downstairs)
Two : Ensuite shower room
Three : Shower room (The Shed)

All the rest...

Kitchen : Range cooker / SMEG Fridge Freezer / Washing machine / Microwave / Dishwasher / Good selection of serving dishes and general cookery items.
Mod Cons : Speakers provided, 23″ TV with Freeview TV / DVD player and good DVD selection. In the Pig Shed there is a TV to use to watch DVDs (over 100 there) or to sign into your Netflix account
Connectivity : WiFi (sometimes slow) and mobile signal is not good at the house - but it is by the pub!
Kids' Stuff : Good selection of kids kit and toys. 2 cots. 2 highchairs. Bumbo. Toys for all ages of children. Wooden train set. Extensive fancy dress selection for ages 2-7 ish. Masses of games, jigsaws and puzzles. There is a huge selection of books and DVDs for children (and adults). There are some outdoor toys. Willow dens and our Gypsy Caravan (children of upto 7 ish can stand upright in it). The garden is enclosed and so far, no children have escaped!
Pets : Horses and dogs welcome. Dogs £40 per dog, per stay. The yard can be cleared for horses but the stables are full. Grazing can be arranged. Dogs welcome - the garden is pretty well enclosed but Houdinis will still escape.

Outside

Children are especially welcome. The garden has been designed for toddlers to explore and play. It is fully enclosed. There is a marshmallow brazier for kids to use – or take to the beach.

There are very good viewing options of grandchildren in the garden. Dens, tunnels, mini Gypsy Van (under 8s can stand in it). There are a few garden games.

Outside the garden has been designed for children under 9s, with dens, a twigloo, and willow tunnel but it’s our glorious mini gypsy caravan (available all year bar Nov to March 2021). It's a show-stopper for cuteness.

Gas BBQ
Garden : Large enclosed garden great for kids exploring adventures and with its own mini Gypsy caravan and a twigloo. Gas BBQ
Parking : Up to 5 cars

Home truths

The garden is not set up for wild ball games. There is wooden fencing that really bangs when balls hit it. There are plenty of options for family play but we don't welcome wild and shouty play and want to respect our neighbours. Choose hide and seek, picnics, mini beast hunts etc.

The kids triple bunk bedroom has some quirks – the top ‘bunk’ is a mattress on the mezzanine of the second floor. It is reached by a staircase ladder and is as high as the ceiling so this bed will not be suitable for your group if you have young children but probably will be where they’ll want to sleep! There is a wooden railing to help stop people falling from the platform but it is high. The second bunk is also higher than normal – so not suitable for small children.

Accessibility

The house is suitable for less mobile folk. There are two bedrooms downstairs and a walk in shower room with some handles. But there are a few things we want to point out so you’re not surprised when you arrive.

The kitchen floor is split level, only 6″ but it may not suit some.
The downstairs bedrooms have access to a shower room and not a bath room, that is upstairs. There are no hand-rails on the stairs.
The house is entered via a porch which has a step up of 10″ and another step of 10″ into the boot room. There are smaller steps by the front door access. The doors in the house are NOT wide enough for wheelchairs.
The downstairs shower room has a walk-in shower with a small 3″ lip into the shower itself.

So if you are organising a group with less mobile people then read our ideas (and tested excursions) read our blog 'Holidaying with less mobile folk? Here's where to go, what to do!'

And if you are organising a celebration for those in their 60's + please visit our blog post 'Four easy ideas for memorable 60th, 70th & 80th birthdays'

Booking Information

Free and included in your booking cost are: all bedding and linen, towels for the house, kitchen essentials, any baby kit you've requested and cleaning the house after you leave. We also supply some treats to get you going for tea when you arrive. Enjoy!

Arrival & Departure

Arrive from: 5pm
Depart before: 10am

Payment Info

Deposit: 50%
Balance Due: 45 days before your stay
Security Deposit: £500

Guests that have stayed here rate this place:

4.6 out of 5

Psst...read more real reviews on upfront reviews and facebook

  • Ploughman's Cottage is a superb house, in a fantastic spot. With a brilliantly appointed kitchen, very comfortable beds, cosy log burner and lovely garden. We were very happy to be there indeed! It's like a big warm hug. Rachel's blog detailing all of the various local walks was fantastically helpful too. As were the children's books and toys! We did a long walk every single day and fell in love with the New Forest. Light the fire on your return and job done. Excellent communication throughout. Didn't want to leave. Thank you.

    January 2021

  • We spent an amazing two weeks at the Ploughman’s cottage and pig shed this summer. It’s the perfect holiday spot for families. Felt at home right away. The kids loved the garden. It’s a short walk to a gorgeous wild beach and also enjoyed lovely walks in the woods nearby. There is a nice local pub next door. So many beautiful places to explore in the area too, though it was hard to leave the house! We would definitely come again.

    October 2020

  • The house was brilliantly laid out for a family stay and the children and adults loved the place. Ideal for a short stay. We loved the location and also the fact there was a pub next door was very handy. Not the most modern house - but that was it's charm, however getting the TVs to work and also the oven was quite difficult. We had fantastic weather and it was delightful to sit in the garden. We felt the glass greenhouse looked a bit dangerous as it was too close to the play areas!

    September 2020

  • We had three generations staying for a week in the house - from an 18 month old up to two 70 year olds - and everyone loved it! The garden is very big so has loads of space for the children to run around, and the house has lots of space too. The bedrooms are all a good size with very comfortable beds - the Pig Shed is a large, self contained space with a double bed and separate room with bunk beds and a bathroom. The pub next door is very handy for a pint - especially if you like sharing it with the local donkeys - and the pebbly beach is an easy 15 min walk. A great spot all round - would definitely return!

    August 2020

  • Three generations of our family have spent a fabulous bank holiday weekend here. We would normally be at our second home in Normandy (can't do because of Covid) and after thirty years of crossing the channel, this area makes me wonder why we bother! The children have enjoyed the various beaches and we have all enjoyed cooking in the well supplied kitchen. Trip to Exbury Gardens was just enough of a trip for all ten of us. Thank you. (our only problem was not being able to find a broom with which to sweep the floor).

    guestbook

  • A real holiday for another 3-generation family after some gruelling pandemic seperations! We appreciated the houses and garden, and made full use of herbs and rhubarb from the kitchen beds. We had an exciting visit from a bunch of cows in the front garden (they pushed hard on the old gate), but it didn't last long. Some of us were able to do peaceful walks, runs and cycle rides and the children were excited by the woods, and a shetland pony ride.

    guestbook

  • Where to start with the loveliness of our recent weekend at The Ploughmans and Pig Shed? Maybe the inviting garden, perfect for nosily ambling around the greenhouse and raised beds – or perhaps the cozy sitting room, with its welcoming corner sofa and wood burning stove. While the eclectic gorgeousness of The Shed may have had us all squabbling over who would sleep where, there simply isn’t a duff room in the house: the top bedroom enjoys stunning views, the Shed’s four-poster is glorious and even the children didn’t complain at bedtime knowing there was the giddy excitement of the mezzanine-level bunk bed to be enjoyed. From donkeys nonchalantly wandering around outside the next-door pub to the delightfully wild local beach, there was so much to keep the family entertained – a weekend really wasn’t long enough.

    guestbook

  • We have just returned from Ploughman's Cottage and the Pig Shed after celebrating my husband's birthday with our family. Both properties are beautiful, well equipped, so comfortable and lovingly looked after and are set in pretty gardens in a stunning location. Would highly recommend to anyone. We were also able to take our much loved dog along too - he approved! Close to beaches, forest walks, Lymington - it really did have everything we wanted and more.

  • Dear Jane, Rachel and Sarah I will leave feedback on FB later today but just wanted to say thank you for your help and excellent customer service over the past few months. This is our 2nd time booking with New Forest Escapes (last year at The Old Post Office but sadly now don’t allow dogs) and we will be singing your praises to friends and family. Ploughmans & Pig Shed were lovely, quirky and very comfortable . The owner was cutting grass when we arrived so it was nice to meet him. Hopefully see you next year .

  • We were three families with young kids (5 kids under 4) and we had a lovely time. The outdoor spaces are great for young kids and the location near enough to London not to be a chore and with a raft of local activities - the 3 year olds went on a 1 hour hack at nearby stables and we all went to the beach one day too, plus seeing the ponies of the New Forest (not so easy to see from the car seats though).

  • This beautiful house was to bring my family together to celebrate my daughter's 7th birthday and my parent's 70th. It was an absolutely fantastic weekend. I can't really comment on the local area as we barely left the house and garden for 48 hours. All rooms were comfortable, super-clean and nicely decorated. The living space for our big gang was brilliant. The kids basically didn't come indoors all day and ran around like loons in the garden and caravan... AND got to feed a friendly donkey who came to hang out by the gate for a while. Lovely bathrooms and wood burner for a chilly evening. We put the 70 year olds in the 'shed' - the most beautiful shed I've ever seen to give them some well deserved space from the grandchildren. They even had a lie in! All in all, a magical weekend in a beautiful, spacious, well equipped (OH the toys they have!) house. Thank you. We shall return.

  • A wonderful 4 night stay at Ploughman's Cottage. Plenty of space for running around for our busy 3 year old and plenty of comfort for our 6 month old including high chairs and toys etc. Great location, near to a lovely secluded beach and what more could you ask with a lovely pub next door. Would definitely stay again and absolutely recommend.

  • We had a weekend family party, small children through to birthday boy who was 70. Everyone had such a good time, the house is so welcoming and comfortable. Keeping small children happy is key to everyone else being able to relax so finding a hoard of toys is a good start. A large and random collection of crockery and glassware also suggests that a slight accident isn't going to destroy the matching set! We spent most of our waking hours in the house in the kitchen diner, round the table chatting, eating and enjoying the view through the huge window into the garden. We really enjoyed the quiet surroundings, and the East End Arms next door was a bonus for our celebratory meal. We would all like to go back.

The location...

This area between Lymington and Beaulieu is a sleepy and lovely part of the National Park. Ponies, cattle and donkeys live wild on the lanes and you must go slow because they have right of way - and they definitely know it!

The East End Arms is next door. The Turfcutters about 2 miles away toward the nearest shop in East End village. Lymington is 3 miles to the west.

Read the beach guide in the blog links below for more info on beaches.

Lymington is often in The Times ‘Top 10 places to live in the UK’.  Obviously we are totally biased and agree. It is marvellous. The quality of life here is very good. The town is surrounded by National Park to the north, coastal otherwise. There is a good mix of industry (boats) and retail. Less obvious is the connection to the rural workings of the National Park itself.

insider guide

The best things to do and see when you're here...

Head over to the blog for all kinds of good information on where to go, what to do and how to do it...Forest style

Need more info, or not quite what you’re looking for..?

Don’t worry, we’re always on-hand to help and our personalised booking process will match the right house to the right guests!

We're all locals and know the houses and Forest like the backs of our hands, so if you have any queries about the information we have provided or have any special requests for your stay, please just ask:

Call us 01590 462005

Email us hello@newforestescapes.com

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What makes this place special...

Highlights staying at this house and in the local area...

  • working

    Toast marshmallows

    At the house there is a brazier for toasting marshmallows on. Put it and granny in the car and head to the beach to have champagne in a tin mug and watch the sunset. The beach is rarely busy. Walk right to where the trees and pony-nibbled fields meet the sea. It’s so peaceful here. We love to forage for samphire in August and September.

  • working

    Go to the beach in the wheelbarrow

    Put the kids in the wheelbarrows and push them there down the quiet lane. It’s just 1km away. The beach is wild and unspoilt and faces the Isle of Wight. You can park here too. The sand, shingle and silt beaches border the salt marshes. The birdlife is superb. Crabs are found under rocks. Dogs can be walked all year around. Track wild ponies who live here too.

  • working

    Go hunt down some Rope Swings

    We love heading off to hunt down and play on the rope swings in the area. Such fun. Check our our Rope Swingers Guide to the area here. Norleywood is your closest swing, walk there across the fields in 30 minutes (that's a slow kids walk). It's behind the old telephone box.

  • working

    Get out to the beaches

    Base yourselves in Milford on Sea for the day. Walking from here, along the coastal path, either way, is very special. We love going out along the coastal path and particularly the 2 miles out to Hurst Castle and back. You can also cycle the coastal path either way, east and west.

  • working

    Take a day out to Hurst

    From Keyhaven village - visit Hurst Castle. The boat trip out, or walk back from Hurst is wonderful. Time spent on the shingle spit will blow your cobwebs away and you'll get an eyeful of some 'cracking views Gromit'. Good foodie spots in Milford afterwards will refuel you. Or lunch at The Gun in Keyhaven?

  • working

    Go wild in the woods

    Head into the National Park - we love Ranswood which is 5 minutes drive - This is the place to get muddy knees, jump streams, track ponies, play pooh-sticks in streams... Forest games are endless, so are the learning opportunities. We love taking our kids out to climb on fallen oak trees, they're a bit safer than climbing straight up, and there's always something interesting to find. Bored yet? Moors Valley with it's massive play structures isn't far....