Higher Lank Farm

A fabulous welcoming stay.
We had a fantastic stay at Higher Lank in August and have booked to return for Easter 2013. The kids are already talking of the repeat visit with great excitement!
We stayed in the farm house in Wisteria and found the accommodation perfect for our family of 5. Katie(6), Ben (4) and Lizzie (2) loved the array of toys in our room and the purpose built bunk beds saw Ben and Katie alternating each night up and down!
On arrival we immediately felt welcomed and at home, the tractor trailor ride to the beef cattle and feeding the herd was super and followed by a very welcome farmhouse tea in the farmyard- wow, what a spread!
It was lovely that within hours the children were enjoying playing with others in the farmhouse. The array of toys downstairs was excellent and Lizzie enjoyed selling fruit and vegetables to everyone from the market stall in the lounge!
Daily visits to the farm animals allowed the children to become mini farm experts. Their confidence grew daily and to see every child bottle feed a lamb every morning was amazing. Lizzie loved bottle feeding Ruby the goat and could do this independently. Their confidence also grew in collecting eggs, feeding pigs, goats, chickens, geese and ducks. The outdoor play areas were completely suitable to the ages of the children and the pony ride and pony trap ride memorable for them all.
We loved the food and the kids ate heartily at all the meals. We had nursery teas and adult meals when ever they were on offer and had 100% clear plates! It was fabulous that the children and we knew Lucy well enough to take up the offer of baby sitting for an evening and Dan and I had a super dinner out.
Knowing that we were eating such local fresh food was a great lesson for the children. Having Postman Pat van egg cups encouraged daily boiled eggs and soldiers! Even more exciting for having collected the eggs only the day before!
Thank you again and again to Lucy and Andrew for making our stay warm welcoming and memorable. See you again soon!

Another thumbs up for Higher Lank Farm from us. We stayed a week in Bo Peep Cottage. We were mum, dad, 4 yo and 1 yo and friends joined us of mum, dad, 4yo, 3yo and 1yo. We all fitted in beautifully! It had everything we had at home... little cutlery and plates, plastic cups, small kids beds, stair gates, baby monitor and books and toys and toys and more toys, even an ipod station! Then there was so much to do on the farm every day!!!! We thoroughly enjoyed it! We explored most of Cornwall the week we were there too, we'll def be back!

We recently returned from a relaxing break in Bodmin at Higher Lank Farm. Despite my having a rotten cold we had a great time as Lucy and Andrew have made it easy on parents by creating a truly child and baby friendly environment.
We stayed in the farmhouse B&B in "Big Meadow" which has a king sized bed for the grown ups and some adorable mini bunk beds for the kids. Lucy even made some alternate arrangements for us as we share a large family bed (sometimes called cosleeping) at home. So they put in an additional single bed alongside the king so we could all bunk together just like home! This is often a real concern for us and as other parents can attest, if you don't get a good nights sleep then no one is happy.
We were travelling with our two boys aged 3 yrs and 8 months and we took advantage of the free nappy laundering service for the baby. This is the first time we have ever been able to travel with cloth nappies and was really pleased not to have to switch to disposables.
The rest of the farmhouse is well stocked with toys and laid out in a very child friendly way. There is a baby kitchen which consists or a sink, fridge and microwave which can be used for washing baby cups etc., storing perishable snacks and baby food.
Our oldest boy adored the animal feeding each morning and this was a real highlight to the day. I would advise that you come prepared to lose a half day to breakfast and animal feeding but who wants to rush around when you have little kids anyway? We headed off to see the sights between 11 and noon most days and the kids were usually asleep in the car enroute to wherever we were headed minutes after getting into the car. This is testament to what a great time they were having each morning!
We had two evening meals with the kids during the week and they were both delicious and well received by all. I do not eat beef or pork so on the second evening when the menfolk were having Spaghetti Bolognese with Lucy and Andrew's own beef mince, I had a truly delicious salmon with red peppers and goats cheese (still waiting on the recipe). Lucy is a great cook and the fresh, wholesome ingredients make for a really nice meal. Breakfast each morning was made to order and consisted of a full English or other varieties thereof as well as cereal and grapefruit. You could get other fresh fruit (or in the case of my son, sliced cucumber) but you had to ask for it. My only comment here is that breakfast got a little repetitive. I would suggest a bowl of whole fruit would be ideal for the kids and maybe some pastries or bagels to make a break from toast.
Overall we had an exceptional time and really enjoyed our stay. We would like to come back again soon!

We had an absolutely fantastic time when we stayed here for a week last May and are looking forward to returning again soon. My children were 2 and 4 at the time and they still talk about it a year on. They loved feeding the animals, bottle feeding the lambs and collecting the eggs. The food was delicious and Lucy even babysat one evening so we could go out. There are lots of lovely beaches nearby and attractions which are suitable for young children. We all agree this is one of the bet holidays we have had and would definitely recommend it, Jo and James and family.

We've been going to Higher Lank Farm every year since 2008 and are hugely looking forward to going again this May. Our children adore the animal feeding which takes place after breakfast every morning, as well as the pony rides, tractor and trailer ride, sandpit and huge selection of indoor and outdoor toys and games. We as parents love the chance to be cooked for - Lucy is a fantastic cook - as well as the warm, homely atmosphere, and the chance to relax while our children play happily. Lucy, Andrew and their family are very friendly and welcoming.
Locally there is also so much to do - great beaches, lovely little villages and countryside to explore, as well as lots of other child-friendly days out. Highly recommended.

We had a fantastic time staying in the bed and breakfast part of Higher Lank Farm and can't wait to go back !!! It is such a change to go somewhere with small children and not feel on edge the whole time about what they might touch or do ! Everything is geared up to children, with toys placed strategically for every spare moment and plenty of baby/toddler gear already there to free up valuable space in the car. For me though, it's the little touches which make this place so special; ducks in the bathroom, magical mini bunk beds with surprise farm-yard cuddlies, nursery teas and proper baby-sitting ! We found Lucy and Andrew to be very welcoming and the whole atmosphere they create is friendly and relaxing. I have an autistic daughter who has loved her holidays here, she has always been treated with warmth and understanding. Next time we go back, I think we'll take the grandparents, after discovering that one of the cottages has a special room for them too !

I am about to book our fourth holiday at Higher Lank Farm - we love it. We first went with two children under 3 and stayed in the main house and have since stayed in the self catering barn as our family has grown. This is the perfect holiday for small children - the morning's entertainment is all provided on the farm - feeding the animals, collecting the eggs, pony rides on some days and playing with the outdoor toys. Then the afternoons are free to explore Cornwall- which has so much to offer. We have been in Spring, Summer and Autumn and it works well at all times of year. Lucy and Andrew are perfect hosts. Lucy in particular is a mine of information about animals and about the local area. The holidays have had a huge impact on the children who still talk about our last trip which was nearly a year ago. We will really miss going when the children are too old to go!

I am about to book our fourth holiday at Higher Lank Farm - we love it. We first went with two children under 3 and stayed in the main house and have since stayed in the self catering barn as our family has grown. This is the perfect holiday for small children - the morning's entertainment is all provided on the farm - feeding the animals, collecting the eggs, pony rides on some days and playing with the outdoor toys. Then the afternoons are free to explore Cornwall- which has so much to offer. We have been in Spring, Summer and Autumn and it works well at all times of year. Lucy and Andrew are perfect hosts. Lucy in particular is a mine of information about animals and about the local area. The holidays have had a huge impact on the children who still talk about our last trip which was nearly a year ago. We will really miss going when the children are too old to go!

I am about to book our fourth holiday at Higher Lank Farm - we love it. We first went with two children under 3 and stayed in the main house and have since stayed in the self catering barn as our family has grown. This is the perfect holiday for small children - the morning's entertainment is all provided on the farm - feeding the animals, collecting the eggs, pony rides on some days and playing with the outdoor toys. Then the afternoons are free to explore Cornwall- which has so much to offer. We have been in Spring, Summer and Autumn and it works well at all times of year. Lucy and Andrew are perfect hosts. Lucy in particular is a mine of information about animals and about the local area. The holidays have had a huge impact on the children who still talk about our last trip which was nearly a year ago. We will really miss going when the children are too old to go!

We spent a week at Higher Lank Farm with our 18-month old little man in July 2009.

We have never seen him so happy. He had such a ball and, despite the wet weather, was up at 5am every morning raring to get out and feed the lambs, pigs, goats, collect the eggs and chase the ducks, hens and geese.

He made friends with another 18month old and 15month old who were also having the time of their life. The farm was a toddlers paradise. Toys everywhere, in the garden, in the house and even in your room (tailored to your child's age).

The food was wonderful (much sourced from the farm) and Lucy was incredibly accommodating to some of the other more fussy toddler eaters that shared our week. The nursery teas were a gift and it was great to have a separate grown up supper.

My husband and I took advantage of a nights babysitting and had a wonderful evening in Padstow. It was great knowing that if our child woke up he would immediately feel comfortable with Farmer Lucy.

I find the comment below about having to fit in with the farm's routine very odd. The farm, after all, is a proper working farm run by Lucy's husband Andrew - we were lucky enough to give our child the experience of glimpsing something very real. Also our child was still having two naps a day, morning and afternoon, which he had in his room everyday without missing anything.

This type of holiday is very much new to us. Before our child was born we were lucky enough to travel and stay in top boutique hotels. The farm may not be a boutique hotel but it is very comfortable (and the food yum) but
most importantly, seeing our child so happy gave us great joy. So much so we are returning this year and he can't wait.

Such a great holiday. I'd recommend it to any parent.

Our time at Higher Lank Farm was everything we expected, having studied the farm's website closely before our holiday. Our first holiday there was when our eldest son, now 4, was 8 months old. There were so many different toys for him to play with. He showed great interest in all the different animals, and from the age of 20 months had great fun feeding the animals and collecting the eggs every morning.
The food has always been fantastic, and Lucy is very accomodating to different dietary requirements.
The family are lovely, so friendly and helpful. Lucy is full of ideas for great days out locally with the children.
We look forward to several more years of holidays at Higerlank Farm!

I had mixed feelings about this holiday. I felt a bit 'organised' and had to fit in with the set routine of hte farm - the fact that it didn't fit with my little boy's was irrelevant and we were not accommodated. Visiting the farm animals was done when he needed a sleep, and high tea was a little too late for him. Obviously Lucy (the owner) needs to accommodate the majority of her guests, but we spent the whole holiday driving around in the car to get a very tired and hungry little boy to sleep or feeding him snacks to keep him going until tea time.

This was our fault, our little boy was just slightly too young, so i'd advise that to make the most of this break, your child should be at least 2 yrs old, and preferably around 4 so that they can really experience the farmyard.

The food was delicious, the rooms were good. You have to get on with the other families as you're on top of each other the whole time. A TV in the communal sitting room would have been good to fill in the awkward silences. We couldn't watch anything in the room as our boy would wake up.

The animals were great, and a fabulous experience for children collecting eggs and feeding the goats.

Lucy and her family were lovely and worked very hard. I felt like a school child at times when i needed to ask something - Lucy is slightly school-teacher-ish!

Lots of toys for the children to play with.

Overall a great experience for older children.

We've just come back from a 4 day break at Higher Lank, and it was totally fantastic. They cater only for families with under 5's, so everything is set up for that - toys, games, garden toys, nursery teas, animal feeding, pony rides and rooms set up for small children.
My 2 year old son was just so happy all the time and we were able to totally relax.
Great home cooking with local ingredients, and very allergy friendly.