Charming cottage in beautiful private countryside with a boating lake - The Calf Pens

We had a really wonderful stay at The Calf Pens. There was so much attention to detail that we wanted for nothing. It was clean, comfortable, extremely well laid out and had plenty of books and board games to entertain us. The owners had carefully and thoughtfully put together interesting places to visit and provided information for local pubs/restaurants. All these touches enabled us to have a relaxing stay. We loved our evening strolls around the adjoining farmland and lakes, just beyond the garden. We were lucky to see so many bats and dragonflies, plus many varieties of birds in the woods and farmland; listen out for the barking deer too! There was an array of butterflies on the buddleas in the garden with a large lawn to sit outside, or play games, or just sit, unwind and watch the sun go down. The let was tranquil and slightly off the beaten track - just what we’d been looking for, but it was close enough to Hadleigh for shopping. It was also well situated for visiting the many tourist attractions that are all over Suffolk/Essex - far too many to visit in just one week. The owners were very friendly but made every effort to ensure we had our privacy. We were so happy with our stay that we are already making plans for our return.

What a lovely cottage! It was comfortable and clean. The hosts were very helpful and accessible which made everything go smoothly. The location was central but quiet and having horses near was an added bonus. The local pub, The Queens Head, was delightful and the publican Steve made us feel like locals.

We can highly recommend The Calf Pens. Very peaceful and magnificent walks directly from the door. Property was very clean and comfortable and everything was to our taste.

The Calf Pens were a real pleasure for us to stay in-between moving house. It provided us with everything we needed to function; a well equipped kitchen, lovely bedlinen and towels. The rooms are well proportioned and the open plan living/dining room lovely and spacious. The owners have thoughtfully used genuine antiques, paintings and artifacts within the accommodation, making The Calf Pens feel very special and in keeping with the tranquil, understated gardens which surround the property. A perfect place to unwind and enjoy Suffolk.

The approach and the parking area was slightly disappointing but it is a farmyard. The cottage , garden and the grounds are beautiful. Having the lake and a boat was a bonus

Beautiful location and surrounding area, we cycled everywhere and it was a very safe place to leave our bikes. Comfortable house with all amenities plus lovely to have a welcome basket of tea, coffee, butter, bread, wine etc. Garden wasn't actually as private as had been indicated however it had a lovely table and chairs to sit out on and a walk to a beautiful pond nearby.

My party found The Calf Pens very comfortable, spacious, nicely furnished, and well-equipped. It has lovely grounds with outside seating and a very short walk to a lake. The owner was very friendly and helpful and provided a folder with lots of useful information. It's important to have a car but it is well situated for the shops and pubs/restaurants in Hadleigh and in striking distance of all the sights Suffolk has to offer. It's a short walk from the Queen's Head in Lower Layham with its friendly landlord and great food. We had a lovely stay and would recommend it.

We had an amazing week and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Calf Pens. Honestly couldn’t fault facilities! Delightful cottage with comfortable beds, a well equipped kitchen, really comfortable living area, set in lovely grounds in a delightful area. We found it reassuring that Allison and Huge left a welcome letter and contact number and that we were able to contact them if we needed to.

A beautiful, warm and well appointed home I would recommend to anybody especially for cyclists looking for quiet roads.