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Luxury eco-lodge breaks in Somerset

16th May 2011 Print
Luxury eco-lodge breaks in Somerset

Robins Lodge, a stunning luxury eco-lodge set at the foot of the stunning Quantock Hills*, is the latest exciting addition to the Blue Chip Holidays collection of stylish self-catering holiday homes.

Available from just £10 per person per night Robins Lodge, set in the serene Somerset hamlet of Mill Cross, is perfect for the eco-conscious, country sport enthusiasts and pet owning travellers.  As well as having access to local riding stables guests can bring up to two dogs without charge, and visitors looking to minimise their carbon footprint can arrange to be collected from Taunton train station.

A week for eight can be booked with Blue Chip Holidays from just £579 rising to £1,419 in late July and August.  Three night breaks can also be booked from only £413.

Internally, Robins Lodge has an open plan living and dining area with patio doors that lead out on to a large sun deck.  The traditional, shaker-style kitchen features integrated appliances including electric oven, ceramic hob, extractor hood, fridge/freezer, and dishwasher. There is also a separate storage room for cycles, which also houses the washing machine and provides an excellent drying space after days out walking or riding.

There are three bedrooms including a ground floor double room, perfect for guests requiring wheelchair access, and a second bedroom with twin beds and access to a shower wet room.  The large master bedroom has a double bed, en-suite bathroom and access to a private East facing balcony spanning the full front of the property.  There is also a first floor mezzanine with access to the West facing balcony and views of the lake.  Downstairs, Robins Lodge has a double sofa bed and wet room with bath and shower, and a further separate cloakroom with loo and sink.

Robin Lodge’s green credentials encompass the latest in LED lighting, a ground source heat pump, which heats the lodge’s under floor heating system, solar energy, which provides electricity and heats the lodge’s water, and on-site rain harvesting to minimise water wastage. 

Located within the grounds of Mill Meadow, which has been awarded one of only four Golds in the county by the Green Tourism Business Awards, Robin’s lodge is situated in a nature enthusiast’s paradise.  Badgers, foxes, bats, and a diverse range of birds make the site their home, encouraged by careful on-site management as well as the installation of bird and bat boxes.  Dragonflies, mayflies, otters and a wide variety of wildfowl can also be spotted on the lake situated directly behind Robins Lodge.  Here guests can fish for trout and carp, or simply spend hours quietly spotting the many species that live in the surrounding environment.
 
Its quiet rural location gives Robins Lodge access to miles of leaf-lined lanes and bridle paths that are perfect for walks, cycling or riding; there are also a number of stables offering guided trekking nearby, and loose horse boxes can also be hired locally for guests wishing to bring their own horse.

The Quantock Hills, Exmoor, and the Bridgewater and Taunton canal are literally on the doorstep and local attractions include the West Somerset Railway and Hestercombe Gardens.  The seaside is also only 15 miles away and can be accessed either by bus from nearby Taunton or from Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway, which regularly runs steam trains to both Minehead and Dunster.

For the adventurous the Scrumptious Somerset cycle route is also well worth a visit.  This takes in the nearby Taunton Farmers Market, Muchelney Pottery Gallery and Shop, Muchelney Abbey, the Langport and River Parrett Visitor Centre, Burrow Hill Cider, and the Brown and Forest Traditional Smokery at Hambridge.  Bike and electrically powered cycle hire can all be arranged through Mill Meadow.  

Robins Lodge sleeps eight and can be booked from just £579 per week, rising to £1,419 in late July and August.  Three night breaks can also be booked from only £413.

Other Mill Meadow properties include Kingfisher Lodge, Woodpecker Lodge, and Swallows Barn, each sleeping six.  House Martins sleeps eight.  Each can be booked from £469 per week.

For more information and bookings, visit: bluechipholidays.net

*The Quantocks was the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
 

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Luxury eco-lodge breaks in Somerset