Middle Farm & Cottages

20/10/2026

There’s honestly not one month in the year that we prefer to another here at Middle Farm.

Each month brings a new discovery, challenge, surprise and wonder.

We’ve lived here in The Shropshire Hills for a little over 3 years now and we love it. Being over 1000 feet above sea level - it’s a little different from the lives and landscapes we left behind in Oxfordshire.

But when the cooler and longer nights close in, we look forward to our guests discovering these beautiful hills in a different version to summer.

Quieter, more rugged with the bracken and heather dying back. The Long Mynd becomes even more blissfully quiet.

While summer gets all the glory, October in the hills above Church Stretton is something really special.

If you’re usually a summer holiday person, try an autumn getaway in Shropshire. Crisp hill walks, cosy cottage evenings and autumn scenery are just beautiful when the walks are this quiet. 🥾🍂

16/10/2026

Imagine walking in, kicking off your boots and instantly feeling at home… 🍂

Nestled in the heart of the Shropshire Hills, Middle Farm and Cottages isn’t just a place to stay, it’s an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply and properly relax.

Converted from historic cattle barns, our three cosy cottages are designed to feel like a true home away from home the second you walk through the door.
🌸 Daisy’s Place (Sleeps 2) Perfect for a peaceful couple’s escape
🪿 Gooseyard (Sleeps 2) A tranquil sanctuary for two
🏡 The Barn (Sleeps up to 6) A homely gathering spot for family & friends

🌾 Visit our website (link in bio) to find your version of peace.

13/10/2026

Over the last three years, we’ve loved groups of best friends escaping to Middle Farm & Cottages for a well-deserved rest.

Whether it’s two besties or 6 catching up and enjoying extra space in The Barn, or friends sharing the Super king-size beds in Gooseyard or Daisy’s Place, they’ve always come for the same reason…relaxation.

Some weekends are all about calm and peace, whether it’s walking and exploring our beautiful Shropshire Hills and medieval towns of Ludlow and Shrewsbury, painting in the garden, or a game of Scrabble with a bottle of wine….Other times, the Play-barn gets surprisingly competitive with ping-pong and darts tournaments! 🏓🎯

We’ve had artist weekends, birdwatchers, stargazers, photographers and even bat detectives. But mostly? It’s just about having the time and space to slow down, talk for hours, and switch off from the everyday life at home and doing what you want to do.

Whatever your reason for a getaway with your friends, we’re the quiet retreat you’ve been craving💚
📍 Middle Farm & Cottages
💬 Tag the friend who you’d like to getaway with!

11/10/2026

A decade without a family holiday!!... It sounds extraordinary, but for many farming families, it’s a reality. The last time this lovely family went away together, their children were in nappies. Now, they’re teenagers!

Twenty years ago, Middle Farm was a large working farm. Over time, the land was sold off, and today we are an 8-acre smallholding with luxury holiday cottages at the heart of it and an eclectic mix of animals that our guests love to see.

Yet, however small our setup is now, that connection to the land and the weather is there.

This summer’s drought was a big worry. Instead of our sheep grazing on lush green grass, it they needed extra feed every day and with our streams running dry (and still are), we were lugging endless gallons of water back and forth.

Given that we don’t rely on our animals for an income, I can only imagine how incredibly stressful it is for full-scale proper farmers when nature doesn’t cooperate.
It really puts into perspective how much planning and heart goes into taking time off when animals depend on you.

Whether you’re organising care for a dog, a cat, a goldfish or a tortoise, leaving home takes effort to make sure they are well cared for. So imagine multiplying that by several hundred head of livestock!

Marcus and I struggle to leave for long, too. Between our sheep, chickens, ducks, and three dogs, getting away is a military operation! But we managed a whistle-stop 24-hour (and wished it could have been for longer) trip to Falmouth for our son’s university graduation in the summer, a couple of nights in Pembrokeshire in February, and we have a 3-night break back to Pembrokeshire coming up soon, which I personally cannot wait for! (I’ll be sneaking in a little market research too 😂).

If you’ve never been to Pembrokeshire it’s beautiful! We are a good half way stop if you ever thought to make a little road trip🤔🥰

Everyone needs a breather, whether it’s a family week, a quiet trip just you or with your partner, or a getaway with friends. Stepping away is good for the soul - just don’t leave it 10 years! 💚

07/10/2026

It’s no secret that Monty, Malcolm, Nellie, and Nora steal the show around here! Almost everyone loves to meet them on their holidays 💚

One of our wonderful past guests who fell in love with our our Valais Blacknose (The 4 Amigos) Not only did she paint them during her stay, then send us a surprise gift of her painting….she then turned her art work into a t-shirt👕

She sent us a clip of her proudly wearing it and we think it’s brilliant and she might just have started a Middle Farm trend!

We’re tempted to get a few made for our little guest farm shop so others can take a piece of their holiday home with them. Would you wear one? Let us know!

04/10/2026

You don’t have to be a keen walker to enjoy an escape with us, many of our guests come purely for peace, quiet and total relaxation.

But if you do love to explore, the incredible walks here are hard to resist! We think we are surrounded by some of the best walking in the country. 🥾

Every cottage comes stocked with guidebooks, walking maps, and our custom ‘Walks from Middle Farm’ booklet.

But our favorite route recommendations come straight from our guests! Hearing about your favorite adventures and then getting out there to try them ourselves gives us a never-ending supply of incredible local walks.

Of course, no walk is complete without the proper motivation and feeling 100% justified in indulging in something deliciously naughty from Saxtons is definitely the top perk - or a pie and a pint by the pretty stream The Bridges Pub 🍺

So if a walking holiday and a new area to discover is up your street to blow out those life’s stresses and strains then why not look at Middle Farm and Cottages in the beautiful Shropshire Hills?

30/09/2026

It doesn’t feel quite ready to say goodbye to September and summer… but Autumn is settling in slowly to life here in The Shropshire Hillls and here at Middle Farm🍁

Autumn takes on a different, cosier feel with pubs and warm fires and our cosy cottages waiting for you after your walking and adventures.

30/09/2026

27/09/2026

We’ve noticed such a lovely shift at Middle Farm and Cottages recently☺️

In our first three years of hosting, solo bookings were quite rare, we’d only hosted a couple. But over the last few months, we’ve welcomed over a dozen independent guests to Gooseyard and Daisy’s Place!
It’s made us wonder: what’s driving this sudden change? Are more solo travellers, especially women, feeling a fresh wave of confidence to venture out on their own right now?

So many of our solo guests are keen walkers looking for peace, quiet, and direct access to the Long Mynd, without the hassle of busy crowds.

They’re loving the freedom to explore at their own pace and discover those quieter, hidden gems like Church Stretton, Much Wenlock, and Bridgnorth, stepping slightly off the usual tourist track of Ludlow and Shrewsbury. But equally they are just as happy to relax, switch off and just enjoy Middle Farm and its beautiful garden and friendly animals.

✨ What do you look for most when choosing a peaceful country retreat?
✨ How can host cottages help you feel completely safe and secure, yet give you total freedom to unplug?

Drop your thoughts below, Marcus and I would love to know how to make Middle Farm the ultimate sanctuary for walking holidays and restful escapes for everyone.👇🌿