The Sussex Byre

 

I was recently invited to stay at The Byre, a beautiful converted cow shed in Sussex. 

This flint stone barn is located in the South Downs so it was the perfect place to visit for a weekend of long walks and visiting the nearby town of Lewes for antiquing and Alfriston which has a National Trust property Clergy house and it also has a tea room, a bookshop and other shops to browse. 

Inside, The Byre is very well heated and the open plan living space is deliciously scented with lots of luxurious items and touches. Think antiques from nearby Lewes, interesting books, games to play, a well stocked kitchen and comfy sofas with views overlooking the South Downs.

It had the most incredible light, when it was sunny the light would pour into the room, absolutely stunning.

The weather was a little bit changeable to say the least, but we made the most of it. Dodging rain showers in book shops and taking long baths in the afternoon.

We spent the day in Lewes shopping for antiques for the cottage and nosing around in old bookshops. 

We arrived to the Byre around 4pm and made ourselves at home. It was so comfy and cosy, so warm and inviting on this wet rainy day. I did think to myself it would be a good place to book with some friends to see in the New Year.

It has everything you could need, and we were treated to a lovely welcome hamper of local products and yummy treats. 

The Byre is down a country lane with private parking and it’s just a stone throw from the local pub which is great when you can’t be bothered to cook. The pub was so good we ate there both nights. It is so nice not to have to drive anywhere, I think it must be only a few minutes walk in the moonlight.

It doesn’t have a TV which was fine for us, but maybe worth mentioning in case you like an evening of telly and Netflix. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate decision by the owners, going 'off grid' seems to be a thing nowadays but the wifi is good so we just had a laptop with us to watch TV.

The Byre has two beautiful bedrooms, two massive beds with soft high quality sheets to help you drift off to a good nights sleep after a long day of walking. 

The owners live next door but you have a key box to let yourself in. 

Outside there is a large pond and a lawn garden (and a bee box!) but it was too rainy to enjoy during our stay. I should imagine on a sunny evening it would be the perfect spot for a sundowner, or two.

The St Eval room diffuser was incredible. I have ordered some for the cottage as the scent really filled the space with the most amazing scent. I was obsessed.

I loved all of the books and the antiques that the owner had put in the barn. She has a really good eye for design and obviously has put in  a lot of thought and effort=rt.

But the most memorable part of my stay, was this copper bathtub. I loved it so much I had three soaks in it during our stay. Indulgent? Very. Ladies of leisure have nothing on me!

It was the most welcoming thing to dive into after a day of walking. We climbed the long man of Wilmington and got caught in a hail storm so I was so grateful to have this on my return! My soggy bones and chilled-to-the-core body needed this.

I really couldn’t fault our stay here but my only wish was that it was dog friendly. Its location is perfect for walks with your four legged friends and we did suggest this to the owner (who is lovely) but she did explain her reservations on it for now, which I understand. If I had spent years renovating somewhere and ploughing a lot of money into something, I wouldn't want a big slobbery dog ruining my cushions or an untraining pup pissing on my carpets!

You can book your stay here www.the Byre.co.uk 

*this was a PR stay but all opinions are my own