4-star holiday cottage near Malvern, Worcestershire
News
Woodpecker
We occasionally receive emails from our guests about wildlife they have seen during their stay at Rhydd Barn. Our recent delightful guests from Germany sent us this email after seeing their review posted up on our reviews page:
Thank you so much to mention our review on your new and very perfect done homepage.
As I did browse your website I also found your picture of the male pheasant in front of the barn.
So I don’t want to withhold a picture from you of a very beautiful green woodpecker that “keeps your floor joints clean”.
We took the photo on the morning of June 15th right through the kitchen window.
We often can listen to the woodpecker in our area [in Germany] as well, but we had never ever the chance to see one so nearby.
The small field immediately in front of the Barn was full of attractive wild flowers one month ago. This field is a natural meadow, not treated with fertiliser.
This week the meadow has been cut for hay.
Below are photos of the field as it was in May and as it is now.
Rhydd Barn small field – may 2024Rhydd Barn small field – june 2024
A new Bosch induction hob and electric oven have been installed in the kitchen area at Rhydd Barn. We hope that our visitors will enjoy using it. Below is a photograph of it.
I managed to get a decent photograph of our pheasant through the window. He proudly patrols the area outside, sometimes with his female partner. Here is the photo:
We are proud to announce that Rhydd Barn has again been awarded 4-Star Gold Award status by VisitEngland for 2024. And, in addition to our Walkers Welcome accreditation, we are now also a Cyclists Welcome accommodation. The inspection was carried out by VisitEngland on 7 March 2024. The criteria that apply to the Welcome schemes can be seen on the VisitEngland Welcome Schemes web page. VisitEngland is the official tourist board for England.
Rhydd Barn scored particularly highly on Cleanliness (a 100% score!) and Management (93%, which includes the ‘welcome/arrival procedures’ and ‘in-unit guest information and personal touches’). So, we must thank our excellent cleaner, Sharon, and Rosemary‘s sister, Andrea, for all their hard work. Rosemary, the owner of Rhydd Barn, well deserves this award for all her hard work and her insistence on the highest standards throughout the year.
Below are selected highlights from the conclusion to VisitEngland‘s report:
A great location for exploring the Malvern Hills and surrounding area.
The Proprietor is to be congratulated on the continued investment and maintaining of standards.
This past year as well as ongoing internal redecoration, a great deal of investment has gone into the compliance of the new Fire Regulations for holiday accommodation with a Fire Advisor being employed to offer advice. A real credit to the owners in showing their commitment to the safety of the guest.
External paint work of the barn continues to be attended to on an ongoing basis ensuring that the excellent initial impressions continue to be maintained throughout the year.
Great to see all the various items purchased and facilities now provided for cyclists.
Again, the ongoing replacing and upgrading of kitchen utensils helps to further meet with market expectations.
Great to see that the web site is being updated on an ongoing basis with new pictures added as and when along with “news”.
Special mention should also once again be given for the very high standards of cleanliness noted on this visit, and for which Sharon and Ms Boaz are to be congratulated
The west wall of the Barn has been repainted as some areas of paint were peeling off. Also the window sill around the west-facing ground floor picture window has been redecorated.
A concrete ‘plinth’ has been added to the rear of the patio wall to stabilise the wall as gaps were appearing at the base. Also the rear of the adjacent pigsty wall was repointed. New drain covers replace old cracked ones beside the driveway. And concrete ‘godfathers’ have been added to reinforce the fence posts of the fence between the Barn’s little wildflower meadow and the Hanley Swan road.
Concrete plinth base rear of patio wallNew drain covers‘Godfathers’ reinforcing fence by Hanley Swan road
We have replaced an old leaking water butt behind the Barn with a new one. Also the water butt beside the pigsty needed a new connection fitting to the downpipe which has been done.
New water butt behind the BarnNew connection to pigsty water butt
When I visit Rhydd Barn I usually travel by rail. So, I am often at Malvern Railway Station. This wonderful Victorian station was built in 1861, designed by E W Elmslie using local Malvern stone, to impress wealthy visitors who came to Malvern for its famous water cure. There is a café where, if I arrive early enough, I like to have a coffee with cake. The station is lovingly looked after and it was recently repainted. Here are two photographs I took:
Malvern Railway Station detailMalvern Railway Station
While I was staying at the Barn in early September I noticed some signs that autumn was not far away. Fruits have formed on the horse chestnut tree which will later mature and fall to the grass as spiny green shells containing ‘conkers’. I also saw some early acorns on the oak tree, still green. My small wild flower meadow at the entrance to Rhydd Barn has been cut—the cuttings are left to lie on the ground so that any seeds will be returned to the meadow to add to next year’s flowers and grasses.
I took some photographs:
‘Conkers’ appearingAn early acornWild flower meadow cut
