A HAUTE HIBERNATION WITH UNIQUE HOMESTAYS: THE SUMMER FOLLY
IN ONE LINE
A whimsical and lovingly renovated 18th century Folly, turned unique self-catering retreat, tucked away in the grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire.
OUR STAY
January really is a month for hibernation. Short, dark days and a chill in the air make the lure of the indoors, preferably hidden under a duvet, far too tempting to ignore. But it’s long been an axiom of ours that the best way to beat the Winter blues is to plan an escape (or two). Which is why we happily accepted an invite from Unique Homestays for a little countryside getaway and found ourselves bound for Lincolnshire on a drizzly Friday the week after New Years.
Arriving at The Summer Folly under the cover of darkness we only managed our first proper look around the next morning. Rolling back the bedroom blinds after a good night’s sleep revealed endless fields and a glimpse of nearby Grimsthorpe Castle, of whose grounds the Folly sits in. Blenheim Castle architect Sir John Vanbrugh created the Folly in the 1720s as a Summer House for the estate and over the centuries this quirky spot has been moulded and shaped into a truly unique hideaway. The current iteration retains all of its historic charm while still serving up plenty of the modern creature comforts you’d desire. On the ground floor is a country kitchen, dining room and mini library. Upstairs, both bedrooms sit in the tower and feature ensuites with wonderful roll top baths and windows looking out across the views. But by far the pièce de résistance of The Summer Folly is the 2nd floor lounge and snug which have been intricately hand painted across the entirety of the walls and ceilings, a visual love story of the previous owners. It’s here we spent the majority of our time, sitting fireside and swivelling our neck back and forward, each time discovering a new little motif (we decided our favourite was the cat peeking down from the centre of the snug).
We indulged in utter laziness for the majority of our 3 night stay; mostly reading books by the fire that we had borrowed from the small library or snuggling in to the very comfy sofa to watch movies in the seperate cinema annexe. Although, there was one morning where we managed to motivate ourselves enough to head outside for an easy walk through the fields to nearby Grimsthorpe Castle. Friendly deer accompanied us around the grounds as we admired the architecture and grandeur, imagining all the history that these stones had witnessed.
Along with providing a beautiful backdrop for our laziness, The Folly was also blissfully quiet, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the trees and the rain tapping against the windows to break the silence. And besides a lone fellow walker on our wander to the castle, we didn’t see a single soul for the entire weekend, making us feel as if we were ensconced in our own private world. The relaxation broken only by our (far-too-early) alarm on Monday morning, signalling the time for our departure back to London and an end to our Unique Homestay.
Seperate cinema annexe located across from the main house
GOOD TO KNOW
The Summer Folly can be booked via Unique Homestays
The Folly is wonderfully secluded but this also means there is nowhere nearby to stock up on food or necessities so make sure to pack everything you’ll need if you’re visiting sans car.
The kitchen is fully equipped and food basics such as salt, pepper, oil, bread, butter and milk are provided
If you do have a car then plenty of parking is available on site and after booking a helpful guide of the area will be sent with suggestions for nearby restaurants, shops and points of interest
The Folly is dog friendly
Pack some walking boots or Wellingtons as the surrounding fields will be muddy in the wetter months.
Guests have unrestricted access to the castle and grounds, although you can only enter the house and gardens when they are open April - October
Fluffy robes, towels and mini toiletries are provided
Reassuringly a housekeeper lives nearby should you need anything during your stay
THE HIGHS AND LOWS
H: We loved the seclusion of the property, the quiet and the easy access to countryside walks in the grounds of the castle. The seperate cinema snug was sinfully cosy, but by far the room we spent most time in was the painted lounge on the second floor. The huge windows meant light spilled in throughout the day and provided plenty of opportunity to gaze out across the fields. The fire in there was also welcome entertainment for the cold days and the novelty of staying in such a quirky historic building proved memorable.
L: One of the things we most look forward to in a winter staycation is having the chance to sit by a fireplace while we watch films. Which is why if we could change one thing it would have been to add a fireplace to the cosy Annexe snug, either that or a small TV by the fire upstairs in the main house (this would also save the cold dash across the courtyard between the annexe and main house).
HOW TO GET THERE
Trains run direct from London Kings Cross to Grantham in about 1hr10mins. From there, a taxi journey will be around 25mins (we can recommend S Line Taxis).
Alternatively the drive from London will take 2.5 - 3 hours.
We were invited guests of Unique Homestays but as always our thoughts and opinions are our own
