Stylish cosy small barn in village near coast

Our small 18th century barn is the converted village forge and is perfect for any time of the year - a cosy winter break by the wood burner or summer outdoors in the private cottage garden. We're in a forgotten part of Suffolk known as The Saints, in the heart of beautiful walking and cycling country, yet only 15 miles from Suffolk's best beaches and Southwold. The barn shows it's heritage with beams, shutters, and vaulted ceilings, yet has a modern open plan layout. Perfect for a couples retreat, the cottage is in the heart of the small village of Saint James. We've recently redecorated and replaced the flooring ready for the 2022 season. The main living space is open plan. The handmade kitchen has everything you'll need - oven, induction hob, microwave, fridge with freezer compartment, dishwasher, butlers sink, lots of cookware, crockery etc - an antique dining table that seats four, and a very comfy sofa to cosy up by the wood burning stove. There is also a small study and we have superfast broadband - very rare in Suffolk! So The Old Forge is the perfect place to work, as well as relax. The small bedroom has a double bed and small wardrobe and we provide the best white linen and towels for your stay. There is a sofa bed in the study, so the cottage works as a place for friends to stay as well as couples. We make a small charge of £14 to cover laundry costs for the extra set of bed linen if you require the sofa bed. The bathroom has a bath and electric shower. Outside there is a supply of logs for the wood burner that you're free to use. Deck chairs, outdoor bistro table and chairs and a barbecue all mean you can enjoy the secluded cottage garden. If you have green fingers please feel free to help us keep the weeds at bay! We love dogs so if you have one small well behaved dog that you'd like to bring along, please do. There are lots of fabulous walks right from the cottage. It's also perfect cycling country - bikes are very welcome as well. There is safe off street parking at the front of the barn. A car is essential as sadly there is no public transport in this part of Suffolk. Or if you're feeling fit you could bring your bikes and cycle from Halesworth station which connects to the London intercity line at Ipswich. We don't live near the cottage, but our very helpful and friendly manager lives in the village and can help with any thing you might need. So you will have complete privacy when you stay at The Old Forge. Our neighbours are all very friendly and can offer lots of tips on local life and walks. There is no village shop, so bring provisions with you for the first part of your stay. There are plenty of speciality food shops and supermarkets in Halesworth and Harleston, and the best community village shop in the next village Metfield (try their chilli sausage rolls!). The nearest pub, The Rumburgh Buck, is 3 miles away and is about as local as a local can get - very friendly, and serves good fish and chips. We have several excellent eateries not far away - the best being the Fox and Goose in Fressingfield. There's St Peter's brewery for beer tastings, and lunch in the lovely old hall. There are no Starbucks or Costa's for miles! Saint James is in the heart of agricultural Suffolk and is a working village so there will be tractors and farm machinery going through the village during the day at various times of year. The nights are incredibly quiet with the occasional sound of an owl. The area has lots of walks right from the barn and is great cycling country. The Saints are steeped in history and we have lots of guides and books at the cottage to help you decide where to go and what to do during your stay. There is no public transport to our village sadly - a car really is essential. Cyclists are very welcome and, if you're energetic enough, it's possible to cycle to the cottage from Halesworth Station (connects to London) - about 8 miles. The coast is about 15 miles away. There are so many walks around the village that all you need to do is go out the front door and start walking in beautiful Suffolk countryside. Covid-19 information. For your peace of mind we are blocking at least 2 days between bookings to allow for thorough cleaning and sanitising in accordance with the Airbnb Covid-19 cleaning protocol. Please stay at home - do not go to the cottage - if you have Covid, or have been in contact with someone who is Covid positive - our cancellation policy is flexible, please read carefully. We make a small additional charge of £25 if you bring a dog with you - this covers the extra cleaning required after your stay. If more than two guests want to stay we make a charge of £15 per night for each additional guest. These will both be added to fee shown on your booking. I do make a small charge for extra linen if you wish to use the sofa bed in the study of £14 - this will be charged after your booking is confirmed.