Shepard’s Hut in Small Orchard

This is a stand alone unit totally self contained. More details below in The Space. We have three other rooms in our home for you to view Constable Country, Dedham Vale or Single Room in Dedham On arrival, guests will be made welcome, this is primarily our home, so we aim to make guests feel at ease and comfortable as we would for any of our family and friends. We offer a double room which has been furnished comprising of a double bed, two cabinets with draws. Small table and two chairs. There is also a washing up bowl and portable drainboard under the table. The room has 3 x double sockets, two extension leads complete with usb chargers. Wifi does reach the shepherds hut. Small television with remote. There are tea/coffee making facilities in the room along with a small tabletop fridge containing complimentary refreshments and milk for your stay. There is also a microwave, side plates, dishes, dinner plates, cutlery. Small heater, and a fan can be provided on request. The patio area has a bistro set as well as other patio furniture. There is also a small bbq. Also a fire pit on request. Charcoal, fire lighters, kindling and wood are available for a small price. To the side of the Shepard’s Hut is your recycling area with bins for; Clean tins and bottles; Clean recyclable plastics PET1, HDPE2, PP5 (PLEASE CHECK THE PACKAGING it will tell you what parts are recyclable); Clean paper and card; General waste (dog poo bags can be disposed of here); Small food waste bin. We follow Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocol which includes providing our guests with cleaning and sanitising products to help keep them safe during their stay with us. Here are a few highlights: We have provided hand sanitiser just inside the gate for guests to use as they enter the Shepard’s Huts garden. We sanitise high-touch surfaces, down to the doorknob. We use cleaners and disinfectants approved by global health agencies, and we wear protective gear to help prevent cross-contamination. We clean each room using extensive cleaning checklists. We provide extra cleaning supplies, so you can clean as you stay. We comply with local laws, including any additional safety or cleaning guidelines. The shepherds hut is completely self contained and separate from the main house and can be accessed through a side gate. The garden has been divided to give the shepherds hut its own area. There is off road parking at the front of the house. We love meeting people, as do our extremely friendly young dogs (4 years old), please be aware that our cocker spaniel, and irish setter can both be very lively. Neither have been spayed. On arrival, you will be made to feel welcome. Guests are invited to join us in the main house. Or just chill out in our large garden where there is a gazebo and plenty of seating. I have lived here and worked in the village for over 20 years and have a wealth of knowledge of the local area, and am always happy to share this. If during your stay, there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable or more enjoyable, please let us know. Dedham has two pubs which both serve very good food, the tea room is excellent for post walk tea and cake. The boat house restaurant is a lovely place to spend an evening or if you prefer, Colchester has plenty of night life, bars and restaurants to choose from. Or, there are good local takeaways. Ardleigh has two pubs. The Wooden Fender serves excellent food. There is also a Chinese takeaway in the village. Our home is just outside the village of Dedham, on the Essex/Suffolk border, in the heart of Constable country, with its beautiful countryside and Flatford with its mill and river. We are close to main routes and the ports of Harwich (12 miles) and Felixstowe (15 miles), but far enough away to enjoy the tranquility and peace living in the country offers. There are lots of lovely things to do including walks along the 42 miles of footpaths by the river and round the village and across fields, you could hire a rowing boat and take a trip down the river. Visit the beautiful 14th century church (of which I am caretaker and groundskeeper), visit Flatford Mill or eat at some fantastic pubs and restaurants including The Sun, The Malborough, Milsoms, La Talbooth, Boathouse or the Wooden Fender Everything in the village can be accessed by foot or bike. There is a bus stop within a minutes walk, giving access to Colchester, Mannintree and beyond. The nearest train station is Manningtree which is 10 minutes away by car. Please note that we are located about 1.5 miles from Dedham village centre and about 5 miles from the centre of Colchester. Our home is located about 1.5 miles from Dedham village centre and Ardleigh village. There is easy access (2 mins) to the A12 which takes you to Colchester (5 miles). Clacton, Ipswich, Stanstead, Felixstowe and Harwich are all within a 40 minute drive. There is a good bus service with a bus stop just around the corner (200 m). Manningtree train station is a 10 minutes drive with Colchester North 15 minutes away, taking you into the heart London or Norwich, in around an hour. Breakfast is available at the main house for a small extra charge. Little Continental £4.50 pp comprising tea or fresh coffee, orange juice, cereal, 2 x croissants and selection of jams. Full English £9.50 comprising 2 x sausages, 2 x back bacon, 2 x fried eggs, beef tomato, beans, mushrooms, 2 x toast, selection of jams, tea or fresh coffee and orange juice. Small English £4.50 one of each. Please let us know prior to arrival if you would like breakfast. Washing machine is available for guests to use. However there is a small charge of £3 for the use of the tumble dryer per load. There is also a small charge to use the sauna (£5) and aromatherapy oils (50p) which are situated in the main house. Charcoal 5kg bag £5 Fire lighters £1 Kindling £2.50 Wood bag £5 We endeavour to decrease our environmental fingerprint with solar energy, air to water heating, led bulbs throughout the house, reusable water and milk bottles. Loose tea is now added to our biodegradable tea bags with no micro-plastics. We would ask our guests to help us with recycling their rubbish in our recycling bins.