All about Lower Buckton

Already famous on the Food Tourism trail, Henry and Carolyn Cheshire’s cooking is the starring attraction here. If you wish to improve your culinary skills or simply sit back and enjoy, Carolyn’s love for locally sourced produce and her award-winning breakfasts never fail to please. Everything is either home-grown and made by Carolyn and Henry or locally sought, bought and caught from small-scale farmers, producers and growers. With local game from the woods, meat from the neighbouring farmers and Lower Buckton's own year-round productive kitchen garden of herbs, vegetables and fruit, Carolyn and Henry work hard to ensure that Lower Buckton is a multinational supermarket free zone!

If you are lucky, your trip may coincide with one of the 'food safaris' - a fantastic day out in which you take a leisurely tour of the local shires sampling culinary delights. The day courses are planned around a theme to suit the time of year and ingredients available.

From the house are uninterrupted views for miles of farmland, woodland, forests and beyond the horses' paddocks are glimpses of the River Teme meandering its way to Ludlow just ten miles downstream.

If you manage to prise yourself away from the table, Lower Buckton is the gateway to some of the most tranquil, beautiful and unspoilt countryside in England and Wales. Footpaths and bridleways for walking, riding and cycling in Mortimer forest are the perfect scenery in which to while away the days after those hearty breakfasts. Discover and explore ancient surrounding towns including Ludlow, Leominster and Bishops Castle with cobbled streets and gabled houses steeped in history.

Spoilt for choice with walks, idyllic villages and historical monuments, in the evening you might just want to relax at the camp with a glass of wine by the stream listening to the birds. With virtually no 'light pollution' it is the perfect spot to watch the clear night skies.

Getting there

Lower Buckton, Ludlow, Shropshire SY70JU

By train

Ludlow station is the most likely way to arrive but there is also Bucknell station on the Heart of Wales line. Just remember to tell the driver to stop.

By car

Travel west through Leintwardine. After ¼ of a mile turn right signed Knighton A4113. At the next hamlet of Walford turn right at crossroads down narrow lane signed Buckton & Adleymoor. Over the river Teme, Lower Buckton is the 2nd house on the left (late Georgian red brick). The entrance is by the village green - a white gate with a post box in the wall.

By horse

You can ride to Lower Buckton and have your horse stabled while you stay. Just remember that you'll most likely be coming back much heavier.

If you are getting to the Cabin by train, bus or any other non-car means you can think of be sure to take a photo and enter our Go Greenly competition to win a 4 night stay at The Wagon or The Ark.

Things to do

One for the diary

Open day at Buckton Corn Mill - Saturday 12th May 2012 - For the National Mills Weekend neighbouring eighteenth century Buckton Corn Mill (from which Millstream Camp takes its name) will be opening its doors and gardens to the public. A rare opportunity to see the restored mill wheel turning, and Carolyn will be serving afternoon cream teas in Lower Buckton's gardens beside the stream.
Ludlow Spring Fair - Sat & Sun 12th & 13th May 2012 - Brewers, butchers and bakers show off their wares at Ludlow Castle - with music, classic cars and more
Ludlow Arts Festival - 23rd June - 8th July 2012 - Theatrical performances, talks and workshops

Mortimer Country & Food Fair - Saturday 14th July 2012 - organised by Carolyn herself and the amazing Aardvark Books to showcase local food producers, artists and musicians. This year's theme is "Back to the Future" meaning the festival will have a distinctly retro twist! In Brampton Bryan, just down the lane.

Sun Inn Beer Festival - August Bank Holiday weekend- the famous Beer Festival is not to be missed at this quaint, well-preserved example of an English parlour pub

Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival - Fri 7th - Sun 9th Sept 2012 - the small town of Ludlow lives up to its big reputation with this unforgettable yearly celebration of food & drink

Courses & classes from Carolyn's Cooking Good cookery school

All courses and classes at Lower Buckton are based on ingredients available on the day. Each day course begins at half ten, finishes mid afternoon and includes morning tea or coffee and homemade biscuits, a full (very full) lunch and afternoon tea and cake. You also get a foodie goody bag, and a Cooking Good apron. Any recipes you try will be emailed to you so you can carry on Cooking Good at home. Past course themes have included The Best Breakfast, and Sausage Making & Other Porky Things

but check the website for current offerings and for the latest on...

Food safaris

Carolyn runs these wonderful foodie tours. Leave from the house at 10am and get driven round three or four local producers for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of their methods. All the tours place a gloriously heavy emphasis on sampling and include a full lunch and a goody bag of various edible bits and pieces, if you can possibly find room for them.

Offa's Dyke walking path

Outdoor & active

Walkers and cyclists alike are spoilt for choice here, with Hopton woods five miles up the road. There are national standard race tracks for those chasing the fear factor and for those who prefer to spend their holidays in a more relaxing manner, there are plenty of quiet trails in 1000 acres of Forestry Commission countryside. The Herefordshire Trail, which goes on to link with the Mortimer Trail, runs right past the house. Offa's Dyke is a more famous and dramatic walking path, just 7 miles away with absolutely breathtaking views.

The River Teme is just at the end of the garden and is well stocked with trout, grayling, barbem and eels for a spot of fishing where permits allow. Or spend a day steeplechasing from the tiny Heath Chapel set in a field to cathedral-like St Laurence's Church in Ludlow.

Places to visit

The land of lost content museum

The Land of Lost Content is the national museum of British popular culture that can be found a 20 minute drive away in Craven Arms. It is an opportunity to step back in time and discover everything you, your parents, grandparents, sons and daughters owned, used, played with and threw away. Open daily except Wednesdays.

Gardens at Hampton Court

The gardens in the grounds of Hampton Court Castle, half an hour drive away, are definitely worth a visit. Adjacent to the castle is the Orangery Café set in a large conservatory which uses produce from the kitchen garden to lay on an excellent seasonal menu. During the summer months, travelling outdoor theatre groups perform such classics as Beauty and the Beast, Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare.

Leintwardine, a nearby village, is home to The Sun Inn. Listed by English heritage for its national interest, it is one of the last remaining parlour pubs in Britain. Despite the longest standing owner passing away last year the locals have kept this establishment running, where customers sit on wooden benches in the front room and beer (the only alcohol on offer) is served from barrels on the kitchen floor. Bring your own fish & chips from just up the road.

Eating & drinking

Carolyn's Cooking!

Delicious meals up at the house, cooked by Carolyn herself, can be booked at any time at a rate of £15 per head for breakfast and £35 per head for dinner. Carolyn has won many awards for her country breakfasts which are cooked to order and where overcooked baked beans and out-of-season tomatoes will not be found! Her dinners are delicious and are produced entirely from local ingredients. You can even help Henry to choose, pick and dig the vegetables straight from the kitchen garden. The menu always follows the seasons and everything is sought and caught at Lower Buckton or bought from local, independent farms, growers and producers, supporting the local community and economy.

There may even be a Lower Buckton cookery course or 'Food Safari' taking place - just ask Carolyn when you book. and you can take part in a cookery course or a 'food safari'. If you're camp-fire cooking there's loads of local produce to be had - ask about having the hut pre-stocked for your arrival. Pots of herbs grow all around the camp and there is veg to be had from the garden, surplus permitting.

Pubs

The river-side walk to The Sun Inn, Leintwardine takes half an hour and can be undertaken with or without Copper the dog as a guide. Hugely popular with Millstream guests is the opportunity to get fantastic fish & chips from the next door shop to eat in the pub: a match made in heaven!

Tea rooms

Favourites for morning coffees, light lunches and afternoon teas:

Aardvark Books, Brampton Bryan (1 mile) - Just down the lane, Aardvark Books are a definite first port of call for all guests at Millstream Camp. It's a surprisingly large bookshop and café in old converted barns in the depths of the countryside, with a fantastic selection of books, a fine array of teas and coffees and, most importantly, delicious homemade cakes.

The Garden Tea Rooms & Deli, Kingsland (9 miles) - Delightful tea rooms full of vintage china, bits and bobs. Open for morning coffee, lunches and afternoon teas in a period house and garden setting.

Mistletoe House and Gallery, Combe Corner (8 miles) - A combination of country living, top quality refreshments and contemporary art. Savour the gentle clink of bone china, treat yourself to an delicious ice cream.

Restaurants

Ludlow Bridge

A foray into Ludlow is a must and there are two well-known Michelin starred restaurants: La Becasse and Mr Underhill's - you will usually need to make a reservation well in advance. For an excellent alternative, head below the castle down to Dinham bridge and the Millenium Green beside the River Teme to the excellent Green Cafe. The menu uses seasonal, locally sourced produce. The chef Clive Davis, like Carolyn, was a Slow Food Terra Madre Chef and they both derive much of their ethos in the kitchen from the aims and objectives of Slow Food.

For other recommendations for dinner or drinks, please ask for Carolyn and Henry's current favourites.

All about Lower Buckton

Already famous on the Food Tourism trail, Henry and Carolyn Cheshire’s cooking is the starring attraction here. If you wish to improve your culinary skills or simply sit back and enjoy, Carolyn’s love for locally sourced produce and her award-winning breakfasts never fail to please. Everything is either home-grown and made by Carolyn and Henry or locally sought, bought and caught from small-scale farmers, producers and growers. With local game from the woods, meat from the neighbouring farmers and Lower Buckton's own year-round productive kitchen garden of herbs, vegetables and fruit, Carolyn and Henry work hard to ensure that Lower Buckton is a multinational supermarket free zone!

If you are lucky, your trip may coincide with one of the 'food safaris' - a fantastic day out in which you take a leisurely tour of the local shires sampling culinary delights. The day courses are planned around a theme to suit the time of year and ingredients available.

From the house are uninterrupted views for miles of farmland, woodland, forests and beyond the horses' paddocks are glimpses of the River Teme meandering its way to Ludlow just ten miles downstream.

If you manage to prise yourself away from the table, Lower Buckton is the gateway to some of the most tranquil, beautiful and unspoilt countryside in England and Wales. Footpaths and bridleways for walking, riding and cycling in Mortimer forest are the perfect scenery in which to while away the days after those hearty breakfasts. Discover and explore ancient surrounding towns including Ludlow, Leominster and Bishops Castle with cobbled streets and gabled houses steeped in history.

Spoilt for choice with walks, idyllic villages and historical monuments, in the evening you might just want to relax at the camp with a glass of wine by the stream listening to the birds. With virtually no 'light pollution' it is the perfect spot to watch the clear night skies.