All about Yarlington House

All about Yarlington House

The Count and Countess Charles de Salis have lived at Yarlington very happily for over half a century and

with help from their four daughters have restored Yarlington House to its original grandeur and wholly created the impressive gardens. The idea to put a yurt on their land came from Charles and Carolyn's boundless energy and eagerness to try new and exciting ideas. They were also intrigued by this new surge of ‘luxury’ camping, since Charles’ memories of sleeping outdoors take him back to his army days in Malaya, when things were quite different, and an 'outdoor shower' was an unwelcome and far from refreshing tropical downpour when asleep on the ground!

Environmental

Avid recyclers, Charles and Carolyn aim to run their house with minimal waste. The kitchen garden provides seasonal produce for the house’s delicious breakfasts and for guests to buy. Produce is available by arrangement with the gardener. The yurt and the kitchen and bathroom tent are both built by Albion Canvas from sustainable, carefully sourced materials. There's a rather charming private compost loo for guests of the yurt.

Wildlife

The large, flower-filled gardens are home to numerous species of butterflies. The area also supports deer, badgers, buzzards and rabbits. 40 minutes' drive away there is Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve, famous for its birds.

In & around Yarlington Yurt

• Private kitchen and bathroom tent
• Twin gas hob
• Sink
• Fridge with small freezer compartment
• All utensils
• Crockery & Cutlery
• Corkscrew
• Glasses (wine/tumblers)
• Candles/lamps
• BBQ
• Dishcloths
• Washing up bowl

• Full bed linen
• Towels
• Tea towels

• There is a pool which guests can use by arrangement and at their own risk
• A Roberts Radio

• Wellies
• Umbrella
• A big and powerful torch
• Towels for the pool

• Check in time - 3-6pm, but no earlier than 5pm on Mondays
• Check out time - 11am
• Pets are not allowed at Yarlington
• Kids of all ages are welcome
• Yarlington does its best to be environmentally responsible, but it really is isolated and guests are advised that they will almost certainly need transport of their own while staying.
• Guests can roam large parts of the peaceful gardens and Carolyn and Charles will happily show you around.
• There are occasional summer weddings. They are on Saturdays only, during the afternoon until 11pm and take place some distance from the yurt.
• There is full electric power in the yurt The nearest shop is an old fashioned village shop in North Cadbury (3 miles) and there is a supermarket in Wincanton (4 miles)

Getting there

Yarlington House, Somerset BA9 8DY

By train

From Paddington: Exeter & Penzance line to Castle Cary (1 hr 40 mins)

From Waterloo: Exeter line to Templecombe (1 hr 50 mins)

By car

From London and the East
Take the A303 to the Wincanton turning and then follow the A371 signed to Castle Cary. Pass the Holbrook House Hotel on your right and, after approx 1.5 miles, Yarlington is signed off to the left (right if you're coming from the North) 3 miles outside Castle Cary. Take another right and the drive is just past the pink cottage.

From the West on the A303

Yarlington is signed off left some 41/2 miles after the Sparkford roundabout. Go straight over the first crossroads and take the next left signed to Yarlington. The drive to Yarlington House is a hundred yards on the left just past a pink cottage.

When visiting, take the left fork at the top of the drive, through the gates and into the rear courtyard and knock at the first back door.

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.

Local activities

Outdoor & activitie

Half an hour away, the first safari park to be built outside of Africa resides in Longleat's stately grounds. There are miles of walks and cycle paths all over the surrounding countryside.

Glastonbury Tor

Places to visit

Open from April to November, Sherbourne Castle is a historic home with 30 acres of lakeside gardens and a tea room for delicious afternoon teas. Also within 45 minutes drive from the yurt is Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve, set up as a pioneering project in the 1980s and now one of the top bird watching sites in Britain. The National Trust's Stourhead Gardens are also a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.

Castle Cary is a charming town, with a bustling market square, museum and old prison as well as lots of little shops and cafés.

Wincanton Racecourse, where it is said that the first ever steeple chasing took place, is four miles away. In 2002, Wincanton officially twinned itself with the fictional city of Ankh Morpork in fantasy author Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. The town has numerous local shops and cafés including an exceptional butcher and farm shop. Due to a fire in 1707 most of the buildings are Georgian and many converted coaching inns still remain from this period.

For those with youngsters to entertain, the Witch of Wookey is set in stone in her caves 40 minutes down the road.

A 15-minute drive away (how else would you arrive) you'll find Haynes International Motor Museum which is home to the UK’s largest exhibition of greatest cars from all around the world. From classic Bentleys and Rolls Royces to modern-day super cars such as the Jaguar XJ220 this museum has the lot. They also have a themed adventure playground, interactive displays and a Ghostbuster-style ambulance.

Festivals, celebrations and special days

The internationally renowned Glastonbury Festival takes place just down the road in June. Long gone are the da

The Bath and west show

ys when buying a pint of milk from the owner gave you entry to the festival but it definitely gives the area a unique ambiance all year round.

The Bath & West show in Shepton Mallet is home to the National Cheese Awards and the UK’s biggest cider competition. For a true taste of the West Country this show in June with over 600 trade stands is a great family day out.

The Wincanton Carnival is part of Somerset’s Guy Fawkes illuminated carnivals that take place in autumn. The village really comes alive during this period with extravagantly decorated costumes, floats and festivities until the early hours.

Eating & drinking

Breakfast at the house

Full English breakfasts of locally sourced produce are served in the dining room and available by arrangement at a cost of £10 per person. Also speak to Fraser Gardner (he's the gardener) to taste the seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer in the 200-year-old walled kitchen garden.

Pubs & Restaurants

Stags Head Inn, Yarlington (5 minute walk down the hill). Equipped with real fires, this pub is ideal for informal brunches in their relaxed bar. Or you can opt to dine in style in their antique-furnished restaurant.

Montague Inn, Yarlington (2.3 miles). Hidden away in the hedgerows, you may have to ask locals to help you find the way to this former post office/green grocer. Five minutes away by car, this pub specialises in fish dishes and offers a vast menu comprised of locally sourced ingredients. A truly local establishment with a new dining room and à la carte menu, the Montague Inn offers a little something for all tastes.

Fraser Gardner's beautiful kitchen garden

At The Chapel, Bruton (5 miles). This converted chapel won the 2010 prize for Best Restaurant in the Taste of Somerset awards. With an in-store bakery, children’s menu and a wood-fired oven for handcooked pizzas this café/restaurant really does have a lot to offer. A 15-minute drive away, this chapel turned restaurant boasts a varied menu, both continental and cooked breakfasts until midday with a brunch and dinner menu following on after.

All about Yarlington House

The Count and Countess Charles de Salis have lived at Yarlington very happily for over half a century and

with help from their four daughters have restored Yarlington House to its original grandeur and wholly created the impressive gardens. The idea to put a yurt on their land came from Charles and Carolyn's boundless energy and eagerness to try new and exciting ideas. They were also intrigued by this new surge of ‘luxury’ camping, since Charles’ memories of sleeping outdoors take him back to his army days in Malaya, when things were quite different, and an 'outdoor shower' was an unwelcome and far from refreshing tropical downpour when asleep on the ground!

Environmental

Avid recyclers, Charles and Carolyn aim to run their house with minimal waste. The kitchen garden provides seasonal produce for the house’s delicious breakfasts and for guests to buy. Produce is available by arrangement with the gardener. The yurt and the kitchen and bathroom tent are both built by Albion Canvas from sustainable, carefully sourced materials. There's a rather charming private compost loo for guests of the yurt.

Wildlife

The large, flower-filled gardens are home to numerous species of butterflies. The area also supports deer, badgers, buzzards and rabbits. 40 minutes' drive away there is Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve, famous for its birds.

Booking terms for Yarlington Yurt

Booking Conditions

Please note that Canopy & Stars is acting as an 'Agent' in the booking of Yarlington Yurt on behalf of Count and Countess Charles de Salis (hereafter referred to as the 'Owner'). The Owner of the property is responsible for your stay and is the 'Principal' in this agreement. Customers renting property through Canopy & Stars are referred to as the Guest. The rental arrangements are made by Canopy & Stars, on behalf of the Owners and the contractual relationship is directly between the Owners of the property and the Guest.

The Canopy & Stars booking line (01275 395 447) is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, except public holidays. When using the online enquiry form, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours. Online enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment.

1. Booking and payments

1.1 The dates of your booking will be held upon payment of a non-refundable deposit of 25% or payment in full. Deposits are only payable when booking more than 10 weeks in advance of your check in date. Any booking less than 10 weeks in advance of your check in date must be paid in full immediately.

1.2 On receipt of the deposit, a booking confirmation will be sent to you within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, containing the details of your stay and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible. We're sorry for any inconvenience, but payments can only be made by credit and debit cards. A 2% surcharge will be applied to credit cards. We do not accept American Express, cheques or cash.

1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. If you are unable to pay the balance before the stated due date, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.

2. Cancellation

2.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.

2.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.

2.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.

2.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.

2.5 If the location of your booking is inaccessible due to adverse conditions your booking can be deferred to a later date subject to availability and at discretion of Canopy & Stars on behalf of the owner of the property.

3. Alteration

3.1 Alterations to your booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations will incur a £30 administration fee and are subject to availability and at the discretion of Canopy & Stars on behalf of the Owner of the property.

3.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.

4. Complaints

In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner of the property as soon as possible and they will use all reasonable endeavours to resolve the issue. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback.

5. Pricing

Prices on the website are not binding, but costs stated in any booking confirmation email you receive from Canopy & Stars will be honoured as shown and will include all VAT and any charges.

6. Information

Information on the website is correct to the best of our knowledge, but circumstances outside of our control may cause it to become inaccurate. We apologise for any inconvenience that may result from this.

7. Liability

7.1 Canopy & Stars accept no liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury whilst on your stay.

7.2 Canopy & Stars will not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Owners or any other person not within their employ or otherwise under their control, nor for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, whether to person or property, which the Guest or any other person may suffer or incur arising out of, or in any way connected with the rental unless Canopy & Stars is responsible. In addition, the Owners and Canopy & Stars accept no liability for loss of or damage to the Guest’s possessions on the Owners’ property or land.

7.3 Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits the liability of Canopy & Stars or the Owners:

a. for death or personal injury caused by Canopy & Stars or the Owners negligence.

b. for any matter which it would be illegal for Canopy & Stars or the Owners to exclude or attempt to exclude their liability.

7.4 The use of swimming pools, lakes, climbing trees, tractor rides and any other activity on the Owners land is the responsibility of the Guest and is done so at their own risk.

8. Pets

Pets are not permitted at Yarlington House. We apologise for any inconvenience.

9. VAT

Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable the tax is included in the weekly rent.

10. The Holiday – Guest Conditions of occupancy and Conduct

10.1 The Guests have the right to occupy the Property for the paid for holiday period only (within the meaning of Schedule 1 Paragraph 9 of the Housing Act 1988).

10.2 Guests undertake to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner in consultation with the Agents. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property.

11. Breach of Booking Conditions

11.1 If there is a breach of any of these conditions by the Guest or any of their party, the Owners or Canopy & Stars reserve the right to re-enter the Property and end the holiday and ask the Guest and their party to leave in addition to their other rights specified in these Booking Conditions.

11.2 Ending the Holiday by either the Owners or Canopy & Stars, or the Guests does not affect that party’s other rights and remedies.

12 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Any dispute will be governed by the non-exclusive law and jurisdiction of the English or Scottish Courts depending on the location of the Property.

13. Authority to Sign

The person who signs the Booking Form certifies that:

1. he or she is authorised to agree the Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons included in the Booking Form, including those substituted or added at a later date;
2. the signatory is over eighteen years of age;
3. they agree to take responsibility for the party occupying the Property, and to notify Canopy & Stars if they are not a member of the holiday party.

14. Discrepancies

In case of a discrepancy between these Booking Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Booking Conditions shall prevail.

15. Validity clause

In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Booking Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Booking Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.