THE SQUIRE FARM

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This page gives you plenty of information about the local area; what is going on on the farm, where to eat, what to see.  There are links to local sites of interest and walking and cycling information.  As this page is new, it is being updated and reviewed constantly, so please bear with me while it takes its final form.

 

The Farm

Photo Gallery

Places to Eat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The area is well stocked with Places to Eat, whether in pubs, cafes or posh restaurants.  Ludlow, being known as the Food Centre of Britain, can provide some really top class dining.

Food shopping can be fun too; Ludlow being a good place to shop for food.   There is a little village shop, a garage a butchers and a post office in Bucknell and Knighton has a larger range of shops.  Clun also has a good range of small shops.

Whether you want to walk, cycle or ride, there are plenty of well marked footpaths, cycle tracks and bridleways as well as quiet country lanes.

When you or the children are bored with walking or your parents want a more gentle form of entertainment, visit the numerous castles, houses and gardens, wildlife, forestry and farms in the area.

There are taxi firms you can ring for transport  Don't rely on them to come out unless you give them plenty of notice.  We are remote out here, public transport is for other people as far as I can tell; it is rare!  However, there is a train service from Bucknell and a bus comes through once a week.
   
 

THE FARM 

 

July/August 2010

As seems to be the case nowadays, 'summer' doesn't seem to happen!  It has not been too wet, but the sun has only shone sporadically, when it's felt like it.  The vegetables are growing and producing, but the tomatoes are taking forever to ripen. 

Jack is a 'sprat' at the moment.  He is as good as gold when he knows there is no option, but like a toddler, he will run off and hide at any time when I really need him to be shut up or put in his bed!  Patience wears a bit thin when you cannot even brush the path without the brush being attacked and removed!  I've tried to get him to play with a stick, which is, of course, only interesting when I am on the other end of it!

My latest WWOOFer made a start on coppicing the wood.  Hazel, holly and alder trees in a small section of the wood have been cut down to ground level, which lets light in and allows new growth to sprout up straight and strong.  Trees will survive far longer if they are managed like this and they will provide wood for our fires and log burners for years and years.

 

June 2010

Two weeks ago Teg ran under my Land Rover and was killed.  It was a horrible moment and I miss him very much; he was such a wonderful dog.

 

However, things never stand still on a farm and I have found a new puppy.  His name is Jack and he has already become one of the family.  There is a picture of him meeting Flea for the first time in the Picture Gallery

 

 

 

April 2010

The derelict barn in the back yard has been de-roofed.  I have plans to create a ruined-wall vegetable garden; the old walls providing some protection to the veg. 

 

First I need to find a way of keeping the hens out, then I need to find some soil!  The second problem is to be solved by digging out the old sheep-wash pond below the house.  Bob the Builder, got stuck in and diverted the stream via an old, old irrigation culvert and finished off the day by falling into the sludgy water by the weir!

 

March 2010

Lambing is over.  To be honest, it was over nearly before it began as I sold 24 in-lamb ewes back in February and was left with just five to lamb myself; between them they ended up with four lambs, which was one of the worst efforts they have ever made! However, it has hardened my resolve to change the breed; my 'softy' Friesland sheep are and have been used to drier weather and better quality grass in East Anglia and coming here, they have not adapted well.  At the end of the summer, I will find some good Cheviot ewes and a ram, which come from the hills of Northumberland originally and are used to the kind of country we have here. 

  Frieslands at home Cheviots (somewhere else)

 

SQUIRE FARM MEAT

Home produced mutton and lamb (in season)

click here

 

 

 
       

Places to Eat and Pubs

The Baron of Beef  Bucknell 01547 530549 The nearest local pub and restaurant

The Crown Inn, Newcastle  01588 640271  A family friendly local with extensive lunch and evening menus and a takeaway service.

Milebrook House Hotel  Knighton  Delicious locally sourced food in an award winning restaurant

The Horse and Jockey Knighton 01547 520062

Saffron Restaurant, Knighton.  01547 528510 Indian, eat in or take away

The Sitwell Arms, Bucknell  01547 530213 The second nearest pub.  Serves very good fish and chips on a Wednesday evening to eat in or take away, booking is necessary.

The Royal George, Lingen  01547 530213 A nice cosy 'pubby' pub, which serves very good food.

The Sun Inn, Clun  Very good food, I am told.

The Three Tuns Bishops Castle 01588 638797  Home brewed beer, good food and live music.

The White Horse Clun 01588 640305  More home brewed beer and good food and live music.

 
 
Food Shopping

Ludlow  In the town there are cheese shops (The Mousetrap), delicatessens and organic food shops, not forgetting the Ludlow Food Centre, which is out of town on the A49 heading north. For cheaper food, there is also a Tescos and an Aldi

Knighton provides us with Harry Tuffins, a supermarket with a difference, owned by a local family and also has a petrol station.

  

Walking, Cycling or Horse Riding

 

There are many walks through the beautiful countryside.  From Squire Farm itself you can walk out of the door and head off in three different directions along well marked footpaths.  About three miles west is the Offa's Dyke path, which runs from near Chepstow in South Wales to Prestatyn in the north.  Also not far away is the Jack Mytton Way and The Shropshire Way.  Lots of information is provided by the Shropshire Ramblers, so do check them out.

 

Cyclists are also well catered for in Shropshire.  Nearby Hopton Wood has its own downhill trail and footpaths.  Most of the lanes are quiet and relatively traffic free and if you can bear the uphill slogs, there are plenty of downhills to enjoy!  There is more sedate cycling available if you don't fancy the hills though, with quite easy routes to Bucknell and Knighton and even as far afield as Ludlow or Craven Arms.

 

  
Castles, Gardens and Houses

First on your list would have to be Ludlow Castle, which is so steeped in history and although mostly ruined, you can still climb up onto the walls and turrets.  Stokesay Castle is also well worth a visit, not so much a castle as a fortified manor house and Powis Castle at Welshpool is a must.  For more castles in Wales visit Castles in Wales and of course, just down the road is our own Clun Castle.

Croft Castle and Berrington House are both National Trust properties with gardens, grounds and tea rooms or restaurants.  Then, for gardens and house there is Hampton Court (the original) just south of Leominster.  Hergest Croft Gardens at Kington and other gardens all within easy reach in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Powys

Other places to visit are The Space Guard Centre near Knighton and the Judge's Lodgings in Presteigne. 

 

Transport

 

Taxis: 

 

 

 

British Rail: 

 

 

 

Buses:

 

 

Knighton Taxis  01547 528165

Arms Cabs (Craven Arms)01588 672010

Craven Arms Taxis 01588 673333

 

National Rail: 0845 484950   Bucknell Station  Knighton Station  Ludlow Station

Arriva Trains Wales: www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk 0845 6061660
Heart of Wales Line: www.heart-of-wales.co.uk 01597 822053

There is a a bus from Knighton on Thursdays at 1.45 pm.

For more information about travel timetables, follow this link Traveline