Are children welcome at White Lodge Farm?

"Child-friendly, yet luxurious" - As this comment in our visitors' books succinctly testifies, children are very welcome in the self-catering cottages at White Lodge Farm and there are certainly plenty of things to see and do in the area, aimed at children of all all ages.

Just take a look at some of the pages in the "see and do" section for information about petting zoos and museums about rural life designed with the younger visitor in mind and plenty of emphasis on practical demonstrations.

There's also the Dinosaur Adventure Park, steam railways in profusion, fairground rides modern and traditional, wildlife parks, seal trips, horse sanctuaries, a superb zoo (which has had positive comments even from those not wholly in favour of the concept of a zoo), playbarns and, for the 10 and overs (and way beyond) aerial assault courses, not to mention horse riding, cycling, beaches, nature reserves and boat trips on the Norfolk Broads.

But having plenty of things to do is just one factor to be taken into account when holidaying with children. If you're coming to stay at White Lodge Farm you're probably hoping to relax a little as well and our aim is to make that easier too. Although our cottages offer more than a touch a luxury, we've also considered the benefits of making the accommodation child-friendly.

So, whilst the cottages are comfortably furnished and well equipped, you'll not find precious antiques, precariously placed or otherwise, or white carpets. What you will find is practically furnished accommodation, with each cottage having direct access to its own, decent-sized garden. We've also thought about details inside the cottages - guests with children often comment on the benefits of such refinements as the blackout linings to curtains and the provision of nightlights.

The cottages have underfloor central heating (there are radiators upstairs in the Barn and, in Stable Cottage, in the hayloft, and heated towel rails in the bathrooms). Whilst each cottage has a log burner, there is no need to use this for heating or hot water. Should you, however, choose to enjoy the homely feel of lighting the log burner fireguards are available on request.

Our cottages are reached down a private driveway set off a country lane. The gardens each have a post and rail fence and the cottages are arranged around a courtyard. As each cottage has its own garden with plenty of room to play, the courtyard is a "quiet" area in the interests of the privacy and enjoyment of all guests. Cars are excluded from the courtyard (the only exception is when vehicular access is needed to a cottage for someone with mobility difficulties) and guests are asked to walk their cycles.

Cots and high chairs are available if requested in advance of your arrival and subject to availability, although, to accord with current recommendations, we do not provide mattresses or bedding for cots.

A steam steriliser is also available on request.

Each cottage is equipped with:

• a dishwasher (the Barn has two)
• a microwave oven
• a double oven with hob (the Barn has an eight-burner, double oven range cooker)
• a fridge/freezer
• a washing machine and
• a tumble dryer.

Dairy Cottage has no internal changes of level.

Stable Cottage has no internal changes of level except for the stairs to the hayloft, an area with a futon and a TV, in which older children (there seems to be no upper age limit!) seem to like to take refuge from the rest of the party. A stairgate is available on request for use at the bottom of the staircase which leads from the farmhouse kitchen to the hayloft. As no rooms are accessed from the hayloft some guests choose to leave the stairgate shut throughout their stay.

The Barn has no internal changes of level on the ground floor. One of the living rooms and two of the double bedrooms are on the first floor and a stairgate is available on request for use at the top of this staircase (access can be denied to the bottom of the staircase, without affecting the use of any ground floor rooms, simply by shutting the hall door).

Guests are welcome to use our libraries of:

• DVDs
• video cassettes.

which include U, 12 and 15 rated titles.

Children's titles are included within the selection of books in each cottage and the range of games provided includes games suitable for younger children.

We normally have a horse or two at White Lodge Farm and guests looking from their cottage windows or garden can often see the horses in their stables or grazing in our paddocks, which are surrounded by post and rail and/or electric fence. Whilst the latter cannot distinguish between quadrapeds and bipeds, the paddocks do not abut the cottages or their gardens so children have no need to come into contact with the fencing or the horses.

Like most farms, White Lodge Farm has a pond. Its distance from the cottages is, however, such that it cannot even be seen from the cottages.

Guests say ...

"A perfect getaway for us to bring our 14-week old son. We have already started recommending [your cottages]."
    -J, A & M, Norwich

"The cottage itself was first class, completely child-friendly, well equipped, not to mention absolutely beautiful."
    -The S & F families, Essex

"Wer have really enjoyed our first holiday with our son, Jack. The cottage is superb - everything we needed, and more, was available, which made our stay relaxing and pleasurable."
    -The T family, Chesterfield

"Wonderfully child friendly with the added treat of the horses out in the morning."
    -The D family, Essex

"We have had a wonderful week with our 15-month old daughter. It's the perfect place for a family holiday and we could relax while Charlie had the space to run around in the wonderful baby-friendly cottage and garden."
    - MP, JP & Party, W Midlands

"Our children want to come and live here - someone has put a great deal of thought and care into making this a perfect holiday venue."
    -The M, P & H-R families, York

"Beautifully furnished with everything we needed. Great space for adults and children alike."
    -The Lees family, Essex