The lodge
One family, one valley, twelve acres.
Margaret and Tom Ellis took on the tenancy in 1998 with two dogs and a leaking roof. The roof is fixed. The dogs have multiplied, but only slightly.
The family
Who you will actually meet
It is not a large operation, and it is not trying to be. Margaret answers the phone and knows every dog's name before the booking is confirmed. Tom is in the yard before six, which is why the barn smells of straw rather than disinfectant. Kate grooms, and is the person to ask if your dog has a sensitive coat or a strong opinion about the clippers.
The rule that has not changed since the beginning: no more than thirty dogs on the property at once. It is the number that lets one family do the work properly, and it is why we turn bookings away in August.
Margaret Ellis
Bookings, the office, and the phone that rings at seven in the morning.
Tom Ellis
The yard, the meadows, the night shift, and most of the fences.
Kate Ellis
The grooming table, Tuesday to Saturday, one dog at a time.
12
acres of meadow and orchard
30
dogs at most, on any night
28
years on the same holding
The property
A barn, two meadows and an old orchard
The boarding runs are in the stone barn, which stays cool in summer and keeps the noise down. The lower meadow is for walks and daycare; the paddock is for the bigger dogs who need more room than a lead allows. The orchard is for shade, and for dogs who would rather sit with someone than chase anything.
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Two fenced meadows, walked twice daily
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A paddock for large dogs and off-lead runs
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An old orchard for shade in the afternoon
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Parking for four cars, right outside the barn
Photographs
The yard in ordinary weather
The gate to the lower meadow.
Otto, who has been coming since he was a puppy.
The quiet end of the barn, where cats board.
See it before you book it.
Weekdays between ten and three. Bring the dog, ask the awkward questions, stay for a cup of tea.