Hillside Hangouts

Every year people beat a path to bucolic Broadway, heralded as the heart of the Cotswolds, lured by its gentle honey-stone beauty.

But there is another viewpoint of the village, one that is altogether more exclusive, from the wellestablished gardens of Elsker – the former family home of the owners of the Farncombe Estate. After an extensive facelift, the property is now available for hire as part of the estate’s Hillside Hangouts (01386 854300; hillsidehangouts. co.uk). It was created with parties, celebrations and time with friends and family in mind.

Elsker – which means “love” in Danish – has expansive living space, from the open-plan kitchen to the hot tub and poolside games room. Its refurb has just the right balance of style and substance – the thoughtfully stocked library is as bright and welcoming as the sunlit living room, whose woodburning stove and soft sofas offer the potential for cosy winter nights. The eight (enormous) bedrooms are all en suite, many with roll-top baths, and the master suite has a glitter ball above the bed. The house is dogfriendly too, sleeping two pooches. Then there is the view – providing the scenic backdrop to the estate’s falconry experts, who will bring birds of prey for a meet and greet. You can also book yoga sessions. Archery, axe throwing and clay-pigeon shooting take place just a few minutes’ walk across the estate, on the same field as “hovercrafting”, a thrillfilled couple of hours in which you can channel your inner Mad Max as you skim across the grass.

Continental breakfast is provided by the estate, there is a private chef on site, and the restaurant or utterly indulgent Feasting Deck at the estate’s Fish Hotel is a contemporary twist on convivial private dining. Think fat, juicy, garlic prawns; flame-grilled chicken wings, barbecued pulled shoulder of lamb and oozing bowls of s’mores.

The vibe is fun. And just in case you forget this, a framed family photograph in the stylish foyer is hung almost as if to remind you of Elsker’s raison d’etre.

From £9,510 per week sleeping up to 16 (14 adults and two children)

Lou Barraclough