Tom’s Barn | A secret luxury escape hidden in a historic rustic cowshed in the Peak District

If you want to give your partner a romantic surprise then Tom’s Barn is the way to do it. From the outside, this rural Peak District retreat still resembles an 18th century cowshed – but inside it’s a whole different story. Watch, with a grin, as your loved one steps from farmyard to five star.

The barn is named after the previous owner of Orchard Farm – Tom – who was a well-liked village character. It was 20 years before people stopped referring to Orchard Farm as ‘Tom’s place’, and the new owners have kept his name.

You can wake up in a king size bed, in the romantic galleried bedroom, before hopping into an ensuite bathroom, with an extra deep bath for soaking in. Downstairs is an atmospheric sitting room with large gable window, and Australian paintings high on the walls. There is a log burner, for cosy evenings, and a flat screen TV for relaxing after enjoying a Peak District walk.

The kitchen is extremely well equipped, with all the store cupboard basics you’d find in your kitchen at home. You will find a tea tray laid for your arrival, with freshly cooked homemade cake or biscuits. There will also be fresh flowers awaiting your arrival, along with bread, milk, butter, the barn owners’ homemade marmalade and half a dozen freshly laid farm eggs. Tom’s Barn even has its own mini herb garden in a pot by the front door.

You can enjoy a quiet drink outside in the evening, in the garden area, set behind a living willow hedge with a Weber charcoal barbecue for you to spark up on sunny days.

This rural retreat is five star and dog friendly, so if your pooch travels with you everywhere then this could be the ideal getaway. The garden is not enclosed though, so keep him close by!

If you can drag yourselves away there is a whole world to explore in the Derbyshire Peak District countryside. There are walks right from the door, including the High Peak and Tissington Trails, trips to nearby famous Dovedale, Carsington for water sports, and the famous Chatsworth House, which was Mr Darcy’s home in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice.