Checking in: The Pigsty - Winchester, UK

You know I love a hut or barn, or anything remotely different to stay in, so when I saw The Pigsty in Winchester I knew I had to book it as our first little trip as a family of three.

Lockdown had just started and with the feeling of needing to have something to look forward to (and pretty much just something to do), I booked The Pigsty months in advance ready for a weekend getaway for October. We knew that our baby would be one month old and with the advice from my brother that it’s a really nice thing to get away with a newborn as soon as you can, I couldn’t wait to have a staycation here.

Tim was a little unsure right up until the day, knowing my track record of the places I’ve booked in the past, so expected the Pigsty to be small and cramped, and well, pretty impractical for a newborn baby.

How wrong he was…

As we drove down the track, we saw The Pigsty in the distance and immediately became excited. From the outside it looked incredibly well made and big. And was in the middle of nowhere, with only trees and the farm fields surrounding it.

We pulled up, located the key in a lock safe round the back, and headed for the front door. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it took us by actual surprise. It was so much bigger than the pictures showed. The attention to detail was second to none. And the bath, oh the roll top bath.

Everything just felt like it was in the right space. Talking of space, there was more than enough space for a newborn. If anything, we looked small in comparison.

The kitchen was fully equipped with a fridge, oven and all the utensils you’d need for a few nights stay. The roll top bath was inviting with bath salts for added luxury, and a walk in shower and separate toilet too. And The Pigsty had a cosy open plan living space and breakfast bar, to enjoy the simpler moments.

It was calming, and as The Pigsty describe it - a peaceful retreat being the perfect place to escape for some peace. That it really was.

Before we checked in, we’d had a wander around Winchester town as it was only a short drive, so we planned to do very little for the rest of the evening except chill out and drink champagne (we hadn’t celebrated the fact we’d had a baby and moved house at the time). It was a little cold to sit on the decking, so instead set ourselves up in the little living space whilst baby slept on the bed (that’s all he did then…!). It was so lovely and calm to watch the sunset and just take in these moments of being together as a new family, whilst in a gorgeous setting.

In the morning, we sprung open the curtains so we could catch the morning light coming in and as we ate the homemade crumpets that the hosts had left in the fridge and drank fresh coffee, we watched the wildlife potter about in the fields around us.

I took a long bath and settled back, as we watched TV and listened to music, and admired the incredible design and build of the dome. Whilst it felt big and spacious, it didn’t once feel cold or pigsty-like.

And time just seemed to stand still here. That’s what we liked about The Pigsty. Nothing ever felt like a rush.

We actually stayed two nights, so on the second day we pottered around the surrounding villages, admiring all the quaint houses, before joining up with some friends from Southampton for a few drinks in their local village. I remember sleeping very soundly that night. And I think the wine had something to do with it…

There are also local walks with the famous Clarendon Way being on the doorstep which we didn’t actually do, but we took a leisurely stroll a few times and came across a local farm shop and bakery (naturally picked up supplies too, because who goes to a bakery and doesn’t leave with pastries?!). For us personally, we just enjoyed taking things at a slower pace after a busy month, and spending as much time in The Pigsty as we could.

I know I say it wherever we go, but I honestly couldn’t recommend a stay at The Pigsty enough. They’re always booked up months in advance, which tells you just how wonderful it is, and it' truly is worth every single penny.

For our first little trip away as a family of three, it was the perfect place to be.