The Hut Eyam is as the name suggests situated on the outskirts of historic Eyam. It’s position on a hill on the edge of the village gives guests the opportunity to experience the beauty of Eyam and surrounding Peak District countryside. A couple of minutes walk and you can be in the centre of Eyam with its welcoming pubs and historic buildings. That includes Eyam Hall and Craft Centre.
When you arrive at this most individual of B&Bs you’ll be greeted by your host, Rachel. We were invited to take a look around the The Hut and talked to Rachel about how she came to have a Shepherd’s Hut at the bottom of her garden.
“I think staying at The Hut is about the whole experience.” Rachel explained, “[Because] I’ve always been in roles that are customer facing that’s part of what I am!” It only takes a few moments talking to Rachel to realise that The Hut is something that she believes in and cares greatly about. For Rachel this isn’t just a guest room. Far from it, here you’ll find something a little different, as far as we know the only shepherd’s hut in Eyam.
The Hut Eyam doesn’t offer a roll-out mattress and a tent for its guests to stop in, this is a custom built shepherds hut built by Plankbridge in Dorset. The design and construction of The Hut took a whole year. The layout and look of The Hut was planned with its location and use as a comfortable guest venue in mind. It’s authenticity as a Dorset/Somerset shepherd’s hut is about as complete as you can get; with the exception of some concessions to the modern world ensuring guests have a warm and comfortable stay in this unique venue. So although based on the traditional Shepherds hut this is a little different from the original somewhat spartan inspiration for Rachel’s guest room.
Plankbridge have created a cosy, welcoming space using sustainable materials. This includes doors and windows fabricated from English Oak and insulation of sheep’s wool. Rather appropriate for a shepherd’s hut. The ironwork on the vehicle including the wheels was hand made. The heart motif on door and windows was inspired by a family holiday in France and every aspect of the specification and layout planned … starting a decade ago.
The origins of The Hut Eyam stem from Rachel seeing original shepherd’s huts at an agricultural show 10 years ago. She was so taken by them that over a period of 5 or 6 years she persuaded her husband that they could locate one in their charming garden. A year in the planning and building The Hut was finally taking its first paying guests just over three years ago and from the start business was good.
What to Expect When Stopping at The Hut Eyam
If you want to stay at The Hut you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find there is no “minimum 2 nights” rule. Though just stopping for a single night in the lovely cosy surroundings will probably leave you wanting more. Because of this and because The Hut has a flat rate year round you should try to book well in advance.
Bathroom and washing-up facilities are provided in a spotlessly clean annex to the main house, adjacent to the off-street parking.
As a B & B The Hut gives you the freedom to wake to a breakfast hamper packed with goodies that can include homemade bread and preserves as well as locally produced honey and other delights – then investigate the Peak District at your leisure. I have it on good authority that if you ask really nicely you might be able to acquire some of Rachel’s preserves to take home with you as a memento of your stay.
This friendly personal approach was explained by Rachel like this “I think it’s important to work with local producers, it fits with the ethos of what I’m trying to create. I enjoy making [the preserves] too.” Which seems to be part of the reason why The Hut Eyam has 123 reviews on Trip Advisor, all 5 Star.
Rachel will be pleased to advise you about local points of interest or recommend places to dine out. There’s nothing better than a bit of knowledge from the locals to ensure you make the most of your stay in the Peak District.
You can find further details of The Hut on their website here. Take a look and you could soon be snuggling up in a comfy bed with your other half overlooking Eyam, bathed in the warm glow of a wood burning stove.
Disclosure – We were not paid for this review, except it you count a cup of tea and a warm welcome from Rachel . Click here for more information about reviews
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