Park Review: Faringdon Grange Holiday Lodges, Oxfordshire
Posted by Justin Allitt in Reviews, March 12, 2023
Faringdon Grange Holiday Lodge Park offers a Relaxing Getaway on the edge of the Cotswolds
Located just on the edge of the historic town of Faringdon, the first four Oakgrove Lodges of this thirty six lodge gated development have now been sited.
Invited to stay for the weekend by Noel and Helen, my wife (Joanna) and I were given keys to the Tallow Lodge, designed by Oakgrove Lodges, the company who own the park.
The Tallow Lodge by Oakgrove
The Lodge has everything you want from a modern holiday home – contemporary and stylish, with vaulted ceilings and an open-plan living area to the front.
That living area comprises, lounge, dining and kitchen area which flow seamlessly into one another. The living space is surrounded by full-height feature corner windows. With this amount of windows, you get light from every angle, just wonderful in the mornings in spring when we visited. There are good views to the bottom of the park, where we were lucky enough to see some deer near the lake. The double doors to the front of the lodge lead us onto the tiled raised patio area. This was an ideal sitting area for us to enjoy a glass of wine and a spot of lunch.
The lounge has an impressive feature wall-mounted living flame fire., which makes a great focal point to the room. Above this is the wall mounted smart TV. The curtains, blinds, and cushions are stylish and co-ordinated with the lounge suite and coffee table .
The very cool, sleek mat-finished fitted kitchen has a number of integrated appliances. These include full-length fridge/ freezer, dishwasher, washer/ dryer and five-ring gas hob built-in double electric oven and microwave. The good-sized breakfast bar should be a must for any modern holiday lodge. Overlooking the kitchen is the dining area with a large dining table and six chairs, ideal for entertaining.
The large and spacious bedrooms are stylised and include fitted headboards. Our lodge was forty-four feet, which is bigger than the standard forty-foot size you generally find. Our lodge enjoyed three large bedrooms with ample storage space, including walk in wardrobes. A clever design is the sliding mirrored doors lead onto huge en-suite bathrooms as well as a dressing table in the master bedroom. As well as the underfloor heating in the en-suites, one of the bathrooms included a roll top bath with centre tap.
Early evening saw us take advantage of the deluxe Wellis hot tub, which has been surrounded by reclaimed wooden sleepers to give the user privacy. Whilst enjoying the water with a glass of wine, we were lucky enough to see the two kites that are nesting nearby glide above the lodge.
Local Area
Having settled into our lodge, we decided to explore the local area. Our first short walk was to Great Coxwell Barn which took us around ten minutes. This a 13th Century Medieval tithe barn on the northern edge of the village of Great Coxwell. The barn was built to provide an income to Beaulieu Abbey.
Next we walked about a mile into Faringdon, which has a rich history dating back to Roman times. There are plenty of historical landmarks and buildings to explore including the Parish Church of All Saints. This is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture with a fascinating history. Another must-visit is the Faringdon Folly, a 140-foot-high tower built in the 18th century by Lord Berners.
The Cotswolds
Faringdon Grange Holiday Lodge Park is on the edge of the Cotswolds. This is a beautiful region known for its charming villages, rolling hills, and picturesque countryside. It’s certainly worth taking a trip to explore the Cotswolds.
We visited the historic town of Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the Venice of the Cotswold. The town is famous for it’s honey coloured historical buildings. We enjoyed a leisurely walk along the river.
Then we travelled by car to the town of Stow-on-the-Wold, located on the Roman Fosse Way. Here we enjoyed a Sunday roast at the Bell on the Stow.
Final Thoughts: Faringdon Grange Holiday Lodge Park
The park is the perfect location for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway in the heart of England. With so many gorgeous villages in the vicinity and Oxford just a brief drive away, the area is steeped in history. And, If like us, you enjoy nature and the outdoors, the park is in a perfect location. There are a number of good walks which we tried and plenty of wildlife to see. Although we didn’t take our bikes, there are also a number of bicycle routes in the area.
After visiting many parks over many years, the combination of spacious, well-equipped and and above all, luxurious lodges with this countryside location, makes Faringdon Grange Holiday Lodge Park a park we can highly recommended you visit.